| The variety of soft plastic baits for bass is mind | | | | necessary to produce the desired results. One |
| boggling. The choices available just in worms alone, | | | | problem with floating worms is that they look no |
| are enough to cause confusion with the novice | | | | different than standard worms. Keep your |
| angler, and hours of debate among the more | | | | floaters in a separate bag or box in the original |
| experienced. What size? color?, straight tail? curly | | | | bag to keep them from getting mixed up with |
| tail?, salt or no salt?; what rig to use them on, | | | | the regular worms.The "critter" baits such as the |
| drop-shot? Carolina rigged?, weightless?, when are | | | | soft plastic crayfish, lizards, frogs, and |
| the best times to use each one? Then add in the | | | | hellgrammites, also catch a lot of big bass. The |
| endless variety of lizards, grubs, jerkbaits, | | | | craw type baits often have air pockets not only |
| freakbaits, tubes, and creatures, and you end up | | | | in the main body, but in the claws as well. Claws |
| with more questions than answers. In the | | | | with air pockets float up off the bottom, putting it |
| following article I will try to list the most effective | | | | in a defensive posture that triggers strikes from |
| plastic baits and presentations that catch not only | | | | bass that are fooled into believing it is a real |
| numbers, but big bass as well, whether it is in a | | | | crayfish. Experiment with different rigs, scents, |
| lake, pond or river, just about anywhere in the | | | | and rattles in these baits until you find the most |
| country. There will always be a new type of bait | | | | productive in that particular area. The floating |
| that one person or the other claims is better than | | | | worms and critters don't replace the old standbys, |
| the others, but the following baits and techniques | | | | but they add another dimension to your |
| will cover most any situation that you are likely to | | | | fishing.Tube BaitsThere are as many different |
| encounter.Plastic WormsThe original artificial worm | | | | tube baits as there are worms, and more and |
| manufactured by Nick Creme, in 1949, was a | | | | more variations arrive each year. Some of the |
| standard straight tailed worm, but it spawned | | | | best tube baits we have used for catching |
| generations of worm companies and hundreds of | | | | bedding bass, and bass that are holding in tight to |
| soft plastic lure designs that are the mainstay of | | | | cover, are listed below.Ringed TubesMany bait |
| modern bass fishing.Straight tailed worms are just | | | | manufacturers have incorporated rings into their |
| that--straight, with no bends or kinks in the | | | | tube designs. Rings add bulk, trap air bubbles, and |
| middle, no curly tails, paddle tails, no air pockets, | | | | feel soft and lifelike to the bass. They allow for |
| no flotation, nothing special at all, just a worm. | | | | better hookups by reducing the amount of plastic |
| Regardless of their plain appearance, many times | | | | that the hook has to penetrate. The first tube we |
| straight tailed worms are much more effective | | | | ever bought that had this feature was a 4 1/2 |
| than other fancier styles. This was proven to us | | | | inch tube made by Larew. These baits are made |
| first hand one day in a New York tournament. | | | | with an injection-mold, rather than a dip process, |
| The bass absolutely refused to hit any other style | | | | which is what you need to do to make a ringed |
| of worm except a 6 inch straight tail in black, with | | | | bait. A lot of manufactures are now adding a skirt |
| a tiny bit of blue fleck in it. If you didn't have that | | | | to the ringed tube, which gives it even more bulk |
| particular style of worm, you were out of the | | | | and a slower fall. The pulsating motion of the skirt |
| money that day. Straight tailed worms are often | | | | and tail seem to come alive when rigged Texas |
| at their best when bass are suspicious of anything | | | | or Carolina style, or used a jig trailer.Solid HeadThe |
| out of the ordinary, such as in highly pressured | | | | first solid head tube was introduced right after |
| tournament lakes. Many times in these situations | | | | Denny Brauer won the classic. It is made by |
| the bass are put off by a curly tail waving in the | | | | Strike King, but now there are many more |
| current. But the opposite can be true for the | | | | manufacturers. This was a great innovation, since |
| same fish, in the same lake, when they are on | | | | it gave standard worm hooks enough plastic in |
| their beds during the spawn. Many times, the | | | | which to gain a firm hold. The main problem with |
| movement of a curly tail will cause the extra | | | | finesse tubes is that the thin noses won't stay |
| enticement you need to catch them. Plastic | | | | put on worm hooks.After these tubes came out, |
| worms aren't at their best in cold water, but then | | | | many other new innovations followed, such as |
| nothing is. When the water is cold, bass will feed | | | | longer and fatter tubes. Now there are many |
| only occasionally, and whether it is spring, fall, or | | | | tubes in the 4 1/2 and 5 inch sizes. There are |
| winter, the slow, slightly twitchy retrieve with a | | | | even bigger tubes than that, they are Saltwater |
| straight tail worm will work wonders. But the key | | | | tubes, which we have used successfully in the |
| to this is working the worm slowly, only twitching | | | | California Delta for BIG bass. Oversized tubes also |
| it occasionally, allowing the worm to stay in the | | | | are easier for bass to find in cover or muddy |
