3 Best Ways to Rig and Fish a Trout Worm for Stocked Trout

Trout worms are one of the most effective soft plastics for stocked and pressured trout. The way you rig the worm dramatically changes how it moves, falls, and triggers bites. Below are three proven methods.

Red Trout Worms

There are several ways to fish a trout worm.

The following are some of the more popular ways.

I prefer to use a #10 Aberdeen hook with all of the follow ways to rig a trout worm.

All of the following rigging can be bottom fished or under a float.

(Note: 20 pound fishing line was used in the pictures so it would photograph better much small line is recommend)

Fishing line with weight and hook

I like to add 3/0 Split shot(s) depending on the current about 8"-12" above the hook if I am wanting to us a float, I will attach it above the split shot, so I am fishing the desired depth.

If you are looking for the best trout worm for stocked trout, read our full guide here.

1. The Inline method.

The In line is where the worm is straight with the hook shank as seen in the picture below, I personally like to cover the hook eye with the worm.

Worm on hook inline method

If you are getting strikes and not hooking them, you might consider cutting off a little of the tail however cutting off some of the tail will reduce some of the action.

2. The San Juan method

The San Juan method is very similar to the inline method but instead on starting the hook in the head of the worm it is started down in the body as you can see in the picture below.

San Juan method

3. The wacky worm method

This method the worm hooks in the middle as can been seen the picture below.

Wacky worm

This is probably the three most common ways to Rig a small (trout) worm

If you are fishing highly pressured or recently stocked trout, presentation becomes even more critical. Read our full guide on how to catch pressured trout in stocked waters to understand when each rigging method works best.

Want to Fish Trout Worms Correctly?

• Learn when to use each rigging method

• Understand retrieve speed

• Improve hook-up ratio

Download the free Trout Playbook.

You can view our full selection of ribbed trout worms for stocked trout fishing here.