One of the most user-friendly baits around is the wacky worm. Fished around shallow vegetation and bushes, this bait can be deadly on pre-spawn and spawning lunkers alike. Bass anglers are constantly on the hunt for the silver bullet – a magical lure that’ll crack to the code to locked jaws or stir the curiosity in even the most lethargic of largemouths.

Luckily, there aren’t any silver bullets in bass fishing. No one lure or innovative technique will work 100 percent of the time. I’m thankful for that, because otherwise fishing wouldn’t be fishing. It would be catching.

But there are a nucleus of artificial out there that serious anglers have come to rely on as “high percentage” lures – baits known to produce the most bites for the casts.

While a few high percentage lures may require extensive experience on the angler’s part in order to make them perform adequately enough to put fish in the boat consistently, many of them can be mastered by the beginner or novice within a matter of minutes.

I sometimes refer to the latter category as “user friendly bass baits” – trouble-free plugs that are just as simple for the consumer to use as they are hard for the bass to resist.

Here’s rundown on some elementary baits known for yielding Ivy League results:

RAT-L-TRAPS

The Rat-L-Trap is one of the many lure models included in the “lipless” crankbait family. Lipless means it doesn’t have a bill. It’s elongated design doesn’t really resemble anything in the freshwater food chain, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Bass hate Rat-L-Traps. Other than the fact it catches lots of fish, the primary advantages of fishing a ‘Trap are castability and fishability.

It takes very little expertise to use a lipless crankbait effectively. That’s why many of the pros on the tournament trail sometimes refer to it as an ‘idiot’ bait. If the fish are on a Trap bite, anyone is apt to catch a 25-pound stringer. I like it because you can chunk it a mile and because it allows you to cover a lot of water quickly.

It needs to be smokin’ in order to be most effective, otherwise it’ll bury up in the grass. I like to fish Traps in combination with a 6:1 gear ratio reel. Plus, I’ll use a rod with a fairly limber tip to cut down on the number of fish that throw the hooks. All too often, clients won’t be equipped properly to fish the ‘Trap and they get hung up a lot or lose more fish than they catch.

Carolina Rig

Actually, the Carolina-rig isn’t a lure. It’s an easy-to-master fishing technique which has proven deadly on Texas waters 12 months out of the year. Pro anglers sometimes refer to it as “draggin’.” Although there are several variations, the standard Carolina-rig consists of a 1/2-3/4-ounce bullet weight, a No. 7 barrel swivel, two glass beads, an 18-24 inch leader and a 2/0 or 3/0 hook. Baits work best in unison with the Carolina-rig are the lizard, french fry and centipede.

Building this rig one is simple. Start by threading the weight on the main line, then add the two glass beads and tie on the swivel. The beads clash together between the swivel and weight, producing bass-attracting noise. Next, tie the leader (preferably a lighter monofilament than the main line) to the opposite end of the swivel and attach the hook. Because the weight staged well away from the hook, the bait free-floats and the fish feel no resistence when they pick it up.

The Carolina-rig is a simplified form of worm fishing that just about anybody can perform and experience some degree of success. There’s not really any wrong way to fish it, unless you fish it too fast. Basically, all you’ve got to do is throw it out, let it sink to the bottom and drag it around. If it gets heavy, jerk.

Spinnerbaits

The spinnerbait ranks among bass fishing’s most versatile lures. It also is one of the easiest baits to catch fish on, mainly because the fish generally hook themselves when they eat one. The basic chunk and wind technique should catch bass right now on most East Texas impoundments. But you’ll need to keep the bait in the “strike zone” in order to get positive results. Toss a spinner around laydown logs, bushes, stick-ups, boat docks or retrieve it slowly over submerged grassbeds and the strikes will come.

Best colors are white or chartreuse/white with a willowleaf/Colorado blade combination. Preferred sizes right now are white and white/chartreuse.

Wacky Worm

Plastic worms can be fished in a variety ways. But perhaps one of the most user-friendly methods is to insert a 1/0-3/0 hook directly through the egg sac. It doesn’t look like much at first, because the worm appears to be just dangling there. But when the bass are holding around shallow cover, the “wacky style” rig is as deadly as they come.

Generally speaking, a worm with a stiff body and no tail will work much better for wacky-style fishing than a flimsy, curly-tail bait. A stiff worm opens and closes or “pulsates” better than a limp one, which naturally gives it more of an enticing action. Zoom, Kalin and Bass Assassin make worms in a variety of colors that are especially designed for wacky wormin’.

Rigging the worm correctly is essential for optimum performance. The hook should be inserted through the egg-sac of the worm so it hangs fairly even. The mechanics of this set-up are what gives the bait its enticing action.

A 1/0 hook is a good choice for water three-feet deep and less. Step up to a 2/0 or 3/0 in deeper water. A small swivel ahead of a 12-inch leader will promote an even quicker fall in deeper water. Plus, it will prevent line twist.

Tackle?

Many pros swear by spinning tackle and light line, say 8-10 pound test, because it makes the lure easier to cast. But conventional tackle and 12-14 pound line will work.

Fishing a wacky worm requires a little patience. The trick is to cast the worm and then allow it to settle to the desired depth before beginning the retrieve. In shallow water, allow it to fall six or eight inches before beginning the retrieve. Naturally, you’ll need to allow the bait to sink longer in deeper water.

Once the bait falls to the desired depth, begin a staggered, twitching retrieve using your rod tip to dictate the action. Occasionally, you’ll need to pause the bait let it fall slowly towards the bottom.

Strikes normally occur when the lure is falling. At times the bite will take the form of a slight “tick” similar to the one you’ll get when a fish inhales a Texas-rig, while at others your line will get taunt and begin moving off to one side or the other. In either case, reel down to take out the slack and drive the hook home!