| strike zone as long as possible, where the sluggish | | | | water.Tube CrittersThe 5 inch Sala Tube from |
| bass will notice, and possibly hit it.These worms | | | | Mister Twister, features a solid head and a body |
| also work well for bedding bass, but don't hesitate | | | | shaped like a salamander. This bait also has eyes. |
| to put on a small curly tail worm if the bass won't | | | | This is part of the Exude line of baits, which |
| pick up the straight tail. The fact that most | | | | contains a water soluble scent that gives the |
| straight tail worms are not floating models can be | | | | plastic a slimy feel when wet. These baits work |
| an advantage. While floating worms have a lot to | | | | very well on bedding bass in lakes all over the |
| offer in terms of waving around just off the | | | | country. Because it has a lizard type shape it |
| bottom, bass are in the habit of searching and | | | | produces a stronger reaction from bedding bass |
| feeding off the bottom. Eels, worms, crayfish, | | | | than a regular tube does. We like to use this tube |
| nymphs, frogs, and other prey are often found | | | | in heavy cover also, on 20-25 pound test line. |
| there. Smallmouth in particular make a habit of | | | | When we fish real nasty cover, we use it on a jig |
| routing in the rocks and gravel to find a meal. | | | | with braided line, such as "Spiderline."Another new |
| Plastic worms, rigged weedless, and worked | | | | type of tube is the tube craw. This bait mimics a |
| slowly across the bottom, look more like natural | | | | crawfish well, and can be worked in all types of |
| prey trying to hide and escape than something | | | | cover. Another craw type tube bait is the Yum |
| floating off the bottom and waving around.To | | | | Craw Bug. The tail of this bait is curled under like |
| accomplish this, the standard Texas rig with a | | | | a crawfish on the move. We always use this tube |
| bullet weight is best. The Texas rig keeps the | | | | when fishing for bass that have received a lot of |
| worm from getting hung up, and the weight gets | | | | pressure. It seems to get strikes from heavily |
| the worm to the bottom and keeps it there. The | | | | pressured bass that you wouldn't normally get. |
| Carolina rig is another option for the straight tail | | | | We usually rig this bait on a 3/0 or 4/0 |
| worm. This type of rig allows for a deeper, | | | | Gamakatsu hook, with a 3/16 ounce bullet sinker, |
| slower, even retrieve. The straight tail worm, and | | | | and 14-20 pound test Spiderline Mono. They make |
| even retrieve, make this rig resemble an eel, | | | | a small 2 inch craw now also, which we use for |
| although in smaller sizes, the bass may see it as a | | | | drop-shotting. I like to use the Craw tube in |
| slim baitfish, or even a large dragonfly nymph.We | | | | muddy water, because it is more buoyant than |
| found that these straight tail worms are excellent | | | | regular tubes and moves more water. Rattles can |
| for fishing in the river. We cast them across the | | | | also be added to this tube to increase it's |
| current, using a high rod technique, to minimize | | | | effectiveness in muddy or stained water. There is |
| drag and allow the worm to drift with the current. | | | | also a tube now called a Fork Craw, which I like |
| Often a little twitch will provoke a strike, but the | | | | to use when fishing grass. It is thinner and slides |
| twitch should be subtle, just enough to move the | | | | through vegetation more easily and presents a |
| worm a little bit. We also cast the worm straight | | | | smaller profile which is great for clearer |
| upstream, which works very well in the rivers | | | | water.Another new type of tube is the Double-tail |
| since they require less weight to sink naturally and | | | | tube, which has two curled tails that appear as |
| can be fished dead with the current to resemble | | | | wings. Luck "E" Strike also makes a new tube |
| a dead or dying shad or other baitfish. Both | | | | called a "Ring Daddy." It was designed by Rick |
| Texas and exposed hook riggings work, but the | | | | Clunn who believes the rings give off a |
| Texas seems to be the best if there are any | | | | hydrodynamic signal that appeals to bass. I have |
| snags or it is a rough, rocky bottom. Tackle is | | | | used this bait effectively when pitching and flipping. |
| important when fishing straight tail worms, since | | | | When we need to skip a tube under docks, we |
| much of the fishing depends on slow techniques. I | | | | like to use Strike King's new baits called the Tube |
| like to use a real sensitive rod, such as a G. | | | | Craw, Wild Thang and Tube lizard. They have |
| Loomis, with the reel spooled with a sensitive line, | | | | smooth bodies which make them ideal skipping |
| such as Stren Sensor, or any other sensitive line. | | | | baits. I use them on a 4/0 hook with a 5/16 |
| Using an outfit like this makes it easier to detect | | | | ounce bullet weight. The Wild is a great bait for |
| strikes, but you should always maintain contact | | | | after the spawn, and it catches huge bass. It is 5 |
| with the worm, even when Deadsticking it. I like | | | | inches long, has a hollow body, and a shredded tail. |
| to use a small weight to accomplish this. | | | | I always use this bait when I believe the bass are |
| Cross-stream casts in the current will usually | | | | looking upward. I like it in the summer months, |
| maintain some tension, but upstream casts | | | | and I have fished it with a swimming motion very |
| require a retrieve as fast as the current to keep | | | | successfully. The tube lizard is a great bait for the |
