Fishermen have used soft-bodied lures since 1860, when the first rubber worm was patented. But most of the early lures lacked the lifelike action of modern soft plastics because the material was relatively hard by today’s standards.
In 1949, an Ohio lure-maker began molding plastic worms from a new synthetic material, polyvinyl chloride resin.
Bass fishermen who tested these lures soon reported fantastic results. Because the worms were so soft, they flexed with each twitch of the line, resulting in an irresistible action.
The popularity of soft plastics has skyrocketed since those early years. Most tackle stores now offer a wide selection of soft plastic worms, grubs, crayfish, shrimp, frogs, snakes, lizards, salamanders, salmon eggs and insect imitations. Today, fishermen use soft plastic lures for virtually all species of gamefish.
Soft plastics offer several major advantages over hard-bodied lures. A hard-bodied artificial does not have a texture like real food, so fish may immediately recognize it as a fake and eject it. If you do not set the hook instantly, you will probably miss the fish. But a soft plastic has a lifelike texture, so fish will mouth it an instant longer, giving you extra time to set the hook.
Many soft plastics can be rigged with the hook point buried inside where it cannot catch on obstructions. This way, a soft plastic can be retrieved through dense weeds or brush, or over rocks and logs with practically no chance of snagging. Yet the point will penetrate the soft material when you set the hook.