The John Powell method

[Mobasser]

I was reading about him last night. Thought I might share this for the plastic worm fisherman here. John Powell served in the U.S. Air Force from 1947 - 1969. When Ray Scott formed B.A.S.S. in 1968, Powell was one of the first members. His style of fishing was simple. Sponsored by Creme tackle, he used exclusively a Creme Scoundrel 6" worm, purple with a yellow tail. Casting to the bank, he hopped the worm once or twice, quickly reeled in, and fired off another cast to a nearby spot. He was only looking for the fast striking fish, hiding in shallow thick cover. He took some friendly razzing from others on the early tours, some saying he fished in a tractor rut full of rain water. But, his method worked well. Winning his second event on lake Eufala with a weight of 132lbs 2oz. Back to back events on Missouri's Table Rock in 1971. He qualified for 6 Bassmaster Classics, and finished in the top 10 or 20 many times, with only the Creme worm as his bait. He proved, even back then, that the plastic worm doesn't always need to be fished super slow, as many of us are led to believe. On Missouri's Table Rock lake, with the wind howling, he added 4 slip sinkers to his line to cast his light T rig, and still fish it with his own style. He sometimes cast directly onto the bank, crawling his worm into the shallow cover. If he didn't get a strike within 5 or 6 ft of the bank, he quickly reeled in and made another cast. His reasoning was that the fish laying in thick, shallow bank cover were feeding fish, and we're more apt to strike quickly. He earned the respect of his peers at the time. Roland Martin, Bill Dance, and Tom Mann. Retiring in 1984 he travelled the country giving seminars on bass fishing, and getting youngsters involved in the sport. We can learn from fisherman like this. A stout rod, good line, and a plastic worm. If your fishing shallow banks with thick cover, many days, that may be all you really need...

[Team9nine]

Powell is also widely considered to be one of, if not the first, bass pros to be sponsored, with Creme paying him to fish and promote their worms while on tour.

[Mobasser]

Just now, Team9nine said:

Powell is also widely considered to be one of, if not the first, bass pros to be sponsored, with Creme paying him to fish and promote their worms while on tour.

What I've always liked about fisherman like this is that they didn't seem to over think things. They picked a method that consistently worked, and stayed with it. He was good. These days, his style would be looked down on, because of a lack of versatility. But his record speaks for itself.

[DitchPanda]

He would be looked down on for sure...mostly by the people consistently finishing behind him. It's fun to have lots of stuff and try tons of new lures and techniques..but if all we wanted to do was be consistent and catch fish we could all learn something from him.

[Guitarfish]

 I fished 3 lures for years.  If I didn't catch them I assumed they weren't biting and went home. One of my lures was a Stanley 3/16ths rattlin' jig with a bluish black pork frog.  I went down a tule line once, about as far as I could cast off from the edge. Splash down, one shake of the rattle, let it drop and wham!  Caught 36 bass in about 2 hours. Next day doing the same thing I caught two. I stocked up and still have both to this day.

 The other two were a chartreuse with orange flake curl tail grub on a 1/8 oz ball head and a small strike king spinnerbait, white with a bit of blue.  Still have both of those.  Was simple back then. One box.

 

Now I'm crazy with a rack of 3600 boxes full of any and everything. Pour my own baits, jigs and weights. When I go fishing my bag is heavy.

[TnRiver46]

A plastic Worm is about all I ever throw at a bass also. Mix in the occasional top water and what else could a man need? 

[Bankbeater]

I fish a lot of pressured water and over the years that is how I’ve learned to fish cover. The bass won’t come out of the stuff so I don’t work the bait all the to the boat unless I’ve got cover all the way to the boat. Once I have the bait away from the cover I reel it on in. 

[lo n slo]

my hero 

[scaleface]

I fish plastic worms rather fast . A lot of people say to use the lightest weight you can get away with . I dont .A quarter ounce weight on a skinny six inch jelly worm will catch the heck out of fish hiding in cover  .Now I will work it past the cover , sometimes all the way to the boat . I remember John Powell in the early days of BASS but didnt know that he fished a worm only .

[Catt]

Versatile: able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions.

 

From a weightless Texas Rig to a Punch Rig, from bottom bumping to swimming it on top, versatility why a Texas Rig is #1.

[Mobasser]

Catt, I agree 110%! 

[tander]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

Versatile: able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or

 

From a weightless Texas Rig to a Punch Rig, from bottom bumping to swimming it on top, versatility why a Texas Rig is #1.

Always have been, always will be.

[Catt]

Versatility is also in the variety of available plastic lures  ?

 

John Powell didn't have a huge selection to pick fro; bet ya he would've loved today's plastics. 

[Mobasser]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

Versatility is also in the variety of available plastic lures  ?

 

John Powell didn't have a huge selection to pick fro; bet ya he would've loved today's plastics. 

I'm sure he would have Catt. This was his style with the Creme worm. With all the teqniques out there today, and all the lures, it's overwhelming for a novice. If more guys would focus on the basic t rig first, they would have more luck. Learn this one first, then branch out from there. They'll probably realize that they don't need a whole lot more

[Mobasser]

I may be in the minority here, but I love the history of our sport, as much as fishing for bass. Guys like John Powell should be remembered for the contributions they made. There are so many more. The simple plastic worm has probably caught more fish for more people over the years than any other baits- all combined. 

 Put in some time, and learn to fish the T rig. You'll be glad you did.

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, Mobasser said:

I may be in the minority here, but I love the history of our sport, as much as fishing for bass. Guys like John Powell should be remembered for the contributions they made. There are so many more. The simple plastic worm has probably caught more fish for more people over the years than any other baits- all combined. 

 Put in some time, and learn to fish the T rig. You'll be glad you did.

I think so too . It will make a person a better angler with all other lures and techniques . You will learn how bass relate to cover and how to detect a bite . I would not be able to bounce lipless baits in deep water near as well if I hadnt learned to worm fish first . I became a better spinnerbait/buzzbait angler . I asked myself where would I throw a worm , then chunk a spinnerbait/buzzer in the same spot . 

 

 Speaking of bass in cover , sometimes they are in the middle and often times they are positioned on the outside .I've done some snorkeling in clear Missouri streams and there were always bass near a fallen tree but not always tight to it .