But with some time and practice, soft plastic lures will become your new best friend when catching bass. Break them down into smaller areas and marks. Rigging Soft Plastic Worms. It’s just awesome on well-balanced lure tackle. Sadly, there is no substitute for putting in the rod hours and gaining experience on the water. How to Fish Soft Stick Baits for Shallow Bass. The Albie Snax can be fish a number of ways to get the bass to strike. The problem is a plethora of soft plastics will work during this time so how do you decide which to use most often? There are a wide variety of profiles with soft, pliable bodies that produce a life-like action. Perhaps the most obvious and consistent location to find surging water is in an estuary scenario, where a freshwater run-off meets the sea and, when combined with the tide, can create areas of concentrated flow which predators will take full advantage of. I use a Daiwa 3000 Certate but any small fixed spool will do the job as line capacity isn’t really an issue in this scenario. The key is to match the weight of the jig head to the current speed in order to deliver the most natural and realistic lure presentation. I still think that the presentation is the key to getting bit. The soft plastic finesse plastic is one of the essential bass baits for fishing in clear water or tough conditions. In order to cover as much water as possible you will want to make casts at varying distances, creating different runs for the lure. Let’s take a look at 4 of the most effective ways to rig a soft plastic lure: One of the most common ways to rig a soft plastic lure is called Texas rigging. Once you figure out the correct weight, you should start to feel it bump along the bottom at a nice steady pace. Trout fly anglers approach streams in a similar way using a technique called Czech nymphing, so in many respects this shares the same base principles. Last season my father caught a fish of a lifetime – a superb bass of over 11lb from an estuary-style scenario and again this year we have already seen some nice fish between 7-9lb tempted on soft plastics presented in the current. Were there any defining points where two currents met or a back eddy was formed? It's Mize's favorite springtime lure, tempting both prespawn and spawning bass. While there are several kinds of soft plastic lures available, we’re going to take you through some of the most common and effective out there for catching bass. These lures usually have a two-tone effect with a dark back and a lighter under-belly. I usually carry a selection of jig heads from 5g up to 20g and this will usually cover most scenarios unless you experience some serious rips in which case you may need to go above 20g and beef up the kit to match. Soft plastic lures are an absolute necessity in a bass fisherman’s tackle box, and are used by both beginners and pros alike. This soft plastic lure is often rigged on a weighted Texas rig or a Carolina rig in order to maintain bottom contact. The FG or GT knot will allow you to fish longer leaders without them catching in the tip eye – it is basically the smallest knot you can use to join braid to mono or fluorocarbon and it retains pretty much 100% knot strength. It can’t be denied that it requires patience to fish with soft baits due to the fact that you have to feel the fish pick up or bite the lure, often when it’s not moving. A shaky head rig is another great way to avoid vegetation, rocks, wood, and even boat docks in deeper water. This will have an impact on both the profile and colour of your lure. • Then push the hook point back into the body of the bait, making the bait weedless. It’s important to look for a lure that is stretchy and flexible, as opposed to a stiff soft plastic that tears easily. They are a fantastic mark in their own right if you can work out how to fish them effectively. Wacky Rigging is designed in order to create a profile that bass can’t resist, and is a well-known way of presenting a stick bait. The Carolina rig is also a very effective and popular rig for bass fishing soft plastics. A long, light spinning rod of 7 to 11 feet, spooled with 2-pound-test line is ideal for dipping these small artificial presentations into brush piles and open pockets in thick vegetation. He spent far too much time on the piers not being able to catch anything, until his uncle brought him deep sea fishing, out to the lakes of Michigan, where he lived, and to the various ponds in neighboring states. He’s just here to teach you about his absolute favorite thing in the world: fishing. The best way to develop your feel for bites is by bass fishing with soft plastics. A soft plastic fishing lure is one of the most popular choices for a bass angler. The key is a soft springy tip with some backbone. Estuaries are a great place to start when looking for bass. It provides a more finesse presentation, and includes a hook attached to a shaky head weight, which causes the bait to stand on