I am using a Carolina Rig with a Purple worm with a pink spinner tail.  The fish keep hitting the spinning pink tail.  I am losing the fish. any suggestions?

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Welcome to the forum.

What kind of worm is it. Based on your description, I've never heard of a worm like that.

The company that makes it is Renegade.  I got a lot of hits, but the fish are hitting the tail.

Change colors and find bigger fish.

The color isnt the problem.  I have all kinds of fish hitting.  But you might be right about the size.

size could be a problem, but it could be that you're attracting 1) smaller fish or 2) other fish that are attracted to the pink color. I know that might sound odd, but I've had it happen. certain species (like rainbows, mackinaw, steelhead and other salmon) are really attracted to pink.

you can start with one of three things, in my opinion. 1) add a stinger hook to catch whatever is short striking your worm and evaluate  2) switch the whole worm to pink and see what happens, or 3) downsize your worm.

you could just change colors and/or switch locations, but I'd be more interested to find out what is causing your experience if it were me. once you know what's going on you can evaluate and possibly benefit from the situation - whereas switching spots will just be a stop-gap fix and you never learn anything from your experiences.

fishing is all about lifelong experiences and knowledge to enjoy yourself more and become a better fisherman...why would you pass that up? just my opinion. g'luck!

wait - how do you know that 1) the color isn't the problem and 2) "all kinds" of fish are hitting...when you said you're not bringing the fish in. ?

ironic that you're asking for suggestions or advice and you're dismissing something that someone tells you could be the problem.

ALC,

Do you think the hits are from bluegills and bream?

Or small bass?

They can drive you crazy when throwing a plastic or a Gulp! product.

All I can add is to experiment with the type, size and technique you are using to try to catch whatever is hitting your plastics.

This is why we call it fishing and not catching.  ;D

Hey Alc first off welcome!!!

I love fishing the renagade brand worms. I usually fish the 4-6" curl tail worm.I have never had any luck on fishing it Carolina Rigged (C-rig) I will usually fish it weightless or Texas Rigged (T-rig). I have very little luck with these baits in a pressured body of water I usually have good luck with them in farm ponds. Actually I caught my Personal Best (pb) on a 4" renagadepurple/black curl tail worm. It was a 10.2 LMB

Also I have never caught any other species on this worm, however I am not tell you that it is not possible. Try it T-rig or weightless, it will hopefully prove successful for you.

Good Luck

Try adding some attractant, and try waiting to set the hook right away at the first tap. Often small bream or other sunfish will tick, tick, tick those type of worm tales. So if you are not landing any, you might move to another spot. Good luck!

Thanks for all the replies.  I will try some of the suggestions.

fretfishman

The lake is very shallow and full of weeds, and I am fishing from a bridge.  I can see most of the hits.

I do get some sunfish hits as you guys suggeted, but the others are small bass (I can see them).  They are about 12 long.  They just attack the pink tail.  They even hold on to it.  But there is no hook there to grab on.  If there any way to add another hook at the tail?

They make some kind of rig that has two hooks. http://www.cremelure.com/store/store_product_detail.cfm?Product_ID=143&Search_Words=readytofish

you can buy that (wal mart always has 'em) and just rig it with your own worm (I take off the spinner on the front, or you can make your own. Give that a try and let us know how you do!

-Ike

alc - ok, cool beans. there are a couple lakes that I have to worry about the same thing. when I fish those spots I had a stinger hook, but it's in a tandem hook setup. basically, I just use a bit of 12-15 lb test to connect another hook from the shank of the main hook or the hook eye - depending on the size of the hook.

another option is to tie on a grub to fish those guys out since the pink tail most likely looks like a small pink grub to them if it's a curly tail. dinks are really attracted to a curly tail so it's a quick and effective way to land those fish - especially if you know there are bigger ones on that bed that you're targeting. anyway, g'luck.