Plastic Worms | The Best Bass Worms
There is no better bait to fish with than a lure that imitates real food to bass. Rubber worms have been around in some shape or form for as long as I can remember and the beauty of them is you don’t have to dig them up before you head out fishing…
Every tackle shop you go into these days has rows of different types of bass worms, and for a very good reason - they are dynamite for catching big bass. A great way to gauge the effectiveness of any lure is to see what the Pro’s are using and I guarantee you this - they will all stick a rubber worm on their hook when they need a hook up.
Effective all year round rubber bass worms are a must have for any serious bass fisherman.
So lets take a quick look at some of the best bass worms out there and then follow on with how you rig these up to catch your next trophy bass.
This worm is great for both Largemouth and Smallmouth bass and you should always have a selection in your tackle bag. When all else fails out on the water stick a rubber worm on your hook and hold on tight.
Senko Worm - Best Bass Worms Ever
To be honest if you are going out fishing for bass with rubber worms then the holy grail of all bass worms is the Senko by Gary Yamamoto.
- 4" SENKO BLUE/BLACK W/ LARGE CHARTREUSE FLAKE (10 PACK)
- 4" SENKO BLUE/BLACK W/ LARGE CHARTREUSE FLAKE (10 PACK)
- 4" SENKO BLUE/BLACK W/ LARGE CHARTREUSE FLAKE (10 PACK)
- 4" SENKO BLUE/BLACK W/ LARGE CHARTREUSE FLAKE (10 PACK)
- 4" SENKO BLUE/BLACK W/ LARGE CHARTREUSE FLAKE (10 PACK)
The Senko worm was where it all started and today it still stands out as the top bass worm on the market. Certainly our favourite this salt loaded rubber worm catches our best fish all day long.
Super versatile, you can rig up this worm in many different ways which we cover further down the post.
From looking at this bait you wouldn’t think too much of it but it actually has great action in the water and a slow undulating retrieve with pitching and letting it drop proves irresistible to bass.
Our preference is black as thats the colour we have caught the best fish on but there is a huge range of options to choose from especially if you are fishing dirty or cloudy water.
Plastic worm techniques vary for the Senko but we like to use a Texas Rig or to Wacky Rig these worms.
How To Fish Rubber Worms For Bass
Fishing with rubber worms is very effective but there are a few things you need to know before you get started.
First thing to look at is rigging up your rubber worm. There are three main methods which we cover in more detail below on how to rig a soft plastic worm:
1. Wacky Rigging Rubber Worms
The easiest way to rig up your rubber bass worm is to use a wacky rig.
Take the worm and stick a wide gap hook through the middle of it.
This lets the worm wiggle about in it’s most natural form as it sinks into the water.
The best way to fish this is weightless. Just cast it out into your swim and let it sink to the bottom. Every so often lift the rod tip and move the worm off the bottom and let it sink again. Most bass trikes come when the worm is sinking down again.
Make sure you keep a bit of tension on the line because when fishing with a Senko the bite pattern is not the same as a normal lure. There is no sudden strike - the bass usually suck the worm into their mouths so you need to be ready to strike and set the hook before they spit it out again.
If you want to add some weight to your worm to get it deeper into the swim quicker then add a few small spit shot weights (lead free if possible) and away you go.
Another thing to note is that this type of fishing can cause twists in your line so we recommend using a small swivel about 18 inches up the line.
We would also recommend using weedless hooks like the ones below to keep you from getting caught up if you are fishing in water prone to weeds.
- Significantly increase you chances of Landing the catch
- Made environmentally friendly
- Used by professional anglers worldwide
- Color is black.
- features a durable, hand-tied weed guard to provide necessary snag protection
One challenge you get with wacky rigging worms is the fish tend to tear your worms up fairly quickly. I saw a guy using o-rings before where he ran the point of the hook through an o-ring and tightened this around the worm - thus avoiding the hook tearing through the worm.
Here is a great video from LunkersTV showing you how to fish plastic worms and the different styles used. Check it out...
Texas Rig For Big Bass On Worms
If you have challenges with weeds in your swim then you should consider using the Texas Rig.