end beneath the surface. These lures attract a lot of attention, with good water displacement. Roy Ericson started fishing when he was just a boy, like many of us did. Use a Jerk, Jerk Pause Retrieve. If you want something a little faster and less complicated then a simple reverse Albright will be fine. In the debut of our new video series, Beyond the Bait Powered by Streamlight, Game & Fish’s Dr. Todd. Bass anglers literally have hundreds of lure styles they use to catch fish, but none are as versatile as soft plastics like worms, flukes and lizards. Maybe they are chasing shoals of sandeels or perhaps hunting juvenile mullet? As the key to this technique is all about feeling the lure, it is crucial to use a highly sensitive, low diameter braid – 8 strand braids are ideal for this and there are plenty of brands to choose from, such as Sunline, Varivas, YGK, the list goes on. In this article I am going to be taking a look at fishing in currents or moving water. No matter where they live, bass of all three species can’t resist a live craw. Remember big bass are relatively lazy. The Senko should be fished in shallow water while allowing the bait to sink near the bottom and then twitching up. Be sure not to be too erratic or you will draw the lure high off the bottom and out of the kill zone. This is a bait that should be slowly dragged along the bottom, adding a twitch every couple second to get the most out of that curly tail. What Should I Look for in a Soft Plastic Lure? "I would guess that at any given time I've got around 300 pounds of soft plastics in my truck and my boat." I fished these on a range of jig heads from 16-21g which suited my scenario perfectly depending on the tide state and changing current speeds. Where are the features? The Albie Snax is one of the most popular soft plastics lures out there. You’ll also notice that some soft plastic lures are smooth bodied while some are ribbed. There are a number of benefits that come along with using soft plastic baits over a jig or other type of bait in certain situations, especially when it comes to bass fishing. Joedodge 103 Posted February 21, 2015. Many people associate weight with casting distance but in this case it is all about matching it to the current speed. If you think about it, you often see sandeels (a favourite food of bass) shoal close to shore, therefore it makes sense that the bass will pursue. As many of you will know, spring tides (around the new and full moon) provide the strongest flow. Utilizing dark purple and black-colored soft plastics is an excellent way to increase your bait's visibility and draw bass from nearby cover. They produce more current and commotion as they go through the water than smooth bodied lures. All rights reserved. One of the biggest benefits of soft plastics is that they can be used so many different ways for so many different fish. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. So, what’s the benefit? To add a little extra action to the lure as it swings, lift the rod up with a short twitch. A curly tail worm like the Roboworm Curly Tail Worm works well during the summer in bigger bass. He’s been all over, caught over 400 different species of fish, and doesn’t believe you should embellish your stories. Having a knowledge of how to test out these different methods can make the difference between having a mediocre day on the water and having a working bass fishing lure that catchesanything that moves. They’re readily available; provide tons of nutrition – and drive bass absolutely crazy. Each tail is designed to give the worm … Rubber worms like the Yum Dinger Stick Bait are the most common when it comes to soft plastic lures for bass. © 2020. These baits are used to mimic baitfish and can produce a very life-like presentation. A soft plastic fishing lure is one of the most popular choices for a bass angler. Tube jigs in particular can be very good. When this is the case, the estuary systems are my first port of call, allowing me to access cleaner water. Before choosing a lure, think about what the bass may be feeding on. Once you have read the water and determined the direction and strength of current, you then need to make a cast upstream. Of course the weight will need to be changed as the flow increases and decreases, depending on tide state. Ribbed bodies also have a greater ability to hang onto artificial scent, further attracting bass to your lure. A Senko is still considered a soft plastic worm; however, it maintains the same size through the entire bait. Some argue that the supple materials also give soft plastics a better mouth-feel than hard lures. Choosing a soft plastic lure that is able to move a little more freely increases its durability and helps ensure that you get quality action when fishing for bass. By David A. To fish a dainty panfish plastic, rig it on a 1/64- to 1/16-ounce jighead such as Northland’s Mud Bug, or a small Lindy Jig. Soft plastics are hard to beat when