The Freedom Anise Worm®
Rig it Your Way
The Freedom Anise Worm®, or Freedom Worm as we sometimes call it, is the next generation soft plastic in the Anise Worm® line. It differs from the Original Anise Worm® in that it comes unrigged so that the angler has the freedom to choose a variety of rigging options depending on the fishing conditions of the day. The profile of the Freedom Worm is identical to its predecessor, the Weedless Anise Worm®. This means that it is a slightly thicker 5 ½" worm than the Original, and has a uniform cross-section from nose to tail, similar to popular "stick" worms. In each 3-pack of worms are two red Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp 1/0 wide gap worm hooks. It is a hand-poured bait that comes in some of our hottest fish-catching colors.
To be prepared for different types of rigs, you may want to have on hand some of your favorite types of worm hooks, snap or barrel swivels, plastic beads, bullet sinkers(worm weights) of different sizes, and split shot, as well as some extra line for making leaders.
Hook Placement
For many rigging options, the hook will be placed within the first third of the worm. The hook can be exposed for open-water fishing and easier hooksets, or buried to make the worm "weedless" when fishing around cover. The hook can be positioned so that the eye is ahead of the worm or completely embedded in the worm, making it more streamlined. Experiment with hook placement to give the worm a straight or slightly curved appearance for different action.
Topwater
The Freedom Worm can be fished at or near the surface when rigged unweighted, as shown above. Tie your line directly to the hook, and crawl it among the lily pads. Or use erratic twitches of the rod tip to fish it like a soft jerkbait or fluke.
Carolina rig
Use for suspended fish, on deep flats or outside edges of weedlines and dropoffs. Use a bullet sinker(worm weight) or egg sinker on your main line. Tie the end of the line to a barrel swivel, with or without a plastic bead between the sinker and swivel. Then rig the worm weedless on the end of a 12"-36" leader tied to the other end of the barrel swivel. Bullet sinkers(worm weights) come in many sizes, so be sure to try different weights to achieve the desired depth or rate of fall.
Variations on the Texas rig
Classic Texas rig. Slide a bullet sinker(worm weight) up the main line, then tie directly to the worm hook, then rig it weedless. This rig allows better penetration of weed edges with fewer snags.
Classic Texas rig with bead. Add a bead between the sliding worm weight and the worm. The collision of the bead and sinker produces a clicking noise.
Pegged. Use a piece of toothpick to peg the worm weight to the line up against the nose of the worm. Make sure the eye of the hook is positioned far enough into the worm to allow it to move forward during the hookset without hitting the sinker. A pegged Texas rig keeps the sinker right up against the worm, improving your ability to fish it through heavier cover like reeds, pads, and boat docks.
Split-shot rigging For a lighter presentation to fish that are suspended or easily spooked in clear water, try simply attaching one or more small split-shot or rubber core sinkers ahead of the Freedom Worm a foot or two.
Wacky worm
Simply hook the Freedom Worm right through the middle, with both ends dangling. Pitch it into open holes in vegetation and let it slowly sink to the bottom. Be ready for a strike as it sinks. Give the rod tip a twitch every so often to impart action to the worm.
Drop-shotting
For a precision vertical assault on finicky fish, tie your hook about 1 to 3 feet from the end of your line with a sinker on the end of the line. Nose hook the Freedom Worm and let the sinker settle to the bottom. Twitch the rod tip slightly or use a very slow lift-drop retrieve.
More ways to rig
For more ways to use the Freedom Anise Worm®, check out the Unconventional Tactics section of the website.
