How many in the Northern States Fish Plastic Worms?

[bob75]

I've been sorting tackle while waiting for the ice to go out. It seems that every year I put several of bags of 4-7" worms in my tackle bag. I was fishing when Mann's Jelly worms hit the market however, now I seldom fish smaller worms unless I'm drop shotting, Carolina rigging or shaky head which I do rarely

For my weighted plastics I mostly use craws, beavers, brush hogs, lizards (usually 8"), tubes and 10" worms. How many of you that fish the waters in the more northern states routinely fish the "smaller" worms when not finesse fishing? And are there specific conditions when you go to a small worm.

Please exclude use of worms for drop shotting, Carolina rigging or shaking head

[njbasscat]

I fish Maine often and Texas rig Zoom SS+U tail worms and Lake Fork baby ring fries all the time. I also use Zoom Finesse worms in very clear water on a Texas rig. I love craws and beavers but sometimes they just want a small profile.

[crankmaniac]

I live in canada near the us border, i fish the st-laurence river and lake champlain a lot and when i have clear water i still fish a lot of 4" to 7" worm in t-rig. My favorites are the good old berkley 7"power worm original , strike king 4" and 7" 3x finess worm and 4" to 7" roboworm too. To me the important factor for a good worm bite is to have clear water, if the water are staine or dirty water i go with a tube or a craw.

[RIK]

I'm right there with crankmaniac. Especialy on the clear water bit.

I do use traditional worms at times. Usually it's a straight-tailed worm in hardstem bullrushes. I use good old Producto worms a lot still - talk about old school... . The new Havoc bottom hoppers are good too, because they're tough.

Straight tails are good in rushes because they won't wrap around stems like a ribbon tail will. I also use straight tails on a t-rig for fishing deep weedlines. Straight tails drop faster - it's a reaction bait, but still a vertical bait which is efficient on weedlines.

I also fish jigworms a lot, which are *not* the same as a shaky head. They're essentially a drop bait, to the point where there are times when I cast them out to a weedline, let them sink, and if I don't get bit I reel them right back in and cast again. For jigworming, it's usually a 7" Power Worm.

In clear water, worms can be fished pretty quickly, but they're still subtle - fish have to hunt for them a little. I'd hate to be without them that's for sure.

[fishingandfords]

can't go wrong with a 7'" power worm in motor oil

[bob75]

Thanks everyone for the informative reply's.

Appears that I will have to dig out my 100 packs of 7" Power Worms and start using them again.

[smalljaw]

a 5' Cabelas diamond tail worm on a light T rig using a 2/0 light wire worm hook and a 1/8oz bullet weight is like killing 2 birds with one stone and is a great way to fine tune your presentation. That little thin worm falls fast on a 1/8oz head and if it doesn't get bit on the fall, it will draw strikes as it is more of a finesse offering. I also use the 7.5" powerbait worm, that is my bait of choice for worm fishning with a normal texas rig.

[HellaBass]

Like to throw ribbontails on exposed jig worms on weedlines and occasional light texas rig to show them something different

[518bassin]

Everybody and there brother use 7" black power worms around here. I use to use culprits on an exposed jig head years ago as well. I use to have a fishing buddy that no matter what would always throw a 7" power worm in Tequila Sunrise color and always do good whether we were fishing Champlain, Lake George, or the Hudson.

[NJ Jigman]

When the water's clear/little stained i like to throw zoom trick worms (black-motor oil), 7in culprit curl tails (motor oil-tequila) and Reaction innovation flirts (California-dirty sanchez). i use them all w/ different techniques from drop shot, split shot, texas, shaky, wacky

[mnbassman23]

can't go wrong with a 7'" power worm in motor oil

Took the words right out of my mouth. The only 7" worm I keep in my boat and one of my confident baits

[Tokugawa]

can't go wrong with a 7'" power worm in motor oil

Took the words right out of my mouth. The only 7" worm I keep in my boat and one of my confident baits

Red shad is pretty good too.

[RIK]

can't go wrong with a 7'" power worm in motor oil

Took the words right out of my mouth. The only 7" worm I keep in my boat and one of my confident baits

Red shad is pretty good too.

Funny - where I fish most days motor oil doesn't do nearly as well as pumpkinseed. Red shad is ok but pike love it, so you get bit off a lot. For some reason, walleyes love red shad too, which is cool...in a rolled in corn flake crumbs and fried in peanut oil kind of way...

[Basspastor]

Growing up they were the first artificial I mastered fishing them texas rigged. Now I hardly throw them. In fact don't think I threw one at all last year.

[Munkin]

Like you I quit fishing them for years because I was throwing creature baits. Now I use them all the time and like everyone said it is hard to beat a 7" power worm.

Allen