I've only tried them a few times last steelhead season drifting them with leader and lead. I didn't hook any on them but I keep hearing how good they are. Is there any good fishermen willing to share how these are best used to get the good results I've heard about? Thanks much. I mostly fish eggs and corkys and Blue Fox Vibrax spinners.

[ 11-10-2001: Message edited by: Firma LaDuce ]

I trailed one behind a Blue and White jig and caught one of the biggest squawfish I've seen. Floated it behind a rock and WHAM!!!

That's pretty much how I've heard them being used.

I haven't actually fished with pink worms, although I bought some a while ago... anyway, the book "Float Fishing for Steelhead" by Dave Vedder had some very good information on worm fishing for steelhead, and is a great book overall. I highly reccomend it.
Jon

The handpoured rubber worms, such as by Vision, are good for conventional drift fishing and float fishing. The slightly stiffer Berkley Powerbait worms are excellant for threading onto a 1/4 oz. jighead hook and float fishing them as you would a feathered jig. I like to use the 4" pink worm for steelhead and silver fishing by cutting 1/2" off the head end and pushing it over the hook point and around the bend and on up the jighead hook shank, leaving about 1 1/2" of it's tail sticking up at a 45 dgree angle. This gives it a lot of action as the float drifts thru riffles and rollers.

RT

I have had pretty good success with pink worms for both steelhead and springers, but I usually only go to them when the bait is gone or unavailable. I like to thread them onto a Hook just behind a #12 Chartreuse corkie, make sure to get at least 1/2" of worm ahead of the hook eye. You don't want too much worm tail behind the hook point or you will get a lot of short strikes.

Fished the worm below a blsa float for many seasons,caught winter and summer fish on the worm.First time I saw the worm,a fellow on a B.C. river landed a fish near me.Sense than I have benn a beliver in the power of the worm.I like the 4inch natral night crwaler with a pink to white tail.

Check out Bob's description of it under "Float fishing for salmon and steelhead". I have used it at times drifting and under float and I have had good success under higher, lower visibility water for winter native/wild? steelhead. I have caught salmon with it as well. I don't have an extensive experience with it. Too many lures too few fishing hours!

i've also been using the worm, but in a different fashion, i've been threading them on my steelie spoons. i've been cutting them down a little bit, but the worm on a spoon gives it a great action and i've hit a ton of silvers with this method this year. Not only have the silvers hit it on the swing, but on what i like to call the tumble drift, throwing the spoon upstream and letting it tumble down to you, until it gets it's regular action when hitting the current. very effective, and i now make sure i've always got a pack of worms with me, I tend to like the worms from vision.

The worm netted me a 26 pound steelhead a few seasons ago fished under a float. The large buck hit my worm only a few feet into the drift. I continue to throw the worm with the hopes of hooking into the offspring of that monster.

FJ....out.

I once read an article on the pink worm in salmon trout steelheadher.That was about ten years ago.They had three pictures of steelhead that were caught on the pink worm.The funny thing was they were holding up the same fish.I dont doubt that a steelhead will bite on just about anything in the right conditions butwhy did they feel they had to take a picture of the same fish over and over? This was obviously the same fish because it had the same marks and the same distinctive head shape.A real nice buck but very recognizable.Im sure theres someone out there whose seen this article.

I gotta recomend the way RT descriped. This is a great way to fish it. I've caught both hatchery and nates on this. Try it.

I did not read that article however I saw two articles in the last issue written by the same guy that turned my gut. What a fraud. This author wrote about tactics and rivers to fish for who's benifit? Was he out to teach the masses or just out to inflate his ego. I would have to say the latter. A guy who had his nose so far in the air a few weeks back on the Chehalis, so far in fact that he looked right at me and didn't even acknowledge my kind gesture. I'm sure that in his mind he thinks he has some part in teaching fishing success, but I think that if you put yourself out there in the public eye at least acknowledge those who might read your stuff. Does writing articles for STS make you some sort of fishing god?

Say what you will about Bill H but at least he takes the time to B.S. with those of us who appear not to meet Dunningtonesque status.

FJ...out.

'Jesus,

I've never met Tony Dunnington or ever fished the Chehallis. In fact, I haven't read his 2 articles yet. But could it be that this fellow didn't notice your jesture? I can't imagine anyone ignoring a friendly jesture; unless they were real P.O.'d or something. I'd give the guy the benefit of the doubt - until it became a pattern?

My $0.02

You are right RT1, it sure isn't enough to get all twisted up about. Maybe it just a misunderstanding on my part. No harm meant TD.

FJ out.

