My Soft Plastics Arsenal (Any Holes You Think I Should Fill?)

[NorthernBasser]

So I was sick as a dog today. Was really hoping to get out and fish, but that wasn't happening. After being bored watching TV most of the day, I just had to get out and do something fishing-related. So I decided to go through all my soft plastics and write down what have. I didn't do how many bags or color of each, or I would've been out past midnight. ?

 

I realize I have way more than I need. I love trying out new baits. And sadly, there are a lot of baits that go unfished because I either forget about them or I just have other favorites. I really should downsize at some point. I do give a bunch away to friends/kids from time to time. 

 

Anyways, is there a favorite soft plastic that you use that you love and don't see on my list? I realize most aren't gonna go through and read all of this, and I totally get it. I could save a lot of space and type them all out, but that'd take me forevvver since I'm not a speedy typer. More than anything I did this out of boredom. But if you do and have any suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bass Rutten]

Sorry, but the bait monkey will require that to be re-submitted in spreadsheet form.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I mean that's pretty good for starting out in the game ?

[T-Billy]

 

[paulmandude]

Wow I bet that took some time as it is!

 

What I like to carry on my boat is a dark color and natural color of a soft plastic in the major categories:

 

Action craw

dead action craw

beaver (4”, 3”)

action beaver

creature baits
finesse worm

curl tail worm (4”, 7”, 10”)

Senko (4”, 5”)

Grubs (single, double, hula)

Swimbaits

jerkbaits

Drop shot baits

tubes

toads

 

 

[Bankbeater]

Good selection of baits!

[webertime]

No zoom speedcraws???!!!!!

[WRB]

Didn’t see a selection of hand pours, a few Roboworms.

My last few outings all the bass caught on;

Yamamoto 5” Senko GP 301

Flutter Craft 4” Reaper, Smoke S&P pearl blue in lieu of Don Iovino reapers*

Jackall 4.8 Flick Shake worm watermelon candy.

Fishlab natural nymph, GP Charteuse.

Roboworm MMIII 6”.

Uptons Customs** 6” Purple Thunder.

Few made your list.

Tom

* Iovino no longer makes soft plastics.

** Upton is direct order.

[optimator]

Dude, no ProductoLure Tournament worms?

[Tackleholic]

Your addiction is hopeless, so is mine.

[WRB]

Over 200 different soft plastics is insanity can’t remember what you have or when or where to use them.

You are not a touring pro needing everything known to man for every regional location.

It’s beyond time to what you haven’t used in the past 2 years.

Target goal is the dirty dozen that work for you!

Tom

[Wildbillb]

Hula grubs

[PhishLI]

13 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

do and have any suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks! 

Do you have any interest in discreet soft plastic swimmers? Even compact types? Where I fish, there are times when they're interested in nothing else in my rotation, and I run through a pretty wide progression of bait types once I've located bait and camp on a spot. Some of my best sessions have come on these baits. I can't imagine not testing a zone with them before moving on.

[paulmandude]

13 hours ago, webertime said:

No zoom speedcraws???!!!!!

First page, bottom

[NorthernBasser]

On 5/19/2023 at 6:37 PM, webertime said:

No zoom speedcraws???!!!!!

 

It's on there. But truth be told, I never fell in love with them like everyone else has. I don't know why.

 

On 5/19/2023 at 6:59 PM, optimator said:

Dude, no ProductoLure Tournament worms?

 

Hmm, never heard of them but I'll definitely look them up. Thanks.

 

22 hours ago, WRB said:

Over 200 different soft plastics is insanity can’t remember what you have or when or where to use them.

You are not a touring pro needing everything known to man for every regional location.

It’s beyond time to what you haven’t used in the past 2 years.

Target goal is the dirty dozen that work for you!

Tom

 

You're are 100% right. It's gotten out of hand, for sure. I know I have bags that are over 5 years old that have never been opened. Like I said, I do give stuff away to friends and when I see young kids out fishing. So as long as I keep doing that and stop buying...

 

14 hours ago, Wildbillb said:

Hula grubs

 

They're on there. I have them under creature baits. Suppose I should've put them under 'grubs'.

 

13 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Do you have any interest in discreet soft plastic swimmers? Even compact types? 

 

Are you talking about stuff like the Easy Shiner or the Swing Impact (non fat version). I do have a fair share of different swimbaits. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

 

It's on there. But truth be told, I never fell in love with them like everyone else has. I don't know why.

 

 

Hmm, never heard of them but I'll definitely look them up. Thanks.

 

 

You're are 100% right. It's gotten out of hand, for sure. I know I have bags that are over 5 years old that have never been opened. Like I said, I do give stuff away to friends and when I see young kids out fishing. So as long as I keep doing that and stop buying...

 

 

They're on there. I have them under creature baits. Suppose I should've put them under 'grubs'.

 

 

Are you talking about stuff like the Easy Shiner or the Swing Impact (non fat version). I do have a fair share of different swimbaits. 

Brother it's America, I'm sure you work hard, and honestly for your money.......so if buying tackle til the monkey says uncle makes you happy, then dismiss anybody who doesn't like it.   

 

I'd be smiling ear to ear for months if not years on end with your tackle collection, the fun of buying it, the fun of tweaking things, always looking for the better mousetrap, and ultimately my experience has shown that presenting new baits on pressured southern fisheries is the deal.  

 

[WRB]

WhenI sold most of my stuff shipped 42 lbs of soft plastics to 1 person so I know how this happens.

