When prespawn rolls around, I always fish a bladed jig with a full 7-inch trick worm. I do it for a couple of reasons. One, to have the largest profile possible while bass are feeding on bait, and two, to have the most drawing power and a unique look. Typically, the bigger the lure you fish, the further the fish will swim to eat it. This rig has proven itself to be one of my most effective lures to throw during prespawn. I almost always end a trip after fishing it, having caught at least a 4lber. I think this is one of the most overlooked bladed jig trailers. Do you use worms or different, more realistic profile trailers like Crushcity Freeloaders, Hog Farmer Spunk Shad, or 6th Sense Panoramas?

The closest thing I use to a worm on a bladed jig is a fluke stick. Other than that I use spunk shads, AFG gills, straiht tail jerkbaits and the BC bladerunner

That’s interesting. I’d be worried about them Just getting the worm and not the hook. I’d definitely try it though. I’m a freeloader or spunk shad fan personally.

Ive used nedworms and a few times I've used a finesse worm as a trailer but never a full sized trick worm.

Haven’t use a whole worm, but I save my used worms and soft plastics to make trailers. I will take part of a straight tailed worm and split the tail

3 minutes ago, GRiver said:

Haven’t use a whole worm, but I save my used worms and soft plastics to make trailers. I will take part of a straight tailed worm and split the tail

I do this on jigs a lot with stick baits that get tore up

I use only "traditional" trailers (craw-type or paddletail) on my bladed jigs. However, just a few years ago during a brutally tough tournament on a nearby cooling lake, the eventual winner stuck a full Rage Craw on his bladed jig SIDEWAYS. Why would someone even think of that? What does that imitate?

Every angler in the tourney came in with one or zero fish. He came in with three and won. Maybe he just found fish that would bite anything, or maybe doing something different won it for him. Hard to say.

A few years back my buddy told be he'll run a full Trick Worm as his bladed jig trailer. I thought he was nuts. I usually use the basics- Spunk Shad, Zako, DieZel Minnow, SwimOn, Rage Bug and Goat rigged vertically etc. Well, every time we get together he almost always out-fishes me with his setup. He just hammers them.

Closest thing I'd throw is the 6th Sense Bamboosa 5.3. I'd trim just a little off until I get the right length that gives the bait a crazy hunting action. More than any other trailer I've tried.

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

A few years back my buddy told be he'll run a full Trick Worm as his bladed jig trailer. I thought he was nuts. I usually use the basics- Spunk Shad, Zako, DieZel Minnow, SwimOn, Rage Bug and Goat rigged vertically etc. Well, every time we get together he almost always out-fishes me with his setup. He just hammers them.

Closest thing I'd throw is the 6th Sense Bamboosa 5.3. I'd trim just a little off until I get the right length that gives the bait a crazy hunting action. More than any other trailer I've tried.

Ive used the fluke sticks and done really well with them. I could see using mag tricks or mag bull worms for sure.

Ive been lookin into the 6th sense boosa worms for something close to a bubbling shaker.

When bubbling shakers were $6 a pack, I used to use a 7" on the project Zs and they worked great. The 5"s will work, but the body on the 7" is wider and gives the bait a better profile. The plastic is light and neutrally buoyant, which gives it crazy action. The problem is that they only last a couple fish.

Another good one that’s not used a lot is a chunk jig trailer. When I’m fishing red/orange bladed jigs it’s always a red zoom super chunk. I also let it fall to bottom often. I really think this mimics a craw. The vibration must be similar to the water that’s pushed by a craw when flicking its tail I’d assume

14 hours ago, Joedodge said:

That’s interesting. I’d be worried about them Just getting the worm and not the hook. I’d definitely try it though. I’m a freeloader or spunk shad fan personally.

After watching lots of underwater footage, this isn't something I worry about anymore. From what I've seen, the bass REALLY want to strike the head of the bait -- especially if it's a larger moving bait. It makes sense if you think about it. I've seen bass on the surface with a bluegill stuck in its mouth. They're risking a lot when they go after a big meal.

23 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

I use only "traditional" trailers (craw-type or paddletail) on my bladed jigs. However, just a few years ago during a brutally tough tournament on a nearby cooling lake, the eventual winner stuck a full Rage Craw on his bladed jig SIDEWAYS. Why would someone even think of that? What does that imitate?

Every angler in the tourney came in with one or zero fish. He came in with three and won. Maybe he just found fish that would bite anything, or maybe doing something different won it for him. Hard to say.

I've done that! I felt it mimicked a sunfish or other small fish they feed on.

I had best luck with the color Blue Craw as it's green with hints of blue. I felt it resembled a bluegill.

