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