Soft Plastics Only

[papajoe222]

I know there was a thread here recently about bringing only soft plastics for a one day outing. It got me to thinking and I decided I'm not versatile enough with my choices as I mainly fish hard baits (I consider a jig/pig a hard bait }. My confidence soft plastics are tubes and ribbon tail worms, although I do fish a stick worm early in the season.  I have creature baits, beavers, toads, trick worms, swim baits and about most of the varieties out there and I've caught fish with all of them.  I want to gain confidence in the others and am looking for input as to which of the many offerings you would pick if it were the only one you took in the boat for a day.  Please don't say a Ned rig or a drop-shot. I know they catch fish, but I'm looking for baits I can fish using a baitcaster.

[Lmbasshunter]

Baby brush hog 

[DitchPanda]

Depending on time of year I'd be fine with just a bag of flukes.

[casts_by_fly]

That was my post. I had a similar realization last year, that I fish hardbaits, wire baits, and jigs pretty much exclusively and needed to get better at plastics. I pretty much only fish a baitcaster and I prefer moving baits. 
 

 

having done it twice now, the things that I have added to my regular repertoire or at least into the ‘carry it and fish it better’ list are:

power pitching/light punching- I was doing it before but I’ve expanded where and when plus I put more effort into it. I’m talking 3/8-1/2 oz plus a beaver or creature. Pitch, drop, hop, repeat. 
 

soft jerkbaits- I know they will work and I’ve caught a few on them, but I just picked up some that are going to be better for me and that fit my style better. I’m going to try to have one on with some rig on every trip for a while. 
 

texas rigged worm/creature-  obviously they catch fish, but I’ve never slowed down to fish them to cover water.  I’m doing that more now.

[MN Fisher]

Brush Hog, Baby Brush Hog, Super Fluke, Missile D'Stroyer, Zoom Lizards...and of course, Senkos

[casts_by_fly]

That was my post. I had a similar realization last year, that I fish hardbaits, wire baits, and jigs pretty much exclusively and needed to get better at plastics. I pretty much only fish a baitcaster and I prefer moving baits. 
 

 

having done it twice now, the things that I have added to my regular repertoire or at least into the ‘carry it and fish it better’ list are:

power pitching/light punching- I was doing it before but I’ve expanded where and when plus I put more effort into it. I’m talking 3/8-1/2 oz plus a beaver or creature. Pitch, drop, hop, repeat. 
 

soft jerkbaits- I know they will work and I’ve caught a few on them, but I just picked up some that are going to be better for me and that fit my style better. I’m going to try to have one on with some rig on every trip for a while. 
 

texas rigged worm/creature-  obviously they catch fish, but I’ve never slowed down to fish them to cover water.  I’m doing that more now.

 

also, the only way to gain confidence is to fish them and catch fish. And the only way to do that is to commit to fishing them. 

[Koz]

I fish drop shots and ned rigs on a medium light Falcon rod and a Curado MGL reel with no problem.

 

This year on my MH and H baitcasters I've thrown a lot of Carolina Rigs with an 8" lizard or a Man Bear Pig.

 

 

[Bass Rutten]

That's a tough choice, just one for a baitcaster I'd have to go creature bait if pitching in or tight to cover. For more open water/covering water scenario I'd go with the soft jerkbait (caffeine shad/d-shad/fluke). If not for your baitcast stipulation my first choice could easily be the netbait t-mac finesse worm for it's versatility; neko rig, flick shake, shaky head, dropshot, texas rig.

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, Koz said:

I fish drop shots and ned rigs on a medium light Falcon rod and a Curado MGL reel with no problem.

 

This year on my MH and H baitcasters I've thrown a lot of Carolina Rigs with an 8" lizard or a Man Bear Pig.

 

 

koz,

 

which falcon do you have?  I’m thinking about a new spinning rod and love my falcons. I am looking for something 1/8-3/8 with a fast or extra fast action. 

[WRB]

I am a fan of Yamamoto Hula grubs, Senko’s and creature lures.

I was going to reference the Sanshouo as a very versatile soft plastic but no longer see it available? I used the Sanshouo as a frog unweighted swimming over debris mates this spring with good success when nothing else worked. Rigged with a 3/0 Owner Cover Shot #4107 hook.

