How you rig a plastic worm depends primarily on the type of cover you are fishing. In dense weeds or brush, worms should be Texas rigged so the hook point is protected.
But in very heavy cover, the weight can separate from the lure, making it difficult to feel a bite. In this case, peg the sinker by wedging the end of a round toothpick into the hole beside the line and snap off the tip.
One drawback in the Texas rig is that the weight carries the worm to the bottom, where weeds or other cover can hide it from a fish's view. In this situation, a Carolina rig is a better choice. Because the worm is separated from the weight, it floats up high enough for fish to get a good look at it.
How To Fish A Carolina-Rigged Worm
Using a long-handled baitcasting rod, make a sidearm lob-cast-to avoid tangling the leader. After the sinker hits bottom, begin a slow, steady retrieve. A rapid retrieve may pull the lure down so far the fish can't see it.
Give the rig a periodic jerk to change the action. The worm will dip down, then slowly float back up. The sinker will kick up a cloud of sand and silt, which draws a fish's attention from long distances.
When you feel a pick-up or any kind of resistance, drop the rodtip and hesitate for a second or two to make sure the fish has the hook in its mouth. The line can slip through the weight, so the fish feels no resistance. Set the hook with a sharp upward snap of the wrists.
Carolina Rig
1. Thread a 1/4- to 1-ounce bullet sinker and glass or plastic bead onto the line and tie on a barrel swivel.
2. Attach an 18- to 36-inch leader of lighter mono onto the other end of the swivel, and then tie on a worm hook.
3. Push the hook into a buoyant soft plastic worm, lizard or creature and out the side, leaving the hook exposed. (For heavier cover, you can rig the hook weedless, as described in the Texas rig.
How To Fish A Texas-Rigged Worm
Make a cast and hold the rodtip at about 1 o'clock as the lure sinks.
Keep the line slightly taut, but not tight. Fish often take the lure as it falls, and if the line is not taut you won't detect the strike. Gradually lower the rodtip, keeping the line slightly taut as the bait continues to sink. When the lure hits bottom, the rod should be at about 3 o'clock, the perfect position to make a hookset.
Retrieve the lure with a lift/drop motion. When you feel a strike, added weight, or the line starts moving to the side, drop the rodtip to reduce tension. If the fish feels too much resistance, it may drop the lure.
Reel up slowly until you begin to feel weight, then set the hook with a powerful snap of the wrists and forearms. A strong hookset is necessary to drive the hook point through the plastic and into the fish's jaw.
Texas Rig
1. Thread a bullet sinker onto the line and tie on a worm hook.
2. Insert the point of the hook into the head of a plastic worm, push it in about 1/4 inch and bring it out the side.
3. Push the hook through the bait so only the hook eye protrudes at the head.
4. Rotate the hook 180 degrees.
5. Push the point into the lure; the hook point should almost come out the other side and the bait should hang straight.