Ethan Clarke
Soft plastic lures are one of the most versatile lures on the market. They can be moulded to resemble specific types of bait, from worms to crawfish and even detailed fish. They are also inexpensive and widely available. When bass fishing with soft plastics, it's important to consider the natural diet of the bass in your target area. For example, crawfish tend to be part of the food chain in the fall, so using crawfish-coloured lures during this season is a good strategy. The colour of the lure is also important, with brighter colours working better in dark or murky water, and darker colours working better in clear water. In terms of rigging, the Texas rigging method is popular as it allows you to conceal your hook so it won't get snagged on vegetation. Soft plastic worms are a good lure to start with as they come in a wide variety of tail styles and can be used throughout the fishing season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Soft plastic lures | Worms, tubes, lizards, crawfish, flukes, fish, insects |
| Types of worms | Straight tail, curly tail, swimming worms |
| Rigging techniques | Texas rig, Carolina rig, Ned rig |
| Bait types | Creature baits, jig |
| Bait presentation | Retrieval patterns, lift and drop method |
| Bait colour | Depends on water colour, bright colours for dark/murky water, darker colours for clear water |
| Bait size | Larger for warm, muddy, weeded areas, smaller for open, clear, cold water |
| Bait movement | Bass are triggered by movement |
| Bait scent | Scent oils can be reapplied |
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What You'll Learn
Soft plastic worms
When fishing with soft plastic worms, it is important to consider the environment you are fishing in. For example, if you are fishing in a pond or canal, you may want to start with a Texas-rigged worm with a small weight. If the pond or canal has a lot of vegetation or debris, a Carolina-rigged floating worm may be a better choice. In lakes, you will likely encounter deep spots, shallow shorelines, thick vegetation areas, and areas with wind currents. You may need to increase the weight of your rig to fish in deeper parts of the lake. The Texas Rig and Carolina Rig are suitable for deep water, but you may also want to try a shaky jig with your worms, casting it out and bouncing it back slowly with pauses.
The key to fishing with soft plastic worms is a slow retrieve. It might take a few minutes to reel in your worm after casting, and it is important to move it a few feet and then pause for 15-20 seconds. Often, the strike occurs right after a pause. When approaching a pond or canal, make sure your first cast is from a distance of around 20 feet from the water.
There are many different techniques for rigging soft plastic worms. The Texas rig and the Carolina rig are two of the most popular rigs for bass fishing with soft plastics. The Texas rig is a versatile choice that can be used in a variety of environments, including grass and brush. The Carolina rig is excellent for fishing after the bass spawn when the fish are lethargic. It is also a good choice for fishing in vast grass expanses, as it allows the worm to come through the grass easily.
In addition to the Texas and Carolina rigs, there are other rigging options for soft plastic worms. The shaky jig has become popular with bass fishermen and can be used with a variety of worms. The wacky worm rig is another option, particularly when fishing in clear water lakes. For shallow cover, flipping or pitching are time-tested techniques that work well with soft plastic creature baits.
When selecting soft plastic worms, you don't need to go crazy with colour selection. A few basic colours like watermelon, green pumpkin, purple, and black will suffice. However, it's important to consider the size of the worm. While some anglers prefer longer worms, others believe that as the worm gets bigger, your hookup percentage may suffer. Experiment with different sizes and techniques to find what works best for you.
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Lures and bait types
Soft plastic lures are one of the most versatile and common lure types on the market. They are cheap and can be moulded to look like specific types of bait. They can be used with a variety of rigs and presented in all kinds of ways.
When it comes to soft plastics, there is an endless selection to choose from. Worms are most likely the easiest plastic lures to begin bass fishing with. They come in a wide variety of tail styles, including paddle tails, curl tails, straight tails, vibe tails, and many more. The Zoom Trick Worm is an example of a straight tail worm, the Zoom Ol' Monster is a curly tail worm, and the Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worm is a swimming worm. The swimming worm is one of the best ways to fish in vast grass expanses.
Soft plastic lizards have been around for a long time and work well on Carolina and Texas rigs. A Texas-rigged green pumpkin lizard is a classic bait that can catch bass in any colour water, at a wide range of depths, and at any time of the year. Soft plastic swimbaits are great for getting bites all year round. You can rig a 3-inch Keitech Easy Shiner on a 3/16th-ounce head to pick off spotted bass in the winter, or weedless rig a 6.5-inch Gambler Big GZ for hayfields in Florida.
Soft plastic jerkbaits are often referred to as Zoom Super Flukes. Flukes work well around schooling and shallow fish rigged weedless and weightless. You can also rig two of these together to make a double-Fluke rig (or donkey rig). Soft plastics specifically designed for Ned rigs represent another expansive category that has exploded with variety in recent years. Beaver-style baits and hog-style baits are two main types of creature baits.
