Curly Tail Worms

[LrgmouthShad]

For over a year, I have stored my soft plastics in bin containers. I have them separated by type of soft plastic. I have straight tail worms, curly tail worms, creatures, swimbaits, craws, grubs, trailers (such as chunks or split tail), spinnerbait materials, gambler soft plastics, senkos, other speed worm style worms, and most commonly used jig trailers. Out of all of these, the first to run out of space is curly tail worms. So I have to think this is my favorite/most commonly used soft plastic.

[detroit1]

Maybe someone borrowed some.

[MIbassyaker]

It's the lure you buy the most of, not your most commonly used. Otherwise you would have used them up at a higher rate as well, and not run out of space.

[GReb]

I have a speed bag that has nothing but curly tail worms, 4/0 hooks, and 1/8 oz weights and there are many days in the summer it’s the only thing I pull out of the box. 

[Jar11591]

Do ribbon tails count as curly tails? My favorite Texas-riggin bait in July. I have so many bags of Culprits. The ribbon tail is what my dad taught me how to fish with, and it’s been a mainstay in the tackle box ever since. 

[gulfcaptain]

Man, I wish I could go back to what I learned with and loved fishing a long time ago.....but they don't make those worms anymore.....no Mann's Manipulator, few other bait companies left,  the sidewinder worm from Bass Pro. I have started using Kalin's Lunker Grubs again , but not the same as they were in the late 80s early 90s.

[Catt]

Wasn't me, I don't even like worms

[Mobasser]

Mr. Twister Phenom is one of the best. Hard to go wrong.

[WRB]

9 hours ago, gulfcaptain said:

Man, I wish I could go back to what I learned with and loved fishing a long time ago.....but they don't make those worms anymore.....no Mann's Manipulator, few other bait companies left,  the sidewinder worm from Bass Pro. I have started using Kalin's Lunker Grubs again , but not the same as they were in the late 80s early 90s.

Being a SoCal bass angler you should remember Dick Trask and Flutter Craft curl tail worms and screamers ribbon ribbon tails. 
After search I located to guy who has the tooling Frank Pasalich , now living in Texas and selling under the US Bait Co 868/395.0198. I have no affiliation with Frank. Frank makes whatever custom colors you want at decent price. He also makes custom color reapers.

Tom

[TOXIC]

New favorite.  Yamamoto to the rescue.

[bowhunter63]

Culprit tequila shad rigged on weighted keel hook. They hammer it 

[WRB]

Guess we may need to define  curl tail worm vs a ribbon tail.

Curl tail is a short C shape tail.

Ribbon tails are longer about 1/3-1/2 the worm length and very thin ie; ribbon.

We now have speed tail worms  tight thicker curl tail.

The original Mr Twister Phenom was the 1st curl tail I recall.

Tom

 

[papajoe222]

On 9/5/2024 at 8:20 PM, LrgmouthShad said:

 So I have to think this is my favorite/most commonly used soft plastic.

There you go thinking again.

[Spankey]

I keep my soft plastics separated by manufacturer. I find this easier at the end of the season and during winter to know what I have to replenish for next year. I don’t discard the original package. If empty I put it back into storage container. If I was fishing a 4” curly tail RoboWorm but wanted to switch a 4.5” Dry Creek ribbon tail worm, they would not be together. I just grab the Dry Creek Outfitters container. Everyone has their own way of keeping organized. Example my 4” and 6” ct and st RoboWorms along with my Zipper RoboWorms are all in the same container. I find it easier. 
If you have a productive bait and use up quite a few of them you’ll have to keep a good mental note going on or hang a list on the fridge door and make a note there. 

[crypt]

a Culprit Fat Max is presently my favorite ribbon tail......and a Mister Twister is my favorite curl tail. if I had anymore Dittos Gatortails left that would be my go to worm. 

[WRB]

Zoom has a “G” tail worm only 6” size.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

I keep bags of zoom dead ringers in the pockets of all my pants and jackets……..

 

never know when you might need one 

[FishTank]

There is a time and place for ribbon tail worms but they haven't been my everyday go to like a Senko or a beaver style bait. 

 

My luck with curly tail worms.

[Choporoz]

On 9/5/2024 at 9:20 PM, LrgmouthShad said:

For over a year, I have stored my soft plastics in bin containers. I have them separated by type of soft plastic. I have straight tail worms, curly tail worms, creatures, swimbaits, craws, grubs, trailers (such as chunks or split tail), spinnerbait materials, gambler soft plastics, senkos, other speed worm style worms, and most commonly used jig trailers. Out of all of these, the first to run out of space is curly tail worms. So I have to think this is my favorite/most commonly used soft plastic.

That sounds pretty unscientific. 

Try this proven data-gathering method; put an empty coffee can by your washing machine.  When you (or your significant other, or mother, or...) find used plastics in the washer tub, put them in the coffee can and track the numbers that way.

[Pat Brown]

I definitely use them because I don't have any and I always put some in my bag at tackle warehouse.

 

They work really well pretty darn near 12 months a year down here and there's a curly/ribbon work for most situations.

 

In January when we fish - I may toss the Zoom Z2 or the regular size speed worm.  Both get bit in colder water and sometimes they don't want the jig 😎

 

My favorites overall are the Berkley Power Worm and the Zoom Mag UV Speed Worm at the moment but I have used and like them all.  

 

Don't tell - you can dropshot a big ribbon tail worm and it's like....pretty deadly.

 

 

[Catt]

There's something about that little tail that just produces bites.

 

 

[Mobasser]

10 minutes ago, Catt said:

There's something about that little tail that just produces bites.

 

 

Catt, I agree. I'm still using the Phenom in motor oil. It's been one of my favorites forever.

[Spankey]

Use to fish 4.5” ribbon tail religiously for river smallies. Then they dried up many moons ago. I basically moved on. Sure I thought they worked great but so do others. 
I stumbled across this manufacturer for tubes and low and behold he had 4.5” ribbon tails. Picked some up a few years ago and fish them in the mix nowadays. Dry Creek Outfitters to drop the name. I think the product is very good. Color selection is not huge though. I would recommend them.