Lets talk GIANT worms

[WildDog3]

When, where, and how???
Anything and everything

[Kevin]

Diamond Valley Lake, So Cal. A 12 - 16 inch worm here is like a 6 inch worm at Shasta or any other Nor Cal Lake. The bigger the better!

[aNNieNsaLTIE]

clear lake HBC was won on a giant senko. I wonder how he fished it, wacky, texas, carolina, weightless............hummmmmmmmmmm shaky head..

rainbow worms gots some giant worms...

paul elias won that tournament on a 12" jelly worm...

this gots me thinking,
Steven

[Oldschool]

Start by reading the late Bill Murphy's book; In Pursuit of Giant Bass. There are a few good big worm hand pours on the market, most are special order items.
The mistake most people make is rigging a long worm with a heavy weight, over size hook and fish the worm too fast. 12" worms are good to start with and easier to find.
Tom

[tunaman]

What about trap-rigging? I've got some 12" worms that I've fished, and decided that I needed to rig a trap hook due to short bites. I didn't have much success with figuring out a good harness setup for the hooks, though.

So, do you use a trap rig, or just let them eat it a lot longer?

Roger

[Oldschool]

Bass tend to grab a big worm by the front or head to crunch down and kill it, then engulf the mouth full of plastic. It is very important to let the bass turn with the worm, but don't wait too long as they will try to swallow it or spit it out.
A good worm should float, not sink. I use a straight shank Gamakatsu 5/0 round bend worm hook. The key is; only push the hook point into the nose up to the barb or 1/4", then turn the point out. You can skin hook the worm if it's fat in diameter or bring to point through and pinch the worm to protect the hook point. Don't use a EWG off set hook with big worm, the worm tends to bunch up and fowl the hook point.
I set the hook when the line moves or feel pressure. I reel set and sweep the rod. Snap sets work if the worm is within 30 feet or so.
Most of these big worms are too stiff out the package, so put them in boiling water for a few minutes, then lay them out straight to cool. You also stretch a 12" to 15" when it's hot out of the boiling water.
Tom

[L Dub]

I managed some pretty good fish on the delta with a 10" in early summer... had one area where I could pretty much call my shot when throwing the worm.

I was throwing them with a pegged t-rig in water from 2' - 8' and when they hit it, they hit it HARD. For retrieve, just a simple drag/reel slack/ drag worked for me.

[Mark Pollard]

10" power worm bye berkley in Junebug.

[FATGUY]

we are going tomorrow to el salto and we fish some 16" hand poured worms part of the time down there. you'd be surprized the 3-4 lb fish that will eat them .. of course the 9-10 don't have a trouble with it.. oh yea we fish them on a 11/0 hook . its really not that much bigger than a 5/0 only a lot longer ?? bob

[Larry Hemphill]

Good luck in Mexico, Bob!! I thot I would say something about giant worms. Folks do catch big bass on 12 to 16 inch worms, usually in waters that do not have a lot of pressure. I have always felt that the length of the worm wasn't as important as the water displacement the bait makes - that is, the BULK! Bulk is usually produced by width, not length. Why is the brush hog such a terrific bait? Not because of the length but because of the bulk (thickness) of the bait and the amount of water movement it creates. This is especially true in low light conditions. I have two different brands of black worms that are 11 inches. One is fairly thick with a good curly tail. The other one is nearly identical but thinner with a smaller curly tail. It appears to have been on a Weight Watchers diet! Which one produces consistantly? The first one - especially at night. Berkley's famous Power worm - and the best night worm ever, used to be made in a 12" size, but was discontinued for lack of sales. Why? The 10" Power worm did the job - scent, shape, and BULK! If conditions are tough, I may go to the 7" Power worm, but more likely, I will take a 10" Power worm and shorten it to 7 or 8". Thus, I still have a bulky bait without the overkill length. The problem with the 12" Power worm and other huge worms is the amount of plastic the hook has to go through. If it balls up, your chances of a good, penetrating hookset is lessened. Just some of my ideas after hunting trophy bass for many years.

[Rob Dickson]

uptons customs for 12" and bigger worms. And no need to boil them either.

[barse41]

you'd be suprised by the numbers of little bass caught at melones and pedro on 10" worms

they just slurp em right up

[Oldschool]

When you are targeting big bass during mid day, high sky, a good time for big worms, you lure selection isn't about triggering a reaction bite. Water displacement or creating vibration so the bass knows the lure is in the area, isn't a major issue. It is nearly impossible to cast and retrieve a big worm without the bass detecting it, unless under low light or night conditions.
Big worms are all about profile and a easy target. Slowly coasting along the bottom with subtile movement that tells the bass this is something alive moving through it's territory. Natural movement is important, similar to why Senko's trigger strikes.
I don't consider 10" like a ribbon tail power worm as big. Agree it is one of the best night worms ever and wouldn't think of night fishing without one. Mann's 12" Jelly worm, the old Sting Ray worm, used by Elias to set the all time BASS weight record is a classic big worm; no curl tail and very little action of it's own. Paul fished this big worm using a Carolina rig and just slowly dragged it along the bottom.
Tom

[Oldschool]

Looking around this site there is a article by Troy Folkestad called Big Wormin', http://www.westernbass.com/dotcom/libra ... ml?id=1641.
You all may know that Troy is Mikes son. Mike learned stitching back in the 70's as a Pisces member.
Tom

[hogbeastbassin]

Only bass I ever caught on a 10" worm was a 6 inch bass....no joke!

[DAN]

My two Favorites

http://lftlures.com/categories/soft-pla ... oducts/993

http://bigbitebaits.com/10krietTworm.htm

Lake fork tackles 10 inch worm is that big bulky profile I really like. Big bite's Kriet Tail is another special bait that draws BIG Bites... Old school brings some great tips to the table with his comments on the Sun factor try these baits, use those tips and you'll have some fun!