NB Hearld, B Salerno 7/22/05

• One of the best angling revelations to hit the Northeast coast in the past 25 years is the "tube and worm." More and more anglers are turning to this deadly combo as an effective method for catching large stripers on light tackle. This bait and lure rig was actually born from a successful technique that New England striper anglers have used for a very long time. Many anglers can probably remember fishing with tarred hand-lines in the Niantic River or from one of the many jetties that line our coast. Some very large bass were taken using sandworms strung naturally on a single hook.Variations of this method included using Cape Cod or Niantic Bay spinners rigged in tandem with sandworms and either drifted or trolled along the rocky beaches of the rivers and bays.The tube and worm rig includes all the fish catching qualities of previously successful rigs and a bit more.
• T & W rigs are quite simple. The setup consists of a 16- to 18-inch length of soft latex or vinyl tubing strung on a length of twisted stainless trolling wire. A quality 4/0 or 6/0 hook is twisted on to the wire and a egg sinker is added to the front end topped with a swivel.Tubes vary in diameters from a slim 1/2-inch up to garden hose size of 1 inch or more. Top colors are maroon or dark red and black, although white, bubblegum and chartreuse are preferred by some anglers. While many anglers build their own rigs, most coastal tackle shops carry a stock of excellent commercial rigs.
• Tube and worm rigs are designed for slow shallow water trolling. This style of tube trolling is different from most saltwater trolling methods. The tackle is light and no additional weight is needed. The key is the degree of sensitivity that is often absent when trolling with heavy wire line setups. The ideal light-tackle tube and worm rigs should be a light to medium high modulus spinning or casting rod from 7 to 8 feet in length. The outfit should be spooled with 15- to 25-pound test mono. Many anglers have adapted the Berkley Fireline or similar braided brands as their favorite tube line. It’s strength, low diameter and sinking qualities make it an ideal line for light tackle trolling. Experienced anglers use an 8- to 15-foot, 50-pound leader which is attached directly to the tube. In very clear water fluorocarbon leaders are best for their low visibility and knot strength.
• Live sandworms are the number one choice for most tube and worm fishermen. Some fishermen use a whole worm while others say that a piece is as productive as the whole worm. In a pinch, when sandworms are in short supply soft plastic imitations do catch fish
• Fishing a tube and worm is a relatively easy technique to master. The hook is baited with a lively sandworm by impaling it through the tip of the head. Let the line out at the slowest trolling speed possible. Occasionally stop or thumb the line to keep the rig from going straight to the bottom and getting hung up. Again, the optimum word is slow trolling. Speeds of 1.5 to 2 miles per hour are usually best. Anglers that concentrate on keeping it slow and low down in the strike zone are much more successful. Troll the rig at the slowest possible speed, approximately 125 feet behind the boat, keeping the rod tip low. Hold the rod, do not put it in a holder as it is important to feel the nuances of the tube as it twists and undulates through the water. Holding the rod will also alert the angler to bottom fish that may nibble on the worm and weeds and other flotsam that may hang on the rig. When a fish hits, it is important to resist setting the hook quickly. Setting the hook prematurely usually results in the worm breaking away from the hook and the bass turning off with the bait. Large bass tend to attack the worm right at the head, and get stung by the hook.Smaller bass and bluefish will begin biting the end of the worm until they get to the tube and hook.
• The best places to troll the tube and worm combo are along rocky beaches, points, reefs and other structures. Troll as close as safely possible to the rocks where the depth is 8 to 15 feet. This method of fishing does not require a great deal of knowledge or experience, but the angler will become intimately familiar with areas and learn to recognize productive striped bass habitats.
• Tube and Worm trolling is an effective and affordable method of fishing for stripers. It’s a great technique for getting kids and novices into fish. Take the time to master this style of fishing and soon you’ll become a disciple of the deadly combo.

1. FISHING REPORT: Trout is reported as good from the Farmington, Shetucket, Housatonic, Naugatuck (deep holes), Fivemile, and Salmon Rivers and Mashmoquet Brook. Early morning and evenings are peak summer fishing times. Look for rainbow trout to be in the fast water and the browns to be in the larger, deeper pools. Bait fisherman are relying on a corn/mealworm combination. Fly anglers report hatches of summer caddis, Needhami, Isonychia, Blue Wing Olives, Sulphurs, Midges and Black Ants on the Farmington River. Anglers are advised that during the week of 7/18 to 7/24 West Branch flows may be lower as there will be no releases for downstream power generation. DEP Inland Fisheries is also conducting some fish sampling during this week.
2. Largemouth bass fishing is good to excellent at Crystal, Gardner, Beseck, Hayward, Red Cedar, Congamond, Mamanasco, Candlewood, Wonoscopomuc, East Twin and Rogers Lakes. Smallmouth action is reported from Gardner Lake, West Hill Pond, Squantz Pond, and in the Shetucket, Quinebaug and Housatonic Rivers.
3. Northern Pike are hitting at Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Lake Lillinonah, Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake, and Pachaug Pond.
4. In saltwater, striped bass fishing remains good on the local reefs. Live lining scup and the tube and worm combination are working well for "cow" bass. Both stripers and bluefish can be found off Watch Hill, Ram Island Reef, the Race, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, the humps south of Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, Sixmile Reef the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor, Charles Island area, Penfield Reef, and around the Norwalk Islands.
5. Best spots for summer flounder are along the south side of Fishers Island and off the beaches near Misquamicut.