Happy Birthday Plastic Worm by Tom Keer originally printed in USA Today Hunt & Fish

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HAPPYBIRTHDAY,

BY TOM KEER

Celebrating 65 years, t h e p l a s t i cw o r m h a s been crafted in many colors, flavors and s t y l e s .T o f i n d t h e r i g h t one for your fishing e x c u r s { o n q, o t o cremelure.com

136 HUNT& FISHI SUt\,4lMER/FALL 2014

his year, one of the go-to lures of all time is eligible to collect Social Security. Many anglers have been loyal fans since its start, and as the plastic worm ceiebrates its 65th birthday, we raise our rods to cheer and say Happy Birthday, PlasticWorm!

Since the day the plastic worm was cast into the fichino scene,it has been a tackle box necessity among recreational and competitive anglers. Like a fine wine, the plastic worm has improved with age.Passingthe half-century mark was just a warrn-up; that milestone served as the launch pad for a soft plastic revolution that expands every year. For such a powerhouse, this lure has humble beginnings.

Angling historians are a bit vague on the actual beginning of the worm, but the majority agreesit got its start in an Akron, Ohio, basement. Nick and Cosma Creme cooked up a home brew of vinyl, oil and pigment that they poured into a mold created from a live nightcrawler.

Their version looked real, was soft and felt alive. Even better, the oils they added to the mix kept the lure from drying out in the elements.

They named their original product the Crdme Wiggle Worm and sold the first ones in 1949.They sold 9,600packs (48,000worms) at the Cleveland Sportsman's Show in a few days, and the Creme family's hobby turned into an overnight business. They were off and ... wriggling.

Nick Creme expanded his reach by creating new rigging techniques that commemorated the states where his lures were used. Now' Texasrigged or Carolina-riggedworms are as common as sunburn. Creme was the first lure manufacturer to set up a network of field staff and professional anglers to promote his lures, a trend we still see today.

The 1960ssaw worms that smelled like fruit; the 1980sbrought worms flavored with sugar,chocolate and Coca-Cola.Other variations have included curled tails, hard noses,softbodies and injected air.The more things change,the more they stay the same.When you pull out a plastic worm this year, be sure to say happy birthday to an old friend!

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