Lite biting bass

Post by **Bassman30** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:34 am

Went fishing for bass moday afternoon. Decided to pound the bullrushes along the shoreline using a purple or brownish Texas rigged worm. Whenever I found small patches of grass growing next to shore found some bass siting in there. Problem was they would hit the worm and drop it right away. Had some real worms in the cooler. After every miss I would add a real worm to the plastic and tossed it back to the same location. WHAM! The bass would hit it hard. Total of 7 bass caught.

Post by **BBRich** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:49 am

Nice work in finding a strategy to land them. I usually just add a bit of Mega Strike and sometimes the scent/flavour makes all the difference in making the bass hold on.

Post by **Bassman30** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:06 am

Cool, Im going to try that next time. Ill see which technique works better. Live bait is kind of a pain.

Post by **Fishhawk** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:20 am

There's an example of scent being important.

I find that the Berkley Power products will work better than non-Berkley on those days when the fish are indecisive and they are given a chance to look at the bait. I've always thought that the Berkley Power Jelly is a way to give non-Berkley worms that added bit of yumminess that turns the fish into a biter.

Post by **mdej** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:16 pm

Another thing you can try is the lenght of the worm.

You don't state the size of the bait you were using. Lets assume a 6" senko or similar.

If the fish are taking the tail and not getting to the hook, shorten the worm a couple of inches.

It will fall a little different but should still have enough tail to attract the fish, but when the pick it up the hook goes in the mouth sooner, so set the hook.

The other thing is maybe slow down your hook set... wait that extra second before you set the hook.. maybe the fish are just not as aggressive with the fake VS the real and need more time to inhale the bait and you're pulling it away from them. But likly they just don't like your plastic.

I agree with Fishhawk... Berkly GULP, if the fish bites it, they will try to inhale the entire thing... But I personally can't stand the smell or texture of it.

Post by **Bassman30** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:08 pm

I was using the YUM 7.5" worm. They are suposed to be scented and salted. Do you guys find the Berkly power stuff to be way better than the YUM brand? I always shyed away from Berkly because of price.

Post by **BBRich** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:22 pm

Berkley Power Worms are definitely the best plastic worm on the market IMO.

Post by **Northern King** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:22 pm

We were using 7" Yum dingers on the weekend as well as 5" tiki sticks and they were both working really well. I had a few really light bites on the senkos to the point where I could even feel the "tick" on the line but I did notice the slack in the line start to tighten up. When they were hitting like this I was setting the hook mostly just by gut feeling.

Post by **Badger Shark** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:24 pm

I think I will just stick to a bobber and worm , I dont have any more room in my box and I have an addiction to going to Le Barrons every Thursday night after work with Clown Worship and spending way to much money. Who am I kidding I will be there tommorow night again, what is a senko anyway? I guess I need some. (just an excuse to add more stuff) and oh of course I will have to purchase any x-raps I dont have. I still need the pearch and clown. Please help I need them!!!!!!!!

Post by **Joey Rat** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:41 pm

I hear you Badger, if fish liked lures as much as I like lures there'd be no challenge to catching them.

I had to turn away from that "Swamp Donkey" ad (in another post) real quick.

But hey if they do come to Ottawa, let me know.

Post by **pikeie** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:55 pm

these are senkos, i used to love them but found that they really take a beating by fish nipping at the tail, they are loaded with salt so the plastic cant be as strong as if it was just plastic. i have switched to strike king 3x zero plastics. they have a differnt plastic in them that makes them last longer in my opinion and are still full of salt. i have also had better results with them. just my 2 cents

Post by **Blaker** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:30 pm

Plastics are all I use. No live bait rule in the boat due to the fact that I fish bass tourneys and we are not allowed live bait it just makes sense to use artificials all the time. The Berkley worms have been a mainstay in my tackle arsenal for years. The fish really due love those worms. I use a ton of the Phenix Plastics especially there tubes and their chubby worms same as senko's but a slower fall and also last for more than 1 fish. These plastics are loaded with salt and protein which makes a big difference and were a big reason why we did so well last year. Probably 75% or more of our fish all year came off their plastics. the tube tenticles actually float giving them an awesome appearnce under water that the smallie couldn't resist. All artificial baits take time and confidence when using them. Scent is another tool that helps get those reluctant bass to go. I really like the Bang garlic and also the new ultra bite bass scent. Just a drop and wow what a smell that stays with the plastic. Keep on trying the plastics and adjust your presentations a little and they will bite!!!!!!!!

Post by **Fishhawk** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:55 pm

I was using all kinds of cranks and live baits and what ever Bob Izumi used on Saturday morning had to be bought of course. But then I had a chance meeting with a guy at a boat launch that changed my life forever. I was leaving and he was putting his boat in. He asked me how I did. I replied that it had been a bit of a tough day. He asked me if I was using Power Worms because they were the only thing that worked around there. I said nope.

I had an other hour to burn before I was way too late getting home (instead of just late) and he invited me to follow him and to try a power worm rigged texas style. Highly skeptical of the Berkley Power worm, I gave it a try and had immediate results. What really sold me was just hanging it over the side of the boat and still catching bass... and walleye... and pike... though pike often get to bite them off because it is a crime to use a leader with a texas rigged worm in my opinion.

Anyways, here's how ya do it - you can use a bullet sinker, screw in or not... or not use a sinker at all if that is what they need that day.

Using a senko-type bait, just stick it on the hook and throw it. Senko has become the generic name for a stick of plastic. But there is easily a dozen manuafacturers of senko-type baits.

Badger - it's just as well you don't give this a try. You will only wind up buying a package or two of each colour and type plus 20 different types of worm hooks and weights.

Post by **muskymatt** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:03 pm

I had a very memorable day on Mississippi lake a couple years ago , i tossed a texas rig all day with incredible results.

Have not done it since

I run a flororcarbon leader 3-4' long to deal with toothy critters

Post by **Badger Shark** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:14 pm

Clown and I just ended up in wal-mart and of course the fish section happened to be in our path so of course we found things we had to have. I did purchase a few different plastics to try. I also found the TOP PROP that I have been wanting. And I finally found the 2 x-raps I dont have. Looking forward to trying these out this weekend on Dalhousie Lake and the Clyde River. Im sure we will have a report of some kind. I think I am going to have to invest in a suit case and convert it into a tackle box soon because my new big box is pretty much at its limit.