FISH A BIG WORM FOR SPAWNING BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

Over the next few months, waves of fish will flood the shallows to spawn. This presents the opportunity to catch some monster bass, and a plastic worm is always a main player for me when it comes to the spawn.

A Texas-rigged stickbait is a very common technique, but many people use it inefficiently by casting to a lot of dead water. I try to maximize productivity by casting to high-percentage targets. I focus on isolated cover. In the South, this could be small patches of grass and groups of pads, where spawning females are hidden from the naked eye. In other parts of the country, the structure might be wood or rock. Make multiple casts and work these areas slowly. I use a bigger-style stick bait, normally in the 6” version. Darker colors like a black and blue tip are my go-to. I use lighter 1/16- or 1/8-ounce weights to keep the bait looking natural. Use heavier line to cast around thick cover for large fish, but avoid braid which might be visible to fish in shallow water. I like 17- to 20-pound fluorocarbon.

When I want to cover more water and locate fish, slowly reeling a big speed worm-style bait works great. The vibration the tail gives off drives fish crazy. It’s an awesome way to find fish before slowing down to pick the area apart. I like darker colors like a junebug when the water has some stain and gravitate to more natural green pumpkin with some flake when the water is cleaner. I use ¼- to 1/8-ounce of weight and 15- to 17-pound fluorocarbon.

A wacky rig is also effective when fish are shallow. I fish it just like the Texas-rig in isolated cover, but I fish it weightless. This is great for heavily pressured fish. I use lighter line in the 10- to 15-pound range and a spinning rod for a wacky rig.

Flipping a worm is the last technique I will cover. This allows you to put a bait in places other styles don’t allow and efficiently pick apart heavy cover. I use a large Senko-style soft plastic, and braided line is a must. I like 3/8 to ¾-ounce of weight, depending on the thickness of the cover. Remember, the only way to set yourself apart is to slow down and put your bait in places nobody else has.

Except for the wacky worm, rod and reel choices for each technique are similar. I like a longer 7’6” medium-heavy to heavy action rod for most worm fishing. The 13 Fishing Omen Series has a few rods that are perfect for the job. I use a faster-speed reel like the Concept A 7:5:1.

For the wacky worm, I like a 7’ 3” spinning rod in medium-heavy. A reel with good drag is important, and I’d recommend the Axum from 13 Fishing.