The Best Plastic Worms... For Me
Feb 15, 2020In my desire to find the ideal soft plastic worm for me, I've sifted through as much available information as I have time to find.
I've purchased enough soft plastic worms to fill several bins and worm wallets.
I've visited as many Walmart stores, Academy Sports, and local bait shops as I can discover across my region.
How many worm colors are there? I don't know for sure, but there aren't many I haven't looked at.
All of which led me to settle on the plastic worms I describe here. These are the one I believe are the right choices for me.
Now, this does not mean I have stopped looking for new ones, or new ways to use them. In fact, I create my own Frankenworm, "monstrosities,"... discarded worms others throw away. I weld them back together and thus 'resurrected,' these beasties go on to a new life on the end of my line
Heck, I did whole blog post on that, here: Frankenworms!
I still keep an eye out on popular fishing pages and sites, too, watching for kernels of, "worm wisdom," among experts and amateurs alike.
So this is a never-ending quest.
It also does not mean that my choices must be your choices. You do what you want, but hopefully this might help you sort through the vast 'worm jungle.'
However, one can only do so much of this "academic research" before some conclusions reveal themselves. At that point, I had to make some decisions about WHICH worms I will use.
To that end, I've sampled and used all of the ones mentioned below, and they have earned a more-or-less permanent place in my tackle box.
The Criteria
Out of all this searching, the following 5 criteria emerged for potential candidates in my worm bag.
- Longevity
They need to last as long as long as any soft, rubbery worm can
- Popularity
They should be used by many anglers because they work
- Performance record
They need to catch fish, proven by popular use
- Cost
They should be affordable so you can have several types, styles, and colors
- Availability
They need to be where you can obtain them, when wanted
After all this, and upon careful consideration, my winners are... drumroll please...
Out of all this searching, the following 5 criteria emerged for potential candidates in my worm bag.
- Longevity
They need to last as long as long as any soft, rubbery worm can
- Popularity
They should be used by many anglers because they work
- Performance record
They need to catch fish, proven by popular use
- Cost
They should be affordable so you can have several types, styles, and colors
- Availability
They need to be where you can obtain them, when wanted
After all this, and upon careful consideration, my winners are... drumroll please...
#1: The Zoom, "U Tail"
#2: The Culprit Original Worm.
#3 The Zoom, "Trick Worm."
#4 Honorable Mention, Tom Manns, "Jelly Worm"
#1 - 6" Zoom U Tail
Zoom U-tail
Now, let me first admit this is not my go-to personal worm choice. More on that later.
But, you cannot deny that this worm checks all the boxes outlined above, and it has proven itself to be one of the most effective baits around.
So putting my personal choices aside, the Zoom U-tail has been given the Top Spot.
Lets look at why that is, as we keep an eye on our criteria.
#1 - 6" Zoom U Tail
Zoom U-tail
Now, let me first admit this is not my go-to personal worm choice. More on that later.
But, you cannot deny that this worm checks all the boxes outlined above, and it has proven itself to be one of the most effective baits around.
So putting my personal choices aside, the Zoom U-tail has been given the Top Spot.
Lets look at why that is, as we keep an eye on our criteria.
In terms of longevity, the Zoom U-Tail is made from high quality materials, and will last a long time if you store it properly in the package. Sure, they can get chewed up by the fish, but so can any soft plastic bait.
But, I have some U-Tails that are so old I don't know where they came from - and they are as good as ever.
Popularity? As far as I can determine, The Zoom U-Tail doesn't hold the title of the most worms ever sold; that belongs to another further down my list.
But I'd find it hard to believe that they aren't the most popular worm sold, today.
And that is because they are available EVERYWHERE, in the greatest number of offerings. It may be that the Zoon U-Tail has caught more fish than any other, simply because of this.
I can't prove that, but I'm willing to bet on it.
But I'd find it hard to believe that they aren't the most popular worm sold, today.
And that is because they are available EVERYWHERE, in the greatest number of offerings. It may be that the Zoon U-Tail has caught more fish than any other, simply because of this.
I can't prove that, but I'm willing to bet on it.
The Zoom U-Tail is sometimes referred to as a, "swimming action worm," or more often, a "ribbon tail" design.
It is intended to be kept moving fast enough for the tail to ripple and move in the water. So, like all of these ribbon tails, it's best fished in warmer water when the fish are actively interested in such things.
The most common shelf package has 20 worms in a resealable cellophane bag, and they are about $4.49 per pack at my local Walmart. This makes each worm 22 cents apiece.
You can hardly buy live bait for that!
You really do get more for less with these.
As a plus, they come in a wide variety of colors. Their website says 400 colors, but many of those are special order, or limited-run production. Some haven't been made in years.
Down on the shelf at your local retailer, its gonna be 20 or so different hues.
