Entry 309-4
Bass Tactics You Can Use Now in the Summer with Mark Rose
Editor’s Note: Last week we caught up with Mark Rose, while he was practicing on Kentucky Lake for an FLW tour event. He’d just come off the lake where he’d found plenty of bass. We asked Rose to tell us the tactics he’s using right now to locate and catch bass on Kentucky Lake, and if these same patterns will work throughout the summer on lakes all across the country that are similar to Kentucky Lake.
Part Four: What’s a Rage Thumper Worm?
Question: Mark, you mentioned a new worm the Strike King has just come out with called a Rage Thumper worm. What is a Rage Thumper worm, when do you fish it, and how do you fish it?
Rose: Last year Strike King came out with a big worm called an Anaconda. It’s a great worm, and I love to fish it on a Carolina rig. The Thumper is a big worm like the Anaconda, but it looks more like a traditional worm, with one exception. It has the trademark Rage Tail on the end of the worm. I think this new worm’s going to be a really-good casting worm. It’s also going to be productive when fished on a Carolina rig.
Question: When you Texas-rig this new worm, what ounce slip sinker are you using with it?
Rose: If I’m fishing in 7- or 8-foot-deep water, or water that’s more-shallow than that, I like a 5/16-ounce slip sinker. But if I’m fishing 8-15 feet deep, I like a 3/4-ounce slip sinker. If the wind’s blowing, or I’m fishing deeper than 15 feet, I’ll use a 1/2-ounce sinker.
Question: What colors do you like when you’re fishing this Thumper worm?
Rose: I really like the plum color. And my second choice is the Bama bug. The Thumper worm is a 10-inch worm that’s skinnier than the Anaconda. 
And, if you’re targeting fish that are in the 2-5 pound range, then I like the Thumper worm better than the Anaconda. But if I’m fishing a lake like Guntersville, Amistad or Falcon, I prefer the bigger Rage Tail Anaconda.
Question: When do you start fishing the worm?
Rose: I start fishing the Rage Thumper worm when the water temperature hits 77 degrees or warmer. The worm is basically a post-spawn bait that I believe performs best in really-hot weather.
Question: Let’s say you’re preparing to fish a tournament at Kentucky Lake, and you’ve found this ledge that’s holding bass. How are you going to decide what lure to start fishing with first?
Rose: I always try and get the bass excited about biting. And there’s nothing better to do that with than the Sexy Spoon or the Series 6 crankbait. Now, if I’ve got the bass excited and biting, but I’m not catching some of the really-big fish in that school, I’ll fish the Thumper worm. I believe having one big No. 5/0 hook in that Thumper worm gives me a better chance of landing a really-big bass than the treble hooks on either the Sexy Spoon or the crankbait.
Contents:
- Part 1: Where to Find Bass This Summer
- Part 2: Crank 'Em Up
- Part 3: My Money Bait
- Part 4: What's a Rage Thumper Worm?
- Part 5: Use Them Anywhere Anytime This Summer
