Rigging

• 1). Begin by putting a bullet sinker on your line; insert the end of your line into the pointed end of the sinker and pull it out through the flat end.
  
  
• 2). Tie an off-set, wide-gap worm hook onto the end of the line, using the fishing knot of your choice. The size of the hook depends on the size of the worm you are using, but size 2/0 is a good catch-all size. Trim the excess line. The sinker should be able to slide up and down, but be kept on the line by the hook.
  
  
• 3). Hold the hook in one hand and a plastic worm in the other. Insert about one-fourth inch of the tip of the hook straight down into the worm’s head, then turn the hook and bring the point out the side about one-fourth inch down. Slide the worm up the hook until you reach the eye. Turn the worm on the hook so that the point of the hook is facing the worm.
  
  
• 4). Let the worm hang straight down and place your finger and thumb on the worm where the bend of the hook rests. Insert the point of the hook into the worm at this spot and bring it directly out the other side.
  
  

Fishing

• 1). Choose an area to fish. Plastic worms work well in areas with rocky and gravelly bottoms or around the edges of weed beds, brush piles or submerged timber. Docks and other man-made objects are also places to try. If you are fishing a specific piece of cover, cast well beyond it and work your worm back toward it.
  
  
• 2). Cast the worm and allow it to sink to the bottom. Bring it back slowly with a series of pulls, hops or twitches. Pause the lure occasionally and vary the speed of your retrieve. Experimentation is the best way to find the best retrieve on a given day.
  
  
• 3). Pay attention to the feel of the worm to detect bites. When a fish takes the bait, gently reel in any slack line, then set the hook with a swift overhead motion.