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Shakin' the Cut Tail Worm
By Jerry Puckett

November/December 1993

When the Yamamoto name comes up in bass fishing circles the first products that come to mind are Gary's series of Grubs and Hula Grubs. I rely on the grubs for the majority of my fishing here on the Colorado River chain of lakes. The combination of design, plastic density and salt produce fish day in and day out.

However, as a product of Texas (born and raised), I cut my teeth on a Texas-rigged plastic worm and there are times when there is no substitute for the old stand-by. While Gary's excellent line of worms, available in four, six, and eight-inch sizes, serve my needs in most cases, occasionally I want a worm for shakin' that is thicker but of an in-between size. In this case I use the 7-Series 4" Cut Tail Worm, which is a modified version of Gary's 6" worm. This modified worm suits my needs perfectly.

In mid to late spring I prefer the smaller four-inch worm (series 4). It seems to closely imitate the young-of-the-year shad that are plentiful in the shallows here on Lake Powell. Once the shad move deeper in the summer and begin to build some bulk, I like to shake a worm along the vertical bluffs and on deeper structure such as ledges and reefs. For this duty I like a worm with more bulk than the four-inch but shorter than the six-inch model.

This is the time I use the Cut Tail Worm. It's got the bulk of the 6" body but on the tail you are left with a stubby little beauty with a semi-paddle tail that will really "shake up" those summer bass. My favorite clearwater colors for this pattern are pumpkin with green or red flake patterns and the smoke pepper (150) with a hand-dipped chartreuse tail. My normal rigging method for the shortened worm is a number one off-set shank Owner hook paired with a 3/16 or 1/4-ounce brass weight and a faceted glass bead on eight or ten-pound line. Shakin' this rig down the vertical steps on the main channel bluffs seems to be nearly irresistible to both the largemouth and smallmouth bass. Along the bluff walls, I simply move the boat in close, cast horizontal to the bluff, and shake the worm as it falls along the bluff face, picking up suspended bass as it shakes and sinks in an arc back to and under the boat. It's best to make the cast equal to the depth of the water, so the worm ends up right above bottom at the end of its downward arc. This worm also lends itself to split shotting with the number five Gamakatsu Split Shot hook.

If the "dog days" of summer are getting you down, you might give this shakin' worm a try. Ever since Gary showed me this trick it's added fish to my livewell and I guarantee it will do the same for you. Wary summer bass will surely inhale this shaky, salty tidbit.

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