Tips For Plastic Worms In Current

[SJS]

I have read a number of threads and articles on river fishing for LMB and have not seen this specific question addressed.  I am fishing a new river (actually it is called the "New River") near my home in SC and it is a tidal river with current most places at most times, and the current changes direction with the tides. 

 

I am fishing from a solo canoe, no trolling motor, just a paddle and it is fine with crankbaits, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, but anything requiring finesse like a plastic worm or a jig is giving me trouble.  I am always drifting with the current (and often the wind) and the water is moving and I can't seem to find a rig set up that gives me any feel for the lure.  I have tried a heavy weight with a Texas or Carolina rig but if it is heavy enough to get some feel for the worm it seems to large and heavy for river bass.  I have had no luck with a heavy rig and have no confidence a bait that big will work here.

 

Maybe I just have to forget plastics and jigs for this river, or maybe just stick with heavy rigs, but I hope someone has some ideas on this.

 

I would appreciate any tips anyone might have for how to deal with this.

[roadwarrior]

Every rigging technique will work just fine, you just need more weight.

This time of year I am fishing a 10" Rage Tail Thumper using a 1/2 oz

bullet in VERY heavy current on the Tennessee River without any issues.

 

[WRB]

I would suggest using a pegged worm rig, see Glenn's video fishing big worms for rigging details. You don't need a big worm a 6" will work good and use a 2/0 hook.

You boat is moving too fast to effectively fish bottom contact lures like jigs and worms, you either cast as far down current as you can accurately near cover and work the worm for a few feet as you approach the spot and reel in as you pass it. The other option is to anchor.

Tom

[BrackishBassin]

3 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Every rigging technique will work just fine, you just need more weight.

This time of year I am fishing a 10" Rage Tail Thumper using a 1/2 oz

bullet in VERY heavy current on the Tennessee River without any issues.

 

 

Remember that he's dealing with not only the current but also the drifting of the canoe. Twice the movement. 

[Scott F]

When fishing current with a plastic worm, depending on the depth, I use an unweighted senko, casting upstream and watch my floating braid, drift downstream.  Keeping most, but not all of the slack out of my line, I don't need to feel the bait. When a fish picks up the bait, I'll see the floating line twitch to tell me I've got a bite.  In my rivers, drifting a weight, will just get you snagged. 

[SJS]

Thanks, very helpful comments.  Scott F, when using that technique with braid how long a leader are you using?

 

WRB, I've watched that video and learned alot but I don't get what pegging the weight does?

[scaleface]

Texas rigs are my number 1 bait in rivers . The good thing about a canoe is its much easier to get in and out than a kayak . I get out and fish a lot . I almost always cast upstream.  I also anticipate the current and will paddle upstream of my targets , drift downstream and repeat . Its not always easy but one does what one has to . I use a discarded spike plate from railroad tracks for an anchor . I have it pre-tied to the canoe  it and just drop it over . 

[WRB]

On July 29, 2017 at 3:01 PM, SJS said:

Thanks, very helpful comments.  Scott F, when using that technique with braid how long a leader are you using?

 

WRB, I've watched that video and learned alot but I don't get what pegging the weight does?

Pegging the weight allows the worm to sink quicker straight down.  A sliding bullet sinker of same weight tends to slide away from the worm on the sink pulling the rig out from the target.

I prefer a sliding weight sinker type T-rig because worm tends to get engulfed without the weight, improving hook set ratio. You try it both ways and determine what works for you.

I find the rate of sink can be very important, so using too light or heavy weight can be a problem. You have a drifting boat and current to deal with, impossible to suggest what weight to use.

I usually start with about 1' per second ROF and go a little heavier if that isn't working. Somewhere between 3/16 to 3/8 oz using 6"-7" worms in 1' to 10' of water. You need some time to work the worm along the bottom before drifting past where you cast, heavier weight gives you more time so experiment.

Tom

 

[Scott F]

18 hours ago, SJS said:

Thanks, very helpful comments.  Scott F, when using that technique with braid how long a leader are you using?

Leader? I never use leaders.

[SJS]

Thank you guys for all the helpful info.

[Turkey sandwich]

So, there's a very real art to fishing bottom contact baits in rivers and it can be super frustrating to learn without actually seeing it done/being taught/having a ton of patience.  It can also be one of the absolute best ways to catch quality fish in rivers.  I grew up on rivers, still fish them regularly, and a large portion of the larger fish come on bottom contact baits.  There's some good advice on here already and the search feature will give you a lot more info.  Some other notes:

 

1. High vis braid makes strike detection much, much easier, helps to reduce stretch as the line bows in the current, and will improve casting distance.

2. Abrasion resistant leaders will keep you from cursing and re-tieing constantly.  I like 12lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid.  Other guys like CXX.  Generally, copolymer or stiff FC is the way to go anywhere with rocks and nasty stuff.  

3. Learning to fish on a drift or swing is important.  It can be the difference between incredible success and total failure. The best resources on youtube are fly fishing videos usually discussing nymphing. Scott F is spot on.

4. To drag lures like football heads (a great tool in rivers), you're going to want to tie off, anchor safely, or wade because it's a slower presentation that's going to sit still or bounce slower on the bottom than swing freely in the current.  Drifting will often pull them into snags much, much more often and become frustrating.

5. If you're going to fish C-rigs, I'm going to suggest using short leaders no more than maybe 8".  Long leaders, in heavy current, tend to create really sloppy action, and in combination with the bow in the line from the current, can make everything about hooking up a nightmare.

6.  You're going to snag sometimes, no matter what.  Paddling upstream isn't fun, but it's just part of the process.  The better you get at feeling the bottom, the better you'll get at avoiding snags and learning how to impart enough action on a drift to keep from hanging up and instead get strikes.

7. Not-So-Common-Sense - the speed of current, depth, and bottom make up should tell you what your lure/presentation options are.  I don't care how good someone is with an Arky head jig, they're probably not going to have a whole lot of success dragging fast ripples. Similarly, a C-rig should not be your first choice for pitching shoreline laydowns.

 

To learn this stuff, I wouldn't so much focus on catching huge fish, but practicing basic presentations.  I also think grubs fished on ball head jigs, tubes, and finesse jigs like Bitsy Bugs are probably some of the easiest lures to learn to present in current.   

[SJS]

Wow, that is a ton of info.  Thank you very much.  I used to do a lot of fly fishing and it never occurred to me to use nymphing techniques.  Heck, maybe I should even try a strike indicator.  I am not having much success but I am enjoying the learning process. 

PS.  I just noticed where you are from Kicker.  I used to live 5 minutes from the Susquehanna and used to wade fish for smallmouth with streamers and nypmhs.  I hope the smallmouth population has come back.

[Turkey sandwich]

The Susquehanna is, generally at least, doing well. I don't really suggest using an indicator since high vis braid accomplishes the same thing pretty well. If you're going to fish on the swing, a grub on a 1/8 oz head, Need rig, or occasionally bounced wacky jig senko are good places to start. Any time you feel something, give it a small jig. It's the same thing you've done trout fishing, more or less (swinging streamers), just different tackle.