While you may really only NEED two colors - one light and natural, one dark and dense - fish may be attracted to one of many hues at some point in time or another.
And fishermen certainly are!
So, at these prices, you can have a whole color palette of Zoom U Tails.
#2 The Culprit Original Worm
The most common shelf package has 20 worms in a resealable cellophane bag, and they are about $4.49 per pack at my local Walmart. This makes each worm 22 cents apiece.
You can hardly buy live bait for that!
You really do get more for less with these.
As a plus, they come in a wide variety of colors. Their website says 400 colors, but many of those are special order, or limited-run production. Some haven't been made in years.
Down on the shelf at your local retailer, its gonna be 20 or so different hues.
While you may really only NEED two colors - one light and natural, one dark and dense - fish may be attracted to one of many hues at some point in time or another.
And fishermen certainly are!
So, at these prices, you can have a whole color palette of Zoom U Tails.
#2 The Culprit Original Worm
Culprit Worm in, "Tomato"
Here, we go - this is my favorite among the swimming tail worms.
And it is that tail that is the key; it moves in the water in what I would call a "snakelike" manner. Culprit calls it a “kicking” tail.
Even when the bait is crept along the bottom, it still moves sinuously to catch the attention of nearby bass.
The Culprit is 25% longer than the Zoom U Tail, too, and it has a corresponding boost in girth. In other words, they a bit bigger and beefier.
The Culprit is 25% longer than the Zoom U Tail, too, and it has a corresponding boost in girth. In other words, they a bit bigger and beefier.
So when a larger worm with a lot of movement is wanted, this is a standout.
Truth be told, if you never chose another type BUT the Culprit, it's all you would need.
Yes, I'm biased - but that's because it is true.
Yes, I'm biased - but that's because it is true.
They are also durable and they hold up well.
I have one in my box that has been in use for years. It is the color scheme Culprit calls, "Tomato." It is a two-tone chartreuse-and-red job, which you can see in the pic above.
I found the thing along the shore one day, just lying there all chewed up - but still intact.
"Waste not, want not," I always say, so I tossed it into my bag.
And there it sat, forgotten... for several years.
Then one November day, I got a wild notion to put it on the hook and promptly caught a nice bass with it.
To this day, I STILL have that worm and use it, from time to time. It is like an old, long-lived friend, by now.
I found the thing along the shore one day, just lying there all chewed up - but still intact.
"Waste not, want not," I always say, so I tossed it into my bag.
And there it sat, forgotten... for several years.
Then one November day, I got a wild notion to put it on the hook and promptly caught a nice bass with it.
To this day, I STILL have that worm and use it, from time to time. It is like an old, long-lived friend, by now.
We also should say something about the Culprit Original Worm color selections.
I lost count at 75 currently listed colors on the Culprit webpage.
Like the Zoom brand, that's also colors that may or may not be in production.
Down at the retail level, you'll find about 10 different colors on the shelf.
Here again, basic colors are probably still your best bet, but if you like two-tone colors, like the "Tomato" color shown here, Culprit has 'em.
For solid and two-tone colors, the 7-1/2 inch models come 18 to a pack; in the colored tail models, you get 13. The Culprits are currently $4.98 per resealable pack at Walmart, making each Culprit worm cost 28 cents each. That minor 6 cent difference over the Zoom U-Tail makes them a real bargain.
Culprit also makes a 10" worm for the same cost, with 10 in a pack.
The Culprit worm has been a proven leader for more than two and a half decades, and I definitely recommend them.
#3 6 1/2" Zoom Trick Worm
At my pole position, #3, we find the Zoom Trick Worm.
This worm has won the loyalty of customers for a couple of primary reasons:
1. It's "floating" abilities
2, Its finesse possibilities
Right off, let me clarify that this isn't really a "floating" worm. It does sink - but it sinks slowly compared to other plastic worms. It is almost a suspending bait.
For this reason, it is generally thought of as a surface oriented lure, often fished weightless in a slow-swimming way. In this regard, it is usually referred to as a finesse fishing bait.
Conspicuous by its absence on this worm is the ribbon tail - there is none. It has a thick, straight, worm-like body, that tapers to a bulbous tail. When you think of a "worm," in the literal sense, this fills that niche.
The problem with the swimming-action tails on the other worms is that they can wrap around woody stems and weeds in the water. This may hang up the retrieve, and might come across as false takes.
Since these have nothing but a sinuous worm-like body, that isn't a problem.
This means that when the fishing calls for a creeping-type retrieve, moving through cover, or over wood tops, rocks, and weeds, this is the one to pick.
And, boy, do I love to fish it this way! Flicked and slow crawled this way on spinning gear, it is edge-of-your-seat, explosive fishing at its best.
It has also become popular as a drop shot bait, and for senko and wacky-rigging.
