Interesting Observations About Worms And Lizards

[Senko lover]

So I had a job yesterday laying down mulch in someone's backyard. Trip after trip with wheelbarrows up a hill . They had a big pool in their backyard.

Seemingly every nightcrawler, lizard, and frog from miles around had crawled into that thing. There were hundreds of small squirmy things in the bottom of the pool.

So, what am I trying to imitate?

 Worms: were quite short, and they looked just plain old black on the bottom. Just like a 4-inch finesse worm, a lot (In particular) like a Roboworm. Just sorta squirmed on the bottom.

Lizards: were what interested me. They were just like a worm, but with four little legs sticking off the side. Didn't look that much like the lizards I throw. They inched along on the bottom, did not go fast at all.

Frogs: Would sit on top until someone came near, then would dive down to the bottom.

Now obviously, there are multiple species of worms and lizards, and this was a pool, not a lake or a pond. But I imagine the same things happen underwater where we fish. Just something to help me match the hatch. People ask why bass eat plastic worms, I'd never seen a worm on the bottom of my pond before. But now I'm quite convinced that water is a magnet to small creatures.

 

 

[A-Jay]

With no Predators in the pool, these critters are out in the open and easily spotted.

 

But in a natural environment, they would have work at concealing themselves or they would surely be someone's dinner. 

 

A-Jay

[corn-on-the-rob]

When I throw a plastic worm my intention is to imitate very generally something that is living or more so often, a bait fish, not literally a worm.

[Hyrule Bass]

When I throw a plastic worm my intention is to imitate very generally something that is living or more so often, a bait fish, not literally a worm.

live worms catch fish without a doubt, why wouldnt you try to imitate a worm when fishing a plastic worm?

[Senko lover]

live worms catch fish without a doubt, why wouldnt you try to imitate a worm when fishing a plastic worm?

 

Because bass bite it anyway!

[corn-on-the-rob]

live worms catch fish without a doubt, why wouldnt you try to imitate a worm when fishing a plastic worm?

 

Because I believe a bass bites a nightcrawler mostly due to the real smell/taste not so much due to action as in my experience nightcrawlers do not move much let alone with the rigidity or hopping/tail up/fluttering tail motions my soft plastic worms display.

 

If you research around you will find in most cases worms make up an extremely small percentage of a basses diet naturally. Nearly negligible. So why would I want to imitate something other than crawfish and fish which make up the overwhelming majority of the fishes diet?

 

That being said with the majority of the baits we use, the key is to make it look alive regardless of what you or the fish thinks it represents.

[davecon]

Interesting subject. Reminds me of a trip many years ago in a local river. Wife wanted some fish to eat so I brought home a few. Was surprised to find about a dozen small black worms/eels about 7 to 9 inches long in this little bass's stomach. The bass was only 15 or 16 inches long and ironically I had been fishing with an 8 inch black worm similar to a trick worm. Has never happened again to my knowledge but I don't keep bass too often.

On the same subject, about 40 to 45 years ago (good gawd I'm getting old) there were a few local bait shops that on rare occasions would have live eels for sale. They were usually 10 to 14 inches long. Best baits I've heard of. Hands down better than wild shiners, and I'm in west central Florida. We would fish them on weedless hooks. Cast them out and move them very slowly to keep them from burrowing into vegetation. They were pretty hardy and you could usually catch quite a few bass on one. Hardest part was holding on to them. Had to use a cotton towel to stand any chance of gripping them.

Just food for thought.

[F14A-B]

I haven't thought about it much in 3 decades, it really doesn't matter though, bass pulverize a plastic worm, grub, crawfish, I've caught them on plastic shrimp bodies, crab bodies etc.. I'm not sure it really matters honestly.. I do believe in the early days, matching the hatch seemed appropriate.. Is it still? I do not know..

[wuchr20]

That's pretty observant of u.  You should try throwing your own plastic baits in their and see what they do. lol

[Hyrule Bass]

Because I believe a bass bites a nightcrawler mostly due to the real smell/taste not so much due to action as in my experience nightcrawlers do not move much let alone with the rigidity or hopping/tail up/fluttering tail motions my soft plastic worms display.

 

If you research around you will find in most cases worms make up an extremely small percentage of a basses diet naturally. Nearly negligible. So why would I want to imitate something other than crawfish and fish which make up the overwhelming majority of the fishes diet?

 

That being said with the majority of the baits we use, the key is to make it look alive regardless of what you or the fish thinks it represents.

 

there is a difference between threading a live worm on the hook the good old fashioned way, and "nose" hooking a live worm. try nose hooking a live night crawler and toss it in clear shallow water and observe. you will get that action you see in your plastics.

[corn-on-the-rob]

there is a difference between threading a live worm on the hook the good old fashioned way, and "nose" hooking a live worm. try nose hooking a live night crawler and toss it in clear shallow water and observe. you will get that action you see in your plastics.

My plastics don't have the ability to bend and contort quite like the real thing but I agree with what you are saying. I guess what I meant to say is because bass consume fish significantly more often than worms, I am gonna key in on representing those movements more so. But hey if the bass still thinks its an earthworm, by all means, a feast is awaiting him! 

[Hyrule Bass]

My plastics don't have the ability to bend and contort quite like the real thing but I agree with what you are saying. I guess what I meant to say is because bass consume fish significantly more often than worms, I am gonna key in on representing those movements more so. But hey if the bass still thinks its an earthworm, by all means, a feast is awaiting him! 

just to clarify, im not disagreeing with you, bass are more likely to consume fish, its a bigger meal for them. but they also find it hard to resist that scrumptious little morsel(to them) that is a live worm. but i also tend to think that there are times when a bass doesnt go for those movements and would much rather have an easy meal thats laying there for them on the bottom, and thats why dead sticking a plastic worm on the bottom works...

[EvanT123]

Interesting observation. I had watched something similar the other day. Watched for about 5 minutes as a crawfish made its way across a slab of rock. I came away with the fact sometimes I need to slow down.