When it comes to the most successful of freshwater lures, soft plastic worms would have to win hands down.
Out of all the types of freshwater baits and lures that are out there, there yet has been a freshwater bait that has come close to the overall success of the humble worm.
Though the question many freshwater fishermen both young and old often ask is what soft plastic worm is a clear winner when fishing for largemouth bass and other highly sought after freshwater species.
Of course to keep things in true perspective it's worth pointing out that there are some worms that clearly work better in specific areas and conditions and it's always best to experiment to see what works for you in your area and specific situation.
Although the question remains as to whether there is one plastic worm which clearly outperforms all other freshwater lures when it comes to largemouth bass fishing.
So I set about asking this very question from my fellow anglers wherever I could find them and after countless hours on the internet surfing freshwater fishing forums, at my favourite fishing ponds talking to the locals and over many beers with friends I was able to put together a definitive list of some of the best soft plastic worms available on the market today.
Top ten soft plastic worms for largemouth bass fishing
- Yamamoto Senko
- Zoom Finesse Worm
- Gene Larew Sinking Slugger
- Zoom Trick Worm
- Yamamoto Single or Double Tail Hula Grub
- Zoom Super Fluke
- Zoom Brush Hog
- Strike King Coffee Tube
- Bass Assassin Shad Assassin
- Berkley Power Bait Original Power Worm
So what makes a great soft plastic worm?
Well versatility is paramount, with a worm you really want to attract strikes in a wide variety of situations and conditions which is why the Senko Worm wins in all our testing, hands down!
Its the one worm you can be confident knowing if you're not getting any bites using it, either the fish aren't there to be caught or they're too busy watching Oprah and they will look for a meal when their good and bloody ready!
The Zoom Finesse worm is a great worm in its own right, but just lacked the overall versatility of the Senko. In our opinion the Zoom is a more specialised worm typically suited to colder water or when largemouth are a bit finicky or have bedded down.
'The perfect worm for Largemouth who are busy watching Oprah!'
The Gene Larew Sinking Slugger is our dark horse favourite and lesser known soft plastic worm, once again this is a more specialised worm best used for fishing deep water although you can still expect to get a healthy number of strikes on the 'fall' with this worm.
So there you have it, my definitive list of the best soft plastic worms on the market.
Though best not to take my word for it, much better to get out there and test some of them out for yourself!
John Salamon, has a wealth of knowledge to share when it comes to largemouth bass fishing and fishing with soft plastic worms.
For other great article and freshwater fishing tips visit the Freshwater Lures site.
