# How Do You Make It Float?



## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I started teaching myself to fish about ten years ago and each year I've added a few tricks to my bag with a lot of help from many of you. One thing eludes me: How do you make a worm float up off the bottom? I can fish them from a bobber but I want something more stationary. I want to be able to fish a worm with the same rig I fish PowerBait with. I've tried a small piece of foam ear plug but it absorbed water and sank. I've tried filling them with air but I can't get enough in to make it float or I use too much and pop it. I know I'm missing some trick that every other little boy learned from grandpa. Anyone care to clue me in? I'll give you the first fish I catch with it!

Thanks!


----------



## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Marshmallows and only use part of the worm. My wife does this and always out fishes me-O,-


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Dunkem said:


> Marshmallows and only use part of the worm. My wife does this and always out fishes me-O,-


Miniature marshmallows not the large ones. Place the worm on the hook and then the marshmallow. If you leave it in the water long enough you will need to replace the marshmallow but it does work. I even have used the dyed ones at different times but usually just use the white ones. One advantage to using them is that if you get hungry you can snack on them.


----------



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Half the worm +marshmallow. I like the pink ones in the bag of assorted colors.


-DallanC


----------



## Winglish (Mar 28, 2015)

Half worm + little marshmallow as mentioned, or another trick is to get a syringe and fill the worm full of air. The worm will float right up.


----------



## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

The syringe thing has been mentioned before and you are probably best getting a worm blower instead. You can get one for $2.00 or $3.00 at Sportsman's and you're less likely to have to explain it to a cop who may or may not believe you.

That said, my favorite piece of bait fishing gear is my worm threader. It's a long needle sticking out of a wooden handle, with a hollow end on the needle. You thread a half a worm onto it, stick your hook into the hollow spot at the end and hold it tight by the fishing line, then push the worm back up onto the hook, past the hook and onto the line. You can then put a marshmallow on the hook at the end, be sure that the tip of the hook is exposed and that the marshmallow doesn't stick out from it so much that it won't bite into the target fish's lip when you set the hook.

Arguably the best way to fish floating bait is the slip sinker rig.

http://www.catfishedge.com/slip-sinker-rig/

What you have going on is a barrel sinker that takes your bait to the bottom, but the line moves freely back and forth through the sinker's hole. The swivel keeps your leader, hook and bait from sliding up into the sinker. An 18" leader floating a worm and marshmallow off the bottom like this is bread and butter for bait fishing. It also works well with Powerbait, provided you have enough powerbait on the hook to make it float. Typically I'm always fishing this type of setup with one pole while casting lures with another.


----------



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Any of you worm guys use a worm threader? Best invention in ages for worm fishing.


-DallanC


----------



## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

I use to stab a piece of the styrofoam from the worms on the hook to make em float. Poor mans fishing. 
I also used to use electrical tape instead of sinkers. Find a rock big enough to hold bottom in whatever current you're fishing and tape it to your line.


----------



## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks guys! I'll give that a try tomorrow. I also found some little styrofoam beads at the store that I thought I'd try like what "one4fishing" is saying. I'll let you know. Thanks again!


----------



## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

Critter said:


> M... One advantage to using them is that if you get hungry you can snack on them.


The worms or the marshmallows?


----------



## Winglish (Mar 28, 2015)

massmanute said:


> The worms or the marshmallows?


Yes.


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

massmanute said:


> The worms or the marshmallows?


Which ever way you want to go. Melted marshmallows on top of a worm pie might not be too bad, a little bit gritty but not bad. :mrgreen:


----------



## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

Wardens Lil' Corkies work great, never get soggy, never sink and come in lots of different colors. Get the smaller ones 1/2" dia. or less. Rig with sliding sinker > swivel > leader (14" to 24") > Lil' Corky > small hook > worm. Fish on!


----------



## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I was fishing with a friend of mine earlier this year and I don't bait fish much, I was fly fishing and he was really catching them, I wanted to take a couple home for dinner so I asked what he was using, he told me a marshmallow and worm, I put that on my second pole and he was still pulling them in when I wasn't, found out his marshmallows were the green ones with garlic flavor, he gave me a few and it did make a difference. So I have bought a few bottles with different colors and flavors at Walmart for when I take the grandkids out.


----------



## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

I missed the part about fishing for ten years, sorry if my post was overly simplified for you. Had to post again regarding the marshmallows, the ones I just switched to are really good. Switched to "Magic Products, Inc." over the Atlas or Magic Mike's brand because they're a lot tougher. It's like they start out stale but still smell good. I can jam a chunk of cut bait onto a treble, then wrap the mallow around the line and jam it on top of the bait and have it hold up to at least a second cast after sitting for 20 minutes or so.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Jedidiah said:


> The syringe thing has been mentioned before and you are probably best getting a worm blower instead. You can get one for $2.00 or $3.00 at Sportsman's and you're less likely to have to explain it to a cop who may or may not believe you.
> 
> That said, my favorite piece of bait fishing gear is my worm threader. It's a long needle sticking out of a wooden handle, with a hollow end on the needle. You thread a half a worm onto it, stick your hook into the hollow spot at the end and hold it tight by the fishing line, then push the worm back up onto the hook, past the hook and onto the line. You can then put a marshmallow on the hook at the end, be sure that the tip of the hook is exposed and that the marshmallow doesn't stick out from it so much that it won't bite into the target fish's lip when you set the hook.
> 
> ...........................................................


There was a time when I made custom fishing rods. I liked to make "bobber rods", slip bobber rods, and long bait rods for catfish, walleye, trout and salmon. I used long fly rod blanks mostly. You could toss a worm, or a minnow, and bobber a country-mile with the limber rods and not lose the bait.

Used a worm threader forever and usually gave the customer a home-made one with the custom worm rod.


----------



## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

I too have had the best success with the mini green, or orange.


----------

