1- Baby Stickworm, 3”

Whether you’re wading the creeks for summer smallmouth bass or drop-shot fishing in lakes, this bait is extremely versatile and will catch respectable bass.

1A- Creek Fishing

No need to add weight to this salt, scent and sand impregnated bait, just nose – hook w/a Gamakatsu #2-4 Octopus Circle, an Owner #2-4 Mosquito or Texas–rig w/a Gamakatsu 1/0 EWG hook. Cast slightly upstream and work the bait across and down current, imparting occasional twitches. The action can be fast, furious and consistent.

1B- Drop-shot fishing in lakes

A very simple, often overlooked, deadly presentation for smallmouth and largemouth bass. I prefer the cylinder type weights in sizes 1/4-3/8 oz. I use the same aforementioned hooks. However, I do not use the Texas rig in this application because I’m working rocky ledges without weeds and prefer an open hook. I simply cast out and wait for the rig to hit bottom. Then I very slowly reel the bait, pausing and shaking when necessary to free the weight from rocky bottoms. A slight “TICK” or a feeling of a snagged weight is usually all the signal you’ll get that a bass has eaten your worm. Some light ‘ticks turn into some big bass. Below is a picture of the complete drop-shot rig (bottom left).

Here’s a good read for complete rigging instructions

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop-shot.html

2- Finesse Worm, 4”

As the name suggests, this is the worm to use when the bite gets tough. Light spinning tackle w/a 1/64 -1/32oz weight w/ a #2 Gamakatsu EWG hook or a weighted Brewer slider hook works fine. This worm is also an excellent drop-shot worm. River and creek smallies can’t leave this bait alone when feeding. A good lake presentation when the largemouth's are “off the bite” and post-frontal conditions prevail.

5a- Wacky Stickworm Jr (4.25”)

After seven years of development, field testing and positive results, I believe these type of baits are very productive after the post-spawn depression / recovery period is over. Most commercially available models survive for one or two fish (maybe) and three to four casts before they fly off of the hook into outer space. Most times, a jumping bass (especially smallmouth) will throw them off the hook w/the first jump I developed my own models w/ ”O” rings installed for proper hook placement and repeated use.

I prefer fishing the Stickworm Jr. "wacky" style for river and creek smallmouth bass, with the "o" rings pre-installed. I fish them weightless as the salt and sand content of the worm causes them to sink for natural "wacky" action. The slow fall with natural movement is usually the trigger that results in a "smallie" hit. An angler induced occasional twitch, certainly helps to attract lethargic smallmouth bass (if they're taking a mid-day nap-with one eye closed!). When river levels rise from their current summer low flows, I'll add a 1/32 - 1/16 oz crimp-on bull shot 6" above the worm to help get the worm into the strike zone in heavier, deeper current. The "O" ring enables the worm to catch 3-7 bass before being replaced and the worms won't fly-off into outer space when casting.

The red hook is an Owner #2 Mosquito (pumpkin worm) and the other bronze hook (watermelon worm) is a #4 Gamakatsu Octopus circle. The weights pictured are "Water-Gremlin", 1/32 oz bull shot crimp-on bullet weights

5b- Wacky Stick Worm Jr (4.25")

This worm is available in 8 colors w/"O" rings installed. I manufacture a few different shapes, lengths and styles of "wacky-worms" that have been proven to be very effective for lake largemouth's during the summer period. During breezy conditions, it is to your advantage to place a "Water-Gremlin" Bull -shot, 1/16 oz crimp on bullet sinker 6" below the Gamakatsu #2/4 Finesse hook . This will give you better casting distance with conventional tackle, a little faster sink rate and the visual advantage of watching your line come back towards you when it reaches the bottom in 5-20 feet of water. Place the nose (point) of the weight towards the hook. Lake fishing w/even a slight breeze, in addition to the boat moving around, can cause you to loose important visual line indications of a pick-up or the bait reaching the bottom. Most of the times the bass will pick-up the descending Wacky-Worm and start swimming off with it BEFORE it reaches the bottom. The bait has its own action, therefore I let it sink naturally with an occasional twitch. These worms have "O" rings installed for repeated use.

5c- Creek Wacky Worms (3 1/2" - 4")

We manufacture three styles of Wacky Worms for creek and river smallmouth bass. They are very productive during the July | August | September "fatten-up" on crayfish period. A Gamakatsu #4/6, Octopus Circle hook is fished dead-drifted w/an occasion lift or twitch.  No weight is necessary fishing in shallow creeks as the salt and sand content of the worm causes it to sink naturally. The hook is inserted into the plastic worm just in front of the "O" ring, past the ring and out the other side-exposed. A very light tap is usually all you feel on the initial pick-up (braided line really helps). Wait 3-5 seconds and the bass will swim off with the bait. Using the aforementioned hook, just start to reel quickly to set the hook. Most of the smallmouth bass will be hooked in the corner of the mouth. This is my "go-to" bait when water temps fall from the low 70's into the upper 60's. During this particular time as bass are gorging themselves on crayfish, these three 1/2" worms can produce some big, creek smallmouth bass.

6- C.W. Smallies Delight Jig

For years, my fishing buddy and myself did very well with rigged-creatures and tubes for lake smallmouth and largemouth during the early to mid fall period. Once the water temperature dropped to 55 degrees and below those baits failed to produce, a few taps here and there but no hookups. I developed a 3” ribbed, salt and scent impregnated trailer for a powder-painted ¼ oz football jig w/a few sparse fish scale silicone skirts. The football head on the 3/0 Mustad needle-point hook keeps the hook in an upright position for positive hook-ups

This past January, the un-seasonable weather kept the lake water temps in the 42-44 degree range and free of ice. We had a good Sonar blade bite going for the past couple of trips but that was short-lived this particular day. The Float ‘n Fly and Rabbit hair jigs failed to attract any bites so the new jig was put into action. I hooked three smallies, landing two, including my personal best @ 6 pounds +. Available in 1/8 & 1/4 oz