The colour of the lure is extremely important. In general, brighter colours work better in dark or murky water, and darker colours work better in clearer water. However, it's also important to match the colour of the lure to the natural diet of the fish you're trying to catch. For example, crawfish tend to be a big part of the food chain in the fall, so it's a good idea to save your crawfish-coloured lures for the fall bass fishing season. In the spring and summer, blues and greens are more realistic. If you're fishing in an area with lots of minnows or silver shad, a silver fluke with lots of silver flakes is a great choice.
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Rigging techniques
Rigging soft plastic lures is a highly effective way to catch bass. Here are some rigging techniques to help you catch more bass:
Texas Rig
The Texas rig is ideal when fishing around snaggy cover, such as rocks, wood, or vegetation. To set it up, follow these steps:
- Use an offset shank hook.
- Insert the hook into the head of the bait, then back out about a 1/4 inch below the head.
- Slide the hook through the bait and rotate it back around so the head sits in the offset shank.
- Run the sinker on the line, tie on the hook, and thread on the craw.
Carolina Rig
The Carolina rig is perfect for fishing deep-water bass. Ensure your bait floats, using plastics that mimic the type of bait that would be on the bottom of the water you're fishing. Use a longer rod with a sensitive tip to feel the bite.
Drop Shot Rig
The Drop Shot rig is versatile and can be used almost anywhere. It is designed to suspend the bait off the bottom. Use lighter line, smaller hooks, and spinning gear as the bait is stationary and clearly viewed by the fish. Tie a Palomar knot to a small hook, with hook sizes generally between 2 to 2/0.
Wacky Rig
The wacky rig is effective for working around the edges of structures and cover, such as cattails, weed edges, and docks. Take a small sharp hook and hook it directly through the middle of your plastic bait. This creates an action that bass find irresistible.
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Water conditions
Stained or Muddy Water
In stained or muddy water, the visibility is reduced, so choosing the right shape, sound, and colour of your soft plastics becomes crucial. Opt for larger plastic baits with a bigger profile, as they create a larger silhouette that fish can more easily spot. Upsizing your baits by around 20% is a good rule of thumb. Brighter or more vibrant colours can also help improve visibility in murky waters. Additionally, consider using baits that create increased vibrations, such as paddle tail worms, curly tail grubs, or baits with multiple appendages. Ribbed soft plastics are also an excellent choice, as they trap and release water bubbles during movement, creating a unique sound signature that fish can detect.
Clear Water
In clear water, more natural colours are generally preferred. This is because fish can use their natural vision to hunt prey, so a more subtle and realistic presentation is often more effective. Soft plastic lures that mimic the natural food sources of bass, such as worms, tubes, lizards, and crawfish, tend to work well in clear water.
Deep Water
When fishing in deep water, consider using drop shot baits that can be made to dance and swim in a lifelike manner. These baits work well in deep and clear water conditions, as they can be manipulated to move naturally, enticing bass to strike.
Vegetation and Obstacles
If you're fishing in areas with heavy vegetation or obstacles like rocks or driftwood, the Texas rigging method is ideal. This technique involves rigging your soft plastic lure in a way that conceals the hook, preventing it from getting snagged on vegetation or other obstacles. It's a versatile method that allows you to twitch, reel slowly or quickly, pause, and lift your lure in different ways to attract bass.
Water Temperature and Seasons
Soft plastics are extremely versatile and can be used in various water temperatures and seasons. They effectively mimic the natural food sources of bass, making them attractive lures in different conditions. However, when choosing a soft plastic lure, consider the behaviour and availability of natural prey in the particular season or water temperature you're fishing in. This will help you select a lure that best matches the current feeding patterns of the bass.
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Flipping and pitching
When fishing in grass or wood, soft plastic creature baits are a good choice. A bulkier bait, such as a Zoom Z-Craw or Z Craw, is bulky yet compact and looks like a bream or crawfish. Because of their weight, these baits are easier to flip and pitch, and you are getting the fish to react, rather than enticing them along the bottom.
If you are fishing in a dock, a jig is a better option as it won't snag in the same way that grass or brush will.
The choice between a jig and soft plastic also depends on the water clarity and available forage. In dirty water, a jig is preferable as it offers more bulk and water displacement, which is important as the bass are more likely to feel the bait than see it. In clear water, smaller, more natural-looking baits are more effective as the fish can get a good look at the lure.
When the water is clear and the fishing is tough, a soft plastic with minimal action, such as a beaver-style bait without curly tails or ribbons, can be a good choice.
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Frequently asked questions
Worms are the easiest plastic lures to begin bass fishing with. They come in a wide variety of tail styles, including paddle tails, curl tails, straight tails, vibe tails, and many more.
Soft plastic lures are versatile and can be moulded to look like specific types of bait. They can be used with a variety of rigs and presented in all kinds of ways. It's important to use the right colour and size of lure for the specific fish and area you're targeting. For example, use a brighter coloured worm lure in dark or murky water.
Two popular techniques are flipping and pitching shallow cover. When fishing around docks, anglers often use a jig or a creature bait that mimics bluegill. The Texas rigging method is ideal for situations where the prey can hide in places where your lure can easily get snagged, such as dense vegetation.
