Bazoo

I've seen pre-rigged worms this way, but I want to figure out how to do it myself to other models of worms. Anyone do this and could offer some tips as to how to rig them up?

Most of the places I fish are public... The local city lake, Freeman Lake, is heavily pressured. It's a challenge! I was at the local reservoir a while back and some folks came and got up wind of me... wouldn't have bothered me except they fired up a joint. Most of the time though I have that place to myself.

I don't remember many specific fish, but when I got back into fishing last year, I remember one day I was fishing a Texas rigged lizard and caught several in short succession at a local pond. It was the first time I was successful with soft plastics. I had caught 1 fish on a plastic worm previously, but I rarely used them and never could get them to work right. I always used crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and topwater. After that day, I always have 1 rod rigged with a Texas rig of some variety, and usually a Lizard. I've tried all sorts of soft plastics, hooks, weights, and retrieves. The Texas rig is now probably my confidence bait, and I have often fished with nothing else on days I want to just go light and simple. 1 rod, a bag of plastics, a small bag of extra hooks and weights. One of the specific fish I remember though is this guy. I had been fishing at the local heavily pressured city lake, and it started to rain and I decided to leave. My wife and my friend that was with me and I all left and went up the road to a gas station. While getting some fuel I decided to go back - I wasn't done. We got back in and went back and I started fishing in the rain with a buzzbait. A strike and a miss prompted me to add a trailer hook. I fished around the edge a bit, and wham, right in the spot that everyone always hits as they enter and leave the lake... this nice one hit my buzzbait. It started stripping line off and I played her. I got her to shore, and set down on the ledge and reached down to get her. My scale wasn't working and I estimated her to weigh 5 pounds, which was the same as my tackle box at the time. I often doubt and think it was 4 pounds... but nevertheless, myself and my friends call that spot 5 Pound Corner. What it taught me is... don't quit fishing when your gut says to keep at it. And that even though the lake is heavily pressured, there is ways to coax old Iron Jaws into biting. It started a passion for me to figure out how to get bit under the worst of pressured conditions. That particular fish, I think bit because it had been raining, and the fish probably have learned that most of the pressure stops during the rain. Also, it likely wouldn't have hit a whopper plopper as that's a popular lure that everyone uses here. Not many use a buzzbait anymore. So a lure that likely is more obscure, coupled with conditions that the fish might consider to be less likely for anglers to be out produced my PB. Next, was this guy. 3lb 14oz (with my scale being .75 of ounce off, so more close to 3lb 15oz). I think this one was physically bigger than the above fish, though they were very close. But what set this fish apart was not just it's size... but also the conditions in which it was caught. My buddies and I met at the local reservoir, and we all fished in line for a while and didn't get anything. One of them started to leave, and they were all flapping their jaws... I continued to fish, and after the lures stopped flying, this monster decided it was safe to bite my 4" Fat Albert Grub. One of the things that may contribute is that my buddies (and everyone else) all fish ned rigs... I rarely do (I do want to learn ned rigs), instead, I fish Zoom Fat Albert Grubs, rigged with a 1/0 hook (in this case it was an Ozark Trails brand), and a 1/16 ounce Eagle Claw bullet weight. The result is, I often get bit with what is slightly less common of a lure, and my confidence with this rig is as high as it gets, you can see why. One of the things that it taught me is after things settle down and folks stop fishing... don't stop, keep fishing.

This is a very informative thread and I appreciate both the OP and the responders, thank you all. I was fishing today on Nolin River, from the bank, at a low head dam. I caught a few largemouth, and one of them, when I threw it back, I had it oriented so it would be heading downstream. It immediately turned 180 and moved upstream rapidly in some heavy current. I was surprised at just how strong of a swimmer that little guy was. This is a very informative thread and I appreciate both the OP and the responders, thank you all. I was fishing today on Nolin River, from the bank, at a low head dam. I caught a few largemouth, and one of them, when I threw it back, I had it oriented so it would be heading downstream. It immediately turned 180 and moved upstream rapidly in some heavy current. I was surprised at just how strong of a swimmer that little guy was.

