What is a Zoom Worm?

A zoom worm is a straight worm about 7 inches long and they come in several colors like chartreuse, yellow, white and in natural colors as well.

Rigging your zoom worm

You rig your zoom worm with no weight and you fish it almost like a topwater lure. You can tie the hook directly to the line or put it on a swivel about 6 inches above the hook. The swivel will help keep your line from twisting as you retrieve.

Tricking your zoom worm

As you retrieve your zoom worm, you want to twitch them. This will cause the worm to jump back and forth.

One technique that I’ve found most effective is to twitch them just under the surface. Then pause and let the worm sink.

Best Bass Lakes in Arizona for 2009

1. Alamo Lake – This is the HOME of largemouth bass in Arizona and recent surveys show a large population of largemouth bass for the 2009 season.
2. Bartlett Lake – A great lake for bass fishing, Bartlett Lake is a 2,800 acre lake just north of Phoenix.
3. Lake Mead – An excellent bass fishing lake located near the border for Arizona and Nevada. Lake Mead boasts a whopping 160,000 acres of fishing waters.
4. Martinez Lake – more for the shore angler, Martinez Lake is only 600 acres but is worth the trip near Yuma, Arizona.
5. Lake Pleasant- a 10,000 acre lake also close to metropolitan Phoenix, great bass lake.

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Trick Your Zoom Worm and Catch Big Bass This Season

How to rig a drop shot?

Photo: Roboworm: Red Crawler RoboTail

The drop shot rig is a finesse worm technique. I prefer to use Roboworms (pictured above) and have found them to be very effective at Bartlett Lake

1. Tie your hook (#1 wide gap hook preferred) about 18 inches above the loose end of your line. Use a Palomar Knot.
2. Take the loose end of your line and bring it back through the eye of your hook. This will help the hook stay straight.
3. With the loose end, attach a 3/16th once drop shot weight with another Palomar knot.
4. Choose your bait. Work with 3 to 4 inch soft plastic worms or soft plastic shad type imitations. Color is dependent on the water color. Use watermelon or green shades in clear waters and reds to June bug in murky water.
5. There are 3 ways to rig your bait for a drop shot:
   1. Texas rigged where you hook the bait into the worm and bury the hook into the back to make a weed less hook. Texas rig works best in deeper waters.
   2. Wacky style where you hook the bait through the center and leave the hook exposed. Wacky style works great in deep water when fish are suspended away from structure
   3. Standard style hook your bait directly through the nose and leave the hook exposed.

Using a Drop Shot Rig

• A drop shot is best used on a spinning rod and reel. You want a rod that is flexible and sensitive to any taps.
• Your choice of line depends on water clarity. In deep clear water use 6 and 8 lb test line.
• Cast out into the lake. Drop shot has a tendency to twist. Try tying a swivel onto your weight.
• Allow the bait to sink to the bottom. Pay attention and you’ll feel when the sinker hits the bottom through your rod.
• Slowly work the bait back and keep the line taunt. Try walking, skipping, swimming the bait and wait several seconds in between each motion. The timing is important. Cool water bass, like in the early spring and fall, will have a slow reaction time where warmer water bass might move in quicker.
• You’re waiting for the “TAP-TAP”, the trademark of the largemouth bass strike on your bait. Sometimes it’s very soft and you might miss it, others it’s so sharp you can’t possibly miss it.
• When you feel the “tap-tap”, set that hook as quickly as you can. You got a fish.

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Rigging and Using a Drop Shot to Catch Largemouth Bass

Arizona lakes hold a unique opportunity for the avid bass angler and that’s the sheer number of bass that inhabit Arizona lakes. Whether it’s shore fishing or in a boat, Arizona has a lake to offer up to everyone.

Top 5 Arizona Lakes for Catching Largemouth Bass

1. Alamo Lake – This is the HOME of largemouth bass in Arizona and recent surveys show a large population of largemouth bass for the 2009 season.
2. Bartlett Lake – A great lake for bass fishing, Bartlett Lake is a 2,800 acre lake just north of Phoenix.
3. Lake Mead – An excellent bass fishing lake located near the border for Arizona and Nevada. Lake Mead boasts a whopping 160,000 acres of fishing waters.
4. Martinez Lake – more for the shore angler, Martinez Lake is only 600 acres but is worth the trip near Yuma, Arizona.
5. Lake Pleasant- a 10,000 acre lake also close to metropolitan Phoenix, great bass lake.

Post from: Arizona Lake Fishing

Top 5 Arizona Lakes for Fishing Largemouth Bass

Some anglers are getting a bite now and then on pumpkin green or watermelon jigs. Go along the walls and work the jig.

Cranks and white spinner baits are also working for some but fishing has slowed due to the turn in weather recently. Drop shot may also work for you.

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Bartlett Lake Winter Fishing Report

It’s the time of year where the largemouth bass is feeding more aggressively and will fee multiple times throughout the day. The bite pattern can change from day-to-day but the anglers who have been timing it right are cleaning up.

For best results: For bass, use a Panther Martin rubber minnow out at Rattle Snake Cove in the morning.

Bartlett Lake is also a great catfish lake. Try worms, chicken liver, stink baits, and hot dogs. Most anglers are doing well whether on shore or in a boat.

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Bartlett Lake Fall Fishing Report

Anglers are reporting that fishing is good out at Bartlett Lake. The largemouth bass are biting on crank baits, and drop shot with plastics. Bluegills are biting mealworms, crickets or small portions of earthworms on a small hook with a bobber.

For best results: To catch largemouth, try fishing the points at about 20 feet of water. Using the drop shot with plastics seems to be working best. For the bluegills, try shore fishing around rocky areas. They seem to be more aggressive in these areas. Live bait seems to be working best but if you’re not a fan of live bait, try 1/32 oz or smaller jigs, grubs or spinnerbaits.

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Summer Fishing Report for Bartlett Lake

Lake elevation is 1,796 feet, which is 98-percent full.

Fishing is fair to good with the bass biting. Use drop shot, blades, and lizards.

Crappie fishing is a little slow but some are biting. Go to the Yellow Cliffs for your best shot.

Best bet for largemouth – use a Carolina rig with jigs across the bottom.

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Bartlett Lake Spring Fishing

Water elevation is 1,758 ft, which is 50 percent

Large mouth bass can be caught with plastics and crankbaits.

Try hitting the rocks with cranks to get fish to bite.

Jigs are also working for the largemouth.

For top water action, it’s a little slow right now but is decent right at dawn until about 9 a.m. Go deeper with drop shot and plastics after 9 a.m.

Also try spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, and black/silver Hula Grubs.

Best spot:Jojoba Boat Ramp in 5 to 8 feet of water. Also the west end of the lake in the mornings and then on the east side in the evenings.

Flathead catfish are being caught at the upper end by Ship Rock at night with a full moon. Next full moon, October 25.

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Bartlett Lake Update