For the last few weeks, the local Bass Pro has been totally out of 4 inch Power Worms in all colors. No motor oil, red shad, watermelon, junebug, tequila sunrise, etc. Shelves were empty. Well, empty with one exception: Black. Black worms, they had plenty.
Reluctantly, I bought a couple of packs, hoping I wouldn't run out of better colors. But I did, so eventually went with black.
A couple of hours and two 20 plus inch LMB later, I can say that black worms work just dandy.
I recall reading an article years ago by a plastic worm manufacturer which tested various colors for bass response. They concluded that the fish didn't care if the lure were translucent or a solid shade. However, fishermen did care, much preferring translucent, so they kept making more of those.
Interesting. Anybody else experience something similar at Bass Pro?
Yes I have experienced that at our local BPS. I've not been in the store since the covid hit us. But even before that, could not find the Power baits BLK/Blue tailed lizard. My number one bait for night fishing lmb. Maybe they stopped making them? And I don't have many left after having bags and bags of them. I hope not as they are a go to bait for big lmb at certain times. I am a firm believer that Power bait worm, lizards etc are great fishing baits and the lmb will hold on to them longer. Giving us fisherman a better chance of getting hooked up. Frank, I am betting you already new that blk worms worked, but had not fished them for awhile. LMB are sight feeders and will bite what they can see. I have been thinking of ordering them out of their catalog.
In my local 70 acre tiny shallow lake full of weeds, lily pads and lots of floating mats that are detaching from the peat and floating to the top... I took my 6th grade son and his friend fishing in a rowboat. We were mostly teaching him how to drive the 6hp antique outboard motor that we rescued from Grandma's basement and hadn't run in 35 years or more. I had to learn how to restring a vertical spiral recoil after a couple yanks on the dry rotted pull rope. (I have never seen a vertical spiral recoil before!) but fortunately while on the water youtube was to the rescue again and i was able to get it restrung. It was baking hot, a humid day, windy, and intense sun so didn't think we would have much fishing action.
I had bought some senko round whacky worm look alikes from Walmart (I think they were zoom brand maybe?) 5" and I set my boy up with a brown/natural worm color and set up his friend with a black/watermelon/red flake. It was like a dark color with red metallic flake in it. It was amazing that in hot and very clear water in mid day that we couldn't keep the bass off the dark version and the normal brown color didn't even get a bite. I switched my son to the same black/red flake and both started connecting immediately.
Color matters i guess!
So....for us "bass rookies", could pictures of how you rig your worm be shown? Is it as simple as running a hook through the worm, either at the end or in the middle? And then dropping it to the bottom and then...what? Lightly twitch and wait? Slowly drag along the bottom? Work the lure off the bottom vertically? I'm not trying to steal anyone's secret technique, just looking for knowledge to improve my presentation. I can understand the look of a dying minnow, twitching a bit and then gliding down in the water (as with many jigs). I need to better understand the movement I'm trying to mimic with worms in water.
This may fall under the "dumb questions" category, but I'll take the hit if I can learn something.
Came here for this comment. You didn't disappoint.
DrLuke, youtube Texas Rig and wacky rig. That should show you how to rig most plastic baits. Senkos can be hooked and fished either way. The most important thing when Texas rigging is to make sure the worm hangs straight after you thread the hook on. If not, the worm may spin, and cause line twist.
There's really no secrets, because every day's different. Remember though, worms are silent, and LMB most likely need to see them before they bite. Haste makes waste when worm fishing.
There's a thousand great types, brands, and sizes for worm hooks, but whatever you go with, make sure the hook gape is large enough to clear the worm body when you set the hook. I primarily use Owner hooks, but that's just my personal preference.
I used to drive past 2 BPS stores to get to Cabelas. Since BPS bought them out, and started putting their branded items in Cabelas, I shop at neither anymore.
DrLuke, youtube Texas Rig and wacky rig. That should show you how to rig most plastic baits. Senkos can be hooked and fished either way. The most important thing when Texas rigging is to make sure the worm hangs straight after you thread the hook on. If not, the worm may spin, and cause line twist.
There's really no secrets, because every day's different. Remember though, worms are silent, and LMB most likely need to see them before they bite. Haste makes waste when worm fishing.
There's a thousand great types, brands, and sizes for worm hooks, but whatever you go with, make sure the hook gape is large enough to clear the worm body when you set the hook. I primarily use Owner hooks, but that's just my personal preference.
I used to drive past 2 BPS stores to get to Cabelas. Since BPS bought them out, and started putting their branded items in Cabelas, I shop at neither anymore.
Will do, on the YouTube reviewing. And slower is better, copy that. No doubt, crazy number of hook choices. I'll look for some Owner brand. Thanks for the tips!
DrLuke, youtube Texas Rig and wacky rig. That should show you how to rig most plastic baits. Senkos can be hooked and fished either way. The most important thing when Texas rigging is to make sure the worm hangs straight after you thread the hook on. If not, the worm may spin, and cause line twist.
There's really no secrets, because every day's different. Remember though, worms are silent, and LMB most likely need to see them before they bite. Haste makes waste when worm fishing.
