Originally Posted by
Marley
Hey Doc, no problem. It's a fishing website for crying out loud. What fun is it if you don't share info? Spots are an entirely different story, but here goes on the mini grubs.
Unlike my beloved nightcrawler that you can pump up as big as your little finger before it explodes, meal worms have a semi-rigid, segmented body that, while elongating a little bit, won't expand outward when air is injected between segments. While the nightcrawler can be effectively fished with even a size 1/0 hook and still float when injected with enough air, the mealworm holds only a tiny bubble of air. Care must be taken (1) not to use a hook too large to hide inside the worm, (2) not to use a hook too heavy for the bubble of air to float it as well as the weight the worm itself and (3) not to push in too much air and explode the worm. If that happens they're not good for this tactic.
As for color, I like them natural, though I have not had the occasion or need to experiment with colors. Colored ones I have seen tend to be way too small even for a size 14 hook so I would not consider them for this use.
For hooks, I prefer a size 14 Owner Mosquito hook, but can get away with a size 12 if the grubs are in that 1"+ range. Line size is also a concern as hooks that small have very small eyes. 12's will hold 4-lb. line but it's heavy and can drag down the bait, 14's will only hold 2-lb. or smaller. Inflated meal worms do not cast well and any roughness with them will cause them to lose their bubble of air or tear apart altogether. To help avoid damaging the presentation, I use a 1/64 oz. bullet sinker and pin it in place with a size BB split shot. You're not casting that rig very far (hint, hint) so once it kisses the water leave your bail open and line paying out until the sinker hits bottom, then close the bail and either set your rod how you like it or slowly jig it back to you.
For what it's worth, I always check the stomach content of the fish I catch. I can't remember ever finding shad in the bellies of trout I catch at SARL, more often than not finding volcanic pebbles from the hatchery and midges.