| I've caught bass on crankbaits, spinners, plugs and | | | | bottom. |
| others. But for me, the most fun is plastic worms on | | | | To set it up just run your line through a bullet slip |
| a Texas Rig. Don't get me wrong, catching a | | | | sinker (best sizes are from 3/8 oz. to an ounce) and |
| largemouth bass is catching a largemouth bass, and | | | | tie the line to a worm hook size 2 or 3. The twisted |
| I'd gladly catch one with my mother's toe nail if | | | | ones help with hookset. |
| they'd bite it. What's my fascination with plastic | | | | Once you have the hooked tied on, run the hook tip |
| worms and the Texas Rig? | | | | through the end of the head of the plastic and push |
| Simplicity in changing baits from color to color and | | | | it in about a quarter of an inch. Now run the hook tip |
| style, they are weedless and effective. But there's | | | | out of the plastic bait (belly side) and push the bait |
| more to it. I love them because I feel they are more | | | | up the hook towards the eye. Bury the tip of the |
| interactive and you have to fool the bass more than | | | | hook into the bait near the abdomen or egg sac. |
| with other baits. | | | | Some people push it all the way through and snug |
| If you throw out a worm and just reel it in, you are | | | | the hook tip near the body (on the backside or top). |
| not likely to catch many fish. You have to know how | | | | This allows for better hook set, but results in more |
| to work it and you have to be very patient in your | | | | snags. I like to push it through just before it breaks |
| presentation and when the fish hits. | | | | out of the back where I can feel that it will pop |
| Sometimes the strike will be like an explosion, and | | | | through easily. If you do this, be sure to set the |
| you and bass both know what's happening. Others | | | | hook hard to penetrate the plastic. |
| it's very subtle. Sometimes you won't even know the | | | | When you cast the bait, let it settle all the way to |
| bass has it until you reel in the slack and feel | | | | the bottom and give it several seconds before |
| something different going on. Maybe there should be | | | | moving it. Sometimes the longer you wait, the better |
| slack in the line but it's getting tight. Or vice-versa. Or | | | | luck you will have. Even 30 seconds or more. |
| maybe you can see the line going sideways in the | | | | Try different presentations from very slow to |
| water. | | | | moderate (never very fast). I usually give the bait 1 |
| That's one of my favorites because you have to | | | | or 2 short pumps, let it fall while reeling in the slack, |
| know the right time to set the hook. Set it too soon | | | | then give it 2 or 3 pumps. Be careful. Always reel in |
| and the largemouth may not have it in it's mouth | | | | the slack, but more often than not that's when you'll |
| good. Set it too late and it might have spit it out. | | | | get the bite. They often hit it on the fall, so expect |
| That's exciting; and frustrating. | | | | something every time you bring in the slack. |
| The Texas rigged plastic worm (you can use it for | | | | You can try longer pumps, like bring the line in 2 or 3 |
| other plastics, too) is very portable. If you want to | | | | feet then let it settle. Try moving it painfully slow, try |
| hike around the lake and fish the shore, don't lug | | | | bouncing it quicker, try swimming it very slowly |
| your whole tackle box. Just get a worm pouch, load | | | | across the bottom and whatever else you can think |
| it with a few favorite styles, colors, hooks and | | | | of. When something works, stick with it. |
| sinkers, stuff it in your back pocket and hit the trail. | | | | Use the worms around vegetation and rocks. My |
| Plus, you can change lures on the fly. Once your | | | | best luck has been around trees in the water. |
| Texas Rig is set up, it's a matter of pulling the bait | | | | Sometimes there will be trees that hang out into the |
| off the hook and sliding another on. No knots to | | | | water. These are hot spots for bass. |
| retie. This gives you freedom to explore different | | | | One trick I learned by accident is to cast the Texas |
| colors and styles of plastics in a hurry. | | | | Rig out over a weak limb hanging over the water. |
| In a Texas Rig, the sinker is a bullet slip sinker that | | | | You want a weak limb because you want it to break |
| rides freely on the line with nothing else between the | | | | or collapse when the bass hits, and it will. I move that |
| rod and the bait (the benefit is that the bass cannot | | | | plastic worm up and down, in and out of the water |
| feel the sinker when it strikes). This drags the plastic | | | | to tease and annoy the bass. If there's one there, |
| bait down and allows it to bounce or swim along the | | | | you'll get a strike. |