Shrink Tube Instead of O-Rings for Worms

[evilcatfish]

I've been wanting to try the shrink tube method, but decided before buying anything else, I should probably whittle down the piles of O-rings I already have 😆

[Choporoz]

On 7/5/2024 at 6:48 PM, 33oldtimer said:

I have no trouble using 2 O-Rings crossing them and putting the hook between them.

Not me.  I have substantial trouble crossing o-rings and putting a hook through..... but I fully acknowledge that my fingers don't really work very well. Lol

[gim]

I've experimented with several methods of wacky/neko rigging a stick bait over the years.

 

First, I just shoved the hook through the middle.  That lasted about 1 or 2 fish then it ripped.

Second, I used a single o-ring.  That helped.  Would catch 5-10 bass doing that unless a sunfish grabbed the end of it and pulled it right out.  Sometimes it didn't happen at all but sometimes it would happen frequently depending on if there was school of panfish nearby.

Third, I did the double o-ring crossed and put the hook under where they cross.  That mitigated the panfish problem and the stick bait lasted for up to a dozen fish.  Used this method for years.

I recently just started using the mustad or slink-o rings suggested here about a month ago.  They work about the same as a double crossed o-ring but they are easier to hook.

 

I have not gone down the VMC crossover or shrink-tube rabbit hole yet.

[ChrisD46]

In terms of soft stick worm and finesse worm longevity for the do-it-yourself crowd - the heat shrink tubing and flexible silicon tubing approaches offer the longest lasting , best bang for the buck . I like that the heat shrink tubing allows just the right fit depending on how much heat is applied . Conversely some report the edges of the heat shrink tubing may cut into the soft plastic along the edges limiting the life span / catch total of the soft plastics used.

 

The clear silicon tubing (similar to VMC Cross Over Ring material) may be the best IF you can find the right sizes and source for your soft stick worms / finesse worms . A Nasal Speculum ($8.00) is required but after that all that is required is finding a source that sells either the heat shrink tubing or silicon tubing in minimum bulk 10' lengths so you can cut to size as your applications require - otherwise your costs go way up. 

[Bass Rutten]

The silicone tubing is widely available by the foot or meter: Amazon, Ali ex or ebay where I got mine, search "clear silicone tubing". I purchased 3 feet each of four different sizes of tubing five years ago and still have most of them and I use them a lot for wacky worming, inchi wacky (flickshake), and neko rigging.

 

I used the heat shrink previously and while it does help the durability some I find it inconvenient to use. The silicone tube is not only clear and much stealthier but is far tougher and re-usable too, in fact I've never actually wore one out, but I have lost some due to breakoffs.

 

The sizes I bought were 5/7mm, 6/8mm, 7/9mm, and 8/10mm (inside/outside diameters). These are what they call the thin walled food grade variety of tubing. Cut into approx. 1/4" pieces. This size range will cover plastics from very thin finesse worms like the zoom swamp crawler to 5 inch stickbaits. The wacky tool or speculum is a completely unnecessary expense, I just push the thinner end of the worm through just enough to pinch it and it almost always pulls right through, sometimes a little saliva helps to get it on, but I no longer need a tool to rig one onto a worm.

 

Zoom swamp crawler with 1/4" section of 5mm silicone tube.

[RRocket]

8 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

The silicone tubing is widely available by the foot or meter: Amazon, Ali ex or ebay where I got mine, search "clear silicone tubing". I purchased 3 feet each of four different sizes of tubing five years ago and still have most of them and I use them a lot for wacky worming, inchi wacky (flickshake), and neko rigging.

 

I used the heat shrink previously and while it does help the durability some I find it inconvenient to use. The silicone tube is not only clear and much stealthier but is far tougher and re-usable too, in fact I've never actually wore one out, but I have lost some due to breakoffs.

 

The sizes I bought were 5/7mm, 6/8mm, 7/9mm, and 8/10mm (inside/outside diameters). These are what they call the thin walled food grade variety of tubing. Cut into approx. 1/4" pieces. This size range will cover plastics from very thin finesse worms like the zoom swamp crawler to 5 inch stickbaits. The wacky tool or speculum is a completely unnecessary expense, I just push the thinner end of the worm through just enough to pinch it and it almost always pulls right through, sometimes a little saliva helps to get it on, but I no longer need a tool to rig one onto a worm.

 

Zoom swamp crawler with 1/4" section of 5mm silicone tube.

 

Looks good! 

 

I may go that route some day.

 

But have sufficient quantity of shrink tube where that will be quite some time off.