12-07-2011, 05:34 PM
[cool][#0000ff]You are coming "full circle". For many years whole crawlers have been effectively fished by hooking them once through the "collar"...which is tougher than the body of the worm...and letting them wiggle naturally as they tumble downstream or rest on the bottom. Lots of big fish...of all species...have slurped up the natural wiggling worms where they might not have responded to one wadded on a hook.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The wacky rig worms are simply an attempt to get a natural wiggle from an artificial worm.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the most effective ways of fishing both natural and artificial worms is without weight. Simply cast them to the zone and let them sink (and wiggle) naturally. Many fish respond to a bait that appears to have fallen into the water and is struggling to escape on the way to the bottom. You will get lots of "pop on the drop" hits when the fish are active, cruising and feeding. If they are slower or on the bottom you can just lift and drop the bait (or lure) as you bring it back in. With a live worm you can also simply leave it on the bottom. The motion of the struggling crawler will bring fish in from a distance and when they are sold that it is a natural food item they will slurp it up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are quite a few spots around Mantua where the bottom is clean enough to work this. But when you are fishing over weed beds (almost everywhere) you might want to rig a slip bobber to keep the worm above the hay fields. Oh yeah, you might also need to hang a little sign on your hook "BASS ONLY". 'Cause all the other fish in Mantua like worms too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The wacky rig worms are simply an attempt to get a natural wiggle from an artificial worm.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One of the most effective ways of fishing both natural and artificial worms is without weight. Simply cast them to the zone and let them sink (and wiggle) naturally. Many fish respond to a bait that appears to have fallen into the water and is struggling to escape on the way to the bottom. You will get lots of "pop on the drop" hits when the fish are active, cruising and feeding. If they are slower or on the bottom you can just lift and drop the bait (or lure) as you bring it back in. With a live worm you can also simply leave it on the bottom. The motion of the struggling crawler will bring fish in from a distance and when they are sold that it is a natural food item they will slurp it up.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are quite a few spots around Mantua where the bottom is clean enough to work this. But when you are fishing over weed beds (almost everywhere) you might want to rig a slip bobber to keep the worm above the hay fields. Oh yeah, you might also need to hang a little sign on your hook "BASS ONLY". 'Cause all the other fish in Mantua like worms too.[/#0000ff]
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