Failing with worms

I often try using baits that I wouldn't normally because I haven't got on with it, I'm willing to conceed not every bait is for everyone but I am trying to improve my own fishing and expand my options.

I've never had much success with worms, today I thought I would give them another go after fishing a works charity match a couple of weeks ago where the bloke in the next peg to me caught a 4lb and a 2lb perch on worm. After feeding with pellets all match he decided to go s or b and just put a whole worm on (about 12cm) for a perch and he got two proper ones. Gutted he beat me, but fair play.

Whenever I've tried fishing with worms I usually get one or two fish but not much more, so I thought today I will give them a proper go. Um I caught two perch 4oz each, both swallowed the worm hardly any indication on the float.

I've tried chopped worm , whole worm, half worm, quarter worm, ring worm, tape worm, worm juice, worm aid, worm drive, worm in sheeps clothing and fake worm. I've used brandlings, lobworms, red worms, denrobenas and some others I have no idea what they are called.

Can anybody help me catch some fish on worms p l e a s e, it's somewhat embarasing not being able to use one of the most natural baits. Warning this may be the first of many similar posts.

theres a place i go to fish for my perch , and the method i use is to trickle maggots in and get the roach and other small fish going , which normally gets the perch coming in, and drop the biggest lob worm i can find right in there with the maggots , the perch normally will take the easy option and take your worm, i use a perch bobber, put the worm on a No 10 or even 8 barbless and fix it on with a piece of elastic band , cut a small piece and stick it over the hook it will stop your worm coming off , i had 26 perch in one session and the last time i went had around 6 but they were ranging all around the 2 lb mark and the biggest 3LB 11oz two dam good days fishing , in with the maggots try a few small chopped pieces of worm too. Good luck

The way i use worms is to chop them up in a baitbox with dead reds ,add casters after you,ve chopped them.chop them into a "soup" and add a bit of fishmeal groundbait so it forms a slop which will cloud the water.Cup in a 250m pot to kick start the swim,then just feed via a cad pot little and often to youre bites-you will catch small fish as well ,but you are targeting everything in front of you ,Use a big worm head on the hook,or double caster or even whole worm,if you use whole worm(s) slap the water a few times hard with the worm before you ship out,this will stun the worm and stop it wriggling too much,which will make it less attractive to small fish.chop is best used in water no deeper than 5ft...I could rabbit on all day but i hope this helps to start,cheers Gaz

good info gaz , also i did'nt mention that as well as the bait , there,s location too , i normally try to find old stagings , moorings , under trees , anywhere you might find that big ol perch lying in wait , this also increases your chances , just inside lock gates too is another winner when fishing rivers , tight lines mate.

chubberbob said:

good info gaz , also i did'nt mention that as well as the bait , there,s location too , i normally try to find old stagings , moorings , under trees , anywhere you might find that big ol perch lying in wait , this also increases your chances , just inside lock gates too is another winner when fishing rivers , tight lines mate.

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Cheers mate ,i didnt really give much thought to location or target species more of a "catch everything in front of you" match approach

Good approach too , for that kind of fishing , god its a long while since i fished a match lol , pretty much been a loner for years now , tend just to go for certain species on the day if you know what i mean. Chub being my first and foremost , then perch , trotting for roach and dace you just cant beat on the right day and then some days i just go sit down my local wierpool and take what comes all in all i just love me fishin. Dont even mind if i dont catch somedays just take in all the surroundings , wildlife , and so on , a cuppa and a sandwitch and a break from gardening and shopping lol. Tight lines mate.

Thanks for the replies guys.

The only matches I fish are works ones, which aren't serious, more charity / social event few times a year, well all 10 of us anyway!

How about depth, dead bottom, just off, so that the worm tail just touches bottom?

Hooking whole worm in the middle?

Perhaps I use too small a hook? will try bigger next time.

Chop slop sounds good.

Cheers

iannate said:

Thanks for the replies guys.

The only matches I fish are works ones, which aren't serious, more charity / social event few times a year, well all 10 of us anyway!

How about depth, dead bottom, just off, so that the worm tail just touches bottom?

Hooking whole worm in the middle?

Perhaps I use too small a hook? will try bigger next time.

Chop slop sounds good.

Cheers

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Usually just overdepth,and jig up and down and move from side to side,by lifting and dragging pole gently,whole dendras hooked through the head.In the last couple of hours of you,re match/session pot some big balls of soft groundbait into the margin and fish over it with 2 whole worms-you can usually bag up then!!! I will stress this is not a method that will specifically target any particular species of fish-more of a "catch all" method. If you are looking to target perch look at Chubberbobs thread!!,hope this helps cheers Gaz.By the way personally i use a 14 or 16 hook,maybe a12 if they,re havin it ,you,re generally fishing for big fish so you dont want too small a hook and you do need to strike quite hard to wallop the hook home,perch especially have very bony mouths.

I always start dead bottom and work from there , and hook the worm about an inch down from its head , and i always nip the end off to let some juice out too.