Zoom Speed Worms

[JKarbo214]

I was watching a college fishing tournament on television and saw one team fishing with Zoom Speed Worms.  It looked as though they were just reeling these in on the top of the water.  Has anyone used these and how should they be fished?  Do you keep them at the surface?  Any help would be appreciated.

[Paul Roberts]

Well, I don't know that worm specifically, but swimming tail worms are a GoTo for me. I've used the 6" Mr.Twister for years, and still like them. I swim them from the surface on down. I T-rig them or use a weedless jighead like a Brewer's Slider head (heavy "U" hook model), or an Owner SledHead.

[Wild Bill [NY]]

SPEEDWORM 101

----------------

The technique to use the Zoom "Speedworm" is actually called "speed-worming".

This Zoom 'speedworm' worm was developed for that technique, as guys like me were "speed-worming" way before this bait was even made.

Back then, a lot of us used paddletail worms to do this technique , and the Gambler "Paddle Tail Worm" was a favorite of mine for that technique, but they required a little bit of modifications to really get them to sputter well.

Speedworming is a topwater technique for the most part, but some guys have refined the technique often to suit thier conditions and cover that they encounter on the waters.

Take the worm out of the bag and hold it parallel to the ground lengthwise. Then roll it in your fingers so the open side of the tails hook shape is open on the bottom, and the tail's 'curl' tip is at the lowest point. Rig it to fish it like that, tip down. It will generate the most action that way, in my opinion.

Some guys fish it right the way it comes out of the bag, and many others will peg or Florida-rig a 1/16 or 1/8 bullet weight to it's nose to give it a bit more casting distance.

Most guys I have seen speedworming use size 3/0 to 5/0 size EWG-styles of hooks, usually skin-hooking it into the top of the bait to get a degree of weedlessness that way. Some will favor a heavy-wire EWG-style hook for this technique, and I am one of them.

That way, you can sling it into all kinds of veggies and grasses, and reel it back, keeping the bait up on the water's surface, bouncing it off those grasses[etc] as your reel it back to you. The fluttering tail action will create a wake and slight frothing of the water surface, somewhat akin to a buzzbait [but with less noise and distrubance].

Many today, use Horny Toads [and their many counterparts] basically the same way.

The one real way I see these used that I have not seen done with the Toads is where guys will crank the worm right up to a piece of cover {like a dock piling as an example, or a stump,etc} and then just 'kill' it, letting the worm drop right into the face of any fish sitting behind that dock piling[or whatever], triggering that fish to attack the worm as it drops right into it's face. That also is where that little bit of pegged-weight will make it drop a bit faster then.

It can be a very exciting technique to use, and it can be used in many kinds of cover, such as Lily Pads, edges of weedlines, over the top of semi-emergent weeds, emergent grasses, etc.

I have had days where bass have been so aggressive that I have seen the bass wakes coming at my moving worm 15-20 feet from where it ultimately gets bit by the Bass. Yeah, try to steel your nerves as you see that happening , and just keep on cranking your worm along steadily until that "Green Torpedo" hits your lure !!!

Now, during the attack by the Bass, don't swing for the fences rigth away until you feel the pull of the fish, or see your line moving away from you. THEN [and only then], cross thier eyes with a GOOD hookset, and horse them back as fast as you can so they do not ball you up in the heavy weeds, etc.

This is a great technique if you have kids or novices fishing with you, as they do not have to feel {or know} that gentle pickup or 'tic' that you need to feel in so many soft-plastic techniques to recgnize a bite. The Bass hits are pretty obvious and all you need to do is show the novice how to set the hook well.

It keeps them visually stimulated as they fish it, because they see the lure buzzing along, and they see the hits, so it will keep them interested that way. Another plus of this with novices is that you rarely get gut hooked fish.

I hope this helps you..

[JKarbo214]

Wow, yes that was very helpful.  Thanks so much.  Anyone else have any insight on using these?

[Paul Roberts]

SPEEDWORM 101

----------------

The technique to use the Zoom "Speedworm" is actually called "speed-worming".

This Zoom 'speedworm' worm was developed for that technique, as guys like me were "speed-worming" way before this bait was even made.

Back then, a lot of us used paddletail worms to do this technique , and the Gambler "Paddle Tail Worm" was a favorite of mine for that technique, but they required a little bit of modifications to really get them to sputter well.

Speedworming is a topwater technique for the most part, but some guys have refined the technique often to suit thier conditions and cover that they encounter on the waters.

