Worms, Grubs and Tubes

[papajoe222]

Many an angler has started out with one of these three soft plastic baits progressing on to any (or all) of the vast offerings available. Most of the latter fill a specific need for something different, but many are just variations of worms, grubs, or tubes and that just proves how versatile those three are. My only fishing resolution for this upcoming season is to abandon all the new  comers, the stick baits, swim baits, craw worms, etc. and limit myself to those three. I’m confident that my catch numbers won’t decline and hopeful that the lack of tackle choices will not only simplify my decision making, but rekindle some of the pleasure derived from angling with artificial baits.   The only question that remains is: What do I do with the multitude of other soft plastics I’ve accumulated?.

[Bluebasser86]

I sold a lot of my stuff that was worth selling, donated a bunch to high school fishing teams that was still in good shape, but not anything worth selling. Pared my gear down a lot to stick with a few of my favorite colors and just a few companies where possible. Just came to the realization that I have so much in the boat, yet I fish the same handful of baits a vast majority of the time. Just made no sense to keep carrying all that extra for the "what if" situations in my head that may never happen. 

[Oregon Native]

Will have to agree with the above....this is going to be the year of more basics.  Just not enough hours in a day to fish everything in the boat.  I may save some bigger plastics for heading south but I'm sticking with a smaller selection and trying to fish that well.  I may even try to slow down more.....hmmmmm.....oh I hope not....only do that in winter!!

[Angry John]

Could not give up topwater.  That is the best in fishing imo.  I could give it all up but topwater.  Does this list include a swimming type worm to fish horizontal?  I dig simple because I fish oUT of a yak and don't bring more than a single 4 tray 3700 bag.  More choices does not mean better results so I dig your movement, I just constraint by volume of that bag.

[lo n slo]

9 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Many an angler has started out with one of these three soft plastic baits progressing on to any (or all) of the vast offerings available. Most of the latter fill a specific need for something different, but many are just variations of worms, grubs, or tubes and that just proves how versatile those three are. My only fishing resolution for this upcoming season is to abandon all the new  comers, the stick baits, swim baits, craw worms, etc. and limit myself to those three. I’m confident that my catch numbers won’t decline and hopeful that the lack of tackle choices will not only simplify my decision making, but rekindle some of the pleasure derived from angling with artificial baits.   The only question that remains is: What do I do with the multitude of other soft plastics I’ve accumulated?.

dibs on the lizards ?

 

seriously, i’m with you. give me three or four packs of worms, some bullets and hooks....and i’m as content as a man can be.

 

 

[LCG]

The struggle with the bait monkey is real 

 

I am a big fan of simplicity and efficiency. But then I see a new bait or technique and its down hill from there. 

[bassguytom]

I am trying to do this also. The Bait Monkey is at his strongest and most powerful in the wintertime. It gets so bad at times I need put on a blindfold and plug my ears until the urge passes. I said trying. 

[scaleface]

The past two  years I have fished worms almost exclusively when fishing soft plastics .

[Jdudley13]

I would need to delete social media for this to occur, see something cool and want to try it. I agree with your logic, but somehow after a night of a few drinks I have an email from tackle warehouse about my new shipment. 

[fishwizzard]

4 hours ago, Jdudley13 said:

I would need to delete social media for this to occur, see something cool and want to try it. I agree with your logic, but somehow after a night of a few drinks I have an email from tackle warehouse about my new shipment. 

I have looked around for a breathalyzer lock-out for my computer, but the market for that is very underserved.  

[Columbia Craw]

One of my former co-workers took up bass fishing a year ago.  He has a wife and four kids who LOVE to fish with him. We spent the day together this past Saturday and before he left I loaded him up with baits, not junk but stuff that catch fish.  I just haven't used any of it for some time. It was a blessing to see him excited about his new tackle options. It makes to sense to have viable tackle just hang on pegs or lay in bags. 

