Small plastic worms, crawdads, etc

[meandermeadows]

I recently scored a whole mess of plastic baits from a guy on Craigslist. I think there are about 35 different worms, crawdads, etc, in a vast array of colors and sizes, most are about 2"-3" long or so. I have found a lot of youtube videos that show you how to set up senkos, but not much for these other rubber baits. Maybe I am not searching correctly. Does anyone use these, and have success with them? Are they good for getting in amongst the weeds? Oh, and do they sink like senkos? Anyone have a link for a good setup video? Any and all comments would be greatly appreciated!!!

[meandermeadows]

Okay, I found a few rigging setups. Most suggest a Texas rig. Which brings me to my next question...with the hook buried inside the plastic bait, how does it get itself lodged in the fish? They just bite it so hard it shoves itself through the bait?

[253Caster]

Texas rigs are a great way to rig plastics and probably one of the most common. Carolina, drop shot, and wacky rigs are also good ones to learn. Can be used to catch fish under most conditions. As for Texas rigs, weightless they can be twitched or dead sticked over weed beds or if you want to fish them deeper or get a faster drop you can peg a small weight above the hook. They are effective around other kinds of cover as well. Bites usually are pretty obvious on this kind of tackle and a good hook set will bury the hook where you want it. Hope this answers your questions and helps you succeed out there.

[Amx]

LOTS of bites are so slight/light you won't even feel them.

Different worms sink at different speeds.

Some worms will float, which is great for a Carolina rig.

Even with a sledge hammer hook-set, a big bass can hold the Texas rigged bullet WEIGHT behind their jaw so hard/tight you won't be able to get the weight past their jaw to get the hook point out of the plastic and into their jaw/lip. We all have done that hook set, then have the bass get off. Then when you get the worm back in the boat you'll see that the point is still in the skin of the worm. Just part of the game.

[meandermeadows]

Thanks. I am guessing the Texas rig would also work well in lily pads then? There are some really heavy pads where I have been fishing at Bitter lake. You'll have to forgive my ignorance, as I am new to bass fishing and fairly new to fishing altogether.

Also, I am still very curious...from what I have seen, when setting up a Texas rig, the point of the hook is bedded in the worm or crawdad or whatever plastic thing you are using. When the fish bites, how does the hook make its way out of the bait and into the fish's mouth?

[Amx]

Yes they work great in pads. I usually use 1/8th oz bullet sinkers, but will use 1/4 oz or heavier in the pads, weeds, or in deep water. You can also fish worms weightless over the pads and bass will come out after the worm.

When the bass bite the worm it stretches the plastic and the hook point will pop out, most of the time. Just stick the hook point slightly under the skin of the worm.

[meandermeadows]

I see. So you don't really sink the hook deep within the bait, just enough to hide it? That makes sense. Thanks!

If you go weightless, are you essentially trying to swim the bait in between the pads, and hopping from spot to spot? What do you like to use for this, frogs? I really appreciate your help

[Amx]

Was talking about weightless worms.

Yes when frog fishing they float, I never put a weight on a frog, I fish them only on top of the water, or on top of the pads. But yes, you can weigh them and fish them subsurface if you want.

With the worm or frog you want to drag them slowly across the pads, stopping in the open spots to give the bass time to see and attack them. Then move the frog/worm to the next pad and let them sit there nosing the pad and wiggling them a little for a few seconds. Gives the bass time to think the meal is going to get away, or that the meal is injured and is trying to climb up onto the pad.

You can also fish a frog over a weedy flat, just swim it along, stopping it now and then. Even try to walk-the-dog now and then.

[meandermeadows]

Gotcha, kind of a game of cat n mouse, only it's bass and frog

Now, when you said weightless worms, I'm guessing you mean something different tan senkos, because senkos will sink, correct? I have a bunch of different smaller worms, crawdads and other rubber baits.

Crawdads should be weighted though, correct?

[Amx]

Crawdads can be weightless also, they do climb the grass stalks.

Weightless means - no added weight, as in no lead weight/sinker added to the line or stuck into the plastic such as a nail weight.

[meandermeadows]

Chris and I both caught two smallies today on tube baits weighted with football hooks in lake Union. Nothing else was working. I am certain we weren't in the best part of the lake, but we wanted to explore the areas close to my house, which brought us to where we were.