It's summer time and it's hotter than all get out in Texas. I have recently had some success throwing big "ribbon tail" style worms. The Zoom Magnum 12" Ol' Monster to be exact. I like this worm more for its girth than its length. I have found that I am able to feel the bottom better with this worm. I like to throw the "redbug" color in 1 to 15 foot of water when the sun is out and the water is green. Texas rig by the way. I am looking for help on color selection when the day is over-cast with low light conditions. I know black may fair well here, but I want some glitter too.

Can anyone share what works for them? Length, style, or brand? I refuse to drop shot or Carolina rig. I hear alot about shakey head. I also get short strikes or soft nibbles sometimes. Am I using a worm that is too big? I would think about down sizing in these situations, but I will refuse to throw a senko. I am new here and this is my first post. I would love to get a thread started on worming for bass. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated. Trokkar 4/0 big nasty hook and picasso 3/8 oz tungstens for my weight. I just love working that big worm... 😉 talk to me goose

I like to t-rig as well, my usual colors/baits are a 10" blue fleck powerworm and a watermelon red Zoom 10" worm.

Another technique would be to throw it on a wobblehead (football head), you'll really feel the bottom that way too.

Nibbles could mean smaller fish (white bass, yellow bass, brim) tapping at your weight. No need to downsize, keeper size bass will eat a big worm.

Black w/ Blue Fleck for lower light conditions. Might also want a tail with a little more "thump" in off color water.

A couple of weeks ago I was alternating get between a big Strike King 10" worm on a heavier (for me) weight and a 6" straight tail zoom finesse worm on a quarter ounce shakey head. Caught my bigger fish on the smaller bait!

Research shows that colors such as green pumpkin, black/blue, black/red work best under low light conditions, so I'd start there. Wouldn't hurt to dip the tail in chartreuse either. Also, if you're getting short strikes, more often than not that means you need to downsize your bait. One last thing, try using a wide gap hook with a worm that big. Something like a 5/0 or 6/0 wide gap worm hook will work wonders on your hookup percentage.

I like the Big Bite Kriet Tail worm a lot. It has the body diameter of a 5" Senko and a big broad ribbon tail. It moves more water than the Zoom Mag Old Monster and 12" Power Worm.

Junebug color for lowlight/night fishing conditions is another option if you want to stay with a BIG worm.

I have spent years and years dragging a Crig. on contour in deep water with Big Worms and Brush Hogs. Sorry to hear you don't enjoy doing that. I never try to feel the bottom as my weights are lighter than most Crig. fisherman with a 3/8 oz pegged weight when the wind will allow. When I am not dragging I like to cast a short version still pegged in 1/8 oz. to the grass line and through the underwater cover like pods of grass, bushes and parallel with long runs of grass.

My technique is simple and much will apply to a Trig. also:
- Keep it in the strike zone for as long as possible.
- Move it a couple of feet and let it soak.
- Get it in a deep bush or grass and let it stay there suspended off the bottom.
- Drag the 20 ft. contour with the heaviest cover there is on the lake.
- Keep it in the water for as long as possible until you have out too much line.
- Study maps to find the areas with the best irregular features to do the dragging.
- Turn the boat into the wind when you have to in order to slow down.
- Stay off the top of the fish this time of year. 20 ft. is the magic depth as not to disturb the fish that are coming to the shallows and returning to their comfort zones.
- Fish two in the boat when possible. Man up front casting to the shallow cover, while the man in the back drags the contour. This has developed the fastest way to develop a pattern for me.

You're cutting yourself short by not drop shotting. For Tx. Rigging big worms my go to colors are RedShad and Blue Fleck Power worms. If the water is clearer and higher visibility I prefer the watermelon or some variation of it in the Ol' Monster. A magnum trick worm has it's place as well, try it in redbug.

Yeah i agree that you should throw a dropshot. I don't throw finesse drop shots ... I throw a 5/0 hook with a big weight and can target bushes faster and more effectively. If I am fishing an unfamiliar spot i feel the best way to map it out (without electronics) is the carolina rig. I will cast and just slowly reel the weight along the bottom until i hit something and then let it sit. 60% of the time it works every time.

A black worm with glitter is called South Africa Special made by Zoom

Other options for overcast are Junebug, Blue Fleck, Black/blue.


You are missing out on catching a lot of fish if you don't fish a drop shot, c-rig, shaky hear, or senko. All of those techniques put fish in the boat but you have to go with what you like best. Some people love to just throw large swim baits all day hoping for that one big bite.

On Alan Henry it is time to start throwing 10" or 7" blue fleck or motor oil worms. They were best on this lake up here and they do bite them. I run a working man's T every other Friday night and a LOT of fishermen throw the 10" worm here, some even wacky rig it on a 4/0 or 5/0 EWG hook. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

OH, I wrote an article about all the ways of rigging soft plastics that might help. Let me know if you are interested and I will post it on here again.

Thad Rains

Look at the Gene Larew El Salto Grande. It's a 12" worm with a large ribbon tail. There is one color I love for darker days as well as just about any type of days...Sooner Run. It's black on one side and watermelon red on the other.

We were using BIG worms fishing from bank last year in July/Aug and just started up again and are getting good #'s. We are using the 8in dead ringers, I went to get some and they had none so I got some mag2s and they did not work near as good. Tx rigging. I was using Ned with a lot of success up until about a month ago then could not catch keepers on it so its been scuttled for time being.

I checked out this big bite kriet worm on tacklewarehouse. It has exactly what I am looking for in a worm. I can downsize to a 6" but keep the girth I like in the magnum ol monster. They have good proven color schemes as well. Thanks Ken!

Nothing better then the standard Zoom Ol Monster in blue fleck, plum, or plum apple on a t-rig or c-rig. Those colors all seem to work just about anywhere.