Tips
& Techniques
Plastic Worm Fishing
from...
Lake Fork Pro Jim Reaneau
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If the
lure makers said "Jim, you can have one bait to fish with and that's all", the
worm would win out. There are so many variations of ways to fish the worm. The wacky worm
or trick worm, the Texas rig, Carolina rig and weightless Texas rig. I will explain all of
these now.
The Texas rig was the most popular worm technique years ago and still is popular today.
This is where you take a bullet weight of your choice (I like 1/8 ounce) and a 2/0 offset
hook. Attach a worm by running the hook through the head and come out about 3/8 of an inch
below it. Twist the hook 180 degrees around and embed the point into the worm making sure
the barb is embedded also. Make sure the point is not exposed. The weight and hook should
vary with the size of the worm.
It doesn't matter how deep the water is, you can fish this rig right down the bank if you
like. When you are ready to use it, look for stumps, timber, grass or creek channels. Cast
the bait out in your favorite spot and drag the worm back through and over logs, stumps,
or vegetation. It is weedless with the hook point embedded like this. When a fish hits
this bait, there will be a tap tap or the line will move off. Either way, drop your rod
tip roll in the slack and set the hook.
You need a medium heavy or heavy action rod for worm fishing. I use a Falcon FC 7-166
heavy action, but the FC 5-166 medium heavy will do just fine. When you set the hook and
miss the fish, reel in and check your bait. If you set the hook hard enough the worm will
be pulled down by the resistance of the water. If you leave it out there the exposed hook
will hang up on everything. Keep your rod high as you are reeling so the bait will ride
over the stumps and keep from hanging up.
The Carolina rig was a technique used on the tournament trail. It was a guarded secret by
the Pro's for a long time. It was a very productive means to catch fish under adverse
conditions. This rig is where you have a leader about 2 feet long and the bait is away
from the weight. You can use this in shallow or deep water also. You can use the new
Carolina keepers or use a swivel. Some like the swivel because you can use light line on
the leader. This is a must sometimes. I have found days where someone using lighter line
caught more fish than the ones that didn't. So keep this in mind when the bite is tough.
The heavy Carolina is my main choice in May and June. I use 20 pound line and a ¾ ounce
weight and a 2/0 hook. The Carolina rig is a good summer and fall tactic. Humps, roadbeds,
points and submerged grass are perfect place's to fish with it. Sometimes the Texas rig
will not work. I will make up a light weight Carolina with a 1/8 or 3/16 weight and fish
it in the shallow water. This will sometimes salvage a fishless day. The Carolina rig is
very productive when the bite becomes slow. Most fishing guides will get a Carolina rig in
their customers hands before the day is over.
The wacky worm or trick worm is any worm hooked in the middle. I have used stud fries and
ring fries. You use a regular hook or a weedless hook whatever you prefer. You can put a
split shot on your line if needed or put a nail in the head of the worm if the wind is
blowing. I normally fish this bait without a weight either around the banks, boat docks,
piers or timber in 1 to 8 foot of water. Sometimes just a slow twitch with a stop and go
retrieve is all that's needed when the bite is tough. After a cold front this will get you
a bite when the fish get lock jaw . I have had to go to 8 or 10 pound line on a spinning
rod to get a bite. This is a very productive bait in the spring when the fish react to
pressure or cold fronts. Work the bait slowly with a slow sweeping motion or a twitching
stop and go retrieve.
The weightless worm is where I Texas rig a worm and use no weight on it. This is like
fishing a jerk bait. I throw it around logs, trees, and vegetation in the spring. I twitch
this bait and let it sink. This is a very effective way to catch more fish. I have used
lizards in the spring. A nail or a very small split shot well work if the wind is blowing.
I like to use this when the top water bite starts because you can throw it into and over
grass. Well I hope this is some help to you.
Till next month!
Thanks and good fishing,
Jim
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