Lester Shares Worm Wisdom
Fishing all over the nation, Mustad pro Brandon Lester encounters bass feeding on a wide range of prey. But while trying to assemble a bait arsenal that addresses every possible forage species can be cumbersome, he has a simpler and more manageable option — worms.
LIVETARGET recently introduced the new ICT Worm Series (https://mustad-fishing.com/livetarget/us/article/new-2024), which delivers superior performance due to the baits’ softness, durability, buoyancy, and action. This new lineup includes a Stick Worm (3-, 4-, 5-, 6-inch), Straight-Tail Worm (4.5, 5.5, 6.5), and a Finesse Worm (4.5, 5.5, 6.5).
Nodding to the advanced materials and engineering effort that spawned this impressive set of baits, Lester said: “All three worms are made of a floating material, so the tail will float up. However you choose to rig them, when a worm stands up, it looks more natural.
“Also, when designing these worms, we made them very soft so they feel very natural to a fish. A lot of times, a soft worm won’t last, but these new ICT Worms will last for three to four fish. I know because I’ve done it.”
Shake Things Up
Lester calls the shaky head his favorite worm presentation. Doing most of his work with a 1/16 to 1/8-ounce homemade shaky head made with a 4/0 Mustad hook, he’ll use the 6.5-inch LIVETARGET ICT Straight Tail Worm and fish with the confidence that he can get bit on anything from rocks to wood.
“When (the Elites) go up north, you typically substitute the dropshot for the shaky head, but anywhere else from the south to the midwest, I’ll have a shaky head rigged up 99% of the time.”
As someone that often takes kids, including his daughters, fishing, Lester knows a shaky head offers a very user-friendly option. Easy to rig and easy to fish, this versatile worm presentation gets plenty of bites and keeps young minds interested.
“People don’t have to have a ton of experience,” Lester said. “I think if you can just cast it out and make bottom contact, you can fish this bait effectively. All you have to do is just drag that shaky head along the bottom. You’ll know when you get a bite because the fish will pull back.”
Baits In Play
Lester shared a few more applications for the new ICT Worms.
- Stick Worm: “That 3-inch size will be my Ned Rig bait, while the 4- and 5-inch worms will work well on a Texas Rig and a Carolina rig. These techniques will work in many places, but anytime I’m in Florida, those fish love a straight-tail worm. These techniques were a big part of my 2022 Bassmaster Open win at the Kissimmee Chain.”
- Straight Tail: Along with his shaky head presentation, Lester will rig the 4.5-inch Straight Tail Worm on a dropshot for smallmouth and spotted bass — two species that tend to favor shorter profiles.
“I also feel like that 6.5-inch Straight Tail Worm is a great Neko rig bait,” Lester said. "One of my favorite places for a Neko is on ledges. There’s really not a bad time for a Neko, but I’ve had great success on ledges when those fish have seen a lot of other baits.”
- Finesse Worm: More subtle than the straight-tail worm, the Finesse Worm’s thinner tail gives it more action and makes it a good choice when pitching dropshots for largemouth just about anywhere.
Lester describes his favorite scenario: “Late summer to early fall, if I get around brush piles, I’ll rig it weedless Texas style on a 2/0 Mustad GripPin Edge hook. I know a lot of guys will throw jigs and Texas-rigged worms around the edge of brush, but I’ll throw that bait right in the middle of a brush pile and not have to worry about getting hung up.”