Catch rate hard vs soft

[Munkin]

Looking at a lot of the questions on here it seems members have trouble with the catch rate of hard baits. It seems that day in and day out soft plastics work best which is true for me from late spring into fall. What I would like to add to members that get discouraged is that when the hard bait bite is on ITS ON. Of the days I have caught over 50 bass 19 out of 20 were on a hard bait. Just because that finesse bait has been working all summer does not mean it is the best thing to be throwing so keep your options open. Example a few years ago I was launching when two older gentlemen said I had better be using tubes or I should just go home? I caught 67 fish in 3 hours off one point and had to change out the jerkbait treble hooks twice. Fished a club tournament at the Lower Potomac and a guy told me to use finesses worms, my partner and I caught about 200 fish using a 1/2oz rattle trap type bait in 2 hours to the point we were both tired of reeling in fish. I say this because while soft plastics work most of the time don't overlook baits that can really produce.

 

Allen

[Bluebasser86]

I'm not sure what wire baits and skirted baits would be considered, but my catch rate varies a lot depending on weather and water conditions. Topwaters, jerkbaits, and traps account for a large number of my catch each year. 

[soflabasser]

Both hard and soft lures have their place and time they do best.

[LuffDaddy]

As a newer bass angler, I have to say that soft plastics seem to illicit more strikes. However, as a rookie, hard baits really help with confidence. I know that if a bass really hits my squarebill, 10:1 he's mine. Too many times I set the hook after the fish spit out my worm or craw. Growing pains I guess ?‍♂️

[burrows]

Soft plastics are acounted for the most fish but hard baits are a Necessity.

[Mobasser]

Like many, I catch the majority of my fish on plastic worms and jigs min some form or another. It does pay to be versatile, and hard baits have their place too.

[thinkingredneck]

I prefer soft plastics and jigs and hate treble hooks.  That being said, you have to find them and figure out what they will hit "in the moment."  Makes you feel like a genius when you catch a bunch, and like a dumb*** when they have lockjaw.  I really admire those Midwest finesse guys who have a system that they've mastered.  Or the California  Swimbait guys.

 

When I wanted to learn to use a new type of bait, I would go to a small lake and just take that one type of lure.

 

I think one of the big questions is whether it is better to master a single techique, or be a versitile angler.  I think I AM A JACK OF SEVERAL TRADES AND MASTER OF NONE, LOL.

[Dens228]

Last year I caught a ton of bass on soft baits, Senko style and crawfish.  This year I wanted bigger bass so utilized spinnerbaits, jigs, and cranks a lot more often.  I did catch fewer, but not by much, and they were much bigger. 

That being said, I caught a ton, and 8 over 20 inches, on jigs with soft trailers..........so I guess the best of both worlds!

I also caught one over 20 inches on a crank.  But my PB by far was last year on a 5 inch Senko.

[J Francho]

I will always catch more bass on hard baits.  Why?  Because I throw them more than other baits.

[fishballer06]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I will always catch more bass on hard baits.  Why?  Because I throw them more than other baits.

Ditto.

[scaleface]

I use to catch the vast majority of largemouths bass on soft plastics . The last half dozen years I've been having  more success on hard baits and dont know the reason why .

[TOXIC]

Gary Klein gave the answer to this question to me many years ago and I never forgot it.  "Once I find the fish, there are no less than 5 different lures I can catch them on".

 

Bottom line....Throw what you have confidence in.  

[Log Catcher]

I would rather be fishing hard baits. I have learned to quit being hard headed and switch to soft plastics or jigs when need be. I don't throw spinner baits a lot anymore. I feel like some places have been spinner baited to death and fish won't hit on them much anymore.

[JustJames]

It is also depend, as bank angler I feel that I would loose hardbait the same rate as I catch bass. The only exception is top water or sub surface lures. I also don't know how to find fish on my boat or kayak so deep diving is absolutely out. 

[Ksam1234]

My biggest days always come on hardbaits, the biggest numbers days have come on jerkbaits or spinnerbaits for me that is 50+ fish.. I guess third would be jigs .. idk what you would consider that. 

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, Ksam1234 said:

I guess third would be jigs .. idk what you would consider that.

I was just gonna ask this.  I mean, I put it in it's own category, since "jig" can mean so many things. 

[Munkin]

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

I will always catch more bass on hard baits.  Why?  Because I throw them more than other baits.

 

What I like to use and what the fish will bite are two different things usually. Spinnerbaits and swim jigs would be the only lures I would carry if I could get the fish to agree.

 

Allen

[J Francho]

I love spinnerbaits, too.  They're such a versatile bait.

[Bankbeater]

This year most of my bass have been caught on jigs, Senkos, and Lipless cranks.  Spinnerbaits, and crankbaits are producing, but not like in previous years.

[TOXIC]

Here's what I do....When I'm going on someone else's boat I just make a call as to where we will be fishing and what usually works and I have a travel bag with a selection of both hard and soft baits for the conditions I will be fishing in.  I know that if I am going to the Potomac for example, I won't be throwing a dropshot if the grass is up so I don't pack that gear rod/reel/baits/weights.  If the grass is gone like right now, I'll leave the frogs at home.  Of course if I take my boat I have it all.  

[Ratherbfishing]

It COMPLETELY depends upon when and where I'm fishing.  The last time I was out, I mostly fished submerged trees along a submerged ditch with plastic worms (with decent success) but I discovered that if, after thoroughly working a tree, I made several fan casts out with a Shad rap, I caught nearly as many that way.  Sometimes the fish there will chase and sometimes almost any movement is too much.  On cold front days, it's almost always soft plastics.

[Munkin]

On ‎10‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 9:04 AM, Ratherbfishing said:

It COMPLETELY depends upon when and where I'm fishing.  The last time I was out, I mostly fished submerged trees along a submerged ditch with plastic worms (with decent success) but I discovered that if, after thoroughly working a tree, I made several fan casts out with a Shad rap, I caught nearly as many that way.  Sometimes the fish there will chase and sometimes almost any movement is too much.  On cold front days, it's almost always soft plastics.

I find that in the fall there are feeding periods. They will wreck and spinnerbait for like 45 minutes then just stop so I then throw a senko. 

 

Allen

[smalljaw67]

I usually adjust between hard, oft, and wire baits based on the activity level of the fish in relation to the location. There are times when the way the fish are hitting a bait will dictate whether I use hard of soft. A good example is when I fish the river for smallmouths in summer, I will use a soft plastic jerkbait like a Zoom Super Fluke or a River Rock Jointed Jerkbait a lot of the time. However there are times when the fish want the bait moving really fast and they will not hit it on top, or they aren't eating it but slashing at it to kill I or stun it. When that happens a floating Smithwick Rogue or Rapala Original Floater works with hard fast jerks will out produce the fluke 5 to 1.