There's a thousand great types, brands, and sizes for worm hooks, but whatever you go with, make sure the hook gape is large enough to clear the worm body when you set the hook. I primarily use Owner hooks, but that's just my personal preference.
I used to drive past 2 BPS stores to get to Cabelas. Since BPS bought them out, and started putting their branded items in Cabelas, I shop at neither anymore.
Will do, on the YouTube reviewing. And slower is better, copy that. No doubt, crazy number of hook choices. I'll look for some Owner brand. Thanks for the tips!
If you have never fished a senko before, you are in for a treat. A senko, rigged wacky or weedless (check youtube), is straight up bass magic in a pond. They fall slowly through the water column on a stationary line. When you pick it up again, be ready to set the hook as they'll hit it on the fall or pick it up off the bottom. If you've done a real texas rig with a new senko, set the hook hard to pull the hook through the plastic and into the fish.
I've caught fish Texas rigging senkos, but never wacky rigged. In fact, I don't think I've ever had a hit wacky style. Dunno why, I love plastic worms and wacky rigs look deadly.
LLLOL. Always the very best from Theo.
yep, we just bent the senko/lookalike in half, put a long shank worm hook (nothing fancy) through the mid section, back around and back up through so the hook is pointing straight up and the worm is suspended by roughly the middle. (wacky rig) The nice thing is that a 4 or 5" worm has enough weight that kids can cast but no added weight is needed. Then when it hits the water it sinks slowly. You just cast into structure or better yet right on the edge of structure since the hook point does show through and so is not totally weedless.
I just taught them to let it hit bottom on the cast. Then just 2 quick twitches to get it moving up (the two ends of the worm bow together and then spring back up when twitching) in the water column, then let it sink again. Twitch twice, sink, over and over. The fish usually pick it up as it sinks so they had to be alert to a subtle tightening of the slack that they didn't do (tightening on the falling down phase) or it is easier when you see the line start moving sideways when you know that you are only reeling straight back towards the boat. With subtle pickups or sideways movement it is best to wait to the count of 1-Mississippi, 2-Mississipi and then set the hook or wait till you feel a little tension and then set it. Amazing how readily the fish want to pick up that falling wacky rigged worm.
A wacky rigged sinko is a great tool for catching lmb. Frank, if it was me and not having much luck with one I would look into my fishing line. And look for a line with low visibility. A wacky rigged sinko is a hard lure to be out fished. Frank, based on your fishing reports at the lake, I would be surprised that you would not go through 3 to 5 bags of baits per fishing trip. Chunk it out there, let it fall a bit ( slow count to 3 or 6 or somewhere in between) and then twitch it by moving the rod tip a few inches by a quick jerk. Watch your line for movement and then set the hook. I use a #2 or #3 wide gap Owner hook or even larger if I want it to fall a little faster. Good luck.
...Watch your line for movement...
This
I always use a less visible fluro, or a fluro leader, when fishing wacky worms.
I have a problem with worm fishing, way too many times I get a deep hook that is terminal for the fish, I have started using the Strike King craws, they are a little pricey but they last a long time because of the quality of material, I guess, I rig them on a a weedless jighead, 3/8 OZ is my go to, they are the best thing I have found for LMB,, and almost zero swallowed hooks. I have issues with worms, they grab the tail and just hang onto it and swim for a bit, obviously you cant set the hook then or you just break the worm but when they do finally gulp it, its swallowed, just my experience. they do hit them well tho, and salamanders was always my preference over worms, more action.
For the last few weeks, the local Bass Pro has been totally out of 4 inch Power Worms in all colors. No motor oil, red shad, watermelon, junebug, tequila sunrise, etc. Shelves were empty. Well, empty with one exception: Black. Black worms, they had plenty.
Reluctantly, I bought a couple of packs, hoping I wouldn't run out of better colors. But I did, so eventually went with black.
A couple of hours and two 20 plus inch LMB later, I can say that black worms work just dandy.
I recall reading an article years ago by a plastic worm manufacturer which tested various colors for bass response. They concluded that the fish didn't care if the lure were translucent or a solid shade. However, fishermen did care, much preferring translucent, so they kept making more of those.
Interesting. Anybody else experience something similar at Bass Pro?
Every retailer here in Ontario Canada is selling product they have in inventory only. It appears with this pandemic to keep profit margins up they are selling off only what they have on hand. They will ship store to store but it appears when inventory is gone its gone for now until we return to some sense of normal.
I am not a very religious person but, I really am praying for our brother to the south. This virus is no joke.
Black is beautiful
So....for us "bass rookies", could pictures of how you rig your worm be shown? Is it as simple as running a hook through the worm, either at the end or in the middle? And then dropping it to the bottom and then...what? Lightly twitch and wait? Slowly drag along the bottom? Work the lure off the bottom vertically? I'm not trying to steal anyone's secret technique, just looking for knowledge to improve my presentation. I can understand the look of a dying minnow, twitching a bit and then gliding down in the water (as with many jigs). I need to better understand the movement I'm trying to mimic with worms in water.
Good luck !
wacky rigged lures don't have to be Senkos yet still have the SAME ACTION and strike potential: