Fishing worms, what are fishing worms? Are they the multi colored pieces of plastic formed into the shape of a worm used by Largemouth bass anglers or are they the creatures that live in the ground and eat dirt? When it comes to fishing, a fishing worm has to be the creature that lives in the ground and has been universally known as fishing bait since the dawn of time in my opinion. As a matter of fact when a live worm is fished in the proper manner, their use can be considered every bit the art form that those people who wave feathers back and forth consider their form of fishing to be. In my opinion the flea flickers have cornered the market on the term ‘art’ long enough. If I had my way, I don’t think the guys using the multi colored pieces of plastic attached to 20 pound test should have the market cornered on the term ‘worm fishing’ either.
So what is the proper way to present a fishing worm? The best way to present a live fishing worm as bait is through the use of a set of gang hooks. Size 8 or 10 are usually perfect for live worms. What is a set of gang hooks? A set of gang hooks is simply two hooks tied in tandem. This enables you (the angler) to present the worm outstretched and naturally. When rigged on a set of gang hooks the worm looks as it would without ant hooks in it! This is obviously an incredible advantage to you (the angler). The more natural you bait looks, the more likely a fish is to bite it.
Now that I’ve explained the best way to rig a fishing worm, I’ll also tell you the best way to carry fishing worms with you. For many years I carried my Styrofoam container of worms with my while fishing. I stuffed it in my vest pocket, or whatever and it was really inconvenient. Then I fashioned my own bait bag for carrying my worms. It was great. Then I simply started removing my fishing worms from the Styrofoam container, placing them into my bait bag, and going fishing. It was awesome, and is now the way I carry my live fishing worms. The worms just sit there, in the bait bag that’s hanging on my vest, waiting to be used! This way your fishing worms are literally, “at your fingertips”. Fashion yourself or purchase yourself a bait bag, and you’ll never fish with live worms without one, I promise you that.
Fishing worms have been known to be wonderful fishing bait since man first started fishing, and if you begin employing these techniques, coupled with the use of ultra light fishing gear, fishing with live worms becomes every bit the art form that any other fishing technique claims itself to be. Remember what Steven Wright said of all of us anglers: “There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore looking like an idiot.” This is very true, and one of my goals is simply to avoid being the person standing on the shore looking like an idiot!
By: Trevor Kugler
Posts Tagged ‘Largemouth Bass’
Fishing Worms
April 26th, 2010Florida Lake George Fishing Report
March 14th, 2010
Florida’s Lake George large mouth fishing is rated and reported as another top largemouth lake that is nationally known. This article will concentrate on lake George. We will list 12 Area’s on or around the lake that have been known to hold largemouth. You can also visit the Florida Fish and wildlife conservation commission webpage and click on Interactive maps to get more detailed information.
Lake George is one of the premier largemouth bass fishing lakes in central Florida. It is the second largest lake in the state (46,000 acres), and is located 18 miles northwest of Deland and 29 miles east of Ocala.
The following Lake George fishing reported areas have been identified by the Florida Fish and wildlife as holding good populations of largemouth bass
Area #1 Black Point with one of the deeper drop-offs in this area, offers good fishing for a variety of species throughout the year. Fish a Carolina- or Texas-rigged plastic worm down the open-water drop from 3 to 15 feet for largemouth year-round. Crankbaits will entice striped bass in the cooler months. Small wild shiners or medium domestic shiners will entice big bass strikes, and they’ll catch stripers and large catfish, too. Starting with the first full moon in April, use live worms or crickets to catch bluegill throughout summer.
Area #2 Back of Muddy Cove offers springtime largemouth bass fishing. It’s a good bedding area and excellent for sight fishing. Fish spinnerbaits and buzzbaits early and late in the day. Best fishing is often after heavy rains or when the tide has peaked and starts to fall. This holds true for most shallow water. Deeper water on the flat invites more fish.
Area #3 Between Hog Island and Saunders Bass often frequent the cut between Hog Island and Saunders Cove. Fish weedless floating worm rigs, soft plastic jerk baits or weedless spoons. The southwest corner of the island is known for its good fishing in the spring and fall.
Area #4 East side of Hog Island On the east side of Hog Island, with its harder bottom and eelgrass, is a feeding flat that yields bass year- around, especially in spawning season. Use weedless lures and work them through the grass or topwaters over the grass. Big bass will come out of the thick greenery for a wild shiner deployed along the edge of the eelgrass line or in the small coves surrounded by bulrushes.
Area #5 Georgetown Fish the many docks and pilings along the Georgetown shoreline for largemouth summer and fall. Drift a floating crankbait into the wooden structure; when it drifts close to the pier, begin your retrieve. Cast and retrieve your lures past the structure from different directions until you can establish a strike pattern. Work the broken-down piers. Piers are often interspersed with fields of little lily pads, called dollar bonnets. Fish them with soft plastic jerk baits, swimming worms, and weedless, ribbon-tailed jigs. Shiners are powerful fish-getters; the challenge is to keep the bait near the structure. Here’s a local secret: purposefully snag your line on a small stick or surface vegetation to keep the shiner in the best spot to catch a trophy. Otherwise, the shiner will swim away from danger and you’ll have to keep casting it closer to the structure.
