Are Roboworms for Inshore Saltwater Fishing Productive?

[LeoSolo]

Title is pretty much says it, but basically, we all know (or should know) that the sandworms kill it for saltwater fishing, inshore/surf etc. 

But, Roboworms look FUN! Their action looks great and since I am trying to perfect and specialize in dropshotting, then this wiggly worm seems like a winner. Unfortunately, google searches of "roboworm" and other variants of "saltwater" or "inshore" do not yield useful information.

 

Q: Does anyone have experience tossing this classic bass fishing soft plastic for our SoCal inshore saltwater species? Has it been productive?

 

FYI in my experience, It seems only the 2 inch worms have worked for me -shrug-. The smallest that Roboworm has is the 4.5 inch. 

 

Thanks! Tight lines. 

[LeoSolo]

Went to my local spot with 4.5 inch Aaron's Shad Roboworm...Got 4-5 bites over 1.5 hours, nose-hooked. Not hits on wacky style...Didn't feel great :/. The plastic is particularly fragrant, but of a plastic scent, not a fishy smell...Not sure whats up. May need more testing. 

[Hammer 4]

On 10/4/2021 at 11:26 PM, LeoSolo said:

Went to my local spot with 4.5 inch Aaron's Shad Roboworm...Got 4-5 bites over 1.5 hours, nose-hooked. Not hits on wacky style...Didn't feel great :/. The plastic is particularly fragrant, but of a plastic scent, not a fishy smell...Not sure whats up. May need more testing. 

What were you catching ?

[LeoSolo]

1 hour ago, Hammer 4 said:

What were you catching ?

Well I caught nothing xD. Supposed to be spotties, sand bass, and croaker. 

[Hammer 4]

Keep in mind, that high tide is the best time to fish. An outgoing or low tide makes for some very tough fishing. Also, maybe try another bait.?

[LeoSolo]

16 minutes ago, Hammer 4 said:

Keep in mind, that high tide is the best time to fish. An outgoing or low tide makes for some very tough fishing. Also, maybe try another bait.?

Yeah, I catch fish with what I typically use, but I just wanted to see if a big Roboworm would work. Following traditional bass fishing advice tends to fall short for me in my experiences, and this was one way to see. 

[bulldog1935]

I've never fished roboworm - had to look it up. 

Gulp lures are a mainstay on the TX coast, both inshore and the surf. 

At the very least, the bait-taste charge in these plastic lures is the main reason. 

 

In the surf, any bottom fishing, they can be all the bait you need, and fish that feed on sea lice will take a small Gulp piece over just about anything.  This is especially true of the December pompano migration down the coast. 

A corpusfishing "surf bum" reported one December day of bull reds in the surf rejecting live mullet, but would slam Gulp pieces, along with the pompano that were massed. 

 

That said, no reason roboworm wouldn't work to imitate many long, skinny bait species, eels, needlefish...

 

 

[camman]

I've used Robo 6" Sculpins drop shotting in Newport Harbor for Spotties/Sandies before.  I would get bit like crazy when they were nose hooked, but couldn't hook up.  I switched to a texas rig drop shot and had no problem catching them.  If I recall since they are relatively soft, each bait would only last for a fish or two.

[LeoSolo]

On 10/12/2021 at 6:36 AM, bulldog1935 said:

I've never fished roboworm - had to look it up. 

Gulp lures are a mainstay on the TX coast, both inshore and the surf. 

At the very least, the bait-taste charge in these plastic lures is the main reason. 

 

In the surf, any bottom fishing, they can be all the bait you need, and fish that feed on sea lice will take a small Gulp piece over just about anything.  This is especially true of the December pompano migration down the coast. 

A corpusfishing "surf bum" reported one December day of bull reds in the surf rejecting live mullet, but would slam Gulp pieces, along with the pompano that were massed. 

 

That said, no reason roboworm wouldn't work to imitate many long, skinny bait species, eels, needlefish...

 

 

Gorgeous scenery and fish! What setup do you rock for that surf fishing?

On 10/12/2021 at 10:18 AM, camman said:

I've used Robo 6" Sculpins drop shotting in Newport Harbor for Spotties/Sandies before.  I would get bit like crazy when they were nose hooked, but couldn't hook up.  I switched to a texas rig drop shot and had no problem catching them.  If I recall since they are relatively soft, each bait would only last for a fish or two.

Great info! Thank you :). Newport harbor was fun I went there once! 

[bulldog1935]

Spider weights and double-hook "spec rigs".  2/0 hook will target both, though 1/0 is generally better for targeting pomps, and 4/0 better for hooking reds.  

The pompano normally eat sea lice, and just about everyone fishes small gulp pieces for them. 

Earlier in the fall, reds will take cut bait or live bait, especially live mullet. 

As I posted just above, when the pompano are running, the feeding competition instinct causes the reds to reject live mullet in preference for Gulp pieces, too. 

[WRB]

Roboworms Alive Shad in Aaron Blue Smelt, Yellow Perch and Breaking Dawn, both in 3” and 4”.

It’s too early for Sand Bass in the surf. 

Salt water bass like Calico, Sand and Bay all like bright colors and orange bellies.

Tom

[LeoSolo]

On 11/12/2021 at 8:59 PM, WRB said:

Roboworms Alive Shad in Aaron Blue Smelt, Yellow Perch and Breaking Dawn, both in 3” and 4”.

It’s too early for Sand Bass in the surf. 

Salt water bass like Calico, Sand and Bay all like bright colors and orange bellies.