you need to trick bass on the beds. Incorporate some type of red or blue glitter in your baits to take advantage of the sunlight. Whatever the reason is for tough fishing, … Never be discouraged to go and explore, walking the shoreline or scouting areas at low tide to see what structure or features are revealed. There are many different ways to work soft plastic jerk baits, and many of them can result in catching lots of fish. Further up-stream in the system you may find it fishes better closer to high water as the fish have had time to make their way up into the upper reaches. The trick worm like the Zoom Bait Trick Worm Bait  can be recognized as a slender-bodied worm with a wider tailpiece, that allows the bait to have a swimming action. Sandeel imitations will tend to be more slender in shape and can vary in size from 4 – 6 inches. In some cases it may be necessary to mend any line which is floating on the surface film but this will largely depend on the buoyancy of the braid. It will surprise people how close bass will hug the shoreline. When looking for a soft plastic lure, you primarily want to make sure it has the correct flexibility – features like its color and how much glitter it has is completely up to your preference. By Mitch Anderson • Jun 2, 2020. Probably the easiest of the soft plastics to start learning to fish with would be a simple plastic worm. Some bays and estuaries can seem vast and unmanageable at first but don’t be put off. There are a number of benefits that come along with using soft plastic baits over a jig or other type of bait in certain situations, especially when it comes to bass fishing. This creates a natural appearance and action that bass won’t pass up. I'm not fully convinced that they make bass hold on longer to give you that extra time to detect the strike and set the hook. With the number of options out there for soft plastic lures, you might find yourself asking how you’re supposed to rig them. 4. It requires patience to fish with these lures generally speaking because you have to feel the fish pick up or bite the lure, often when it's not moving. "I'd hate to weigh the amount of soft plastics I carry while I'm on the road fishing the Elite Series," he says. This method is most ideal under sparse cover on a drop shot. I prefer long lure rods around 8’6″ to 9’6″ which allow me to keep the line up and away from the water to prevent any unnecessary drag from the surface. Again, to cut through the clutter we’ll go over a few of the most popular ways to use the styles we just spoke about.. We do suggest trying ten different baits regardless if you go after largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, or even hybrid bass. I currently use an Illex S 260 ML, 5-25g which is sensitive enough to feel every little bump and movement of the lure but has loads of power to play and subdue big fish in the turmoil. While stick bait is the preferred lure for this method, you can also try rigging the other soft plastics that are mentioned later in the article. Consider these tips when rigging and choosing a Carolina rig for covering a lot of water quickly with a soft plastic lure.

Your email address will not be published. Once you have found moving water the next task is selecting a lure which can be presented in a natural manner to the fish. The profile is slim and the small paddle tail adds a bit of extra vibration and presence to the lure without compromising the slim, eel-like profile. The touring pros usually let water conditions dictate which lures and colors to try. At the same time they have the right bulk and shape to sink slowly and tempt even slow moving bass … Here's what you need to know. Nose-Hooked Rigging A Soft Plastic on A Dropshot. On a recent trip I caught over 90% of my fish on the Illex 4.8″ I Shad Tail in Pumpkin Gold Silver and Wakasagi colours – these, in my opinion, are one of the deadliest lures for imitation sand eels in a current. Fluorocarbon leaders are also essential – I prefer to use as long a leader as possible as it theoretically reduces the chances of the fish being spooked by the braided main line and therefore resulting in a more natural presentation. Required fields are marked *. They’re easy to cast and they rarely snag up on so they can be fished in tight to cover. The Nature Insider. "If a situation calls for a spinnerbait, then you can fish a Z2 in the same area," she describes. In this article I am going to be taking a look at fishing in currents or moving water. Now your lure will be in the taking zone. You may be lucky enough to select the correct weight of jig first time but often it will take a few tweaks and changes to find the size which suits the conditions. But don’t be fooled into thinking estuaries are only a back-up! There are a few simple tips and techniques which will open the doors to a whole new way of lure fishing. Try lifting the rod up high, which in turn will raise the braid up from the water. Not only