It can be fished any other way you like, too. On a Carolina Rig, for example, it gives long, swooping, slow-fall drifts. But my favorite way to fish the Trick Worm is as a drag lure, worked through heavy cover.
Like all Zoom products it shares the same attributes as the U-Tail worms. Its tough, inexpensive, widely available... and it's probably the only one that comes in colors like blaze orange, chartreuse or bubble-gum pink!
You get a pack of 20, and they cost about $5.50 per pack. This makes it possible to have plenty of these on hand, too.
Honorable Mention - Tom Mann's "Jelly Worm"
Since it's introduction in 1967, the Mann's "Jelly Worm" has been the top selling worm over time. It was also the first scented, packaged worm to hit the market, and the company started by Tom Mann is still molding baits that catch fish and win tournaments.
Referred to as "Jellies" by their fans, the 11" model helped Paul Elias claim the all-time B.A.S.S., 4 day weight record of 132 lbs, 8oz. on Texas' Falcon Lake in April 2008.
They have always come in basic colors with "fruity" names, like grape (purple) and strawberry (red), and were originally given pleasant fruit scents to match.
Today, the color line has been expanded, and all Jellies are now given a light, generic berry scent that is still kinda nice.
The Jelly Worm has a small paddle-type tail, making it sort of an all-around choice. It's main niche, would probably be Spring fishing around weeds and wood, in shallow water.
Something like the Zoom Trick Worm.
But, I was a little surprised at its sinuous swimming action, once it gets away from the heavy cover. Drop it in a hole in the weeds or wood, and it wiggle-swims like a belly dancer.
The problem with the swimming-action tails on the other worms is that they can wrap around woody stems and weeds in the water. This may hang up the retrieve, and might come across as false takes.
Since these have nothing but a sinuous worm-like body, that isn't a problem.
This means that when the fishing calls for a creeping-type retrieve, moving through cover, or over wood tops, rocks, and weeds, this is the one to pick.
And, boy, do I love to fish it this way! Flicked and slow crawled this way on spinning gear, it is edge-of-your-seat, explosive fishing at its best.
It has also become popular as a drop shot bait, and for senko and wacky-rigging.
It can be fished any other way you like, too. On a Carolina Rig, for example, it gives long, swooping, slow-fall drifts. But my favorite way to fish the Trick Worm is as a drag lure, worked through heavy cover.
Like all Zoom products it shares the same attributes as the U-Tail worms. Its tough, inexpensive, widely available... and it's probably the only one that comes in colors like blaze orange, chartreuse or bubble-gum pink!
You get a pack of 20, and they cost about $5.50 per pack. This makes it possible to have plenty of these on hand, too.
Honorable Mention - Tom Mann's "Jelly Worm"
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Early Jelly Worm Advertisement |
Since it's introduction in 1967, the Mann's "Jelly Worm" has been the top selling worm over time. It was also the first scented, packaged worm to hit the market, and the company started by Tom Mann is still molding baits that catch fish and win tournaments.
Referred to as "Jellies" by their fans, the 11" model helped Paul Elias claim the all-time B.A.S.S., 4 day weight record of 132 lbs, 8oz. on Texas' Falcon Lake in April 2008.
They have always come in basic colors with "fruity" names, like grape (purple) and strawberry (red), and were originally given pleasant fruit scents to match.
Today, the color line has been expanded, and all Jellies are now given a light, generic berry scent that is still kinda nice.
The Jelly Worm has a small paddle-type tail, making it sort of an all-around choice. It's main niche, would probably be Spring fishing around weeds and wood, in shallow water.
Something like the Zoom Trick Worm.
But, I was a little surprised at its sinuous swimming action, once it gets away from the heavy cover. Drop it in a hole in the weeds or wood, and it wiggle-swims like a belly dancer.
But the real claim to fame for these is the baits' feel and consistency - the Jelly Worm is made to be softer than those that came before it and most other worms made today.
They look alive in the water, they fish well with slow or swimming retrieves, and the bass hold on to them.
For deep water, try the larger sizes.
On a further positive note, the Jelly Worm is sold at pretty moderate prices.
A pack of 15, 6" Jelly's at my local Walmart costs $3-4, and the 12" giant size are around $5.
That's pretty good for a bait that has been around for 55 years or so, in a fiercely competitive market.
They still work, and I'm a fan.
On a further positive note, the Jelly Worm is sold at pretty moderate prices.
A pack of 15, 6" Jelly's at my local Walmart costs $3-4, and the 12" giant size are around $5.
That's pretty good for a bait that has been around for 55 years or so, in a fiercely competitive market.
They still work, and I'm a fan.
So there are the 4 models I have been using; I look forward to the next warm season to come.
Yes, there are a lot of other worm choices out there, and they each have their ardent proponents. I may have left off your favorite.
But, don't worry - I expect I'll get around to them eventually!
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