BassBlaster

What Was the Carolina Chicken?

By (mostly Jay)

Posted on January 20, 2012

Anyone remember the Gene Larew Carolina Chicken? We’ve never heard of it here at the Parade HQ, apparently Gene Larew doesn’t make it anymore and no shots of it online.

Asking because we’re going over some FishingGold data, and a 5th-place finisher in a tourney used a Carolina Chicken. We need to classify it as some sort of bait type, so looking for help. Anyone?

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13 Comments

Scott Moore

January 20, 2012 at 12:37 pm

I remember the name but I don’t recall what the bait looked like. Good luck!

Reply
Brian

January 20, 2012 at 3:03 pm

If I was a bettin’ man, I’d say it is/was their version of a chiken-foot worm (plastic worm/creature bait). I’m guessing the ‘Carolina’ part was more a reference to ‘Carolina-rigged’. Pure speculation on my part there though.

And yes, I know how to spell chicken; except in this case, the original TM filing from 1985 (first use 9-17-83) going to the originator of the bait (Harville Mfg. of Henderson, TN) was spelled minus the “c” and with the hyphen. The trademark was canceled in 2005.

Several versions similar to the original were made including the “Salty Sensation”, made by T’s Bass Lures of Somerset, KY. They claimed first use date of 7-21-84, with their TM being issued 3-19-85. That TM was also canceled back in August of 1991.

Reply
- Brody Broderick
  
  January 20, 2012 at 3:36 pm
  
  Nice work Brian. I believe your correct. Here’s a picture of one. Looks like a chickens foot, hence the name.
  http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/209/worm.jpg/
  
  Reply
- admin (mostly Jay)
  
  January 20, 2012 at 3:47 pm
  
  So are we talking a creature bait or a worm?
  
  Reply
  - Tumblebug
    
    January 20, 2012 at 4:55 pm
    
    hybrid?
    
    Reply
  - Brian
    
    January 20, 2012 at 6:58 pm
    
    Plastic worm…
    
    It is a hybrid deal, more like a worm with larger lizard-type legs, but you need to consider the time period that this worm was produced. The term “creature baits” probably wasn’t even coined yet. Definitely sold as a plastic worm.
    
    Reply
Jojo Norwood.

January 22, 2012 at 9:50 am

I thought it was a “fluke” type bait w/ chicken feathers molded into the back….I thought Mike Wurm was on TV w/ it one time….

Reply
- Brody Broderick
  
  January 23, 2012 at 6:14 am
  
  Jojo, That one was called the Rooster that Wurm was using. used Rooster feathers
  
  Reply
Tim

January 22, 2012 at 9:06 pm

I believe that I still have some of the original “chicken foot”. It was rigged just like a plastic worm. It was very popular in our area in the late 80’s, early 90’s.

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Clark Reehm

January 23, 2012 at 9:55 am

It is funny that this topic came up because I was at the Skeeter Factory just last week talking about this very bait with Ben Jarrett,Skeeter’s National Sales Manager. He competed on the B.A.S.S. Trail in the 90’s and can recall every minute detail of every event from back in the day.

Reply
- admin (mostly Jay)
  
  January 23, 2012 at 10:05 am
  
  And…would you call it a worm or a creature? I’m leaning to worm….
  
  Reply
Brent Brody Broderick

February 13, 2012 at 7:38 pm

Found some real CHICKEN FOOT Worms, 6″ Stamped on the Tail Chicken Foot. Here’s a picture. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220953915028&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Reply
- admin (mostly Jay)
  
  February 14, 2012 at 4:49 pm
  
  Cool. Here’s the pic:
  
  Reply