This 100% weedless technique can save you a fortune on lost tackle.
We like to fish these when faced with deep cover on the lake and need to get the bait down to the bait without getting caught up all the time.
You simply stick the hook point through the head of the rubber worm and push the worm up the shaft of the hook to the head. Pierce the worm and expose the hook curve so only the straight staff of the hook is covered.
Spin the hook around and stick the point back into the worm but leave it covered. This protects the hook point from getting snapped up in the weeds when you cast it out.
Cast out the worm and let it sink to the bottom through the weeds. Every now and again twitch or lift the rod tip and let the bait sink again. You are sort of dancing it across the lake or stream bed.
The best bites usually come on the drop and the bite pattern is like a small tap. Strike the rod, set the hook and hold on.
If you need to add some additional weight to the bait then use a sliding sinker straight through on the line. This will give you additional casting distance but also help the bait get through the weeds and down to the fish. When the Bass grabs the worm the sinker slides up the line out of the way and doesn't bother the Bass.
During the summer months the fish tend to hang about under weed cover out of the heat so this is where the Texas Rig comes into it’s own.
Kit wise you are going to need the following to get your texas rigs setup:
- Country Of Origin : United States
- The Package Height Of The Product Is 1.52 Centimeters
- The Package Length Of The Product Is 21.84 Centimeters
- The Package Width Of The Product Is 14.48 Centimeters
- Sport Type: Boating
- Closed eye
- EWG-Extra Wide Gap
- Barbed
- Forged.Black anodized
- Longer lasting Ultra Steel; Retains its shape better,
- Less oxidized build-up; Improved snag resistance
- Less bulk than other non-lead materials
- Clean chamfered holes;
- Color: Natural; Kit contains a total of 60 pieces: (24) 1/16 ounce; (12) 1/8 ounce; (9) 3/16 ounce; (9) 1/4 ounce; (4) 3/8 ounce; (2) 1/2 ounce
Carolina Rig - Cover More Ground
Another rig setup for plastic bass worms is the Carolina Rig. Similar in style and basic setup to the Texas Rig except you attach at swivel ti the line and set your barrel weight above it.
By using this setup your worm has a more natural action in the water. Each time you cast out the weight will drop straight to the bottom but the worm will sink much slower on the fall.
When you start to retrieve the bait you lift your rod tip and then let the weight pull it back down again slowly reeling in the slack line.
Fishing this method show be slow and steady but it does allow you to cover more ground and fish at a quicker pace that the standard Texas Rig.
Choosing The Right Plastic Worm For Bass
When you start looking around at all the different types of rubber bass worms you will get a bit overwhelmed. In order to help you out with this we will now take a look at worm types, colour, weight and fishing action to help you get out there fishing.
What Color Worm Should You Use?
We often get asked what color worms for bass and this depends a lot on the water you are fishing.
Clear Water
We tend to use dark worms when fishing clear water. Something black like the standard Senko with perhaps a coloured fleck through it works well all the time. Think about it - if the water is clear then the Bass are going to be able to see your bait from a distance.
It doesn’t need to be bright and glowing, just the normal dark colours work best in these conditions. Keep the colour as close to the natural bait of the Bass and you will do very well. A tailless worm works amazing when the water is clear.
Stained Water
When the water is stained or murky then you are going to need to use something that stands out a bit more.
We opt for plastic worms with tails like these ones in this scenario because it has a more lively action in the water and attracts even the biggest of fish. You can mix and match here with dark works with bright tails or brighter worms in general work well.
Worm Weight & Size
Because of all the options available to you here are some rules we go by when selecting plastic worm sizes and the weight we used for our rigs.
Size Matters
If you are fishing clearer water then you are going to want to opt for a small more natural looking worm. The size effects the sink rate of the worm so this is where you may want to add in some weight to get the bait down to the fish, or through the weeds quicker.
In colored or stained water you should go for a bigger worm as you need a more enticing stand out bait to attract the fish. You may also need additional weight on the rig here because the bigger the worm the slower it sinks.
Fishing with a wiggle tail is one of the best bass worms out there when the water is mirky but whatever conditions you are faced with plastic worms will deliver every time.
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