How to Rig Plastic Worms for Trout
Plastic worms can be very effective trout lures when used properly. Fishing for trout with plastic worms is a delicate affair involving drag-free drifts and sensitive fishing equipment. Successful anglers will quickly learn to distinguish the gentle tapping of the weights along the bottom from the sharper tug of a striking fish.
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Instructions
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Choose your fishing tackle with care. You want a light rod with sensitive feel that helps you detect strikes when fishing plastic worms. Similarly, a lighter-weight fishing line works best because it minimizes drag and allows for a more natural presentation of the worm. Chad Mason of Outdoor Life Magazine prefers four-pound-test monofilament line.
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Tie the hook to the end of the fishing line using a clinch knot or an improved clinch knot. A size 8 ring-eye hook should be ideal for most smaller rivers and streams.
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Select the plastic worm you want. Trout are generally attracted to plastic worms that are two to three inches long. White-colored worms are effective where fish feed on baitfish while red or brown worms are best in areas where terrestrial worms are washed into the river or stream and comprise a regular part of the trout diet.
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Thread the plastic worm onto the hook. It should be pulled over the eye of the hook and cover the first two to three inches of the fishing line. This will improve your chances of hooking fish when they strike the worm.
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Attach split shot sinkers to the fishing line approximately eight to 12 inches ahead of the plastic worm. You want the weights to tap the bottom of the river and may need to experiment a little to find the proper amount of weight. You are now ready to begin fishing.
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Tips & Warnings
In larger rivers you may want to attach the weight to a dropper line (a small section of monofilament line) that branches off the main line approximately 10 to 14 inches ahead of the plastic worm.
Using the proper amount of weight is critical and may require experimentation. Too much weight can prevent the current from carrying the plastic worm downstream in a natural manner. Too little weight will not drag the worm down deep enough and will prevent the angler from feeling a fish strike properly.
