Plastic Worm Fishing

[JustALineWetter]

23 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Play is exactly the term I'd use for bass.  It sure isn't a fight.  I've said it before, if you're in it for the fight, there are other species that will fight.  Regardless, if you're bending hooks, and others that fish like you aren't then you need to look at what else you might be doing wrong.  I fish some heavy cover and use some pretty heavy handed tactics to land fish, and I don't bend hooks.  Everyone likes to say, "but my cover is heavier...." but I've fished many places on the east coast, from Vermont to Florida, and while cover varies, every place has areas of "heavy cover" that poses about the same challenge.  Be glad you don't have EU milfoil with zebra mussels growing on the stalks.  That's fun. 

Have all that in heavy cover to boot and now you know why I use 50# for pitching - I may even up that.

 

(I DESTEST millfoil - and Minnetonka is infested with it...every bay and sub-lake)

[J Francho]

I use 50-80# and 15# Seaguar Blue Label leader when facing zebes.  The other option is 20# AbrasX.  I don't generally prefer braid and a leader, but the limpness of braid makes the system a little more manageable.

[Bankbeater]

My first bass on a worm was a Creme Scoundrel when I was about 11 or 12. I remember I kept trying to reel the worm in like a crankbait. 

[Big Rick]

Hand poured worms in the most awful colors imaginable. My Dad poured them by mixing old plastics together. Weird colors abounded but the action was amazing.  We caught fish on them. I still have a few of them and wouldn't sell them for $100 apiece. I get them out every so often, take a deep smell of them, and go back to a better place when things were so simple and easy.  I'm sitting in the back of a 12 ft John boat and Dad is easing around the bank while we toss those old ugly worms to the shallows and waiting on that signature "tap-tap"...  I can still hear his most often repeated advice every time I fish a T-rig. "Son, you CANNOT fish a worm TOO SLOW!! SLOW DOWN!  You're fishing way too fast! That's the only reason I've caught 5 and you've not caught anything. SLOW DOWN!!"  I've tried to use that advice in many other areas of my life as well. We all live way too fast.....