Using silicon baits?

[Ron Bednar]

Wonder if anyone is using Akara bloodworm silicone soft baits?

They are used with a micro jig but can be rigged other ways.

Read a great article that people are using them ice fishing for gills in Minn with great success.

I know from experience that fish of all kinds love bloodworms.

Years ago I owned a tropical fish store and when I wanted select breeds to spawn I'd go out and collect bloodworms and feed them. Within days the males colored up and spawned.

Can't wait to try them here. After our heavy rains the ponds and rivers are very muddy. I'll hve to wait a while!

Cheers, Ron

[dave schuyler]

I use them ice fishing mostly, they are somewhat fragile and do work best on light wire hooks. They don't stand up to vigorous jigging very well.

I use #14 and 16 dry fly hooks on the tungsten jigs I put together. Bluegills take the bloodworms with no hesitation, I usually lower the jig slowly and IF it gets to the bottom, I just let it lay there briefly, then very slowly pick it off the bottom. Most often the line will move sideways as the bg hits it.  Hope this helps

[Ron Bednar]

Great Dave, thanks!

I am in CA and live next to The American River near Sacramento. The Sacramento Delta is loaded with gills and bass but I don't have a boat. Our drought is over but the rain left everything high and muddy. But I have a couple packs of the Akara Bloodworms and can't wait to try them! Cheers!

[Mike Cooper]

Had to google them, they look like they should work for 'gills.

[Ron Bednar]

I thought the same when I saw them Mike! 

[carl hendrix]

PLASTIC BAITS ARE GOOD;; NO DOUBT;; BUT I STILL LIKE USING NITE CRAWLERS !

[dave schuyler]

These are the blood worms I was referring to in my first post. Very soft and have good scent.

http://akarafishing.com/silicone-baits/silicone-bait-akara-live-blo...

I also use these which don't have the word "live" in the name. These are very tiny and you need small hooks and patience to put on hook.

http://akarafishing.com/silicone-baits/silicone-bait-akara-blood-worm

These maggots also work good. http://akarafishing.com/silicone-baits/silicone-bait-akara-live-maggot

[Slip Sinker]

interesting bait...how do you rig?

i used to use a similar bait Gulp Angleworm... looked very similar... tiny and hard to get on the hook. 

[dave schuyler]

I fish the akara baits on small tungsten jigs, most often #14, 16, 18 hooks. I tie a tight knot and slide the knot either back or forward making the jig hang horizontal or vertical. I put the akara worms on wacky style sometimes and thread them on other times, Wacky can be across the hook or inline with the hook. Can be fished under float, drifting, or vertical either ice or over side of  boat.

[carl hendrix]

TRY USING A LOOP KNOT;; TO MAKE YOUR JIGS HANG PERFECTLY HORZONTIAL !!  IT WORKS GREAT !!

[dave schuyler]

I do use a loop knot also, there are times that with such a small jig, that pulling the knot way towards to the front  I get better hook ups being vertical. It also saves tying on another style jig.  I try a lot of  variations hoping to get better results. 

[Joe Angelucci]

A bit expensive, I've been using these for about 5 years. They are about one dollar for a package of 18 

[Brad Reid]

I think this might be an excellent worm for a finesse wacky rig.

At just under an inch in length, if one were rigged this way on a very small/light jig head or weighted hook . . . just enough to pull it slowly down through the water column, the fluttering action of the two ends would likely create lots of bites.

This is part of the magic behind the famous Senkos for bass fishing, the flutter. It'd be nice to see a micro version of it for bluegills and others.

And, that technique would work great skipping back under docks and also tossing it up and letting it fall on top of submerged grass/structure.

Please follow up with how the worm works out for you, how you use it!

Brad