Worm Soft Plastic for Bass Lures

Worm soft plastic is a soft plastic that mimics a worm. There are action worms for example the curly tail, ribbon tail, paddle tail, fork tail and there are subtle worm soft plastics for example soft stickbait, straight tail worm and the drop shot worm.

Why are Worm Soft Plastics Important?

Worm soft plastics are important to:

Mimic Forage: Can be used to mimic a worm.
Select Lure Action: Worms can have a lot of action or very little subtle action where the choice is typically dependant on lure visibility, fishing speed and lure selection. This also impacts the size of the worm selected.

Understanding Worm Soft Plastics

Common Sizes: 2 to 8 inches.
Distinguishing Features: Generally mimics a worm and generally can be broken into two categories. 1. Action Worms [Figure 1,2,3,4,5] and 2. Subtle Worms [Figure 6,7,8,9,11] .
Enabling Lure Action: Worm soft plastic often enables lures to have an undulating lure action on a slack line and a wiggling lure action with a tight line presentation.
Vibration: Action worms can add some vibration.
Options: Two categories: Action Worms and Subtle Worms:
- Action Worm: Sometimes referred to as speed worms, generally, worms with a tail, that create some wibble action or actions added during the retrieve for example with a straight retrieve or dragging on the bottom. Some suggest in lower lure visibility scenarios are around grass cover. Generally, the larger sized worms. Also, some suggest in search bait scenarios.
  - Curly Tail Worm: [Figure 1] Common, sometimes referred to as thumper tail, action worm with a curly tail at one end that creates the action.
  - Ribbon Tail Worm: [Figure 2] Common, sometimes called a cut-r worm, action worm with a light tail that moves freely and wiggles on retrieve. Some suggest using it unpegged when using a Texas Rig to maximize the lure action during the lure descent.
  - Paddle Tail Worm: [Figure 3] Less common, paddle tail worms, also called Swimming Worms, speed worm, with action based on the paddle tail, similar to paddle tail swimbait soft plastic, are worms with upturned scoop providing it with a back and forth action when straight retrieved.
  - Fork Tail Worms: [Figure 4] Less common, worms with a forked tail.
  - Ring Worms: [Figure 5] Worms with ridges that create more water displacement and action.

- - Subtle Worms: Sometimes called finesse worms, trick worms or a French fry worm (or bait), are “do nothing” worms, which have undulating action that some suggest using in high lure visibility scenarios including hard bottom locations. Generally, smaller sized worms.
    - Soft Stickbait: [Figure 6] Sometimes called a senko or a stick bait or stick worm or wacky worm, generally is a solid worm without a tail that shimmies as it sinks.
    - Straight Tail Worms: [Figure 7] A worm with a straight tail that some would suggest using deep when in hard bottom or hard cover scenarios.
      - Finesse Worm: [Figure 8] Finesses, which generally means slower and smaller on lighter gear, and as such a finesse worm generally means a small skinny worm.
    - Floating Worm: [Figure 9] Floating Worms are slow sinking worms (could also be called slow sinking worms) that with slight action can be kept at the same depth in the water column.
    - Ned Rig Worm: [Figure 10, 11] Worms designed for the ned rig.
    - Drop Shot Worm: [Figure 12, 13] Although shorter finesse, floating worms are used as drop shot, some manufacturers offer drop shot worms.