Soft Plastics That Don’t Work

[BassDad714]

We have all read the articles that list which soft plastics are best for catching bass.   My question is which ones have you tried that have been the worst at catching bass or any other fish in general.   Not trying to call out any certain companies just curious what stuff has been tried that hasn’t worked for everyone. 

[Ratherbfishing]

Some products within certain companies can be great while others, not so much.  My biggest issues have been with soft plastics which are too thick or the plastic is too hard/stiff.  Conversely, certain plastics tear too easily or refuse to hold a hook securely in place.  

[Mobasser]

Soft plastics are my favourite types of lures, and I'm sure many here on BR would say the same. Some may work better for any number of reasons, color, shape, bait type, etc,. But all will and can be good.  In forty years of bass fishing, a simple plastic worm has caught me more bass than all other bait styles combined. I've used many styles and brands over the years. Some of the best were Manns, Culprit, Zoom, and Ditto. But, the little Lucky Strike worms from Wal Mart also work too. Try a few different brands or styles. You really don't need a huge amount. Good Luck!

[Fishes in trees]

When I throw a soft plastic bait and it doesn't work, I think that is an easy out to blame the plastic.  I think that it is more likely operator error in placing that bait where it might work.

 

I have a whole wall of never used/ seldom used soft plastic.   It isn't because they don't work, more likely I have a tackle buying addiction and over the years I've collected a bunch of soft plastic.  I tell. myself that it is ok because it is good to have options.

[Jig Man]

For me Biffle bug.

[scaleface]

The only ones I dont like are the ones that are too hard .

[E-rude dude]

Only the ones that won’t stay on a hook or tear to easily. Not sure that’s the baits fault though. More like improper rotation at the bait shop. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

1 hour ago, Jig Man said:

For me Biffle bug

Its the complete opposite for me, I smash em on BBs.  

[TOXIC]

More often than not it’s more of the style of plastic vs the plastic itself.  For me it’s tubes.  I probably have 500 tube baits in different colors but I always seem to go with other baits.  Make no mistake, tubes work fantastically but other styles fit me better and do just as well and I’ve caught a lot of fish on tubes.  

[Gorris317]

I have never had luck using anything from BioSpawn. People rave about them but I yet to catch a fish or get a bite using one of their lures. 

[Bubba 460]

42 minutes ago, Gorris317 said:

I have never had luck using anything from BioSpawn. People rave about them but I yet to catch a fish or get a bite using one of their lures. 

 

 I beg to differ ~ I have not used all of BioSpawn offerings but this one dang sure works...

[jbrew73]

I don’t think there is a plastic lure that doesn’t work, there are only the ones that you don’t have confidence in.

   I don’t think I ever got a bite on one of the most popular craw type baits on this forum.  No confidence = none in my boat.    Is it the baits fault?  No way, it is obviously the guy chucking them that is to blame. 

[islandbass]

All I can add is that if certain plastics haven’t worked for you, don’t give up them just yet.  It just means that the right conditions just haven’t been met. 
 

sometimes the color of the plastic can be what gets their interest. 
 

just a personal example. The 5” senko and yum dinger. For years I couldn’t buy a strike. From 2007 to about 2019. Well, I wrote them off. I was using 222, white ones, black with the white glitter, and the green ones with red peppering. 
 

Enter 2019. I decide give senkos another try. I went with baby bass. I couldn’t keep them off. I try those previous colors and no hits. So the bass in my waters will gladly take baby bass color and green with blue flake and in water 10’ or less. Weird. I am reasonably optimistic that the other colors would work, but I have yet to find the right time, and water conditions where they might be willing to take those other colors. 

 

Got my first bass with a 3” dinger just this season a few weeks ago. I also cracked it getting my first brush hog bass. This one doesn’t count but I got my first on a paca craw. It was my first using it so that’s why it doesn’t count. Things are looking good right now for me with regard to plastics, lol. 
 

To the topic, I think the regular zoom fluke is on the list of plastics for which I’ve yet to get a strike. Fortunately, I am feeling confident that if I go continue to do what I’ve been doing, I’ll get it on the fluke too. 
 

 

[Cgolf]

Senko or a generic version. Unless they are cut in half and fished as a Ned bait I have no idea how everyone catches fish with them. I am guessing I don’t have the patience to fish one. 

[Kyle S]

I feel that what works best in your fishery needs to also be taken into consideration. For example, I almost exclusively fished the pamunkey river last year. I felt like getting them to bite something over 4" long was impossible. Fast forward to this year and switching fisheries, i'm catching them on much larger baits even top water lures. Love me some soft plastics!

[BrianMDTX]

I’m never going to write off any soft plastics!

 

Last year, someone posted a thread about what bait were you giving up on. I mentioned it was likely a Fat IKA, as I had yet to get a strike on one. So far this year it’s one of my top producers lol. Glad I stuck with it!

[ike8120]

One soft plastic may work for some while it may not work for others. Basically is what the fish are looking for. My go to plastic this year is the lugworm or ocho. Rigged tail weighted. Last year it was the NED.

[scaleface]

Right now I have reached the point where if I'm fishing in thick , hairy brush I have trouble with long worms , craws , lizards , hula grubs , baby brush hogs ... I keep setting hooks on phantom fish and end up hung deep in the brush and have to break off . I dont know if  they are small bass , bluegill or crappie . They dont get the long worms in their mouths or they  grab any little leg , tentacle or other prtoburence  .  Yum Dingers , senkos and other same style worms have been less of a problem from those ghost fish .

[Bluebasser86]

Biffle Bug and Fat Ika. I can count on one hand the number of fish I've caught on those 2 baits and it's not for lack of trying. 

[BrianMDTX]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Biffle Bug and Fat Ika. I can count on one hand the number of fish I've caught on those 2 baits and it's not for lack of trying. 

Have you rigged the Fat IKA both ways? I started with tentacles to the rear, but switched to tentacles front. My bite ratio is about 3:1 front vs rear. 

[Bluebasser86]

16 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

Have you rigged the Fat IKA both ways? I started with tentacles to the rear, but switched to tentacles front. My bite ratio is about 3:1 front vs rear. 

Yes, it has not mattered either way and I no longer own any nor do I have any intentions to in the future. 

[FishTank]

On 6/19/2021 at 12:57 PM, Gorris317 said:

I have never had luck using anything from BioSpawn. People rave about them but I yet to catch a fish or get a bite using one of their lures. 

 

I have had no luck with their Senko style bait but their fineness worm and ribbon tail are killer.

 

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Biffle Bug and Fat Ika. I can count on one hand the number of fish I've caught on those 2 baits and it's not for lack of trying. 

 

Killed it on the Fat Ika this weekend on two different lakes.   I caught 6 keepers on one lake and 3 on another and few small ones.  I went through all I had.

 

The one soft plastic that has given me head ache is the Ned rig.  It works in clearish water but stained, no luck and it is a snag magnet on most of the lakes I fish.  I loose at least two each time I use this technique.  It can catch fish but the constant snags are sometimes not worth it. 

 

[webertime]

Never caught a fish ned rigging.  But put a light football jighead with a small Bellows Gill on and fish the same way and I smash them.  

[Ben77]

I tend to stay away from hard plastic unscented baits. I do way better on softer scented baits so that's what I stick with.