is the weight of the jig head important but the profile will play a large role in the presentation. Soft Plastic Baits: The Soft Swimbait and Jerkbait If the bass are not hitting worms, a swimbait or soft jerkbait are great choices especially during a shad kill or during a panfish spawn. Soft plastics can be the most productive option during times when the bass are slow to bite or when fishing open water amongst schooling fish. A. Kuhn tells you everything you need to know about soft-plastic bass lures. You can get some useful videos online which will help you tie this knot. Use a jerk, jerk pause retrieve and vary the speed based on water temperature and bass … The trick worm tends to work best on a wacky rig, Texas style, or weightless. There are a few simple tips and techniques which will open the doors to a whole new way of lure fishing. The light weight of the entire outfit forced most anglers to fish this bait on spinning gear. The benefit being that the gamefish would be less likely to let go immediately after striking. Gear. The object is to use the existing flow to carry and present the lure to the fish. You can let them sink right to the bottom and let them drift around with the tide run. The best retrieve for a soft-plastic fluke is similar to a hard jerkbait. Time spent exploring is never time wasted. How To Fish For Bass Using Circle Hooks And Soft Plastics. Soft plastics are combinations of a few simple materials, including salt, plastic or PVC material, sand, glitter, and coloring, formed into various lifelike shapes. You don’t need to be an expert to fish effectively with soft plastics for bass (check out our bass fishing tips for beginners if you are new to the game) as this style of fishing is relatively easy. Soft plastics are similar to spinnerbaits in regard to depth capacity but they are quite prone to snagging on submerged timber and are best rigged weedless on a worm hook when fished amongst the timber. Once you have located moving water it is then time to analyze what features are present on the bottom. And one final reason that these lures are so great, is they are plentiful in types, colors and designs, from weird alien looking to natural! For obvious reasons, this makes crawfish imitating plastics staples in even the most novice basser’s arsenal. The best way to develop your feel for bites is by bass fishing with soft plastics. Quote; Link to post Share on other sites . The soft jerkbait shines when bass are cruising flats or holding around shallow cover. While smooth soft plastic lures may look more realistic, ribbed bodied lures have advantages over them. 3 Ways To Rig And Fish A Soft Plastic Craw. Presentation is key in these scenarios. You also won’t have the benefit of a big splash like a top water or a hard tug like a crankbait. As with all types of saltwater fishing, the tide plays a pivotal role in where fish are and when they feed. The Senko lure, like the Yamamoto Senko Lure, makes our list because it’s one of the most commonly used soft plastic lures ever. Give the lure a short time to sink, close the bail arm and pick up the slack gaining contact with the lure. Browns, olives and greens often work well with flashes of silver. Most of the time though, the greatest one may simply be your favorite brand name or the one you use a lot more than others. When fishing a fluke, focus on fishing near cover. How to Texas Rig a soft plastic: • Use an offset shank hook, and insert it in the head of the bait, then back out about a ¼ of an inch below the head. Of course, with any artificial lure, there is definitely a method to the madness. Be methodical in your approach and start applying some of the principles outlined above. This gives it a realistic action that bass cannot resist. Too heavy will result in the lure sitting static on the bottom. I still don't believe they have made a difference in size or numbers of bass caught. Brown) Selecting the right size plastic bait for bass fishing is a decision Mike Iaconelli faces every time he hits the water. Plastic worms come in a variety of lengths with a variety of tails. • Slide the hook through the bait and rotate it back around so the head sits in the offset shank. Wired2Fish's Ryan DeChaine has come to rely on weightless Texas-rigged stick baits as an excellent alternative to wacky rigging and standard fluke-style baits. For some reason when the conditions are right the bass just loves them. All you need is a reel which will withstand abuse from salt water and has a smooth drag. However, a slow retrieve will help keep things tight and in tune. These are all ideal places to present the lure. You have paddle tails, curl tails, straight tails, vibe tails and more. Not only do they provide prime feeding but also allow you to tuck away from the weather when conditions prevent fishing on the open coast. Joedodge. The idea behind nose-hooking is that you’re minimizing the amount of action-dampening hook that is running through your soft bait. Competing at the highest levels of the sport, Hartley explains that soft plastics storage and organization is a critical process that can't be overlooked. It can’t be denied that it requires patience to fish with soft baits due to the fact that you have to feel the fish pick up or bite the lure, often when it's not moving. Soft plastics are becoming an increasingly favoured method when fishing for bass, but for many anglers it is an unknown world full of mystery and confusion – it need not be! This is my go-to bass fishing setup. That being said I love fishing a swim jig, I usually just put a grub on the back and drag it through grass or along the bottom. 