Why choose the Flex‑O Worm over a normal 5" stick bait?

Flex‑O isn't a stiff cigar. The segmented body hinges and breathes with almost zero input, which keeps selling the bite on slack line. That matters in clear water and around pressured fish.

Best rigs for the Flex‑O Worm?

Wacky, Neko (nail weight in the head), light Texas (1/16–3/16), shaky/bottom-contact ball head (1/16–3/16), finesse Carolina (1/8–1/4, 12–18" leader), and even drop shot for vertical targets.

What gear should I start with?

Wacky / Neko / Drop Shot: 7' ML/M spinning with 10–15 lb braid main line to 8–10 lb fluoro leader. Texas / Carolina: MH baitcaster with 10–15 lb fluoro or braid + fluoro leader if you're around grass or docks.

Four-Seven Lures 5 Inch Flex-o Worm Soft Plastic Bait

Standalone Rigs:

Four‑Seven 5" Flex‑O Worm – High-Flex Stick / Finesse Worm Hybrid | QwikFishing

How, where, and why it excels

Carolina Rig (finesse C‑rig • 1/8–1/4 oz • 12–18" leader)

When & where: Transition banks, inside grass edge, and shallow points when fish cruise and peck at baitfish/leeches.

How: Slow pull‑pause. Feed just a little slack so the Flex‑O floats/glides behind the weight and looks like an easy bite drifting along bottom.

Why this bait: The body flexes instead of just wagging a tail, so you get subtle life without bulky creature‑style flapping.

Drop Shot (nose‑ or mid‑hooked)

When & where: Vertical on rock edges, brush piles, and fish you can literally see on forward‑facing.

How: Hold it in place and shake slack, not the bait. The thin, flexible body quivers in place, which sells pressured smallmouth and spotted bass that will not eat a big profile.

Neko Rig (light nail in the head)

When & where: Docks, seawalls, isolated brush, shallow bluff ends where fish pin bluegill and perch.

How: Pop it 3–4", then let it fall nose‑down. The tail kicks and folds instead of doing a stiff "Senko wobble," which is why Neko + Flex‑O is a dock bite cheat code.

Hook: Weedless finesse/Neko hook through an O‑ring at about the 1/3 mark.

Standard (Ball) Jig Head / Shaky Head (1/16–3/16 oz)

When & where: Rock seams, current breaks, dock walkways, and any place you’d normally drag a 6" finesse worm.

How: Drag‑drag‑pause with tiny shakes on slack line. The Flex‑O stands and folds, almost like a small leech rooting on bottom instead of a stiff worm tail straight up.

Why it works: That “stand and fold” posture is a panic trigger for smallmouth and pressured largemouth after a cold front.

Texas Rig (1/16–3/16 oz • lightly pegged)

When & where: Shade under docks, inside weedlines, brush that would hang an exposed hook.

How: Short pitches. Let it fall on semi‑slack, then shake in place. Think "finesse creature" rather than power Texas worm.

Hook: 2/0–3/0 light‑wire EWG or finesse straight‑shank. Skin‑hook the point to stay clean.

Wacky Rig (O‑ring mid‑body)

When & where: Marinas, laydowns, post‑spawn fish sitting in 3–6 ft.

How: Cast, count it down on slack, then just shake. Each half of the worm flexes and folds independently instead of doing a perfect mirror wobble like a standard straight stick. That “asymmetry” looks real.

Weightless Rig (Texas or straight‑shank hook) — stealth

When & where: Clear water, high sun, calm pockets where a splash scares fish.

How: Skip it, let it glide, give two twitches, and let it hang. This is money for sight fish that won’t commit to a normal stick bait because they’ve seen 400 of them.

Trim & Mods (quick hits)

Neko insurance: Slide an O‑ring/band on before inserting the nail weight so you quit losing worms after one fish.
Nose trim: Cut ~1/8" off the head for super‑compact presentations in ultra‑clear water or when fish are just pecking.
Scent / glue: A tiny dot of gel glue at the keeper on shaky heads and Texas rigs helps the Flex‑O survive multiple fish. Add scent to keep them holding on longer.

Dial it in (color classes)

Natural / Green Pumpkin Family: Green Pumpkin, Green Pumpkin w/ Purple, Watermelon‑style browns/olives. Clear to lightly stained water, around grass, wood, and docks. Reads as bluegill fry, young perch, or just "something alive" instead of "lure."
Dark / Silhouette: Black Sapphire, Junebug, Black/Blue. Tannic creeks, mud inflow, or shade under docks. Also a night staple when you’re shaking a Texas or light Carolina along the bank.
Red Bug / Plum / Purple‑based: The classic warm‑water confidence colors for offshore and brush. Bass keep eating red/plum worms in summer because they look like distressed nightcrawlers / leeches / bream getting smoked.
Chartreuse / Hi‑Viz Tips: Chartreuse tail dips, sprayed grass, firetiger‑leaning accents. Low light, dingy water, or anytime you want them to visually track the worm on a slow fall under a dock or bush.

Specs & Build

Length: 5" class worm (10 pack).
Profile: A flexible stick / finesse hybrid with a segmented, high‑flex body that folds and shivers instead of just wobbling like a stiff Senko clone.
Action: Collapses easily on the bite (better hookup on light wire) and gives an off‑balance flutter when wacky‑rigged. On Neko, the tail doesn’t just wag — it "breathes" and folds around.
Material: Soft plastisol, small‑batch poured. (We say "hand‑made" or "small‑batch" for Four‑Seven; "hand‑poured" language is reserved for So Good Baits.)
Best Pairings: Carolina (1/8–1/4), Drop Shot (nose/mid hook), Neko (nail weight), Shaky/Ball Head (1/16–3/16), Light Texas (1/16–3/16), Wacky, Weightless skip under cover.
Hook Sizes: 2/0–3/0 light‑wire EWG or finesse straight‑shank for Texas/weightless; small weedless Neko/Wacky hook for docks; #1–1/0 drop‑shot style for vertical work.
Species: Largemouth / Smallmouth / Spots. Also catches bonus river smallmouth and even walleye on the Carolina/ball head glide because it looks like a leech.
Availability: Produced in tight batches, not big‑box volume, so colors stay fresh and consistent.

Care & Storage

Keep baits flat in the original sleeve so they don’t kink. Don’t cook them on the carpet in summer heat — soft worms will take a bend and hold it.

Plastics Recycling

Recycle or dispose of torn baits properly. Learn more here: Soft Plastics Recycling.

Proof & Community

On‑the‑Water Notes

Pressure bite / bluebird sky: Skip a weightless Flex‑O under a dock, let it glide, then twitch twice. Fish that won’t touch a bulky creature will still eat a slim worm that just “breathes.”
Cold front smallmouth: Ball head / shaky, drag‑drag‑pause. Most hits feel like “nothing” and then the rod just loads.
Spawn / post‑spawn cruisers: Neko it along seawalls and walkways. The nose pins, tail dances in their face, and they just get mad and take it.

Q&A

Q: Why not just use a normal 5" stick worm?
A: Flex‑O isn’t a stiff cigar. The body segments fold, hinge, and twitch under almost zero input, which keeps selling the bite on slack line. That matters in high‑visibility water and around fish that have PhDs in "seen it before."

Q: Spinning or casting?
A: Wacky / Neko / Drop Shot: 7' ML/M spinning, 10–15 lb braid main line to 8–10 lb fluoro leader. Carolina / Texas: MH baitcaster, 10–15 lb fluoro (or braid + fluoro leader if you’re around grass or docks).