My Updated Game Plan for This Season

[papajoe222]

After loading about half of my Plano boxes into my boat's lockers, I came to the conclusion that I have and use so many hard baits that I'm missing out of the awesome performance of soft plastic baits because I don't throw them anywhere near as often as the hard baits.  Even under cold front conditions, I reach for the hardware before 'resorting' to soft plastics.

Just so you know, I normally carry about 40lbs. of soft plastics in my boat, so it isn't like having an assortment is the reason. I just love throwing the hard stuff. I also don't catagorize a jig and trailer as a soft plastic bait (I don't consider a buzzbait as a top water 'Lure' either, but that's just the way my mind works), or that percentage would be a lot closer to 50/50.

So the change in my game plan is to only take one tackle box of hard baits in the boat for a few outings and see if I don't enjoy catching fish with soft plastics as much. Probably not, but I have a feeling my catch numbers are going to go up.......

At least for those few outings. 

So am I the only one that is so dependent on hard baits that they neglect the soft plastics, or the other way around?

[Bird]

I'm the other way around. LoL

If you're referring to hard baits as something with a lip then mine stay dry other than Jerkbaits.

 

I love moving baits " Spinnerbaits, underspins and swim jigs, they cover water and attract feeding fish but something about working cover in slow motion with soft plastics that I find appealing.

 

Some evenings I'll pull several rods from the rod locker and load up with speed craws, brush hogs, senkos and Roboworms.

I guess it's a mood thing and some days I'm in the mood to slow down.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

No wrong way to catch them as long as it suits you needs.

 

I was mentored as a 90% T-Rig/Jig/Shakey Head fisherman, my first decade and half was spent on the bottom.   The other 10% was Jerkbait for the most part.  

 

I started back in July of last year in terms of diehard time on water, and for the first month I was still dragging bottom contact stuff.   Then I started fishing a Chatterbait, and for the last 6 months I throw moving baits 99% of the time.     I know I'm leaving meat on the table somedays for sure.   Who's to say if I would catch more big fish on slow presented bottom contact stuff, but according to a recent breakdown of winning baits in major tourneys in Jay Kumar's newsletter, moving baits + power fishing accounted for more wins than non moving bait + finesse approaches.  I think it was like a 60/40 split.  Not a huge margin, but enough to notice.   

 

Having success on the Chatterbait made me think what else could I get them to eat that is vastly more exciting than dragging stuff which led me to big swimbaits, A-rigs, Blade baits, and tail spinners, all of which have been a revelation in terms of average size fish, and overall excitement while fishing them. 

 

I'm also constantly moving looking for active fish, I seldom slow down to bank beat until I catch a fish.    Everything I listed above would never make me a good derby angler, or even a good Bass angler in general, but it's the way I want to catch them, and the way I can endure going hours without catching a fish.   

 

T Rig will come back out this summer at night, but I'm okay not catching bottom contact only fish at this point in my journey.   When I get a better boat with a casting deck and foot control TM, I'll start fishing them a ton more I'm sure.   

 

Good thread, I think about this often....."how many quality fish/big fish am I leaving on the table being a power/moving bait only fisherman currently".   

[thediscochef]

1 hour ago, papajoe222 said:

 So am I the only one that is so dependent on hard baits that they neglect the soft plastics, or the other way around?

I'm in this camp for sure...I caught a solid 10 different 5+lb fish on a lipless crankbait last year, several 3.5s and a 7-10 on a jerkbait and I sort of forgot that plastic existed for a while. This year I can't buy a bite on hard baits, my fish are all on chatterbaits, lizards, or flukes. I think I have one or two on a lipless, and maybe one on a jerkbait. Guess I picked the right year to be my Year of the Lizard...

[Mike L]

I’m also the other way around

Ii’s just that’s what I have the most confidence and experience doing. 
 

I’ll throw a jerk or trap once in a while but everything has to set up perfectly for it. 
 

The last year I qualified for the BFL Regional Championship I was totally out of my element as my 2 boaters we’re having success on shear bluffs with deep diving cranks and jigs while I had to rethink everything. 
Did ok but felt totally lost the entire time. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

[A-Jay]

11 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

 

So the change in my game plan is to only take one tackle box of hard baits in the boat for a few outings and see if I don't enjoy catching fish with soft plastics as much. Probably not, but I have a feeling my catch numbers are going to go up.......

At least for those few outings. 

So am I the only one that is so dependent on hard baits that they neglect the soft plastics, or the other way around?

Seems it changes a bit from season to season for me.

Still prefer to chunk & wind, so I'm rarely fishing a Texas rigged anything any more.

If you're targeting LMB, adding in more soft plastics to your fishing seems like a solid plan.

Especially since you'll have a chance to present your bait far deeper into the cover your fishing

than you'd often be able to do effectively with a hard bait.

Might mean more big bass.

I'll often refer to this as a refresher . . 

https://youtu.be/maYOGh4-eP4?t=26

Good Luck

A-Jay

[gim]

I reach for a "hard bait" first almost every single time I go fishing.  The tackle in my boat is probably split pretty close to 50-50 so I carry an equal amount of both.  I just prefer to chuck and wind.  Its very likely a result of also being a muskie angler.  Its simply how I prefer to fish.

 

That being said, it doesn't take me long to switch to a slower, more finesse presentation either.  I'm not one of those stubborn anglers that tosses 1 or 2 lures for 6 hours hell bent on producing a bite.  If its not working, move on.  In summer, I generally try to target rainy/cloudy days that are associated with low pressure, and this generally produces fish with a more aggressive approach aka "hard baits."  So the conditions I'm often fishing in are closely associated with how I prefer to fish.

[Fishin Dad]

I am just not a big fan of treble hook lures.   We have a lot of vegetation around here, not a fan of bass throwing hooks, and handling fish with 6 ouches trying to get me is not my favorite.   With that being said, I have been playing with cranks more and have had some success in the right situation.   I am also not very experienced with them.  
I am addicted to jigs and they probably account for 50% of my fishing.   I will also throw a Texas rig in heavy weeds and stick baits or finesse worms in many situations.   
Therefore, since I have soft plastics on my jigs as well as most other techniques, I would say soft plastics make up 85% of my fishing.  
I should probably be the opposite of @papajoe222 and try throwing more hard baits this year!!

[Bankbeater]

Most years from ice out until mid-April or early May I will be fishing with hard baits maybe 80% of the time.  I've noticed over the years that sometimes after the spawn is over the bite changes big time.  The bass want bottom contact baits, and will not touch anything moving through the water column.

[Columbia Craw]

I only fish lures with hooks.

[DitchPanda]

I'm honestly almost 50\50