Tom

You seem to know your stuff! Curious, is fishing in late Fall/Winter even possible? I ask because I am studying all the time and wanting to have a fishing day here and there...but any time I've tried in the past during winter was unsuccessful.

[Hammer 4]

Both Calico's and spotties will bite on lures that imitate crab colors, i.e. browns, reds and orange. Also swimjigs with 3" Big Hammer swimbaits work well, for those, the more red the better.

And yes, you can catch all 3 types of bass year round. I use to float tube Newport, Los Alamitos bay, Huntington, and even Cabrillo.

Another bait that the bay guys hardly ever use, but can be deadly on salt bass, is a 1/2 oz green pumpkin jig, with a craw trailer, especially when the bite is tough. For the trailer, use one that has some red, or orange in it if possible.

Me a few years ago at Los Alamitos.

  

[LeoSolo]

1 hour ago, Hammer 4 said:

Both Calico's and spotties will bite on lures that imitate crab colors, i.e. browns, reds and orange. Also swimjigs with 3" Big Hammer swimbaits work well, for those, the more red the better.

And yes, you can catch all 3 types of bass year round. I use to float tube Newport, Los Alamitos bay, Huntington, and even Cabrillo.

Another bait that the bay guys hardly ever use, but can be deadly on salt bass, is a 1/2 oz green pumpkin jig, with a craw trailer, especially when the bite is tough. For the trailer, use one that has some red, or orange in it if possible.

Me a few years ago at Los Alamitos.

  

That is a nice chunk!

 

Regarding the fishing techniques for your recommended...What technique do you use for those? Personally, I have almost never caught fish swimming anything...it's always bottom-hopping or dead-sticking (w/dropshot and ned rig)...How do you fish the jig+craw?

 

Btw, just went on a youtube cascade of float tubing...and I think this may be something I want to get into! I was debating getting into kayaking...but I am looking for something with an easier barrier to entry in case it's not for me. Any recommendations on float tubing? Did you get around with waders/wetsuit on and fins?

 

Also, cool you're from Pedro. I am too. I fish mostly across the bridge in LB, the jetties and what not. Nothing glamorous. 

[WRB]

Scrounged jigs is a invention by John Walters who lived in San Clemente and surf/bay fished along the OC coast.

Scrounger with 4” to 5” Sluggo works all year around. #’s 48 (funky fish) & 80 ( squid)

Tom

PS, big Barred Peach are good in the winter on sandy beaches. Check out the dock piling and break wall inside around the QM.

 

[LeoSolo]

12 hours ago, WRB said:

Scrounged jigs is a invention by John Walters who lived in San Clemente and surf/bay fished along the OC coast.

Scrounger with 4” to 5” Sluggo works all year around. #’s 48 (funky fish) & 80 ( squid)

Tom

PS, big Barred Peach are good in the winter on sandy beaches. Check out the dock piling and break wall inside around the QM.

 

Great advice and great suggestion! I caught a massive fish down there once...snapped my line but it was one of my prouder moments. I'll head down there soon. I am needing some fishing RnR

[Hammer 4]

19 hours ago, LeoSolo said:

That is a nice chunk!

 

Regarding the fishing techniques for your recommended...What technique do you use for those? Personally, I have almost never caught fish swimming anything...it's always bottom-hopping or dead-sticking (w/dropshot and ned rig)...How do you fish the jig+craw?

 

Btw, just went on a youtube cascade of float tubing...and I think this may be something I want to get into! I was debating getting into kayaking...but I am looking for something with an easier barrier to entry in case it's not for me. Any recommendations on float tubing? Did you get around with waders/wetsuit on and fins?

 

Also, cool you're from Pedro. I am too. I fish mostly across the bridge in LB, the jetties and what not. Nothing glamorous. 

Fish the swimjig with a 3" big hammer just like a swimbait, Cast it out, let hit bottom, then give your rod a small pop, so the bait is bouncing off the bottom about a foot, then repeat.

Fishing the football, or arky style jig, although you could use the swimjig, with a craw trailer, by doing the same thing, but you can also crawl it on the bottom, let sit for a few seconds, then give your rod a slight pop, bringing the jig 6" to a foot off the bottom, and again, just repeat this, for this you want to use skirted jigs. One thing I didn't mention was, I never really targeted sandies. BTW, at Newport Harbor one day, I was smiling a skirtless swimjig with a 3" big hammer and hooked into a 6lb white sea bass, on 8 lb, mono line, talk about a good fight, very good fighting fish.

Anyway, between me and Tom's advice, this should keep you busy for awhile, and hopefully you land some nice fish. I don't fish the salt any longer, just freshwater. Good Luck.

[Hammer 4]

BTW, I almost forgot to give a tip for Cabrillo, if ya want to catch Spotties, long walk if you dare, but at the end of the jetty that goes out to the light house, on the inside of there is where you can catch spotties all day long, and good sizes too. However, I would suggest using a float tube or a yak, cuz ya want to cast right to the rocks. Lures with lots of Red in them work best.

[LeoSolo]

4 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

BTW, I almost forgot to give a tip for Cabrillo, if ya want to catch Spotties, long walk if you dare, but at the end of the jetty that goes out to the light house, on the inside of there is where you can catch spotties all day long, and good sizes too. However, I would suggest using a float tube or a yak, cuz ya want to cast right to the rocks. Lures with lots of Red in them work best.

If it's the Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse I think that's impossible to reach by foot xD. I'll just fish that spot in my minds eye  .

 

Ty for the tips on the jig and swimbait fishing! This will be put to good use! Looking forward to engaging big fish like you have!