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[Spawn Sack]

So the wife and I are fishing at Chilliwack Lake the other day. Had a great day, caught and released many Dollies, man I love that lake! The only issue I was having was my worm kept sliding off my hook while trolling. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a sneaky fish each time this happened as no strike was detected...I think it was just the tension on the lure being trolled through the water. Typically I was tipping (1/3rd or so of a worm) the single hook on my flatfish or apex.

I imagine wrapping a baitloop around the worm a couple times would work, however the hooks on these lures are just open eye siwash not connected to a leader, so this won't work. I guess you could put a "stopper" on the hook after the worm is threaded on, like a small rubber egg, but I have more confidence in just the worm on the hook.

Maybe a few wraps of spider thread? My method of threading the worm was to put the hook right through the worm and out the other end - like a weiner on a weiner stick! Maybe this is not the best method? Kind of a peeve off when I reeled in the odd time to check my bait and oh what do you know, the worm has slid off again And yes I realise you do not NEED to tip these lures with worm, but I like to.

[typhoon]

Look up worm threaders. You can make your own with brass tubing (from any hobby shop) and a wood dowel.
The worm will never fall off the hook.

[Spawn Sack]

I've seen these in the store although I don't own one. Aren't these for threading the worm onto a leader line above the hook? Line a steelhead rubber worm rig? I'm just looking to tip the hooks on my flatfish, apex, wedding bands, etc while lake trolling. It seems with barbless hooks and the worm threaded straight on line a weiner on a stick it wants to work its way right off the hook! With trebble hooks I'm sure you could just keep poking the worm around in a circle and it would not fall off, however I always fish single barbless even if trebbles are allowed.

[typhoon]

They can be used for rubber worms but also effective for real worms threaded onto a bait holder hook.

[losos]

..

[MetalAndFeathers]

Use the worm threader put 3/4 of the worm on the line and 1/4 on the hook and make a loop not and put the loop around the  mid part of the wom

[Spawn Sack]

There is no line on the hook. It's just a siwash hook on a lure (flat fish). I do normally use a worm threader (long needle) to rig up my rubber worms for steelheading.

Typhoon, to be honest I dont really get how this worm threader will make a difference compared to just threading the worm right on the hook, but next time I'm in the tackle shop I'll ask about them and figure out what the deal is here.

I never thought of those baitholder hooks with the barbs on the shank of the hook, those might help. However I spent a lot of time and $ converting all my flatfish etc from trebbles to single siwash hooks, so I don't really want to take all of those (pricey gamagatsu) hooks off and put baitholder hooks on.

On a side note, something I learned on a fishing show...if you are converting flatfish etc to single hooks you want to add TWO split rings to the ring on the lure not one. Or if you are using open eye hooks then the hook + one split ring. The reason is you don't want the hook point facing sideways in the water, but rather the hook point facing UP. I originally had the hook point facing sideways and seem to lose a lot of fish, when I switched to two split rings I seem to keep more fish on as the hook set seemed to get them in the boney top of the mouth area. 

[typhoon]

It doesn't work for hooks directly attached to a lure. I would switch to a small flasher, leader and bait holder hook.
For direct attached you could try spider thread but the action of the lure will shake off the worm.

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks Typhoon, that makes sense now

I don't often lake troll, but when I do I just love flatfish on a leader behind a lake troll (willow leaf, etc). The other day at Chilliwack lake we were just hammering the dollies on a #40 jet diver (dives to approx 40 feet, which where most of the fish were marking on the fishfinder) with about a 5 foot leader and a big flat fish tipped with worm.

If I do decide to run just a plain hook I'll look into these worm threaders and bait holder hooks.

I like the idea of using spider thread to help keep the worm on a non-baitholder hook. I bet if you wrapped it around the hook shank a few times above the worm chunk, then gave it a few good tight wraps around  the top of the worm without cutting through, it would hold it on fairly well. We're going back to Chilliwack lake next wednesday, I'll giver a shot and report the results.

[barklee]

To hold onto worms or bait get something called a bait button. I don't think you can get it in canada but I saw it in a steehead magazine.
Basically you slide any size hook onto this green device that holds these tiny little felt circles, I believe felt, onto the hook. This little circle of felt goes after the bait to prevent it from falling off. Looks like it works.

If anybody can elaborate............
I found it.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bait_Button_Dispenser/descpage-BBUTTD.html

[Archer]

Sounds like your hooks are hanging from a lure, but if just leader line to hook, learn how to tie egg loop knots and pierce the worm up the hook then through the loop and it will keep em snug.

[canso]

To hold onto worms or bait get something called a bait button. I don't think you can get it in canada but I saw it in a steehead magazine.
Basically you slide any size hook onto this green device that holds these tiny little felt circles, I believe felt, onto the hook. This little circle of felt goes after the bait to prevent it from falling off. Looks like it works.

If anybody can elaborate............
I found it.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bait_Button_Dispenser/descpage-BBUTTD.html

Nice, kind of like the buzzbomb bumper we use for sturgeon bait

[Spawn Sack]

I was out today trolling around Chilliwack lake. I tried 10+ wraps of spider thread around the worm close to the hoom eye, it DOES work and quite well! The only thing I found to be a bit bothersome is if you want to swap out a waterlogged piece of worm it is hard to get it OFF the hook with the s/t still holding it in place...it's not like you can unravel the stuff!
I will look into these bait buttons, but I can say the spider thread idea works quite well.

[urbanflyfisher]

I haven't fished bait in over a decade.. but i used to use rubber eggs to hold the worm in place on a barbless hook... even a small piece of rubber will do, you can cut a lifetimes worth from an inner tube... like the bait button... but much cheaper.. almost free.