Take the worm out of the bag and hold it parallel to the ground lengthwise. Then roll it in your fingers so the open side of the tails hook shape is open on the bottom, and the tail's 'curl' tip is at the lowest point. Rig it to fish it like that, tip down. It will generate the most action that way, in my opinion.

Some guys fish it right the way it comes out of the bag, and many others will peg or Florida-rig a 1/16 or 1/8 bullet weight to it's nose to give it a bit more casting distance.

Most guys I have seen speedworming use size 3/0 to 5/0 size EWG-styles of hooks, usually skin-hooking it into the top of the bait to get a degree of weedlessness that way. Some will favor a heavy-wire EWG-style hook for this technique, and I am one of them.

That way, you can sling it into all kinds of veggies and grasses, and reel it back, keeping the bait up on the water's surface, bouncing it off those grasses[etc] as your reel it back to you. The fluttering tail action will create a wake and slight frothing of the water surface, somewhat akin to a buzzbait [but with less noise and distrubance].

Many today, use Horny Toads [and their many counterparts] basically the same way.

The one real way I see these used that I have not seen done with the Toads is where guys will crank the worm right up to a piece of cover {like a dock piling as an example, or a stump,etc} and then just 'kill' it, letting the worm drop right into the face of any fish sitting behind that dock piling[or whatever], triggering that fish to attack the worm as it drops right into it's face. That also is where that little bit of pegged-weight will make it drop a bit faster then.

It can be a very exciting technique to use, and it can be used in many kinds of cover, such as Lily Pads, edges of weedlines, over the top of semi-emergent weeds, emergent grasses, etc.

I have had days where bass have been so aggressive that I have seen the bass wakes coming at my moving worm 15-20 feet from where it ultimately gets bit by the Bass. Yeah, try to steel your nerves as you see that happening , and just keep on cranking your worm along steadily until that "Green Torpedo" hits your lure !!!

Now, during the attack by the Bass, don't swing for the fences rigth away until you feel the pull of the fish, or see your line moving away from you. THEN [and only then], cross thier eyes with a GOOD hookset, and horse them back as fast as you can so they do not ball you up in the heavy weeds, etc.

This is a great technique if you have kids or novices fishing with you, as they do not have to feel {or know} that gentle pickup or 'tic' that you need to feel in so many soft-plastic techniques to recgnize a bite. The Bass hits are pretty obvious and all you need to do is show the novice how to set the hook well.

It keeps them visually stimulated as they fish it, because they see the lure buzzing along, and they see the hits, so it will keep them interested that way. Another plus of this with novices is that you rarely get gut hooked fish.

I hope this helps you..

Girvan -is that you??

[Marty]

There are two Speed Worms, the regular and the Ultra-Vibe. Bill is talking about the Ultra-Vibe. The latter, in modified form, is my favorite weedless topwater, which is used in lieu of the buzzing frogs and toads. The modification is fusing the tail section of the worm to the body section of a Fluke or Assassin.

The tail creates quite a commotion on the surface which draws the fish's attention quite well, or so it seems. As has been mentioned, it's versatile, as you can just let it sink when you think that's what you need to do.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Thats an interesting looking bait.  I may have to try that modified fluke one of these days.

[Wild Bill [NY]]

SPEEDWORM 101

----------------

The technique to use the Zoom "Speedworm" is actually called "speed-worming".

This Zoom 'speedworm' worm was developed for that technique, as guys like me were "speed-worming" way before this bait was even made.

Back then, a lot of us used paddletail worms to do this technique , and the Gambler "Paddle Tail Worm" was a favorite of mine for that technique, but they required a little bit of modifications to really get them to sputter well.

Speedworming is a topwater technique for the most part, but some guys have refined the technique often to suit thier conditions and cover that they encounter on the waters.

Take the worm out of the bag and hold it parallel to the ground lengthwise. Then roll it in your fingers so the open side of the tails hook shape is open on the bottom, and the tail's 'curl' tip is at the lowest point. Rig it to fish it like that, tip down. It will generate the most action that way, in my opinion.

Some guys fish it right the way it comes out of the bag, and many others will peg or Florida-rig a 1/16 or 1/8 bullet weight to it's nose to give it a bit more casting distance.

Most guys I have seen speedworming use size 3/0 to 5/0 size EWG-styles of hooks, usually skin-hooking it into the top of the bait to get a degree of weedlessness that way. Some will favor a heavy-wire EWG-style hook for this technique, and I am one of them.

