When The Worms Don't Work What Do You Go To?

[jdb65]

I was out on Sunday and using plastic worms the entire day and not one hit. I read on here that when you're begining to take only one thing out (worms) and fish it till you know it up and down. Now I wouldn't say I have worms completly down but I could tell the fish were not into them that day. I switched out a few times with colors and size with no luck.

So what would you try next?

[Avalonjohn44]

Instead of different sizes/colors a different presentation might have worked: T-rig, C-rig, dropshot, splitshot, weightless, etc. That or varying the speed/cadence of your retrieve, fast, slow, hopping, crawling etc.

[bradbass]

try a stick bait switch up the retrieve.fast,slow,steady.

[jdb65]

I thought when you cast let it hit the botton and then a small jerk wait and another and so on. Do you actually retrieve? If so how?

[Nitrofreak]

Instead of different sizes/colors a different presentation might have worked: T-rig, C-rig, dropshot, splitshot, weightless, etc. That or varying the speed/cadence of your retrieve, fast, slow, hopping, crawling etc.

Maybe you were in the wrong place too?

I agree with the above post, I would have slowed way down and tried a different presentation rather than change color,

[tomustang]

I thought when you cast let it hit the botton and then a small jerk wait and another and so on. Do you actually retrieve? If so how?

There's hundreds of techniques, the one your talking is twitch/pause. What other ways were you trying?

[jdb65]

That was it. Any sugestions?

[tomustang]

Well another basic is letting drop, pause, slowy raise it back up to the surface and let it drop again, repeat.

Here's a good link http://www.bassresource.com/fish/plasticworms.html

At the bottom left are more related links

[NCbassmaster4Life]

Well I wouldn't take the plastics out of the picture, I do my homework before an outting usually looking up fishing reports:weather,water temp,pattern the bass should be in,ect...post spawn is approaching for most of us for some the spawn is just starting. Know what baits work during spring during the whole prespawn,spawn,postspawn.

[JigMe]

If you have done EVERYTHING you can on a worm, then I will go to a finesse Jig or inline spinner. But there are many ways to fish plastics, and location is the key. Study the map and Locate the fish first, if you cant find the bass then you can't catch them regardless of what lure to use.

[smalljaw67]

Plastic worms are one of those baits that will catch a fish in almost any condition provided the presentation is correct and you are in the right spot meaning an area that is holding fish. What you should do is cover water, try using a spinnerbait or crankbait or even a fluke typ bait that you can cast out and bring back quickly, this will let you search and eliminate unproductive water and you don't have to catch a fish on it in order to find them, you may get one to follow the bait or perhaps make baitfish jump out of the way or you may see a fish roll or flash on your bait but you would at least know where they are so you could go back and fish slower with the worm.

[Catt]

Creature or Crawl Worm

[cajun_flipper]

I fish A LOT of soft plastics and very rarely do any of them resemble a worm. Soft plastic craws and brush hogs are proven baits in any number of conditions and presented in the same manner. I have more faith in creature baits.

As far as switching lures, I always have one horizontal lure and one vertical lure tied on. Most times here in Louisiana that comes in the form of a Rage Tail Craw (vertical lure) and a spinner bait (horizontal). Both of those lures are versatile enough to fish a million different ways.

Unconventional tactics sometimes work. Swimming a worm or hopping a spinner bait and things of that sort. Find cover and structure and target them like there's no tomorrow.

[vapredhunter]

I switch to a Jig with a craw

[Deadeye-1]

Sometimes when the bottom is soft and the worm gets buried to easily, try swimming the worm. Use a weight that is heavy enough to get it down, but not so heavy that it sinks to quickly. I like to use a 1/32 or 1/16 in this condition. Cast it out towards the cover, let it sink, then slowly swim the worm back to you. Use a ribben tail worm like a Bass Assain or Culprit and retreive just fast enough that the tail flicks back and forth.

At times this will drive bass crazy. I have had some of my best days using this trick,

Also find what they are feeding on. Right now in my waters the Manhaden are swimming in schools and the bass are tearing them up. I use a Rapala Shad Rap in the shallow version and they pounce right on it.

[Edgy]

95% of the time i am either fishing plastics or jigs, with plastic trailers obviously. But, try different types of soft plastics. The ones i use the most are ribbontail worms and stick worms. Also, i just ordered some 4in swimbugs from wave fishing and the bass are tearing them up! Just try different soft plastics, i would say a stick worm like a senko for beginners, and try different rigging and techniques.

[Scorcher214]

Perhaps they want something that would create more of a reaction strike? Fast moving lipless crank or spinnerbait.

[hatrix]

Unless you got a target to hit or a place you want to pick apart try something moving. Just throwing a worm any where and working it all the way can be slow but still works.