Plastic Worms

[Robert Riley]

I consider myself a fairly good fisherman. But I CANNOT catch fish on a plastics. It's like the most generic thing and I hear everyone talk about using plastics. I just don't get why I cant. I've tried most things, used my flipping set up and even my finese set up with worms, never a bite. I even toss up the retrieve every now and then as well.

 

SO WHAT GIVES!!!

[Downeaster2010]

Use your plastics around cover, or structure, and cranks etc in open water.  It will happen as there have probably been

more fish caught on a plastic worm than any other bait.

[AK-Jax86]

Try a weightless t rigged senko. Fish it slow with pauses. For me the 6" and 7" senkos and yum Mightee worm 10.5" work really well I've caught a lot of big bass on em so far this season

[Crestliner2008]

What kind of lake are you fishing? I assume you are fishing from a boat, right? What is the vegetation like. What is the forage base. How deep is it. Lots of variables go into selecting when & where to fish plastics. Not the least of which is the sizes of the bass you are targeting.

[RoachDad]

I do think that fishing plastics requires a little more effort and technique than most fishing.  In my opinion, you really have to focus on slowing down.  try keeping a finger on the line just above your reel.  You may be getting bites and just not realizing it.  Unlike Cranks and SBs you have to set the hook on them. 

 

I have never caught a fish on a jerkbait.  Everyone says they are great but i don't get it.  No help please, I'm just saying there is something about them that i don't get. 

 

Luckily, there are a multitude of ways to catch a bass.

[Felix77]

Maybe it's the speed in which you are fishing.  Someone once told me "If you think you are fishing slow then you are not fishing slow enough."  At times this is extremely true.  Especially on highly pressured ponds.

 

 

Maybe focus on some key plastics (Senkos, finesse worms) and a finesse setup (Med Spinning with Fluorocarbon).  Stick to that until you get the groove.

[Robert Riley]

Ok. And fyi, I'm using a 8flipping pole with 50lb pp. Sadly fishing from docks and shorelines, but I'll be fine as long as I can cast into some cover ya?

[MrSwimJig]

To me fishing a worm is so slow and so boring, but it will catch the big finicky bass. It just takes practice and you have to be really paying attention to your line and whats going on. Missed plenty of fish by not paying attention.

[TexasRigger21]

Don't try anything technical. Try something basic like a C-rig or a T-rig. Keep it basic. Good luck

[s freud]

Here is all you need to do. Worked for me! Just got done fishing and caught 5 in an hour. I also realized what I kept thinking was sludge from the bottom, were actually fish. Once I started setting the hook, I caught two on back to back casts.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

Good luck and stick with it!

[down4ttown]

Wacky Worm as Road Warrior has in his post. ALWAYS gets bit if there is a fish around. Remember that sometimes the fish are just not there. Keep trying as I used to be only a power fisherman, but now I can not stop flipping plastics. 

[Thatbasstardbrent]

Pretty much all i use is plastics. They should be fished around weeds, timber, and in the bass nests. Alot of times it actually depends on the color and size of your lure on any particular day. Good luck!

[bigbill]

Fishing plastic worms we use split shot rigs. We cast it into the weeds, wait 3 minutes, move it 10" or so and wait 3 minutes and repeat. Worms are very successful.

[Robert Riley]

So I fished a weightless senko today. Not a single fish. I'm not gonna fish another lure in the day until I get used to and successful with this. Also, how the hell do you fish that thing. Its so light it hardly sinks, and its a pain to cast as well.

[keith71]

Start off with something small.A 4 inch finesse worm on a light shaky-head or a split shot rig.Use light line 6-8lb test and be patient.One of my favorite setups is a medium spinning rod with 8lb test and on the business end a 1/8th bullet sinker,1/0 Gamakatsu light wire hook and a 4'' Berkley power worm,Before I had a boat and even now this is my go-to bait when the bite is tough.

[hooah212002]

So I fished a weightless senko today. Not a single fish. I'm not gonna fish another lure in the day until I get used to and successful with this. Also, how the hell do you fish that thing. Its so light it hardly sinks, and its a pain to cast as well.

 

What rod/reel/line are you using? Senko's are heavy enough that it shouldn't be a problem if your reel is set up right and you have a soft enough rod. And yes, they do have a slow fall rate. That's what makes them so enticing. You need to fish it sloooowwww.

[Robert Riley]

I was using a skeet Reece flipping stick with 50lb pp. I don't think it was soft enough. I'm gonna try using my medium carrot stix with some fluoro next time. And do you just watch the line to see if you get a hit when it sinks?

[JustinJ54]

I haven't seen anyone say anything about your color selection yet. In my opinion, what colors you choose make a HUGE difference. What color is the water your fishing? What color plastics do you use?

[hooah212002]

I was using a skeet Reece flipping stick with 50lb pp. I don't think it was soft enough. I'm gonna try using my medium carrot stix with some fluoro next time. And do you just watch the line to see if you get a hit when it sinks?

 

Yea, a flipping stick would likely be too stiff to throw them without trouble, but the braid is fine. I use a 6'6" Veritas with 12# Invizx and I can feel the bites so no need to watch the line. Also, braid doesn't typically have good slack line sensitivity in my experience.

[Robert Riley]

The water is fairly murky and green of course. I have a green punkin' and a blue with black flakes. I also have a bright pink one that I tried the other day.

I'm gonna try my other baitcaster, a medium heavy with about 10lb fluoro. We shall see how that works next time I go out.

[gallowaypt]

Also, braid doesn't typically have good slack line sensitivity in my experience.

[wngan9447]

The water is fairly murky and green of course. I have a green punkin' and a blue with black flakes. I also have a bright pink one that I tried the other day.

I'm gonna try my other baitcaster, a medium heavy with about 10lb fluoro. We shall see how that works next time I go out.

 

Get black, no flakes, 5". IMO it's the calmest color in murky water. This is the only color I really fish slow. Have gotten instant hits every outing in the past 2-3 weeks.

 

Let me know if this works for you. Been solid for me.

[hooah212002]

Further reason to watch your line.

 

Yea, but what about conditions where you can't see your line or where your line enters the water? The amount of times where I can actually see my braid all the way until the point of entry are far far fewer than the times where I can't see any of it at all, be that due to glare or chop or what have you. I would rather not suggest to someone that they should use a technique that gets bit A LOT on slack line to use a line that sucks for slack line applications except for those few times where you can see the line.

 

This is just me speaking personally, though, so take that with a grain of salt. I prefer braid for stuff that keeps me in contact with the bottom (weighted t-rigs, jigs, c-rigs) on a taught line. For example: I have felt bites with fluoro while picking out a backlash.

[Robert Riley]

Well good thing I've moved to my fluoro rig. While on the topic, how can you differentiate between fluoro and mono, when sitting at a kitchen table?

[gallowaypt]

Yeah I hate using braid with senkos because of the lack of feel on slack line. I agree that you can't see your line where it enters the water on many occasions, but there have been many times that I have seenthe line jump all the way up near the rod tip.