Why Did I Ever Stop Using Worms???

[Drew03cmc]

Worms aren't in my top five baits, but if all else fails, they get a chance.

[Darren.]

Worms ARE my top Five, LOL.

[tcbass]

I always have a dedicated worm rod in the boat, always. Best follow up to a missed strike that I know of. I'll change colors according to conditions but it is usually a 6" black grape curly tail. I believe it was Tom Mann that said "Any size or color of worm will catch bass as long as it is 6 inches and purple". Folks, he knew what he was talking about.. 

 

 

I'll look into that.

 

 

 

 

I usually follow up with a Senko and it's worked ok a few times.

[A KGB Operative]

I have caught one fish on a worm. Thats about it. I bought the rage tail anaconda tailworms trying to change that. Black blue fleck, still nothing. Lipless crankbait has been where it is at the entire season.

[Turkey sandwich]

Yep, when I started bass fishing about four years ago I quickly learned there are only a few highly effective lures, plastic worms/stick baits and plastic lizards.  During my first summer of bass fishing I had three packs of soft plastics in my bag - one pack of seven inch grape/purple power worms, one pack of Yum-Dingers, and one pack of junebug five or six inch lizards.  I caught a lot of bass on those three soft plastics Texas rigs in the evening time while bank fishing at a large state park lake.  Now I have tones of soft plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc...  Has my catch rate improved much with those other lures?  Not really.  With crankbaits, big jigs, and spinnerbaits, it seems I have to get lucky and be in the right spot at the right time.  Finding the right time and spot seems harder than hitting the Powerball lottery.  But when it comes to plastic worms/senkos/lizards, you can almost always find bass willing to go after them.

I remember learning to fish T-rigs and C-rigs before anything else. If you put the time in to learn how and when to use the other tools in your box, you'll see a change. Until then, knowing how to work basic soft plastics will put fish in your boat. Since you're confident with worms, start throwing jigs more. They fish similarly, and the quality of fish typically improves.

[hoosierbass07]

Thats not an accurate post and i dont think its what you meant .  Theres a lot more than a few highly effective bass lures .

 

 

  I meant what I said.  I think soft plastic worms/stick baits/lizards are the tops of all lures.  One of my bass books by Homer Circle says to throw soft plastic more than 50% of the time along with spinnerbaits.  Bill Murphy (In Pursuit of Giant Bass) basically calls all other lures low percentage big bass lures and plastic worms (along with live bait) high percentage big bass lures.  And I know from my four years of bass fishing that plastic worms out catches all other lures in the waters I fish on.  

[tcbass]

You guys who fish worms often, how do you fish them?

[SparksCS]

You guys who fish worms often, how do you fish them?

Texas Rigged has always been my #1. Shakey heads work well for finessing as well as Split Shots. Carolina Rigs for bigger worms and deeper applications especially if you're looking to cover water.

[IndyGlockMan]

Right now in the summer, I don't go out with out 7" & 10-11" worms Texas rigged and will probably fish them first.

Rage craws are next, then maybe a senko or crank, but will likely use worms and craws all day.

[garvin]

I can't imagine NOT throwing a worm. I'm including Senko-type baits in this category. It's one of the first baits I learned to fish with back in the 70's, and accounts for more than 75% of the bass I've ever caught. I don't go to the lake without at least one Texas rig, a Carolina rig, a weightless Texas rig, and nowadays at least one or two finesse rigs all with 4 - 7" plastic worms, plus a Ned rig (even though it's more of a grub than a worm). If you're not throwing a worm at least part of the time, you're robbing yourself of a great tool for putting bass in the boat.

I think people get turned off of them because of the extreme patience needed to be successful with this bait, and not everyone's wired like that. But I have to tell you, there have been plenty of days when they're the only thing I can get bit on, and I've even had days when it's like throwing venison steaks to hungry wolves.