Mike Iaconelli

CRANKBAITING
TUNGSTEN WORMS???

WE recently caught up with Mike Iaconelli and listened to what he had to say on Tru-Tungstens new line of weighted worms. His insight as usual was quite interesting.

I want you to think of crankbaits when you think of the new Tru-Tungsten weighted worms.

The purpose of different bills on crankbaits is to hit different depths that the fish are holding, and that is exactly what the different fall rates are with the Tru-Tungsten worms.

These are year round baits, the key is selecting the rate of fall between the non-weighted, and then the 1/2 a foot a second and finally the 1 foot per second.

First, these are hand-poured worms with no kinks and are soft and supple like the real west coast worms. Enhanced action is what our goal was with these worms. We tried real hard to have a soft worm in the right colors, that would give us that edge. Injecting them with tungsten powder in the front or back gives the angler a huge advantage and a application specific worm. The worm is coming in a 5 inch or a 6.5 inch length. Non-weighted can be used in all the traditional places you currently use a standard hand pour worm. My favorite rig is to fish a Texas-rig with a 6.5 inch reverse stinger, which has the added weight in the tail of the bait. In the past we would have to peg the worm with a piece of lead and really work on it to make it fall with the flat side down. Now we can have a perfectly falling bait with the flat side facing down every time. The bait will glide back into docks and into crevices and under bushes, and all the good stuff. Think about it, when a baitfish dies it glides backwards and a crawfish flutters and drifts back, this combo flat out catches them. The list of rigging methods and possible ways to fish this bait is endless.

Now if you are wacky rigging the front weighted or rear weighted will give you additional action and again that rigging that you used to have to peg with a nail weight. . I will go to the hardware store and pickup a some heat shrink tubing and cut some pieces and slide them onto the worm and heat quickly and then rig with a 1 or 1/0 octupus style hook to wacky rig.

Remember these worms are already weighted and you do not need a weight and are virtually weedless. You just need to pick your fall rate and go fishing. In picking your color worm, just use the traditional match your hatch formula, but I will say that Red Bug has been on fire for me in the southeast. In Florida I used the Texas rigged rear weighted worm to go down the canals behind other anglers and catch fish. I would cast as tight as possible to edge of the canopy and let the worm glide back underneath the edge of the overhanging plant growth and get bit. I was coming behind water that had just been fished and being productive. The fish did not want to come out and chase a vertical presentation, they wanted something coming to them and they ate it up. At the Clarks Hill tournament a few weeks later, I was able to fish the blow thru’s between the island tops and catch spooky fish with a wacky rigged forward weighted worm. You could go up and see those fish and they would not bite, but back way off and use light line and it was on.

Action with the bait is a key component to successful fishing and line size is very key to catching fish. I fish 6-8lb Berkerly Flourocarbon typically, but I will go up to 15lb around heavy vegetation. While having no stretch, Flourocarbon sinks and is more dense. Just think outside the box with all the different fall rates you can achieve with these different weighted worms. You can have them fall towards or away from you and at different rates of fall and all weedless. Its pretty sweet what is coming out these days and its continuing to raise the bar on what tools are available to today’s anglers.

 
EQUIPMENT BOX.

Spinning Rod – Diawa Steez 6’8” Med Action
Spinning Reel – Diawa Steez 2500
Casting Rod – Diawa Steez 7’1” Med Heavy
Casting Reel- Diawa Steez Model 103
Line – Berkely 100% Trilene Flourocarbon

While speaking with Mike, I asked him a few questions about his new top rated show City Limits on Versus and came up with some interesting notes.
BW: Mike what is the toughest part of shooting the show ?
MI: Man, just showing up and going fishing cold turkey, We honestly just go fishing, I will get off a plane with my rods and go fishing. I just have to go mentally into tournament mode.
BW: So no prep and pre-fish ?
MI: No, I wish 6 hours is what we film on and that is the reality of the deal.
BW: What the coolest thing about it.
MI: When we talk to people on the street, they think we will not catch a thing in their town. Even in Sacramento they said we would not catch fish.
Notes: Best City Fishing: Downtown Washington D.C. Smallest Limit: 10lbs Philadelphia Worst Fishing: Tampa and New York City Top Technique: Drop Shot and Wacky Shaky Head Top Limit: 17lbs Washington D.C. Biggest Problem: Maintaining Sanity