Westside Fishing

Westside Fishing at Charlie's Fishing: handmade finesse worms and craws for perch and zander

Westside Fishing is a small softbait brand from West-Friesland, in the Dutch province of North Holland. Its makers are predator anglers who learned the craft in the polders and canals of the region, and what started as a hobby, making their own softbaits, grew into a brand of its own. Every bait is handmade and only joins the range once it has proven itself on the water. Westside Fishing is sold exclusively through Charlie's Fishing, and we stock the full range: Willy the Worm and Larry the Lobster, both in four pieces per pack and in the same nine colours, from natural Green Pumpkin and Bass to bright Chart Red and Bubblegum Blue. Below you find what each one is for.

Westside Fishing Willy the Worm: finesse worm for wacky and Ned rigs

The Westside Fishing Willy The Worm is an extra-soft, handmade finesse worm. Used whole, it is made for a wacky rig, where it falls slowly and keeps moving with every small twitch of the rod tip. Cut it in half and each part becomes a slow-falling, quivering bait for a Ned head, so a pack of four gives you eight baits. That makes Willy a good choice for cautious perch and zander, especially in clear or pressured water and in cold periods, when a slow, subtle presentation often catches more than a fast shad. Ned heads are in Jigheads, more finesse baits in Ned's & Worms.

Westside Fishing Larry the Lobster: craw for Carolina, Texas, cheburashka and Ned rigs

The Westside Fishing Larry The Lobster is a handmade craw imitation with fluttering tentacles and kicking legs that keep moving in the water. Rig it on a Carolina or Texas rig along structure, on a cheburashka in deeper water, or on a Ned head to hop it slowly over the bottom. Larry is made with big perch in mind and is a strong option on pressured water, where a creature bait often does better than a shad, and it also works for zander that hunt along the bottom. Offset hooks for the Texas rig are in Hooks and Rigs, cheburashka weights in Weights and more craws in Craws & Creature Baits.

Which Westside Fishing softbait for which situation

• Cautious perch in clear or cold water: Willy the Worm, cut in half on a light Ned head.
• A slow fall along reed beds and canal banks: Willy the Worm whole on a wacky rig.
• Big perch along structure: Larry the Lobster on a Texas or Carolina rig.
• Deeper water and drop-offs: Larry the Lobster on a cheburashka.
• Pressured water where shads no longer work: either bait on a Ned head, hopped slowly over the bottom. See Perch, Zander and Zander and Perch Softbaits.

Why buy Westside Fishing at Charlie's Fishing

Westside Fishing focuses on developing and making the baits, and Charlie's Fishing takes care of the shop, customer service and shipping. That makes us the place to buy them: every pack ships from our own stock in the Netherlands, with fast delivery across Europe, and we are happy to help you choose the colour and rig for your water.

Where can I buy Westside Fishing softbaits?

Westside Fishing softbaits are sold exclusively at Charlie's Fishing, with delivery across Europe.

Can Willy the Worm really be cut in half?

Yes. Whole, Willy is made for a wacky rig; cut in half, each part is a slow-falling bait for a Ned head, so a pack of four gives you eight baits.

Which rigs suit Larry the Lobster?

Larry works on a Carolina rig, a Texas rig, a cheburashka or a Ned head. Use the Texas or Carolina rig along structure, the cheburashka in deeper water and the Ned head for slow hops over the bottom.