june 1963 boating issue - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

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POP A WORM FOR BASS Kv Don Shiner The hottest item, in recent years, to hit the imagination of the bass addict, is the black plastic worm or eel. During- the heat of the summer months, when big bass seek the cool depths of deep water, a plastic worm wiggled slowly over the pond bottom reaps a harvest when other lures draw a blank. Now these plastic worm artists have gone one better. They emerged from their bottom plowing tactics only to ascend topside, and are using these same worms on the surface with astounding success! When the long-jawed pond bass have the slightest inclination to surface feed, they leap for joy at the sight of a floating, wiggling worm. I watched my partner, in the bow of the boat, with interest as he "spinned" a popper plug toward a bed of weaving cattails. The lure dropped at the edge of the foliage. The plug remained quiet as the little ripples of sound dissipated. Then, the slightest twitch of the rod tip sent a loud "P-L-O-P" echoing among the reeds. I watched the little popper plug, for this artful angler had been catching three bass to my one. The plug quivered in the water for a surprisingly long time. Then POW! A bass pushed from the reed cover to slam into the plug. This fellow was once again playing a heavy bass. When the bass hit the boat floor, I closely examined that little plug. It was a popper lure, no mistake about that, built with a concaved face similar to most noisy surface lures. But the similarity ended there. A sixinch black worm, fitted to a weedless single hook, dangled from the rear. Here was the secret! The popper-shaped head held the plastic worm afloat, though it dangled down into the pond, dancing the twist with every twitch of the rod tip. What bass could resist the sight of a worm dancing so enticingly overhead? I had a package of plastic worms. I also had a popper plug, the conventional type, to which I could easily fasten a worm. In appearance, however, my renovated lure lacked the polish of my partner's plaything, but it suspended the worm on the ceiling of the bass's domain. It worked. Bass came topside to clobber the wiggling worm with amazing regularity. We missed some bass. A few rushed in to bite only the end of the worm, J8 NEW POPPER-WORM concept for big bass surface fishing- The floating popper body keeps the worm wriggling on the surface. racing away before touching the hook. Others scooped in the plug, worm and hook in one giant inhale. AS noon our stringers held a number of bass, some tipping the scale at nearly six pounds! I was impressed. "When did you spawn this surface worm idea?" * asked this angler in all seriousness. "I didn't," he answered. "I bought this popper-worm plug at a sport shop. It's a new concept in surface lures, and one that I thought would work for bass- The popper-head plugs are fitted with plastic worms in a variety of colors. Others have plastic tadpoles and squids dangling in the rear. You pay your money arid you take your choice, or you fit a plastic worm to a surface plug as you did this morning. An all black popper head with a black plastic worm is tops for nigh r fishing." Each year finds new renovations in lures or angling techniques appearing on the scene. A few years ago when the black plastic eel or worm was the rage among bass fishermen in the deep south, I knew the idea would catch hold here in the north, with plenty of Pennsylvania anglers finding it profitable to dredge the depths with this plastic wiggler. Now the same anglers have brought the black worm topside for surface fishing with equally deadly effects. Northern anglers should try this newest of bass techniques, too. So pop a worm on the pond's surface. Then hold fast to your hat! PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
THE WORM WALLET By ARTHUR GLOWKA Rubber worms, eels and lead-headed jigs are proven bass "ers. Many fishermen use these bottom-bouncing lures ex- Usively with great success. Carrying these lures, especially le eels and worms, presents a problem because they often stick Sether and become more tangled than a bait can full of their ea ' life counterparts. I he solution is to make a simple worm wallet. It not only e Ps the rubber worms, eels and jigs separated, and their °°ks sharp and clean, but also allows the fisherman to handily rr y them in his tackle box, fishing" vest or hip pocket. •Two worm wallets can be made from a dollar's worth of ail vas and some simple machine sewing. A worm wallet of J^ e size described carries 5, 6, and 7-inch worms and eels. ne Jig pockets accommodate jigs as large as would ever be Se d in fresh-water fishing. The fabric to buy is 10-oz. treated (waxed) deck canvas. A la 'f a yard of this material costs less than a dollar at the hardar e store and is enough to make two worm wallets. Untreated canvas or any heavy material can be used but will not be as "ft nor as waterproof. Treated canvas is the best bet. The half yard of canvas is first cut into equal pieces measuring ° inches on each side. Then the outline of the wallet is penciled ° n following the dimensions shown in picture No. 1. These " le s must be drawn straight and square so the finished wallet VV 'U fold neatly. Sharp scissors or a razor should be used to cut the material. e careful to cut straight so there are no serrations which cause 'Celling. Before folding the top and bottom flaps, the fold should be ^ored along the dotted line (Picture No. 1) with a blunt tool, .he back edge of a table knife works very well. This scoring 'Usures a clean fold with a straight edge which is easy to sew. After the top and bottom flaps have been folded inward the Suide lines for sewing the pockets are drawn. Starting from " e right these lines are spaced V/2 inches apart as shown in the 3 °ttom of picture No. 1. This makes nine pockets with a V/2" " a P on the left which is used for closing the wallet. Unless you are a sewing machine operator you are going to as k your wife to do some simple sewing on her machine. Size 4 "°. 50 sewing thread works very well. The right and left edges Ca " be sewn with a button hole stitch to prevent ravelling. he pockets are sewn with a regular stitch, sewing each seam { *ice to make it strong. The extra jig pocket is an optional feature. It allows you '° carry extra jigs but in no way will interfere with using the to P and bottom pockets in this area for worms and eels. The only thing left to do is sewing on a No. 2 snap; first Waking sure that both parts of the snap line up when the wallet Is folded close. This is easily done by folding the wallet in three e( lUal folds and sticking a large pin completely through the can- Va s where the snaps are to go and then using these holes to Ce nter them. The worm wallet is complete except for the lures. The worms a °d eels are placed in their pockets by first opening each pocket Vv 'th your finger and slipping in the end of the lure. They can't "tove or slip because of the pressure of the canvas against 'hem. One jig-headed worm or rigged eel fits perfectly into ea ch pocket. Extra unrigged worms and eels can be fitted two an d three to a pocket.
Page 1 and 2: JUNE 1963 BOATING ISSUE
Page 3 and 4: PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION DIRECT
Page 5 and 6: Penna. Fish Commission West Fairvie
Page 7 and 8: DELAWARE COUNTY D ELAWARE RIVER TID
Page 9 and 10: MONTOUR COUNTY SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, N
Page 11 and 12: NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE PLANS FOR S
Page 13 and 14: „ WAKES. Wakes can cause damage a
Page 15 and 16: eas e. Planks are cut and numbered.
Page 17 and 18: Boat Trailering Skill Comes With Pr
Page 19: all shapes, sizes and actions. I ca
Page 23 and 24: Muskellunge Culture Featured at Fis
Page 25 and 26: Boulder Valley Club's Fish Conserva
Page 27: CLIP HERE FOR YOUR (OR YOUR FRIEND'

june 1963 boating issue - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

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