Entry 36-5

Mike Wurm

Series 3X Soft Bait

Strike King LureEditor's Note: Mike Wurm of Hot Springs Arkansas, began fishing professionally in 1992. Currently ranked sixth in the world by bassfan.com and one of the nation's leading pro fishermen, Wurm has been a part of Strike King's Pro Fishing Team for six years.

Question: Tell us more about this Series 3X.

Wurm: Strike King has come out with a great soft bait line. The Series is called 3X. The 3X Series is absolutely phenomenal. One of the models they have in their line-up is the 3X Lizard. There is nothing really outwardly special or unusual about the lizard, as far as shape of it. But it has great action in the water. The fact that it is made out of the material 3X makes it a tremendously durable bait. You can take a lizard and wrap it completely around your waist, and it won't break. This bait also has durability that allows you to catch a number of fish on it.

The key thing about it is its buoyancy. Most people, when Carolina rigging, think the bait is above the bottom. When you are Carolina rigging you want to keep your sinker in contact with the bottom at all times. You just don't realize your bait is also on the bottom, when using regular soft baits. If you don't believe me, watch your hook. After you have thrown it about five or six casts, look at the hook, and it will be polished clean on the bottom where it has been dragging on the bottom.

Mike WurmWith the 3X Series from Strike King, that bait will float above the bottom. You can put a No. 30 hook in it. Be assured that lizard will not be on the bottom while you are fishing a Carolina rig, especially pre-spawn when you have about a foot of grass coming up off of the bottom, which is an ideal time to fish Carolina rigs. This bait will be floating right along the top of it and looks very natural as it flips in the grass. Regular plastic will be down in the grass and you can't feel it, but the 3X Series from Strike King will be floating above it.

The Strike King Rocket Shad is also a phenomenal lure. It is a small spinner bait with a small wire. I don't mean small wire diameter; it’s pretty strong. But the bait has a small frame. This is the most phenomenal fish-stealing bait you will ever find. You can take the 1/2-ounce model and throw it further than a guy throwing a Spook, literally.

Many times when you are fishing for schooling bass you’ll have trouble getting the fish to bite because a lot of times the baitfish are small. Take the Rocket Shad, which has a small appearance and a small presentation, and you can throw it. That is the real key to that Rocket Shad. With the Rocket Shad, you can reel it fast on top of the surface or let it sink and then retrieve it a little slower. It still will give you a real tight vibration, with the small Colorado blade, and small appearance to the fish, looking like the baitfish so you catch more.

Denny BrauerDon't be afraid to throw it in saltwater. I have a lot of my friends who fish in coastal waters say this is a tremendous spotted sea trout and redfish bait. It comes through that water, and it is hard to tear up. It is very durable. But the biggest thing is you can cast this Rocket.




 

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