Starting this week will be an in-depth, four-part, four-week series about certain plastic worm fishing methods. Plastic worms are by far the most versatile lure there is today. The plastic worm comes in many shapes, sizes, colors and styles and can be used in almost any imaginable situation using many worm methods.

Part I

“Doodlin'”

This method is used mostly for spotted bass, but is also used for largemouth bass. The doodlin method involves fishing a four- or five-inch straight tailed or curly tailed worm rigged on a unique rigging scheme and presented Texas style to the bass.

First, thread on a three-16th ounce, five-16-ounce, or one-fourth-ounce bullet type weight on your line above a “glass head” (which should be either red or chartreuse) above a real sharp 1/0 to 2/0 light wire hook.

I always use the rig on six- to eight-pound green fishing line for spotted bass that are holding on deep structure such as submerged brush piles, boat docks, standing timber and stumps.

For largemouth bass, however, I primarily use the doodlin' method for inactive bass, post frontal bass, and for bass relating to boat dock structure.

Now once I find the type of structure that the bass (whether spotted bass or largemouth bass) are holding on or around, I will cast my worm presentation out and allow it to sink to the bottom. I will then slowly crawl the worm until I feel the structure. Then I will doodle or shake the worm in place by shaking my rod tip back and forth which, in part, makes the glass bead and bullet weight come in contact with each other making a clacking noise in the water.

This clacking noise draws the bass to the worm and causes the bass to impulsively strike the worm.

I hope what I have shared with you today will help you catch a lot more bass.

Next week's method will be “Pitching.”

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