MANN'S JELLY WORM
Rediscovering A True Classic
When I think of the prototypical, classic soft plastic worm one of the first things that comes to my mind is the Jelly Worm from Mann's Bait Company. This was the first soft plastic I ever fished as a young boy. My grandpa loved them and so, in my mind, they must have been the best. At 8 years old I caught my PB, an 8lb 4oz Southeast Virginia bucket-mouth, on a grape Jelly Worm. It was in that moment that I became absolutely hooked on bass fishing, and I've been addicted to the sport ever since.
Sometime along the way, as more and more bait companies began producing newer, more modern looking soft plastics, I drifted away from the Jelly Worm. These days, if you're not looking for them specifically, you might not even know they're still around. Once readily available at any bait retailer, Mann's lures are now nearly impossible to find locally in some places; but by conducting an online search, you'll find that they're still available, and made just the way they always have been. I did just that a couple of weeks ago, and found an amazing deal on Amazon; a pack of 100 Scuppernong Jelly Worms for 17.00! I grabbed a pack and am looking forward to putting them to use all summer long.
BACKGROUND
The Jelly Worm has been catching massive bass for anglers of all skill levels for more than 60 years now. It's innovation set several precedents for the soft plastic lure market. It was the first scented lure ever to be introduced all the way back in 1956. It's easy to understand how, today, it holds the record for all time worm sales. In 2008, Paul Elias broke the B.A.S.S. all time world record bag weight using the 12" Jelly Worm; a whopping 132lbs 8oz.! The success of the Jelly Worm and of the anglers who have used it is undeniable.
THE DESIGN
Mann's still produces the Jelly Worm just as they did when it was released all those years ago. The Jelly Worm sports a time-honored, tapered, lifelike worm profile. It's body is slightly ribbed, and it's tail flattens out into an almost spade-like paddle. It's composed of extremely supple, yet durable, soft plastic that's impregnated with Mann's signature fruit jelly "flavor." The Jelly Worm comes in sizes ranging from the standard 6," to the massive 12" HardNose version, and can be found in numerous colors and "flavors." The HardNose feature on some versions assists in keeping the worm secured firmly on the hook.
RIGGING AND TECHNIQUE
"...The Jelly Worm is best suited to be fished on the Texas rig. The slender profile makes the bait ultra weedless allowing you to fish it in thick slop where other lures might not fair quite as well."
Like most soft plastic worms, the Jelly Worm can be fished using several different rigging methods. You can go with the tried and true Texas rig, the Carolina rig, the Neko rig, you could drop shot it, fish it on a shaky head, or even wacky rig it. Personally, I think the Jelly Worm is best suited to be fished on the Texas rig. The slender profile makes the bait ultra weedless allowing you to fish it in thick slop where other lures might not fair quite as well. Slowly bounce the lure up and down on the bottom to take full advantage of the Jelly Worm's lifelike action.
Some anglers may be intimidated to try the larger 12" version of the Jelly Worm. Don't be! 1lb-2lb fish have no problem eating the larger worms, and you know what they say; bigger baits equal bigger fish. You may not catch the numbers you would with the smaller 6"-9" worms, but the quality of your fish will surely increase. There's the idea that you need to rig the 12" differently to prevent short strikes, and that's simply not true. Typically a bass will strike the head of it's prey anyway. Just rig the larger worm as you would the standard size. If you do insist on rigging differently, Owner makes an 11/0 Oversized Worm Hook that's great to use with the 12" Jelly Worm. I don't advise using a stinger hook as demonstrated in some YouTube videos, as it increases the likelihood you'll gut hook the fish.
CONCLUSION
With so many companies producing soft plastic baits today, it's sometimes tough to decide what you should keep stocked in your tackle bag. The options are truly endless, and each company claims that their bait is the best, or the most innovative, or has this scent, or that amino acid. It can be mind boggling; but if you want a sure thing that's guaranteed to catch fish, the old classic Jelly Worm is the ticket! There's probably no other single soft plastic on the market that has more catches to it's name than the original Mann's Jelly Worm. Even after 60+ years, this is a 5 star lure that should be in every angler's tackle bag!
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