4 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

I've done that! I felt it mimicked a sunfish or other small fish they feed on.

I had best luck with the color Blue Craw as it's green with hints of blue. I felt it resembled a bluegill.

Well, now i have to try it.

Good ideas, I mainly use the Zako. I will have to try some of your suggestions.

Full trick worm on a jig or spinnerbait or bladed jig or buzzbait all work! Theowing those fun colors like merthiolate or bubblegum on a normal color spinnerbait or bladed jig shows em something new too!

Bass typically eat things head first and I catch 8” bass on 11” worms with 2” hooks. Don’t overthink adding plastics to jig heads! It pretty much all works!

The larger Eeliminator is about as high profile as I get ... but I am down to my last one and afraid to use it. If anyone knows of anywhere left in stock let me know!

17 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Ive used the fluke sticks and done really well with them. I could see using mag tricks or mag bull worms for sure.

Ive been lookin into the 6th sense boosa worms for something close to a bubbling shaker.

When bubbling shakers were $6 a pack, I used to use a 7" on the project Zs and they worked great. The 5"s will work, but the body on the 7" is wider and gives the bait a better profile. The plastic is light and neutrally buoyant, which gives it crazy action. The problem is that they only last a couple fish.

I played around with 2 packs of 6.5" boosa worms last year. My limited experience is that they're great at eliciting strikes, they seem close to neutral buoyancy, move water, catch and release air, and have subtle action while dead sticking. Unfortunately, this formulation of plastic is unique in that it is "brittle." The worms sheer like no other plastic I've used. They are much more affordable than the bubble shakers, they work better for me right now, but I would hedge and say they are equal, but they are fragile, maybe even moreso than the rein's.

scott

edit: my experience was shakey heads, jigs, and free rigs, not as a bladed jig trailer.

I'll put a big paddletail on the back of mine, like a 5.8 Fat Impact, when they're eating big gizzard shad. I use to use 2/3 of a 5" stick worm a lot or the same of a trick worm, I didn't use the whole thing though. The main reason was it seems like the trailer tears way faster if it's too long.

I’ve never tried a trick worm as a bladed jig trailer. I’ll have to give it a shot! Thanks for the tip, OP!

On 3/18/2026 at 5:31 AM, Joedodge said:

That’s interesting. I’d be worried about them Just getting the worm and not the hook. I’d definitely try it though. I’m a freeloader or spunk shad fan personally.

That's exactly what I was worried about until I started catching them on it. The first time out with it, I put a small stinger treble on it, but ended up not really needing it. You normally will have to give them a little more time to eat it, but when they do, the worm folds right up. During the early prespawn, when they're not committing to reaction retrieves as much, or at least when I dont want to throw them yet, I like to fish it like a blade bait. letting it sink, coming toward me just fast enough for the blade to move, and giving it a pulse-like, slow pop. I caught several very nice fish with this retrieve.

If I am going to fish a common bladed jig trailer like a spunk shad or fluke, I'll probably use the biggest profiles I can get away with, since a lot of places around me have lots of big gizzard shad.

On 3/18/2026 at 3:26 AM, GetFishorDieTryin said:

The closest thing I use to a worm on a bladed jig is a fluke stick. Other than that I use spunk shads, AFG gills, straiht tail jerkbaits and the BC bladerunner

Be quiet about the fluke stick!

On 3/19/2026 at 8:44 AM, FryDog62 said:

The larger Eeliminator is about as high profile as I get ... but I am down to my last one and afraid to use it. If anyone knows of anywhere left in stock let me know!

I may still have a few packs around of both sizes (I think in watermelon/red or green pumpkin), not sure if I gave them away or not. I bought them for a bladed jig trailer and the tail looks incredible in the water, but I just didn't get bit on it like with the Zako.

On 3/19/2026 at 8:44 AM, FryDog62 said:

The larger Eeliminator is about as high profile as I get ... but I am down to my last one and afraid to use it. If anyone knows of anywhere left in stock let me know!

Not sure on the size of that bait, but you ever check out the Lunker City Salad Spoon?

12 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Be quiet about the fluke stick!

BPS has a ned version for the mini Evo. The Zooms get trashed quick because I cut them down. I really only use them in the summer to keep the bait deep.

This one goes back quite a way. Lunker City used to make called a Whiptail. Its like a combination of a Hof Farmers pintail and the Bass Assassin Straight Tailed fluke. Its a perfect size FinS Shad body with a super long and a long skinny tail that gradually tapers to a sharp point.. They're made of a moderate density plastic with little or no salt, which gives it a ton of action. If lunker City starts making them again and they put some real effort into advertising, they would be right there with HFs Pintail, GYCBs Zako.