I'm curious as to the setup you guys use for the 4"-6" pink worms. How big a float do you use? Are you using graduate round shot like the pinners, or in-line pencil lead? How about hook placement in the worm?
I don't use the worm very much, but it sure is controversial up on the Skeena & tribs. So my final question might seem peculiar, but I'm wondering if you experience any deeply hooked (rakers/gills/gullet) fish on the pink worm? In general, where are you hooking the fish (I know, I know, "in the mouth" . . . .)
My set up is much the same as any other float set up. I typically use a 25 gram dne float and then 3 of the largest sized split shot (I believe they are size 2). The fish will almost always move to kill the worms, so I typically fish them well off bottom.
I've also had very good luck bottom bouncing them when fish are spooky. I know, spooky and pink worms wouldn't seem to mix with most people, and it never used to with me either. That being said, I've now found that floats seem to actually be the culprit that spooks weary fish. If fish are acting funny, I'll take off the float and bottom bounce a single split shot (whichever size is best suited to that current), and a 2-3 foot flouro leader. It's amazing how many fish will move and grab the worm after you've gotten rid of the float. The method also works well with bait and trout beads.
As for hookups, I think I can only remember maybe 1 or 2 that have ever taken it deep. Neither were bleeders, but I cut my line anyway rather than trying to dig around. I find most worm hook ups are in the side of the mouth, the bottom of the lower jaw, right in the tip of the nose, or sometimes on the top of the head.
Lots of people claim the worms miss a lot of fish on the hit. If you're finding that you are missing good float downs, my advice is to slow up your hook set drastically. The fish rarely let the worm go and will chew it. I normally count to 2 or 3, and then reel down until I feel good weight before setting the hook with worms. It takes a while to get used to hesitating on the hook set, but it seems to work well with pink worms, especially 6 inches.
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Topic: Winter Steelhead Blog Series - My Journal - The Quest for 20 (Read 10118 times)