Posts Tagged ‘Lures’

The Lure That Has One More Tournaments Than All Others Combined!

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

As most of you know, a plastic worm has won more B.A.S.S. tournaments than all the other lures combined. There’s a reason for that…ready? They catch bass!

I wrote this article a while back and thought this was worth posting again. I have had a couple of people ask for it and hope it helps you catch more fish.

The Lowdown on Worms

We all know that plastic worms are one of the most productive lures there are, but did you know certain worms have special uses? I have a whole tackle box with nothing but plastic worms in it, hundreds of them!

Here is what I use a certain worm for:

Floating Worm…I use this worm in shallow water and mainly in the spring. I use no weight whatsoever and like to use it when the fish just start thinking about spawning.

Stick Worm…..I use this worm in 60-70 degree water. If you use it wacky style it will vibrate on both ends.

Paddle Tail…..This is one of my favorite shallow water lures. When I fish vegetation I use long casts and just reel it back in slowly.

Gator Tail…This is also a shallow water worm that I use in the summer. It’s also great on streams and rivers.

Curly Tail….I use this worm in the summer around stumps, docks, timber, lily pads and it’s one of my favorite when I fish deep water to 20 feet.

Straight Tail…This is one of my favorites for docks, timber and brush. I have found it doesn’t wrap around brush like most worms do.

French Fry….I always Carolina rig a French fry and use it in clearer water. The action of this is amazing when you move your line and the weight comes up the line.

Ribbon Tail…I read about 30 years ago of people fishing with a 10 inch ribbon tail at night. I’m here to tell you this works, I have caught some nice bass on a big ribbon tail. I use a regular ribbon tail when fishing 10-15 feet of water too.

If you like to worm fish now, try some of the types of worms above for specific conditions. I think you’ll like the results.

A Sharp Hook Could Mean Success In Bass Fishing!

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

It amazes me how little time most anglers spend keeping the hooks on their lures in shape and sharp. We take time to change our lines, put on new lures, clean our rods and reels but hardly any time sharpening our hooks.

There is a philosophy that says a sharp hook is a smart hook. How many fish have we missed because of a dull hook point? The answer would probably amaze you.

You should carry a hook sharpener with you at all times. Of course, deeper penetration is the most obvious reason but there are some others as well. Have you ever had a surprise strike where it caught you totally off-guard? How about a strike when you weren’t even in position? These strike not only surprise you but can scare the hell out of you but a sharp hook can give you that extra second you need to set the hook and catch the fish.

If you fish treble hooks a lot like topwater, crankbaits and jerkbaits then a sharp hook is critical. If your lure is just sitting still and you get a strike with a dull hook many times the fish will just ricochet off and you won’t catch the fish but with a sharp hook the fish will hook themselves.

Just catching bass by itself with dull your hook but then you add the extra dullness when your lure has hit rocks and wood and you’re in for a disaster.

There are a variety of hook sharpeners on the market and one that I like is knife and hook sharpener that has a special groove on the side made especially to sharpen hooks. It costs about $5.00-$6.00.

Don’t try to put an edge on the hook, you’re not sharpening a knife just worry about the top part of the hook where the point is. Keep the hook so it will puncture easily and you’ll catch more bass and more big bass.

The lizard and the worm topwater!

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Have you ever fished a worm or lizard topwater?  They are great for lily pads, grass mats and any other thick vegetation.  I hardly ever use a weight when fishing thick grass mats, I want the lure to go smoothly over the top.  I do the same thing in lily pads and don’t use any weight.

 

 

Try throwing the worm or lizard on the thickest cover you can find, this makes a soft motion under the mat or pads and many times the bass will follow it then explode in any opening where they have a puddle of water.  Other times they will just come through the mat or pads. If you’re in really thick cover then a worm is the lure to use as the legs and tail of a lizard will cause a hassle for you getting clogged with the mat.

 

Some good colors that I have success with are grape, black, and salt and pepper chartreuse made by Zoom.  I have a friend who uses the worm almost exclusively in thick grass and pads and does very well, again he uses grape color.  Just move the worm slow or at a slow retrieve and let it wiggle in any water openings. He has caught bass to 9 pounds in Ohio using this method and says he has lost some larger than that.  I tell him it’s another fish story but I believe him since he knows what a nine pound bass looks like.