Entry 44-2
George Cochran's Favorite Lures and When to Fish Them
The 3X Finesse Worm
Editor's Note: George Cochran of Hot Springs, Arkansas, a longtime member of Strike King's Pro Fishing Team, has won the BASS Masters Classic twice and has qualified for this World Series of bass fishing numerous times. Cochran has proved over and over again that he's one of the best shallow-water anglers in the nation. Many fishermen consider him the master of finding overlooked places to find fish and using under-utilized tactics to catch bass. Today we're going to talk with Cochran about a time when Strike King saved the day for him.
I really like to fish the Strike King 3X finesse worm when the bass are holding on structure. There's just something about a finesse worm that a bass can't resist. He's got to hit it. I believe the finesse worm is kind of like an hors d'oeuvre. The bass may not be hungry, but when this delicious-looking worm is in front of the fish's face, and it's so easy to get, the bass have to eat it - whether they really want it or not.
The 3X finesse worm is a straight-tail worm, and like other 3X baits, when you stop this lure, the tail begins to float up in the water. Although this way is how most people fish a finesse worm, I also catch plenty of bass when I fish this worm on a jighead. I'll use a finesse worm on a jighead with 6-pound-test line when I just want to catch bass - lots of bass - and when I take youngsters or beginners fishing and want to make sure they catch some bass.
Even an angler who hasn't fished very much can catch bass using this worm on a jighead. With a 3X finesse worm on 6-pound-test line fished slowly, there's no way a person can't catch a bass - even in extremely clear water. When I want to build up my bass-catching confidence, when I'm fishing in a tournament in clear water, or when all the bass are 2 pounds or less, the finesse worm is my go-to bait.
When the Finesse Worm Made a Difference:
In the Arkansas Hall of Fame Tournament on Lake Ouachita, the fishing was tough because the bass had a virus. Anglers weren't catching many good limits of fish in practice. I put a 3X finesse worm on a jighead, used 6-pound-test line and fished the inside edges of a grass line along the bank. I cast the bait past where I thought the strike zone of the bass would be, dragged the worm into the spot where I thought the bass were holding, stopped the bait and waited for the tail to float up in the water. Using this technique I finished sixth in that tournament. I was very proud of that finish because the fishing there was so tough. The 3X finesse worm saved the day for me.
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Contents:
- Part 1: The 3X Ribbontail Worm
- Part 2: The 3X Finesse Worm
- Part 3: The Titanium Pro-Model Spinner Bait
- Part 4: The Midnight Special and Midnight Premier Spinner Baits
- Part 5: The Pro-Model Tube