| slack out of the line and make sure that you | | | | spawn, through the post spawn period.Soft |
| detect all the strikes.Straight tail worms are also | | | | JerkbaitsSoft Jerkbaits like the Zoom Super Fluke |
| great for deep jigging. The jigging action makes | | | | are great substitutes for a hard Jerkbaits when |
| the worm seem alive without a curly tail waving | | | | the grass is too thick to use a hard bait with |
| around in the water. Again, the key here is | | | | treble hooks. This bait was the best producer for |
| sensitive tackle, as the bass will often hit the | | | | the top ten finishers in the finals at Lake Gaston. |
| worm on the fall. Straight tail worms are serious | | | | We had tried many other baits that day, but the |
| bass takers. If a bass follows another type of | | | | Fluke was the winner, hands down.There are a |
| worm but doesn't take it, then try a straight stick | | | | variety of different rigging techniques for soft |
| of a worm. They may not look like much, but can | | | | plastic Jerkbaits, but I want the maximum action I |
| take serious limits of bass when they are off | | | | can get with this bait, so I use a really large |
| their normal feed.Worms/Floating Worms, & | | | | offset hook made by Eagle Claw. This hook is |
| CrittersFirst, almost all plastic worms float. Usually, | | | | bigger than what most anglers use for the Fluke, |
| just adding any hook to the worm is enough to | | | | but the bigger hook not only adds casting weight, |
| sink it. This allows a variety of bottom | | | | but it shifts the weight to the rear of the bait and |
| presentations, but they are not that great for | | | | causes an exaggerated "walk-the-dog" action on |
| working on the surface as a topwater. True | | | | the retrieve. It's a great bait for bass in weed |
| floating worms have air blown into the PVC mix | | | | pockets, or in deeper, thinner grass like the |
| to create enough flotation to keep them on the | | | | situation we ran into on Lake Gaston. This bait |
| surface. Many times over thicker cover these | | | | definitely gave you an advantage that day. I use |
| worms shine. When the bass are active, and | | | | a light/dark pattern with these baits, but |
| would be hitting a buzzbait, or other topwater | | | | occasionally go to colors like watermelon and |
| bait, but the cover doesn't allow it, these floating | | | | green pumpkin, in the clearer water sometimes. I |
| and curly tail worms, can be fished right on the | | | | use this bait a lot in place of a surface bait like a |
| surface, and worked quickly over thicker | | | | rat, and if a bass blows up on it and misses, which |
| vegetation like a buzzbait. This has drawn some | | | | happens a lot in heavy scum and grass, then I |
| tremendous strikes throughout lakes and rivers all | | | | just maneuver the bait to the hole created by |
| over the country. Most of these floating worms | | | | the bass and let it sink. Most of the time the bass |
| will float with a hook up to about a 3/0. Some of | | | | will still be there and take the Fluke on the drop, |
| the more popular companies that manufacture | | | | something I can't do with the rat.All of these baits |
| these worms are Riverside, Bass Pro Shops, | | | | and more can be very effective for big bass at |
| Culprit, Bass Assassin, Creme and others. Carolina | | | | times. At night I use a 10-12 inch worm for some |
| Fish and Fur offer some great hand made floating | | | | huge bass. But none of these baits will work for |
| worms. Most of the companies also make other | | | | the beginner or intermediate angler unless you are |
| floating baits, such as Mann's, who calls them | | | | fishing in the right spot. Some of the best advice I |
| Floating Creatures, and they come in frog and | | | | can give is: Fish slowly, when you think you're |
| lizard shapes.Air pocket worms have a bunch of | | | | fishing slowly, slow down some more. Fish some |
| pockets of air, such as the Riverside Air Worm, | | | | of the smaller lakes and rivers. With emphasis on |
| and others have single large pockets, like on the | | | | tournaments, many anglers forget about the |
| Culprit Burst worms. Bass Pro Shops sold some | | | | great fishing in some of the smaller lakes and |
| worms a few years back that we had a lot of | | | | rivers that you can't fish in a bass boat.Don't |
| luck with, that were called Caterpillar worms. They | | | | make your fishing too complicated. Use a few |
| have a prickly or spiny exterior that holds air | | | | basic baits to start, then expand after you have |
| bubbles. Most of these worms not only take | | | | learned how to use those starter baits. Find the |
| numbers of bass, but also take big bass. We have | | | | right depth; You can't catch fish if you fish above |
| been in many tournaments where the big bass | | | | them or below them. Learn how to use the |
| was taken on a small worm or creature bait. | | | | electronics on your boat properly.Fish as often as |
| These floating baits also work well when rigged to | | | | you can, nothing can replace the knowledge you |
| work over deeper structure such as brushpiles or | | | | get from being on the water a lot. The first few |
| weedbeds. A lot of these worms are designed to | | | | years I started fishing, we spent at least 8 hours |
| hold different scents also. Some are designed to | | | | a day, 3 or 4 days a week fishing. Get out on the |
| have the scents injected right inside of the worm. | | | | water as much as you can, nothing replaces |
| All floating worms vary in their flotation ability with | | | | hands on experience. |
| various hooks, so some experimentation is | | | | |