Ive fished a pink worm behind a diver with good results. Fish it just like you would bait.
Ive also fished them under a float and have hooked a few fish. One thing about a worm, It draws violent strikes.
I caught a few silvers on a trip this year fishing pink worms in an unconventional method. I will need to try it on more fish to see if it wasnt just a fluke thing.... I will report back on this one I get some more time in using the worms like that again.

It is true though RT and Jesus.
You guys have seen it many times im sure! Probably even done it. Most of us have! I can say I have. That stone face stare. Not Especially proud of it but I have. Especially if were on home waters and feel we are being invaded. For the most part though I always try to face the boats going buy and at least give them a nod. It seems that some guys think intimidation stares catch fish. You see it the most at the terminal zones, Tillamook, The Wind, Astoria ect and I even see it in Forks. Dont really understand why? Seems we should all get along! Its the same reason the sportfishers cant band together to get anything done politically!
Were too caught up in the game. Seems its a competition these days. I love competitive fishing but I also think you should do it with a smile on your face!!!! It makes you look even better!!!! And if your a guide the guy that may have hated you by the end of the day will probably book a trip since you smiled your way to victory!

Just my .02

Bob D

Ever try the Big Poly Seducers? There awesome in Tillamook Pink, BC Orange and Egg skein pink. Hand poured and softer and more supple than a ________ (Add your favorite soft thing here).

They dont float so there awesome with a bobber. Drift fish them with a corkie on top for bouyancy. sp?

You can get them in bulk buy calling Griffith in Portland.

Bob D

One of my largest Steelies was hooked on a pink worm.
I've been fishin them for around 6-7 years now,man was it tuff to get pink ones back then.
For worms I use the Visions,Bekley and those yamuguchi(sp),my preference is for the ones with flat or curly tails.

About 5 years back I started designing the Worm Collar to use with worms and most artifical baits (egg clusters etc.)
with some help from Roger we perfected them,
check them out @ Silent Approach Jigs
Here's what I've discovered when fishing the Worm Collar with a pinky,I choose a contrasting color for the head and schallpen feathers,
I prefer to keep my head and feathers the same color.
For that steelie green I love the Blood Red
when it's starting to get some color I use a Black one.
For low clear I love white.
I adjust the length of my worm depending on water clarity,the more color the more worm I fish,normally I keep my worm around 3-4".
Hope this helps........Os

To answer it simply - the pink worm is used most successfully with aggressive fish at the end of a leader with lead wight

Bob D,
Your quote: Seems we should all get along. It's the same reason the Sportfishers can't band together to get anything done politically hits the nail right on the head. We all share the same passion about fishing and are all concerned about the direction that the resource is heading, yet we can not all get together to protect our right to the supposed 50% that we are entitled to.

FJ out.

Hey Jesus,perhaps Tony didn't have his contacts in or just wasn't paying attention.
But the Guy doesn't smile much,some of us are just a little too serious,I'm sure it was nothing.
I fish with Tony last week he's a nice guys...Os

Mmmmmm...young female ice skaters...yep, yet another use for the old pink worm.

Ya know what I mean, Verne? <a tear slowly slides down his face in silent rememberance of Jim Varney. May he rest in peace>

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: Dave Jackson ]

Hey Os...

Nice tutorial on your jig worm. Look forward to giving it a try. Is this your first jig you usually pull out or one that you use if others anen't working. ie. What's your go/to jig?

Thanks... Steve

Try fishing a 4 inch pink worm rigged as you would a shrimp about 4 feet behind a diver. Use a couple of beads ahead of it topped off with a small Spin-N-Glo or other spinning body. Works about as well as bait.

Good posts. Pink rules. But try the natural worm colored ones that you can see thru a little bit and have some tiny silver specks in them. They are good on summer steelhead about three inches long. I have tried that color on summers and did good but not winter steelhead yet but will if the river gets gin clear.

knack, when ya get a chance, post that and other colors you do well with in my "What other color worms...." thread. Thanks.

Hey Padre,If you could see my Jig Box,It has soo many in it.
My choice depends on which river I'm fishing and what kind of water color I'm dealing with.
I've caught Fish with My worm Collar just about anywhere I've fished,some rivers are better than others.

My "go to jig" would probably be a 1/8 or 1/4 oz.Beady Osprey in lite pink and white w/ red-head and the enticer tail in red @ Silent Approach Jigs .......Tight Lines.....Os

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: fp ]

Look out!!!!!!The pink worm might put you into one of these monstors..fp

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: fp ]

Cutthroats or hungry smolts will eat anything even if it's almost as bigg as them. Go figure.