By Don Norton
We’ve all heard the age-old question: if you could only have one fishing lure to catch bass with, what would it be? Every angler has a different response. Some will say a plastic worm, while others might believe a jig is more successful, or a crankbait, topwater, or spinnerbait. Ask the pros, and most will agree that the easiest and most efficient way to catch a bass is with a plastic worm.
But why?
Bass are known to eat shiners, bluegills, and other panfish, along with crayfish, frogs, and even birds. Why is a plastic worm the easiest way to catch them?
Anglers might not agree on the color, size, or model, but no one disputes the effectiveness of the plastic worm.
Which is in and of itself an oddity since most bass have never seen an actual worm, let alone eaten one. So why is it so effective?
Sure, a worm might get washed in during a heavy rainstorm, but before a bass can find it, the likelihood is that a bluegill will see it and eat it.
Biologists and scientists have studied this subject for years and believe it simply comes down to the size, shape, and action of a plastic worm in water. Some question whether a bass even realizes it’s supposed to be a worm. Many believe a bass thinks of it as another forage fish. That makes sense, since one of the favorite colors of plastic worms is blue/black, which likely imitates a bluegill. But the reality is, regardless of how it’s rigged, bass will almost always strike a plastic worm while they turn up their nose at other baits.
