Finesse worm secret

[RingWorm]

Hi everyone. I am new on here and wanted to offer up one of my secrets for catching wary fish around shallow cover.  Take some 4” finesse stule worms and cut them carefully in half, lengthwise right down the middle on a cutting board with a sharp knife(do this with a whole bag at home and not on the water). Cut them carefully so that both halves are perfectly even.  Wacky rig one half of the worm on a small, light wire hook rigged on a spinning rod with 6 pound line because it can be very difficult to cast great distances.  The halved worm falls super slowly and has a great wiggle with the slightest rod motion, but I generally just cast it to the edges of docks, trees, etc and let it fall all the way to the bottom.  If you are fishing an area you know has bass but they are reluctant to bite, try this.  By the way, it is best employed on calm days. 

[Choporoz]

Thanks for the tip. I have rods rated down to 1/16oz, but even with those, I can't imagine sending that rig more than a few feet.

[RingWorm]

You are correct it does not cast very far, but it is a killer. I should note that I also have used the worm with great success on a drop shot rig or wacky style with a light jig head 

[WRB]

Having fished hand poured finesse worms since the 70’s and splitting tails ends about 1 1/2” using a safety razor or sharp fillet knife I can’t imagine successfully splitting a finesse worm the entire length.

You might want to buy Don Iovino Tiny Meany 3” finesse worms, lot easier.

Welcome to BR.

Tom

[NYWayfarer]

I wacky rig 3" Yum Dingers. Killer bait and rig for pond green bass. slow fall and wiggle get them every time.

 

Sounds like wacky rigging a Strike King Dreamshot might work the same as your surgical cut finesse worms.

[WRB]

Jackell Flick Shake 4.8 worm is flat sided, hand poured worms are flat sided, Yum Dingers are round injection molded and larger diameter worms then the OP is recommending.

The flat side gives the sinking worm more wiggle action.

My experience is a 1 1/2” split tail triggers more strikes.

Tom

[Bankbeater]

Wow thanks for the tip. Not sure if I could split a four inch worm right down the middle though. My eyes aren’t what they use to be. 

[Paul Roberts]

I like that idea. Thanks. And, Welcome.

[HeyCoach]

You could probably get a similar action from a Zoom Z3 Swamp Crawler. 

 

The things about these worms, they have an extremely small profile and are hand poured. 

[aceman387]

A halved zoom centipede might be a cool option to try.

[TOXIC]

When I toured the Yamamoto production facility in Page, AZ, you would be amazed at the baits Yamamoto makes for the overseas market and are not released here.  Some of the smallest baits I have ever seen for bass, so there's got to be something to that concept.  I begged for some to try but was denied.

[Todd2]

Welcome..thanks for the tip.

[thinkingredneck]

Do you tack them down before cutting, and do you use a straight edge?  Could probably throw them on a fly rod, weightless.

[primetime]

I believe I will try that. Good Tip. As someone mentioned above, the plastics that they use in Japan that are really expensive, are always super thin and tiny. From what I understand the lakes in Japan are highly pressured, so it makes sense what you are saying.

 

I love fishing light line and starting to really enjoy the finesse side of Bassin, I imagine showing them a look of something really thin would be a good change up.

 

So you are talking half the width of a 4" Zoom finesse worm? 

[RingWorm]

Yes half the width. It is not easy to do and I am sure there are better options as others have mentioned.  I do not tack it down before I cut it. 

[thinkingredneck]

Knowing me, I will try this.

[Todd2]

If it does nothing else, it will at least make your bag of worms last twice as long..?

[RHuff]

On 3/19/2019 at 6:14 AM, TOXIC said:

When I toured the Yamamoto production facility in Page, AZ, you would be amazed at the baits Yamamoto makes for the overseas market and are not released here.  Some of the smallest baits I have ever seen for bass, so there's got to be something to that concept.  I begged for some to try but was denied.

Shame they denied you. The word of mouth could have only helped their image. 

[Log Catcher]

No way will I try this. I would end up ruining them. I may try splitting the tails a little bit.

[Jigfishn10]

23 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

No way will I try this. I would end up ruining them. I may try splitting the tails a little bit.

Actually, they make good jig trailers. Cut a small piece of the worm head. Cut the tail of the worm by width up to about the hook of the jig. Heat the small piece you cut from the head and wedge between the tail of the worm. It's a little more compact profile than say a craw or twin tail grub.

 

Good way to reuse those worms.