4" Curly/Ribbontail Worms

[Bazoo]

Twenty years ago I had some 4" worms. I think they were Zoom brand, but I ain't sure now, I remember one thing, they were very salty, with salt chunks on the outside of the worms. They were a ribbon tail worm, thin, about the diameter of a pencil, and had ribs along the body. The tail, when extended was about the same length as the body. Does this ring a bell to anyone?

 

Might as well ask, what 4" curly/ribbontail worms does everyone like? 

[Catt]

Sounds like a Zoom U-Tail but salt chunks ain't indictive of Zoom.

[Mobasser]

Sounds like a 4" Culprit? Again I don't remember them being heavily salted.

[WRB]

Flutter Craft (now US Bait Co) Screamers are 3 1/2 “ ribbon tail but never where packaged with salt. 
Tom

[Catt]

I'm trying to remember who was highly salted. Maybe @Team9nine can shed some light.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate the help all. I'm sure it was not a Zoom U-tail, it is too large and the tail is not the right shape.

 

This worm matches the shape of the body best I remember. It's possible it might have been a 5" worm with the tail extended. But it certainly was a small worm and not a 6"er.

 

The colors I remember were purple body and hot pink/redish tail, watermelon flake. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Dry_Creek_5_Ripple_Tail_Worms_20pk/descpage-DCRT.html

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

I'm trying to remember who was highly salted. Maybe @Team9nine can shed some light.

I’m not certain. Larew held the patent on salt in plastics for many years, but they did license it out to other companies. Zoom wasn’t one of those, as they bristled at the idea of a salt patent. That’s why a lot of their packaging had a “better than salt” label on it. Once the patent expired, that opened it up to all companies, Zoom included. If he thinks it’s Zoom, they did make a 4” C Tail worm (pictured below) that kind of fits the description. Zetabait/Gillraker also had a longer ‘double action’ curl tail, but I’m not certain about their salt content. BPS also knocked off about every popular plastic, and they added heavy salt externally to a lot of their baits.
 

[DitchPanda]

Zoom has a 4in curly tail worm...Tackle warehouse carries them.

[Bazoo]

4 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

I’m not certain. Larew held the patent on salt in plastics for many years, but they did license it out to other companies. Zoom wasn’t one of those, as they bristled at the idea of a salt patent. That’s why a lot of their packaging had a “better than salt” label on it. Once the patent expired, that opened it up to all companies, Zoom included. If he thinks it’s Zoom, they did make a 4” C Tail worm (pictured below) that kind of fits the description. Zetabait/Gillraker also had a longer ‘double action’ curl tail, but I’m not certain about their salt content. BPS also knocked off about every popular plastic, and they added heavy salt externally to a lot of their baits.
 

Thank you for your input. It's not the worm pictured, as the body is too finely ribbed.

[Mobasser]

When you mention ribbon tail, I still say Culprit. But the only thing missing is the heavy salt. I've used a lot of Culprit worms years ago. The ribbon tail is roughly the body length as I recall.

[Team9nine]

7 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

Thank you for your input. It's not the worm pictured, as the body is too finely ribbed.

Zoom 4” Dead Ringer?

 

 

[Catt]

[Backroad Angler]

Kind of sounds like a roboworm to me?

May be lacking the ribs though.

[Tackleholic]

My favorite smallmouth worm was a 4" curly tail in the color Tequila Sunrise;  Rattlesnake made them, I don't believe they are around anymore but I still have 1 bag from over 20 years ago.

[Bazoo]

38 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Zoom 4” Dead Ringer?

 

 

Nope, not ribbed so deeply. The worm I linked is almost exactly right as far as body shape and rib size.

 

 

29 minutes ago, Catt said:

Nosir, not that, but that's a fine looking worm, what variety is that?

 

 

9 minutes ago, Tackleholic said:

My favorite smallmouth worm was a 4" curly tail in the color Tequila Sunrise;  Rattlesnake made them, I don't believe they are around anymore but I still have 1 bag from over 20 years ago.

I did use that brand back then. I'll have to search some and see if I can find what they used to have.

[Bazoo]

It looks like it was rattlesnake lures. I found a few sparce pictures online of their 4" worm. You can see the salt in the bag.

 

 

Thanks everyone.

[ChrisD46]

Darn , you got me wanting to break out a split shot rig seeing those worms ! 

[Bazoo]

1 minute ago, ChrisD46 said:

Darn , you got me wanting to break out a split shot rig seeing those worms ! 

That's exactly how I'd be using them if I had a stash!

[WRB]

US Bait Co makes Screamers is custom colors…stash found!

Tom

[Bazoo]

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

US Bait Co makes Screamers is custom colors…stash found!

Tom

I searched for them, thank you. Whats the best way to purchase them? I didn't find a website. Didn't find a phone number. Found them on ebay though.

[WRB]

Frank Pasalich 858/395.0198

50 ea custom colors @ $15.

He also makes custom Reapers.

Tom

[Team9nine]

6 hours ago, Bazoo said:

It looks like it was rattlesnake lures. I found a few sparce pictures online of their 4" worm. You can see the salt in the bag.

 

 

Thanks everyone.

Would have never guessed those from your description. Rattlesnake was like a generic house brand at Wal-mart - or at least that was about the only place I ever recall seeing them. Glad you found them.

[GRiver]

8 hours ago, Team9nine said:

BPS also knocked off about every popular plastic, and they added heavy salt externally to a lot of their baits.

I was gonna to suggest BPS, I’ve still have some stick baits absolutely covered in salt.  

[Spankey]

14 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Sounds like a 4" Culprit? Again I don't remember them being heavily salted.

That was a great worm. Killer on River Smallies for me. But they became nonexistent for me many moons ago. The Zoom 4” CT is a good worm, I use it as a trailer on small SK buzzbaits. 
The old Culprit was not salted. 
Back a few years ago I found a company called Dry Creek. They are putting out a 4” very similar to the Culprit. I bought a good supply in case they went belly up. That Co. has some nice soft plastics for Smallies. 

[Bluebasser86]

The Mister Twister Poc It Phenom is a great little curl tail worm for any kind of finesse presentation. Not sure if they're made anymore but you can find them for sale in bulk for cheap.

https://www.vimageoutdoors.com/mister-twister-5-pocit-phenom-worm-50pk-melon-cpr/