trolling with worm harnesses?

[ricoboxing]

just wondering if anyone here has ever had any success with walleyes using worm harnesess and artificial worms? Real worms fall off all the time, and they die, so I was thinking of rigging my worm harness with plastic ones. Just not sure how good they would work. Thanks.

[Hooked]

I personally haven't, but I have seen those Berkley worms, and they should be ideal for that situation. They look exactly like a dew worm so they should work fine.

[jedimaster]

Have you tried using a long shanked worm hook?

[Terry]

I used them last year, the guy in the boat with me used them all the time I had never used them before

he caught lots of fish on them I did not....

[kickingfrog]

I've used plastic worms on harnesses the last 2 years on Nipissing, and I'll be using them again this year. I won't say they work better, but I didn't notice a difference from my brother using live worms. There is less fussin' and re-baiting with plastics and I suppose a bit of a cost savings although that's debaitable . I have used plastic worms on jigs for Nippissing walleye as well, no complaints. Check your harness at the surface, the plastics will sometimes make the harness role and some people feel that hurts the "action", I'm undecided. In the end if the fish are really on I'm not sure if it really make any difference, and if their not on then why not switch it up.

 

I remember a magazine article from a few years back that suggested not only changing presentations when things are slow but also when they are hot. The gist of it is you already know what's working and you can come back to it, and in the mean time you might hit on bigger fish, or even more fish. Personally I find it hard to change when the bite is on, but when it works you can feel pretty good about yourself.

 

 

Rob

[FinS]

try some gulp in pumpkinseed and natural works good here somedays

also try adding an extra trailer hook for live worms this can fix your problem with them always falling off

good luck

[easton13th]

I find in the BOQ area, that the plastic will get strikes but the natural or live worms will create re strikes or the walleye will strike more than once at the same bait.

 

I personally like the real or live worm more.

 

Easton

[ricoboxing]

thanks, im just too lazy to go out at night and catch my own crawlers, and too cheap to buy them! i guess i'll try plastics then.

[lunkerbasshunter]

i use plastics all the time. i used to use live worms on harnesses but one day the bait shop i go to was out so i was forced to use plastics. I tend to use one plastic worm for hours and catch fish.

 

There are still sometimes where i will have one rod rigged and ready with live bait if i feel im missing strikes because of the plastic.

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers!

[dow33]

I use power baits on erie deries some what like a worm harness but with a weight built in.Works great on stoney lk when the bite is on.

[PERCHER]

I have had good success with floating worm harnesses tip with just a Mr.twister tail and a bottom bouncer.

[bucktail]

I always use 7 inch gulp worms in natural colours whenever I am fishing waters with Gobies. It saves yo alot of time rebaiting and I have found the eyes still love it as much as real worms.

Plus no worm poop under your fingernails.

[Wes Bender]

I tie my own worm harness with #6 steelhead hook with a trailer of the same size. I can't remember the brand. Dia????

I use a dark green berkley power bait worm with a dribble of Dr. juice scent and I killem every time.

Of coarse the colour of the spinner blade will remain a secret..hahaha But as you know colour changes from day to day anyway.

This again is in the rusty coloured water fo the Thunder Bay region. This is what works for me.

 

I also use these same harnesses with large sucker minnows. In case they take it ass first I can still get a hook into them without waiting for them to take it deep and run the risk of injuring a larger fish.

[OhioFisherman]

Never used one on a worm harness myself, I have caught walleyes just using a texas or carolina rigged worm. Dad used them on one of the Kawartha lakes years ago rigged on a worm harness and got walleye.

Edited May 10, 2007 by OhioFisherman