Area #6 Lake George Point offers single and schooling bass to those throwing vibration lures and stickbaits near the weedline. Stripers also move through this area in cooler months and often will unexpectedly strike a crankbait intended for a bass. If you locate stripers, cast Carolina-rigged plastic worms and let the soft plastic undulate naturally in the bottom current. If you notice the line move, pay attention. When it tightens, strike hard. A fish is moving off with your worm. Switch to topwater chuggers if the stripers start crashing the surface. Stripers love shiners, too.
Area #7 Drayton Island The Drayton Island docks and pilings, and the boat trails that lead to them, hold bass in early spring. Weedless spoons and plastic worms with light, 1/8-ounce slip sinkers are best.
Area #8 This area adjacent to a marsh offers relatively deep water just off the grass. Bass move into the grass to spawn and out to the grassline in late spring, where a weedless plastic worm will trigger strikes. Use small, dark-colored plastic worms and, so as not to ruin its built-in action, use the smallest sinker that takes the plastic to the desired depth. Beetle Spins also produce. This is a good bedding area for bluegills April through June. Live bait anglers favor earthworms, grass shrimp, or crickets fished close to the bottom under a float.
Area #9 A sharp drop-off to 10 feet, just 30 feet from the shoreline, makes the weedline in this area especially productive for largemouth bass from late spring through late fall. A Carolina-rig will locate fish. Alternately, cast vibrating plugs or small crankbaits for best results. Fish are often suspended here.
Area #10 Work plastic worms or jigs with grubs down the sloping drop-off for bass. Try different colors until you find the one that gets the strikes. Solid blue or blue-tailed worms are effective. Grape-colored worms with green glitter work well, as do Tequila Sunrise, Red Shad, Green Pumpkin and June Bug.
Area #11 A hard, sand bottom and relatively deep water near shore make this a great spring and summer bass spot. The Carolina plastic worm rig is a lake tradition.. Fish lures that allow you to adjust your depth – spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. This area and others like it, hold schooling bass at different times of the year.
Area #12 Kinsley Point on the south end of Drayton Island has good bass fishing year-round. Fish the visible and submerged pilings off the point for largemouth and stripers. Anglers using artificials favor crankbaits; live bait anglers score big on shiners. Plastic worms in dark colors work well in the wooden structure and along the grassline that wraps the point. The direction of the flow of water will tell you which way to cast. Start by bringing the lure back with the current but also try casting cross-current. One boat fishing technique is to drift with the current, stern first, using the electric motor to slow the drift. Cast to the sides of the boat, toward the direction of current, retrieving the lure with the current.
By: Mark Fleagle
Smallmouth Lures – The Best Lures For Smallmouth Bass Fishing
January 28th, 2010
There are many different types of fishing lures that can be used for smallmouth bass fishing, and in this article I’m going to outline some of the most effective of these lures. It seems as if smallmouth lures come in as many styles as there are stars in the sky, and this article will help you narrow your choices down to a manageable level. The smallmouth lures listed in this article are in no particular order, yet they are all quite effective.
The next time you go smallmouth bass fishing, any of these lures will be a great choice. Make sure you give one or all of them a try, you won’t be disappointed. When it comes to lures, any one of these will be a great choice:
Crayfish Imitations – There is probably no bait better for smallmouth bass than crayfish. Did you know that in water where crayfish are prevalent, smallmouth bass actually secret a scent through their skin that mimics crayfish? This scent will actually make crayfish come out of their hiding spot to protect their territory. When they come out, the smallmouth gobbles them up. Pretty cool, huh? This is why in waters where crayfish are prevalent, crayfish imitations are very effective. I’ve had a ton of success with Berkley’s Power Craws. Spinnerbaits – In shallow shoal area’s white and yellow Spinnerbaits are deadly. Remember to use smaller sizes that you would for Largemouth Bass. Spinnerbaits in crayfish patterns can be effective as well, especially when fishing shallow rocky areas. Tube Baits – Tube baits are a very good smallmouth lure in deeper water. When smallmouth bass go deep they tend to hang out around drop offs and underwater ridges. This usually happens when the weather changes and pressures fluctuate. Tube baits in natural (worm) colors work best in these situations and again, Berkley Power Tubes are a great choice. If you’re using traditional tube baits, try adding a small piece of real worm under the tube. Baitfish Imitations – Baitfish imitations are also a great smallmouth lure. The key here is to use a lure that’s as realistic is possible. You want to know the natural forage of the water you’re fishing and choose you baitfish imitation accordingly. The key is that is looks as much like the natural forage as possible. When it comes to smallmouth lures and baitfish imitations realism is the key.
The lures just mentioned are the most effective smallmouth lures in most smallmouth fishing situations. Are they the only options? Certainly not, but in my 25 years of smallmouth experience these are certainly the most effective.
By: Trevor Kugler
