View Full Version : Which plastic worm for walleye?
Geezer
05-10-2003, 04:25 PM
I've been reading several articles in the In-Fisherman magazine and Walleye In-Sider and they both mention the use of plastic worms as an alternative for live bait in certain situations. My question is: what type of worm is recommended? For those of you who do use plastics, do you use ribbon tail worms like those you use for bass fishing or is another style better? I have a slug of ribbon tails but I'm not sure they are the worms of choice. Most of you have much more experience than I have so I thought that I'd come to those who know. Thanks for your help.
Geezer
goody
05-10-2003, 06:43 PM
I am also going to utilize more plastics this year, especially when trolling a crawler on a board (no worry for me on whether it got picked clean or nibbled off)....I am going to start with power crawlers. I have a friend that used them a lot last year running spinners on boards and he got some great fish. I dont know how the "bass" worms would work...anyone?
goody
Heye5
05-10-2003, 06:58 PM
I have not tried the bass type worm but have had good luck with the Berkley power crawler on harnesses and tear off an end to tip jigs. I've also used the power jig worms for tipping a jig and don't really notice much difference in effectiveness. I mostly go with the natural colors but will experiment with others. It's nice not having to mess with the cooler full of ice, too. Give 'em a try and I think you'll agree.
Heye5
Homer
05-10-2003, 07:47 PM
I agree with Heye5. For verical jigging, I use either a Berkley power crawler cut down to 4", or a power jigworm. Power minnows are another option, as they come in a wider variety of colors.
Kolby
05-10-2003, 07:52 PM
Amen to those plastics, I was out last week doing well on a jig and minnow, went to get a minnow out of the bucket, oops! the door came open in the water, bye bye bait!
Used a pumpkinseed 3 inch power grub and black lead head and caught just as many fish with some bonus pike mixed in, and no bait to mess with. Talk about an excellent confidence booster, the next time you get on a hot bite with live bait, try plastics on the same fish. I'm glad I lost those minnows!
Let em go,
Kolby
Steve_IA
05-11-2003, 05:50 AM
Something just hitting the market... Berkley's new "Gulp" bait. The 6" worms would troll great. The initial reports I've heard are very positive.
JLDII
05-11-2003, 06:14 AM
I've been using 4" and 6" Berkley Power Worms for a couple years now on my crawler harnesses. First tried them when I was getting picked apart by the perch with regular crawlers. Pumpkinseed is my first choice for a color, but have done good with other colors as well, and the perch can pick at them and they hold up pretty good.
Another thing to do is soak them in a good fish scent overnight before you go fishing. Personally I use Pro-Cure crawler juice. There has been more than once that I was out catching other boats on a crowded deep water gravel bar, 3-1 or more.
reelman
05-11-2003, 12:28 PM
The Gulp will be comming in two styles for us walleye guy's. A 6" crawler and a 6" extruded crawler. Not really sure what the difference is. From what I was told this stuff is 100% biodegradable and releases it's scent 40,000 times faster than Power Bait. I can't wait to try it on Green Bay where all those white perch keep peching off my crawlers.
Steve_IA
05-11-2003, 05:41 PM
One of the worms is molded and has a more consistant shape that is identical to the plastisol molded worms that Berkley makes. The extruded worms are not as consistant in shape. They both are completely bio-degradable but the degrading process takes the majority of a year to complete so don't look for them to "dissolve" as you fish them. 40,000 times greater release rate... hmmm... sounds pretty optomistic to me. Considering that plastisol doesn't dissolve in water, after the "taste ingrediant" has washed off there isn't much "scent" left to tempt the fish... this new bait will continue to release "scent" until the bait is gone.
Capt. Paul
05-13-2003, 02:00 PM
If you can find them in your area, the new Walleye Assasin baits have been tearing the fish up on the Detroit river this spring.
Anyone know when the Gulp brand will be hitting the store shelves? Can't find any in Central WI, yet. Thanks in advance!
Zapper
05-19-2003, 09:28 PM
I've used Berkely Finesse 4" Power Worms for 5 yrs. now...Great results using spinner rigs and jigs...My favorite color is "camo" for bright sun light conditions and "grape" for overcast weather...I use a few action tail power worms...the tails tear up too fast...my buddies will switch to power worms when fishing in my boat...everytime!
eat...sleep...go fishing!
Steve_IA
05-20-2003, 06:35 AM
They are being shipped now. You may have to "educate" your local baitshop but your locale "big-box" stores (Walmart) will have them anytime now.
On two hook harnesses - don't overlook 1 1/2 - 2" grubs. one on each hook makes for a very deadly bait. My favorite is the Berkley Power Grubs in chartreuse.
Picked up a couple of jars of the new GULP! crawlers, at the local Fleet Farm today. They didn't have them on the shelf yet, but they dug them out of the back room for me. $4.89 for twelve of them. Directions say NOT to put used worms back into the jar-meltdown effect?
Steve_IA
05-21-2003, 06:29 AM
Those directions to not return used worms to the jar is to avoid contamination of the unused portion that MIGHT lead to molding.
Thumper
05-21-2003, 10:04 AM
Wow - using multiple grubs on a 2 or 3 hook harness sounds like a great idea! I'll try it this weekend.
- Rick
woods
05-21-2003, 11:23 AM
My 30 yr old daughter went fishing with me and pulled out some Berkley 7" powerworms. Pumpkinseed on the front and chartruse tails. I laughed and said you can use them if you want, but you won't catch anything. After she caught 5 18-21" walleyes, and I had one with live crawlers, I asked if I could please use one! Bad news is I have a really hard time finding that particular one in stores. Good news is I continue to catch walleyes with them!
deadeye2
05-21-2003, 06:55 PM
picked up a couple packages of gulp worms and tried them yesterday.6''green pumpkin seed.outfished my buddy with them on identical poles and rigs.(bottom bouncers and worm harness).will have to try them again a few times,but as of today i am sold on them.paid 5.50 for package of 10.
candrzoo
05-22-2003, 03:44 PM
What is a Walleye Assisin?
Erie Addict
05-23-2003, 06:11 AM
Now I know why they call them GULP worms. Went out last night and toke my favorite fishing partner. My 2 year old chocolate lab. Awsume dog! I rigged up a bottom bouncer to give these new worms a try. I turned around and he is chowing down on my Gulp worms. Strange thing is he has never shown a interest in any other baits. Talk about bad breath!
Use a 4" pumpkinseed worm.Any worm it don't matter.