I was at "Wally World" today and picked up several of those School Bus (Checken Scratch?) Bombers. The pattern is so unique, and I've seen it on some of the plugs posted on the site here and was wandering about it's history. I just assume it predates the plastic version that is found in the stores today.

check out "reading the water" by bob post-some of the old timers would re-paint their rebels yellow-I'd hafta say that is the start of the chicken scratch paint job

My opinion is that the chicken scratch came into being to imitate "pogies" ie: Menhaden. This past October there was a small school of very large menhaden trapped at the mouth of Narrow River. 3 of us caught 25 or 30 big bass (15 to 35 pounds) on yellow swimmers including the chicken scratch coloring. After awhile we started trying different colors and never stuck a fish. When we went bac k to yellow or the chicken scratch pattern we hooked up on every cast.:)

Piemma
Had the same experience several years ago during a blitz when just about anything peanut looking catches. YELLOW chicken scratch STILLWATER was the only thing they hit. Go figure!