Swimming a worm is one of the most overlooked techniques for summer bass fishing. Whether you’re targeting shallow fish in thick vegetation or deep bass in brush piles, it flat-out catches fish.
Although I wouldn’t exactly classify it as a worm, the Berkley Havoc Ike’s 4-inch Subwoofer is a variation of a swimming worm and after using it for several months, I’ve found it to be extremely effective in a multitude of situations. 4 characteristic make this bait a must-try this summer.
- Versatile
- Compact
- Wide variety of colors
- Great price point
You can fish it a lot of different ways
Regardless of your preferred style of fishing, you’ll be able to find an application for the Subwoofer. I’ve had a lot of success Texas rigging it with a pegged 1/8-ounce weight and a 4/0 EWG worm hook. After a long cast, I’ll keep my rod tip high and retrieve it across the water’s surface. It puts off a ton of vibration and even better, the cut tail maintains a lot of action even at slow speeds. If you’re fishing a grass bed and want to slow it down around key cover such as stumps or blowdowns, the Subwoofer gives you that option.
I’ve also found this to be a great swim jig or bladed swim jig trailer. Because the tail kicks violently at every retrieve speed, it’s been a killer trailer around grass lines and even slow rolling around dock posts. To transform it into a swim jig trailer, I simply bite the head of the bait off right below its gills and thread it onto the hook.
The Subwoofer also performs exceptionally well on a shaky head. When fishing around deep brush piles, longer baits will often wrap around small branches and cause small hang-ups, resulting in an unnatural presentation. This bait comes through cover very well and stays in place on most shaky head models.
Compact profile increases hookup ratio
When you rig the Subwoofer with a 4/0 or 5/0 EWG worm hook, the hook point will protrude very close to the tail of the bait. While it may seem as if this would hinder the action of the bait, that certainly hasn’t been the case—all of the action comes from the tail section.
With the hook point sitting in close proximity to the tail, I’ve noticed a drastic decrease in short strikes and “rolling” fish. Instead of seeing a surface boil and having to wait before setting the hook, I’ve been able to set the hook immediately. It’s been very rare to have a bass miss the Subwoofer.
A variety of colors further increases its versatility
The shape and action of the Subwoofer definitely makes it a versatile bait, but the wide variety of available colors further increases its versatility. If I’m Texas rigging this bait and surface swimming it around cover, I catch a lot of fish on Pumpkinseed, Watermelon Pearl, and Watermelon Silver.
For swim jig and bladed swim jig applications, you’ll be able to find a color that perfectly matches the color of the jig. For black and blue jigs, I’ll normally use Junebug Red Flake, Plum or Bama Bug. If I’m jig fishing in clear water, Cinnamon Brown Purple, Watermelon Red and Green Pumpkin are very productive colors.
Awesome price
Money isn’t always easy to come by, but the outstanding price point of the Berkley Havoc Ike’s 4-inch Subwoofer allows you to stay on the water and keep catching fish.
Priced at just $2.99 per 8-pack, it’s a great choice for pond anglers and tournament anglers alike. If you’re looking for an inexpensive bait that will help you catch more fish, it’s hard to beat the Subwoofer.
The Berkley Havoc Ike’s 4-inch Subwoofer is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
