| Fishing with a plastic or rubber worm for bass is a | | | | weights. Simply rig everything exactly as previously |
| great option any time. It is as close to a fool-proof | | | | mentioned, just without the bullet sinker. |
| bass bait as there might be. There are so many | | | | Generally speaking the Texas Rig is fished slowly |
| different options for ways to rig a rubber worm that | | | | along the bottom and across structure. My |
| it can be utilized in a myriad of ways. Pair these | | | | experience has been that 95% of the time, you |
| options with the sizes, types, and scents available | | | | cannot fish it too slowly. I typically fish from a small |
| and you could likely never require another bait for | | | | boat and cast into structure or as close to shore as |
| largemouth or smallmouth fishing. Perhaps the best | | | | possible. Some of my best retrieves occurs when I |
| reason to use rubber worms is their relatively low | | | | cast 6 inches or so onto shore and drag the bait |
| cost. Very likely, you will spend less money using this | | | | slowly into the water. Hits can occur anywhere on |
| bait option as any other bass artificial, and perhaps | | | | the retrieve and come in all varieties. Some times |
| even save verses live bait options. In this article, I will | | | | there is no doubt- you get slammed and setting the |
| cover rigging techniques for the Texas Rig. In | | | | hook is an obvious reaction. Perhaps more often, you |
| subsequent articles I will discuss the Carolina Rig and | | | | might not even feel a hit. If you are fishing with your |
| others. | | | | rod tip up, as you should, first you will see that your |
| Perhaps the most commonly used of the rigging | | | | line is moving sideways through the water. At this |
| options is the Texas Rig. It is very simple to use and | | | | stage I suggest reeling down to a 3 o'clock position |
| offers the advantage that it is a weedless rig and be | | | | and thin affecting a firm hookset. |
| cast almost anywhere without getting hung up. It is | | | | Rubber worms are available in a variety of sizes, |
| as simple as putting a bullet sinker (smaller is better in | | | | made by many manufacturers, and are available in |
| most cases) on your line, the wider end facing the | | | | most any color or scent. For color, some believe |
| tag line of your fishing line, and tagging an offset | | | | (including myself) that you should match the situation. |
| worm hook on the end. Cut off excess line. Mount | | | | When there is a light day, consider using a light color |
| the worm on the hook by sliding approximately the | | | | and darken things up as the day gets darker, |
| same length as the hook's offset over the hook and | | | | progressing to black at night. Use natural colors in |
| then coming back out of the worm. Then slide the | | | | highly clear water. I very much like the pumpkin seed |
| worm up the hook until the head of the worm is | | | | colors made by Zoom in a variety of sizes. At night, |
| approximately even with, or even a little bit covering | | | | or in more turbid water, a 7 inch Black Berkley Power |
| the eye of the hook. Finally, penetrate the hook into | | | | worm works well. |
| the belly of the worm just enough that the barbs are | | | | Texas rigged plastic worms generally work best |
| into the worm but so the sharp end does not come | | | | when fished in relatively shallow water. Woody and |
| out the other side. If the barbs come out the other | | | | rocky cover in water of two to ten feet tend to be |
| side you will get hung up. The placement of the hook | | | | the best to places to cast the worm. Sometimes, it |
| in the belly should be done so the worm's body is | | | | pays to fish deeper water a few feet off the shore. |
| almost straight between the offset and the place | | | | Generally, the best way to do this is to position you |
| where it is hooked into the worm's belly. | | | | boat parallel to the bank, and cast straight out of the |
| If you will be dragging this rig through very heavy | | | | bow. You'll have to let it sink a little longer, and reel a |
| cover, consider pinning the bullet sinker in place with a | | | | little slower in order to keep the worm on the |
| small toothpick. This prevents the scenario where | | | | bottom. |
| your bait comes over an obstruction and the sinker | | | | Plastic worms are truly one of the most versatile |
| slides up the line prior to the worm. This will greatly | | | | baits for black bass. They work in almost every |
| lower your chances of attracting fish as the | | | | situation, and in almost every body of water. Once |
| movement is unnatural. | | | | you learn how to use plastic worms, you won't want |
| Another option, especially attractive when fishing for | | | | to use other methods very often. So give them a |
| finicky bass or when you wish to fish off the bottom | | | | try, and you just might find your new favorite way |
| is to go without a sinker. In some situations I have | | | | to fish. |
| found bass to be put off even with the lightest of | | | | |