Fishing a Jig Worm for Summer Bass

The jig worm is a versatile bait that can be used to catch bass in a variety of situations, but it is especially effective during the summer months. This is because bass tend to be more lethargic in the hot weather and they are more likely to strike slower moving bait.

To rig a jig worm, you will need an open-hook jig head and a soft plastic worm. The size of the jig head will depend on the depth of water you are fishing and the size of the bass you are targeting. For shallow water, you can use a 1/16-ounce to 1/4-ounce jig head. For deeper water, you may need to use a heavier jig head especially when the wind is blowing.

The type of soft plastic worm you use is also important. In the summer, I like to use a worm with either a curly or ribbon tail; natural colors like green pumpkin and watermelon for clear water and dark or bright colors for stained water. These tail-types give the worm more action during the retrieve helping attract the attention of finicky summer bass.

A spinning rod is ideal for fishing a jig worm because it allows you to make long casts and retrieve the bait slowly. Select a 6.5' to 7.25' medium-light or medium power, fast action spinning rod with matching reel and 6 to 10-lb test fluorocarbon line for best results.

When rigging the jig worm, simply thread the worm onto the jig head. Make sure that the worm is threaded on straight and tight to keep the rig from spinning during the retrieve resulting in line twist.

Once the jig worm is rigged, you are ready to start fishing. I like to fish the jig worm in areas with cover, such as weeds, rocks, and docks. Bass are more likely to be active in the shade during the hot summer months therefore start working the shady-side of cover being fished. 

Begin the retrieve by casting the jig worm out and let it sink to the bottom. Next, slowly work the jig worm back in, making sure to twitch the rod tip occasionally to give the worm a bottom-hugging, swimming action summer bass seems to prefer.

Take a few moments and watch the following video from the folks at W2F providing on the water insight and tips on fishing the jig worm along grass lines for summer bass:

The jig worm is a great bait for catching summer bass. It is a simple bait to use, and it is effective in a variety of situations. If you are looking for a bait to help you catch more bass this summer, the jig worm is a great option.