4. If you’re going to use an artificial lure, using these soft, life-like worms are incredibly effective when it comes to tricking bass. This is why I prefer to use rods over 8’6″, to avoid these scenarios. Mullet or baitfish style lures will often have a paddle tail which works well in current. Think back to when you scouted out the mark. Fish over the top of submerged grass, around lily pads and reeds, or along other shoreline structure, such as boat docks, seawalls, and lay down trees. There may be as many ways to rig your worm as there are varieties of this bass lure. Gary Yamamoto Yamasenko – The Best Bass Worm Ever. Night lure fishing for bass has without doubt brought me back around to obsessing about a simple soft plastic lure that as far as I can tell is doing very little in the water which we can actually see, but because we aren’t fish and I feel confident we aren’t about to grow a set of gills and finally know it all, I’m just fine with this. This may include worms, frogs, or small fish – anything that can be perceived to be alive by a bass. You most likely just have more confidence in the drop shot than anything else (can't blame you) and therefore catch more fish with it. The slender and subtle profile from a finesse soft plastic can help elicit strikes from fish not interested or too weary to bite other baits. There are many styles of fishing. That dream double figure fish may just be lying in wait! 1. It’s a variation of a weightless texas rig, using a circle hook instead of a straight shank or offset hook, and it’s a great way to fish plastics and catch some bass. The first few runs will all be trial and error. These will be more inclined to bump and trundle along the bottom compared to a dart or pointed head which is more likely to dig into the bottom and cause unwanted resistance. They like an easy meal, using structure and current to their advantage. Wacky rigging moves the anchor point to the middle, creating an action that you won’t see with any other type of rig. In all my years bass fishing I've tried a few of the scent products on the market, on soft plastics and jigs. We’re going to take you through how to fish with soft plastic lures, as well as the top contenders out there for catching bass. Stick baits are a staple soft plastic lure with virtually limitless rigging configurations but perhaps best know for wacky rigging. When the lure reaches the end of the run simply twitch or hop the lure back towards you – in theory it looks a little unnatural as the lure will be swimming against the direction of flow but if worked slowly enough, it will still trigger a reaction from a hungry bass. In short, I have found the best way of presenting a lure in estuaries is using weighted soft plastics, cast upstream, trundled down the current and waiting for the fish to nail them. You’ll see this soft lure most commonly rigged on a weightless Texas rig, but it also works well for various finesse rigs like the wacky and Neko rig. Creme introduced anglers to a new way to catch bass many decades ago, but a plastic worm has stood the test of time as a productive way to catch bass all over the country. Any standard bass set-up will do the job for this work, however a few things will make the experience a little easier. Like all predatory fish, bass love structure – boulders, weed, sand gullies and holes all become likely ambush spots for a hungry fish to lie in wait. This is ideal any time you’re fishing around any sort of snaggy cover, such as the tangled branches of a laydown or the thick canopy of a grass bed, as it makes your lure weedless. It is not uncommon to find several smallmouth bass around such structures in months like March and April. The popularity and innovation stem in large part from the versatility of soft plastics. One of the best methods of fishing for smallmouth suspended near large structure early in the year is to use soft plastics. Every time I go out, I am constantly learning and discovering new tactics and approaches. We love them. There are certain times when bass fishing can get flat out tough. Searching and exploring these estuaries and back bays will open up new fishing opportunities and who knows just what lurks in those channels and gullies. 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