I'd say I'm a 2. I bank fish most of the time. I do have a 2 man bass buster. I carry a minimum of 2 rods when bank fishing and often times 4 or 5. I carry a small tackle bag with a variety of stuff. I often try new techniques and lures and am avidly seeking to perfect my technique and skills. I practice casting a lot, and I research the habits of my query. I don't use fish finders or other fancy stuff, but I do notice structure, weather, current, and temperature/water temperature. I also will fish in spots where others wouldn't due to confidence and having a semi-broad skillset. To that tune, the other day I was fishing the local reservoir, the only open spot there was the shallow end that has a lot of moss. Well, I started fishing it and someone left, and on their way out they said "there's a good spot over yonder". I stuck with my spot and caught 8 bass in the "bad" spot. Sure you can't throw a crank there... but find the right Texas rig and there isn't anything bad about that spot.

Thanks all for sharing. This is of interest to me, because most of the time I use a lure as it is. Of course I'll bend the eyelet on a crankbait to get it run straight, and I do open up the hooks on frogs... but other than those things, I pretty much use everything as it comes out of the package.

I have seen mention made by many folks here that they exchange the hooks on lures they buy (why, if it's got a sharp hook, is beyond me), but anwyays, I never see anyone mention modification of lures. I was listening to Jimmy Houston's Catch a Better Life channel and he mentioned modifying lures. First, he mentioned removing about 30% of the strands from swimbait skirts, and named a pro that taught him this (I don't remember who). Second he said he'll take a jerkbait and scratch the paint up to make it mottled, then bend the tie loop up so it won't dive very far. I got to thinking, I don't ever hear yall mention doing this. Is this sort of thing common and just not spoken about? Do the pros do it regularly?

I got these the other day. This is the biggest crappie I've ever seen! Beautiful sunset. If you're wondering, that thing on the left, its a knife lanyard. Got these this evening on the way to bible study. He's coming back, don't let him catch you with slack lines!

Got this one at the local heavily pressured place this evening.

This is great information, I appreciate everyone sharing. I'm just starting into a spoon journey and it's going to be a fun one!

I haven't ever seen that, thank you for sharing. I'll give that a try next time I go out, and see what I get.

These are from 2 different trips, the last trip, me and boy caught a bluegill each.

I just read through all the replies, thank you all! Very helpful information. It'll certainly be something I could use some times. I'll have to experiment with it.

I haven't read all the posts yet, but I'll start here since I was tagged. I am primarily a bank fisherman, but I have a Bass Buster 2 man boat that I use some.

Thank you. I am thinking on it, and researching some of what's involved currently.

Count me in. I don't mind cleaning my lure every cast.

I have a good idea of how to set up a Carolina Rig, but I haven't a clue as to why one would choose that over a Texas Rig, or how best or when to fish a Carolina Rig.

I very much appreciate this discussion, as I'm just starting to use flukes, and just starting to experiment with different hooks as well. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

I've been trying a little bit of everything, some working some not, at least not the day I tried it. I did get a little bit better fish. I weighed him and the scale said 1 lb 5 oz, sure felt closer to 2 lb and had the body for it but, the scale is on. Thank you @Jig Man for the spinnerbait I used! I haven't fished the whole lake yet, but getting this little bit nicer one got me very excited, and thinking that maybe the big ones just don't hang out in the areas I've fished so far.

Very nice, congratulations! Wouldn't we all? Heck I look like that on a 4 pounder! This one I posted earlier this year was just shy of 4lbs... I still get the grin whenever I look at the picture or talk about it!

Man's got to finance his lures somehow.

I found this fluke on the ground at the local reservoir, and put it in my pocket. When my worm decided to play out, I decided it had one more rigging left on it.

Me and my son went to the local reservoir for about an hour just before dark. Got this feisty little crappie on a 1/4oz crankbait. Pretty little guy. This nice little one came on a fluke I found laying on the ground. I picked it up, and figured I could rig it one more time, and it worked like a charm.

I appreciate the replies. It's got me to thinking, perhaps I should try building/repairing rods. I don't have a passion for it (yet), but I've seen a bit of information on how it's done and I know I could handle it. The repair thing really makes me think... At this point, I'd certainly attempt to replace a guide if I happened upon a nice used rod with a broken insert. I have one that needs a new tip top, and I am sure I can handle that. I removed the old one so I could measure without issue. Thanks everyone for the replies, really gets you to thinking.