[Spankey]

I've went back to some basics over the last few seasons. Glad I did. Found that I wasn't fishing soft plastic like I use to. Worm, grubs, tubes, craws, and lizards. Soft plastics has always been my favorite was to fish. Over the years some of my nicest fish have come off a split tail grubs. 

 

Great post. Good luck. 

[thinkingredneck]

I fish from a yak.  Can only take a small amount at once.  I usually try to take something for each part of the water column.

[scaleface]

I guess over half the bass I have caught  have been on  Texas rigged soft plastics . A couple years back I accidentally left my soft plastics  at home . I searched through my gear and found a bag of black Fats Gizits  . I rigged them up on my casting worm rod and didnt miss a beat , casting and pitching them deep into shoreline cover .

[Spankey]

I have found over the last few years that my lack of not fishing a natural (shad color) worm has cost me some fish. Or maybe just under estimating their ability by not fishing them. Like most I was always ready to fish variations of pumpkin, black, green pumpkin, watermelon, oxblood..... Lack of rain, rains not staining my waters as heavy keeping the river clearer pushed me to fish a lighter more baitfish color worm. I'm glad I reached out to that. Not sure what this season will bring. Found them to be very productive in clearer lower water level conditions in the fall. 

[Jaderose]

I could go out with one frog and rod, one spinner bait and rod, and one pack of white and one pack of Grn Pumpkin Senko's (spinning rod) and cover 98% of the fishing I currently do.  The rest (and I mean ALL the rest) is just for the rare times none of the above is working.

[Scott F]

On 1/27/2018 at 10:55 PM, papajoe222 said:

Many an angler has started out with one of these three soft plastic baits progressing on to any (or all) of the vast offerings available. Most of the latter fill a specific need for something different, but many are just variations of worms, grubs, or tubes and that just proves how versatile those three are. My only fishing resolution for this upcoming season is to abandon all the new  comers, the stick baits, swim baits, craw worms, etc. and limit myself to those three. I’m confident that my catch numbers won’t decline and hopeful that the lack of tackle choices will not only simplify my decision making, but rekindle some of the pleasure derived from angling with artificial baits.   The only question that remains is: What do I do with the multitude of other soft plastics I’ve accumulated?.

You can use the same 3 styles of plastics for a year but after a while, you will start looking for something else on those days when you get bored and want to try another bait. You will rediscover those that you put away. If you gave them away or sold them for peanuts, you won't be happy when you have to purchase them again for twice what you paid for them the first time.

[TOXIC]

Yes and no.  It's nice to get back to basics but you can't forget what you already know.    Then the "what if's" start.  There's never going to be 1, 2, 3 or 10 baits that work all the time.  If a pro has a bad day on the water what do they say the reason was 99% of the time>>>>>>I didn't adapt to changing conditions.  You have to be willing to adapt even in the bait department. Granted you can eliminate a lot of different baits in the same groups but you can't eliminate the whole group without losing opportunity.  

[Dirtyeggroll]

On 1/27/2018 at 10:55 PM, papajoe222 said:

The only question that remains is: What do I do with the multitude of other soft plastics I’ve accumulated?.

I will gladly take as much of it off of your hands as you are willing to part. 

 

In addition to having recently reignited my passion for fishing. I am trying to ignite that passion in one of my best friends.

[Hillbilly Bennett]

I have went through this transformation and then went back again! I had accumulated tons of different various plastics and Lures and decided to simplify things. Once I did I was still able to catch fish but not as many. I was seriously limited by my not being able to adapt Where I had pigeon holed myself to only fishing a few different things. I love to worm fish but there are days that a creature bait will out do a worm 10 to one and it was those days that led me to restock my boat with everything I had gotten rid of. I always start out with my tried and true, basic, go to Lures but I have found that if the fish aren’t really biting those Lures I need to change until I find what they will bite and that is impossible if I don’t have it in the boat. Sometimes I end up spending a fortune buying a few Lures that don’t produce for me (Cough! Jackall Pompadour! Cough!) but more often than not I can find something different that will put more fish in the boat.