Given certain situations, few baits are more effective at catching bass than a Speed Worm. The same way Rat-L-Trap has become synonymous with lipless crankbait and ChatterBait is interchangeable with vibrating jig, so is the case for the Zoom Speed Worm and this bait genre.
Lake Fork Lure Co. is the latest lure manufacturer to take a stab at this worm category with their Pro Speeder Worm. I took it out on the water to see how it performed, and here’s what I found.
First Look
The Pro Speeder Worm looks a lot like other Speed Worms, with the sharp cut tail at the end of a long cylindrical body. The bait measures six inches, comparable to many others.
But once you get into the material of the bait, you start to notice some differences. This bait is a little tougher than many similar worms, and it has salt and garlic cooked into the plastic.
Packaging
Lake Fork Lure Co. definitely elevated the packaging of this bait to an entirely different level. These worms come in a hard plastic clam-shell packaging inside of a high-quality resealable bag.
This is a big deal with this bait type, since all the action is in the tail. Some brands just toss their worms in a bag, which crimps the tails and messes up the action. This packaging guarantees that every bait will come out of the pack exactly as it left the mold.
On the Water
Speed Worms are often associated with fishing over and through shallow vegetation. While I do believe the Pro Speeder Worm’s durability makes it great for that, I didn’t have access to such a fishery in the dead of an Alabama winter. I did, however, have a rocky drop where I had been catching a few on a jig. So I rigged the Pro Speeder up on a shaky head and hit the water.
To allow the tail to do its thing, I tried reeling the bait right along the bottom instead of just dragging it like a typical shaky head, and was pretty pleased with the results. I caught three chunky spots in the first 20 minutes, and another small largemouth later on. I was concerned the bass would short strike the bait and just hit the tail, but two had the whole worm deep in their mouths.
The durability of this worm really impressed me. I caught the first three on a single worm, and only had to re-rig after another fish bit my tail off when I snatched. The durability of the bait is great, which I think will make it an excellent choice for fishing over vegetation.
But that toughness did require the bait to be moving a little faster for the tail to kick. I reeled this bait along the surface a few times to see how loud the tail would be if I were fishing it over vegetation, and it had a pretty impressive clap to it.
Final Thoughts
The Pro Speeder is a fine option if you’re looking for a durable Speed Worm that you can do a lot with. There will undoubtedly be some situations where a softer bait will be better. But if you’re looking for a bait that will run true every time and hold up to several bites, this is one to check out.
And, while I’m not really a big proponent of scent, I do believe the scent of a soft plastic bait like this can get the bass to take it a little better and hold it a little longer — which is supported by what I saw on the water. Considering you’re getting a well-packaged pack of baits that should last significantly longer, $7.99 for a 10-pack seems fair.
