Live bloodworms are a very popular bait for striped bass anglers fishing in the spring. But they are expensive! Ingenious spring striped bass sharpies fish worm balls sometimes called worm bags or bait bags to extend the life of live worms. This technique is especially HELPFUL PROTECTING BAITS from pesky critters like white perch and blueclaws crabs that are active in the bays and rivers. Best of all, sometimes one worm ball - worm bag can catch multiple fish. They can be kept cold for a couple days or frozen for extended use. A worm ball takes a minute to make, so some choose to make them in advance.
1) SEA WORMS - Use bloodworms or sand worms. Worms that are aging and poor quality will work just fine too. This is a great way to fish old bait. Can also add/mix DynaBait Freeze Dried Bloodworms, FishBite Bag O'Worms, Gulp Bloodworm or any Gulp piece as a filler. A small piece of sponge or rag can be added too!
2) TULLE MESH - Using a 4x4", 5x5", 6x6" piece of tulle (a thin lightweight mesh / netting fabric available online and in craft stores) place a couple worms in the center. Most commonly used tulle is red, pink or white but many other colors are available.
3) BAIT THREAD - Elastic bait thread. We love Ghost Cocoon because it is thin, very elastic, and it's conveniently spun in football like cocoons. A thin rubber band or any type of thin line (braid or mono fishing line works) is needed to tie the bag.
4) MAKE THE BALL/BAG - With the worms and filler in the center of the tulle piece, pull each of the four corners to the top and give a light twist, just like a Hershey Kiss wrapper. Then wrap the twisted part with some wraps of bait thread to securely tighten and close.
5) ATTACH TO HOOK, placing it under the bait thread wraps, adding a few more wraps if necessary to secure preventing loss on cast or from fish.
6) ADD SCENT (FinEssence Clam Oil, Sheddar Crab, Bunker) to the ball. Then cast out and wait for a hit. The added scent is a must! When early season striped bass fishing the water is commonly dirty/murky and cold so the fish have poor visibility and are more lazy and lethargic. The scent goes a long way to help attract and trigger a strike!
The worm ball bait fishing technique is also great when fishing clams for striped bass too. These prime striped bass baits are well known for being soft and falling off the hook easily. But not with a tulle mesh and some elastic bait thread! This bait rigging idea can also be used for fishing other soft baits like frozen chunks of bunker, herring, mackerel when firm fresh baits are not available. It can also be used for fishing liver when targeting catfish.
These can be fished on a single hook, double hook or hi/lo rig.
HISTORY: The idea came from multi-species anglers who fish for steelhead all winter and then striped bass in the spring. These anglers make and use egg sacks utilizing the same fabric and idea for steelhead so it was a clever technique that migrated over and will surely help you catch more fish!
