Plastic Worm Fishing Four Ways
by Lake Fork Guide Jim Reaneau
If all the lure
makers joined in a conspiracy and they said to me,
"Jim, you can have one bait to fish with and that's
it!", 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 to you now in this article.
 1) 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. reel in all 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 also 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.
2) The Carolina
rigged worm was a technique used on the tournament
trail as opposed to being used by the average angler. 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 keeper set-ups or use the
traditional 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.
3) The wacky
worm or trick worm is any worm hooked in the middle. I
have two worm styles called "stud fries" and "ring
fries". You use a regular open hook or a weedless wireguard
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.
4) 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 time! Good fishing!!
Lake Fork Guide Jim Reaneau
| Author Information.
 Jim
has the experience to help you have a marvelous fishing trip
having been a full time guide for eight years. Uncle Larry Bolton
taught Jim how to fish as a young boy and got him interested in
bass fishing. Jim has been fishing for bass primarily since the
age of 13. He even hunted on the land before Lake Fork was built.
He is no stranger to fishing in tournaments
either. Jim started fishing tournaments in 1973 on Lake
Livingston -- winning a couple and placing in several. While in
the Houston area, Jim was a member of the Humble bass club.
Jim & his wife, Sherry, have been married for
28 years. Sherry is from this area. Eight years ago a move from
Houston brought them to the Lake Fork area permanently. As a
couple, being associated with the area for the past 28 years, it
was coming home.
Give Jim a call: Toll Free 1-888-918-5088 or
903 383-3320
Visit Jim's web site at http://members.tripod.com/~bassone/
Email Jim at bassone@peoplescom.net
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