Slow-Fall Bassing

[Mac10]

My buddy, my wife, and I have caught a slew of bass slow falling lures over the past few years. The following is the best I have to offer at this time.

Get a pack of Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worms in Watermelon-red (red glitter) color. For whatever reason this color outfishes all other colors in local lakes and streams. Lay the worms out on your bench and cut the tails off just 3/4 inch above the actual flat hook tail of the worm. Save the tails.

Rig the lure body texposed on a number 2/0 Gamakatsu offset shaft worm hook. Fish weightless. Cast to a likely spot, near cover/structure and let fall to bottom....watching line at all times. Let it set on the bottom for 30 seconds, if the line hasn't moved yet, lift slowly about 2 feet to feel for fish. If nothing, let re-fall and rest on bottom 20 seconds....If still nothing, lift two feet slowly once again and if nothing, reel in and cast to another likely spot.

The lure looks like a popular bait, but is not internally salted to the point that it falls as fast. This has been the key to the success of the lure...the very slow fall. The bass have a chance to see the lure before disappearing in the submergent weeds, crevaces in the rocky bottom, etc.

My wife, usually outfishing me, uses the following method of slow fall:

She casts, lets fall to bottom, now, holding the line between thumb and finger to feel, waits only 15 seconds, then slowly, takes two turns on the reel, feels and waits another 15 seconds, then two more turns. She works the lure methodically in this manner for a distance of about 15 feet across the bottom before reeling in.

If windy conditions arise and you are fishing from a drifting boat, the addition of weight may be necessary to get the lure down before leaving the desired area. 1/16 Snagless Slider Hooks work well, but a piece of finishing nail clipped off and inserted between hook point and eye works better. If you insert the 3/8 piece of nail in the side of the lure, you will get an interesting side to side wobble, and the higher in the worm or the lower, the action changes accordingly. Best however, when weightless.

The worm body can also be used wacky rigged.

If hanging up in weeds, reverse the worm and place the hook in the narrow end, and if still hanging up, switch to a lizard. Fish it weightless and slow fall as well.

For topwater, I like to take the tails I saved, clip a little of the cut end and weld them in place of the regular lizard tail with the hook facing down. This lizard works well as topwater, giving a little mini-sweep now and again makes the tail really throw water....I also like to let it fall into the weeds and sometimes the tail hooks on a leaf or stem and tugs a bit in moving through the weedbed....kind of a mini commotion.