Swim worm = only bait I need?

[arul]

So I pose this issue:  It seems my swim worm might end up being the only bait I ever need.  It seems to fill EVERY role in my tackle box, and never fails to catch me fish.  I can fish at any depth, at any speed, completely weedless.  It can act like a traditional worm, or swam like a swimbait/crank bait.  I can bounce it off rocks, rip from grass, pitch, flip, deadstick, twitch, etc....

Why would I opt to use any other bait?  Maybe I would need something with more flash/vibration in stained water, like a spinnerbait, but under decent conditions...

I am starting to think my whole box of other lures and other rods are a waste, because when I go out, the swim worm is the only thing I need.

I guess I am looking for some more general guidance on what situation do you know where say, a crankbait, will just flat out catch more fish than my swim worm (other than really stained water).

[djmax22]

I used to be a soft plastic/jig fisherman, but over the last few years I believe my catch rate has increased using cranks. I don't know what a swim worm is, but if there is any reaction bite at all I typically catch more fish with a crankbait. After you pick off the aggressive fish you can always go back through with a carolina rig/jig/worm. Sometimes I just throw a crank all day if I am getting bit.

[CWB]

You are 100% correct.

Send all the junk you don't need to me and I will see to it that it is disposed of properly.

[SteveF]

I think every angler has a confidence bait that they believe will catch them all the time, and it may, the big question would a different lure be more effective in reference to size or numbers?  By only fishing one bait, you will never know just how good any lures are or can be though.

Steve

[Nitro-bass]

I have pretty good success with a swim worm. I like the 5" Dragin swim worm buy Manns the best.

However, I don't think I would limit myself to just that bait. It all depends on the water I am on and the mood the fish and myself are in. These are the factors that determine what lure I am using.

[flechero]

I couldn't live peacefully, without as buzzbait!!  

[S I G M A]

what else are you gonna spend your money on if not on fishing??  

[farmpond1]

Even if I could catch all the bass I wanted on one bait, I wouldn't.  It's fun to "mix it up" a bit and try different things.  Even if I'm catching I'll sometimes switch-just to see if they will still bite.  But I have a friend who has ten thousand baits in his crammed full tacklebox and he always goes back to the same tired rooster tail.  I always tease him about it.  Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

[bass wrangler569]

A couple years ago when I first discovered the magic of the senko, I used it almost exclusively for the entire summer. All I fished in every situation was senkos but eventually I started getting bored with it and I learned that there are a lot of situation where other baits will work more efficiently (although there aren't many situations where a senko won't catch fish ). More likely than not, you will get through the swim worm phase like I got through my senko phase.

[bigfruits]

all you need are worms, jigs and a white spinnerbait.

i wish i could do that but i too like to switch things up for fun...

hate those treble hooks though....

[done]

I hear you. I can catch the heck out of bass with 5" tiki sticks. Nothing in my box catches 'em quite the same way for me.

That being said, a good reason for that, I fish 'em better. I just got a good feel for 'em. Being weedless I am definitely a lot more confident throwing them in places I would not throw some of my other tackle. Personally, I love catching 'em on crankbaits. For some reason I always loved it. I know though I am not as good with crankbaits.

As far as your question, if you are catching fish, and having fun and don't feel the desire or need to pull anything else out, then don't. If you get to a point where you are bored with 'em and want to throw something else go for it. You may do better with another bait, may not.

[toolpush]

The bass in my avatar was caught on a swim senko, however I rarely throw them. I tend to agree with others that I wouldn't limit myself to just the one bait, however if it works for you, whose to say.

[Paul Roberts]

I assume you are talking about swimming a ribbontail or kinked worm? Agreed, absolutely deadly, subtle, difficult for them to learn, and even allows you to cover water. A do-all if there ever was one. But...I agree with bass wrangler's take:

... there are a lot of situations where other baits will work more efficiently...

[basspimple]

i was the same way when i first started gettin into bass fishing. i used to throw nothing but black power worms, but it got pretty old after the first year. my advice is if you have absolutley no confidence in other baits, try another lure that has a proven record for catching fish and is fairly easy to fish, like a spinnerbait or crank. i used to have zero confidence in jigs, as i thought it was to hard to fish em until last year i broke down and fished them thoroughly. i practically fish a jig just like a worm, but i have swam em, pitched em and dragged em with similar results. seem to attract bigger fish for me.