I also like to Slip Shot rig 4” DT Hula Grub with 3/8 oz cylinder weight and same 3/0 Cover Shot hook.

Tom

 

[islandbass]

I’ve been focusing on plastics too and have been learning t-rigs with senkos, baby brush and brush hogs, and those creme creature baits that look like brush hogs. 
 

One thing I’ve also t-rigged are craw baits or trailers with great success. 
 

My waters do not need me to use more that 1/4 oz bullet weights and I also use 3/16oz bullet weights. 
 

@papajoe222: The drop shot is not confined to a finesse setup. I drop shot with a bc reel when I have to and not necessarily finesse either. I’m not recommending you try it, but I did want to point out it is not limited to only finesse. If you dropshotted with a 3/8 weight, it’s no longer finesse in my book ??

[Bankbeater]

For a one day trip I will bring a rig for pitching and flipping baits like creatures, craws, and plastic worms.  I'll also bring a rig that can be rigged weightless or with a split shot to add a little bit of weight.  With that rig I will fish small plastic worm, senkos, and tubes.

[rgasr63]

For a day I would take 2 bags of plastics. First would be a Zoom trick worm.One has lots of options when you are using this bait.

Second I would have a Zoom uv- speed craw and again with this I am confident that I can catch bass.

[Catt]

3 hours ago, islandbass said:

One thing I’ve also t-rigged are craw baits or trailers with great success

 

Highly overlooked category of soft plastics!

 

I would start with Zoom's Ultravibe Speed Craw.

[Alex from GA]

Finesse or trick worm T/R.

[Mike L]

Assuming I’m not sight fishing, always start with a Magnum UV Speed Worm…

If a smaller profile is needed then a Rage Cut R before I change direction. 

I use them as search bait.

 

When switching to bottom contact, Rage Bug or full sized Brush Hog depending on cover. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Wprich]

For me always a wacky 5" Senko(4" if fishing for spotted bass and will Neko rig it instead), Rage lizard or Strike king Game Hawg to bed fish, and a creature to pitch with either a Rage Bug or Xzone Adrenaline Craw.

[jdr99a]

I could have a pretty good day covering all parts of the water column with a handful of baits. A speed worm, fluke, and toad could keep me busy all day long in a bunch of different conditions. 

[LrgmouthShad]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Highly overlooked category of soft plastics!

 

I would start with Zoom's Ultravibe Speed Craw.

I discovered in MO that the speed craw is a fantastic bait for ponds. I will definitely take that knowledge with me

 

And it works in lakes and rivers too!

[FishTank]

11 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I know there was a thread here recently about bringing only soft plastics for a one day outing. It got me to thinking and I decided I'm not versatile enough with my choices as I mainly fish hard baits (I consider a jig/pig a hard bait }. My confidence soft plastics are tubes and ribbon tail worms, although I do fish a stick worm early in the season.  I have creature baits, beavers, toads, trick worms, swim baits and about most of the varieties out there and I've caught fish with all of them.  I want to gain confidence in the others and am looking for input as to which of the many offerings you would pick if it were the only one you took in the boat for a day.  Please don't say a Ned rig or a drop-shot. I know they catch fish, but I'm looking for baits I can fish using a baitcaster.

 

A 5in wacky rigged senko on a weedless 1/8oz wacky style jig head. I would fish it the same way you fish your jig. Next would be a 4in OSP Dolive Beaver on a free rig.

 

 

[scaleface]

I rely heavily on Dingers and tubes.

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Highly overlooked category of soft plastics!

 

I would start with Zoom's Ultravibe Speed Craw.

my recent trip I did a ‘what would Catt do’ after going through a stretch once and decided a Texas rigged rage craw was the right answer. Picked another down a 100 yard stretch i and another guy had just fished. 