That way, you can sling it into all kinds of veggies and grasses, and reel it back, keeping the bait up on the water's surface, bouncing it off those grasses[etc] as your reel it back to you. The fluttering tail action will create a wake and slight frothing of the water surface, somewhat akin to a buzzbait [but with less noise and distrubance].

Many today, use Horny Toads [and their many counterparts] basically the same way.

The one real way I see these used that I have not seen done with the Toads is where guys will crank the worm right up to a piece of cover {like a dock piling as an example, or a stump,etc} and then just 'kill' it, letting the worm drop right into the face of any fish sitting behind that dock piling[or whatever], triggering that fish to attack the worm as it drops right into it's face. That also is where that little bit of pegged-weight will make it drop a bit faster then.

It can be a very exciting technique to use, and it can be used in many kinds of cover, such as Lily Pads, edges of weedlines, over the top of semi-emergent weeds, emergent grasses, etc.

I have had days where bass have been so aggressive that I have seen the bass wakes coming at my moving worm 15-20 feet from where it ultimately gets bit by the Bass. Yeah, try to steel your nerves as you see that happening , and just keep on cranking your worm along steadily until that "Green Torpedo" hits your lure !!!

Now, during the attack by the Bass, don't swing for the fences rigth away until you feel the pull of the fish, or see your line moving away from you. THEN [and only then], cross thier eyes with a GOOD hookset, and horse them back as fast as you can so they do not ball you up in the heavy weeds, etc.

This is a great technique if you have kids or novices fishing with you, as they do not have to feel {or know} that gentle pickup or 'tic' that you need to feel in so many soft-plastic techniques to recgnize a bite. The Bass hits are pretty obvious and all you need to do is show the novice how to set the hook well.

It keeps them visually stimulated as they fish it, because they see the lure buzzing along, and they see the hits, so it will keep them interested that way. Another plus of this with novices is that you rarely get gut hooked fish.

I hope this helps you..

Girvan -is that you??

Paul, I have no clue what you mean by that.

My name is Wild Bill, or actually it's  William on my birth certificate.

[Paul Roberts]

;D

Sorry Bill, I was wondering if you were (thought you might be) Bill Girvan -angler extraordinaire, angling educator that works with kids a lot, and with DEC.

[Paul Roberts]

There are two Speed Worms, the regular and the Ultra-Vibe. Bill is talking about the Ultra-Vibe. The latter, in modified form, is my favorite weedless topwater, which is used in lieu of the buzzing frogs and toads. The modification is fusing the tail section of the worm to the body section of a Fluke or Assassin.

The tail creates quite a commotion on the surface which draws the fish's attention quite well, or so it seems. As has been mentioned, it's versatile, as you can just let it sink when you think that's what you need to do.

I like that one too, Marty.

[Choke Canyon Boy]

I use Zoom speed worms all the time. The speed worm is the paddle tail and the ultravibe has a u shaped tail that causes more commotion than a paddle tail. These worms look like a senko type bait with the addition of the two tails mentioned above. I usually cast these to the back of pockets with timber in them. I start by fishing them just like any other senko/worm simply casting them to a target ie. a tree in the back of the pocket and letting them fall on a slack line. If I dont get bit that way the tail action makes it the perfect bait to swim back to the boat and by all the other trees in that cove. Awsome bait , very versatile. You can even use these in place of cranks in places where you would snag a crank. Lose the weight and burn them like a buzzbait on the surface as well. Awsome 

[Crestliner2008]

I use the Speed Worm a bit differently. Now I'm talking about the Zoom Speed Worm....with the FLAT, wide tail. This bait, when moved forward rapidly, creates a tremendous amount of vibration. I rig it on a 3/0 EWG worm hook and peg a 1/8 oz. bullet sinker ahead of it.

After the cast, I let it sit....like a Senko....on the bottom for a time. Then I rigorously jerk it forward - just fast enough and just long enough to feel the vibs start to throb through my rod.

Then I stop it again and let it settle. And repeat. Very similar to the way I would use a blade bait on the bottom. I've caught some dandy LM's this way. Never used it as a top water bait however. There are much more effective baits - i.e.: Rage Tail Toads - for that purpose - in my opinion.

[0119]

I use the speed worm and ultra vibe version, when I can find it.  Work it weightless steadily thru emergent shoreline grass and duck weed.  Very successful technique.