I guess I should be careful when I publish a post where I am required to publish a follow-up. A few weeks ago, I posted my second Avid Angler Challenge and promised my answer “in the next few days.” Obviously, that didn’t work out too well. Publishing the post just a few days before leaving on vacation is not such a good idea. However, I have no excuses since I’ve been back for 10 days.

So without further adieu…

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, my answer to the Avid Angler Challenge – One Lure might surprise you. Most everyone that knows me knows that I have a magic lure. Two years ago, I considered it the holy grail of fishing. Since then I’ve learned a lot and have used a variety of baits. While the Magic Lure is still effective, it is no longer my go to bait.

If I could only use one lure for the rest of my life, I would use… (drum roll, please) … a plastic worm.

My colleague MSPBass was a little more specific, but the concept is the same.

Plastic worms are incredibly versatile. You can fish them in a variety of different ways with a variety of different rigs. They come in a multitude of sizes and an infinite number of colors. In keeping with the spirit of the challenge, I do not include the worms with tails or the ringed worms. Just the classic stick bait.

This decision does limit the species I can target. It narrows it pretty much to bass. However, I can lindy rig it for walleye on occasion. It can be an effective substitute when you run out of live bait. That said, I wouldn’t be disappointed if bass were the only fish I catch the rest of my life.