[Big Hands]

The options I would suggest for you are:

• Weightless wacky Senko with a #2 or #4 hook like a mosquito or wide gap finesse, or something similar. Most plastics I fish thoroughly all or most of the way back to the boat. With the WW Senko, it usually gets bit within the first 30 seconds, maybe a couple hops. It usually gets bit on the initial fall. I will cast it anywhere from onshore and drag it in, or RIGHT at the water's edge. Maybe offshore if it's not getting bit near the bank, but I start within 6" to 12" from the bank. Bluff walls are great, but you have to find what they like in your water. These things are just stupid, silly effective. I let them sink on a slack or semi-slack line. I can usually still feel them pick it up. Don't swing, just reel into them until you feel the weight and then continue reeling as you lift the rod tip. I fish them a LOT from April through September.
• Texas rig. Your options are limitless here, but something to get you started might be a 4.5" Roboworm with a 1/4 ounce worm weight (I like tungsten for this, but that's up to you). MMIII, Oxblood, or Halogram Shad are the three main Robo colors I keep in multiple styles. Glass bead optional. I fish slow and deliberate, but try different retrieve speeds.
• Carolina rig: 3/8 to 3/4 ounce sinker (egg sinker is fine, but you can use tungsten flipping weights if you like the Gucci stuff). I like a 3' to 4.5' leader connected by a simple swivel. I retrieve them as absolutely slow as I can turn the handle, and then try to cut that speed in half; three minutes or more to retrieve a cast. Baits can be ANYTHING you'd throw with a Texas rig or a dropshot really. If I had to suggest a bait to start, it would be a 4" Keitech Swing Impact (not the 'fat' one) on a #2/0 Rebarb worm hook with a toothpick  to help hold it in place. I know the Swing Impact is a 'swimbait', but this simply works. Crawl your c-rig though cover. It will get bit anywhere, but be especially focused when crawling though rockpiles, brush, and trees. And if you're hanging up at the edges of weedlines, pull the line taut, and then give it a little 'pop' to free it but try not to pull it far . . . Hang on. I'll fish a carolina rig anywhere from 0' - 30'. This technique works all year, but definitely outshines other plastics for me in the winter. 
• If you have a casting rig that is borderline BFS, try the Z-Man Crawz (2.75") with a 1/8 oz worm weight and a #1/0 Owner Rig-N hook. I like a sinker stop just above the weight, maybe 1/8", but it's optional.
• If fish are chasing shad or other baitfish op top, throw a Super Fluke rigged with a centering pin threaded into the nose, and then nose hook the Fluke through the middle of the pin with a dropshot. Fish it like a jerkbait. You can use a clear, partially filled casting bubble with the fluke 3' behind it too if you need to cast it further. Smoke or white; I'd go with Smoke or some other shad color. The Jr's work well too if you can deliver them to the boils.

Your area may have other baits that are hot where you live. I suggest scaling down in size to start catching sooner (2.5" to 5"). Scale up at night (7" to 10" curl/ribbon tails WILL get bit at night for me more than they will during the day). 

 

I like using scent when fishing plastics. Your call.

 

LOL. In 2021, I fished Castaic over 50 days and caught bass every trip. Every bass I caught in 2021 was caught on soft plastics. I have been trying to branch out in the other direction. Most of the baits I catch with still have plastics of some sort, like the Flashy Swimmer with paddle tail swimbaits. The worm dragger in me has me retrieving them just fast enough to keep the blade turning, and I like them in and around cover. Old habits are hard to break.

[Bird]

I recently spent 7 days on a 2800 acre lake, water was very clear.

Never once threw a hard bait except the wife's beetle spin, she wanted bluegill.

 

Caught every fish the entire week on 3 baits.

Zoom speed craw on 1/8 Shakyhead.

Robo worm" Aaron's magic" on dropshot.

Jackall flickShake on 1/16 Wacky head.

 

I love my Spinnerbaits and cranks but many times soft plastics will simply out perform.

 

[gim]

A 5 inch stick bait is by far my most productive plastic.  Its so versatile.  I can texas rig it, wacky rig it, and neko rig it.  I can skip it under docks.  I prefer natural, darker colors in clear water and brighter, neon colors in murky water.  A simple nail weight inserted into the thick end sends it deeper with a faster fall rate.

 

Its hard to beat the original GY version but I use others too.  I recently found a pile of cheap CREME versions that I will be trying soon, they were 59 cents for a 5-pack in the bargain bin.

6 minutes ago, Bird said:

I love my Spinnerbaits and cranks but many times soft plastics will simply out perform.

Yes sir, I prefer to power fish with moving lures but there comes a time when they simply will not chase it down.  They want a slower presentation dropped right in front of their nose.