Tom

[Fishin Dad]

Wow, that is a lot!!   I get into a bind while finding gear on sale, I often buy just because it is a great deal.  I end up with way more than I can process or choose what to use or bring in the boat.  My tournament partner only buys what he he likes and uses most.  
As I watch the pros in tournaments, it doesn’t seem much to matter what “brand” they throw, they all catch fish.  This is helping me try to cut back on buying more.   

 

But, just when that happens, I see or read something that tells me I HAVE to try it.   

It is a never ending battle.  I am going to keep fighting and trying to figure it out. 
 

Good luck in your battle!!   I definitely don’t think you have anything “Missing”!!!!

??
 

[optimator]

I’m in the same boat, tons of stuff I’ve never used. That reminds me, I need some Hellgrammites…

[scaleface]

I gave away two grocery sacks last year and still have too much . I've been randomly reaching in this cardboard box, grab a pack then rig one up so at least I'll think about throwing it . Right now the selected random bait tied on is an old Riverside swim-bait, black with chartreuse tail, rigged on a jig head . Had this bag for thirty years and havent thrown one yet .

[WRB]

1 hour ago, optimator said:

I’m in the same boat, tons of stuff I’ve never used. That reminds me, I need some Hellgrammites…

Fishlab natural nymphs are crazy good.

Tom

[Cbump]

Was this actually a question or just a way to show off how many plastics you have? 
 

You have more than my local tackle store so not many holes. Probably more than my local academy. 

[NorthernBasser]

34 minutes ago, Cbump said:

Was this actually a question or just a way to show off how many plastics you have? 
 

You have more than my local tackle store so not many holes. Probably more than my local academy. 

Definitely a question. I don't think tackle is something to show off over, is it? If anything having so much stuff is embarrassing, actually.

 

I asked because I do enjoy trying new stuff. Which is probably how I got to this point in the first place.

2 hours ago, Fishin Dad said:

Wow, that is a lot!!   I get into a bind while finding gear on sale, I often buy just because it is a great deal.  I end up with way more than I can process or choose what to use or bring in the boat.  My tournament partner only buys what he he likes and uses most.  
As I watch the pros in tournaments, it doesn’t seem much to matter what “brand” they throw, they all catch fish.  This is helping me try to cut back on buying more.   

 

But, just when that happens, I see or read something that tells me I HAVE to try it.   

It is a never ending battle.  I am going to keep fighting and trying to figure it out. 
 

Good luck in your battle!!   I definitely don’t think you have anything “Missing”!!!!

??
 

You sound a lot like me! ?

11 hours ago, WRB said:

WhenI sold most of my stuff shipped 42 lbs of soft plastics to 1 person so I know how this happens.

Tom

Well then, you're an enabler. ?

11 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Brother it's America, I'm sure you work hard, and honestly for your money.......so if buying tackle til the monkey says uncle makes you happy, then dismiss anybody who doesn't like it.   

 

I'd be smiling ear to ear for months if not years on end with your tackle collection, the fun of buying it, the fun of tweaking things, always looking for the better mousetrap, and ultimately my experience has shown that presenting new baits on pressured southern fisheries is the deal.  

 

Thanks bub. I do enjoy it. Big time. But I really should be downsizing.

[fin]

On 5/19/2023 at 6:41 PM, NorthernBasser said:

I could save a lot of space and type them all out, but that'd take me forevvver since I'm not a speedy typer.

 

If you or someone you know has a Mac, you can open those images in the Preview app, place your cursor over the first letter on the page and wait for it to turn into text-selection cursor, then highlight all the text on the page, then copy. Create a new TextEdit document and paste.

 

That will get you all the text, but there will be lots of errors and it will be unformatted.

 

Example:

 

BerKley
Chigger craw
3%
, 4"
Net Bait
Paca
ChunK
tiny , regular ,
senior
Strike
King
Rage Bug
regulare
Mid -size, MagAnN
Reaction
Innavations
Spicy
Beaver
BerKley
Pit BOSS
3"
4°
15"
strike King
Rage Menace
naby
- regular
Missile Baits
D
Bomb
baby, regular
ath
Sense
Prawn
4.2"
Jackall Archelon
Bruiser
Bats crazy
craw
2-Man
Hella Crawz
Net Bait
Paca
Slim
3.5"
Z-Man
Punch
Crawz
Reaction
Innovations
Sweet Beavel
3.5
4.2"
x Zone
Muscle
Back Craw
-
3.26", 4"
X Zone Adrenaline CrAN
3.5", 4.25"
Reaction Innovations
Kinky
Beavel
X Zone Punisher Punch Craw
Chompers
Twin Tail
Skirted Grubs
S
Yum
Bad
Mamma
200M
Z Craw
regular
junior
Berkley
Power
chunk
Vananoto
Hula Grab
4", 5.
LooN
Super Chunnk
ZoON
Big
Sally Chunk
-
-junior e regular
suall,
big
Gambler
stinger
4.25"
5.25
Gambler 3B
Cricket
Geecrack
Bellows Gill
-
3.8%
Culprit
Incredi-Bug
ZooM
ultravibe
Speed
Craw

[Motoboss]

I quit when I found myself buying the same plastic in the same size and color! I gave away four full paper grocery bags of plastics but that didn’t stop me from buying more.
It’s all good if you enjoy it.

 

Monkey see, monkey buy!