Omar Khalid
Soft plastic lures are one of the two main categories of artificial lures used for bass fishing, the other being hard lures. Soft plastics include worms, tubes, lizards, and jerkbaits. Soft plastics are made by injecting or hand-pouring molten plastic into a 3D cavity in a mold or tray. There are many techniques for fishing soft plastics for bass, including cranking, flipping, and pitching. Cranking, or biffle bugging, involves slowly winding a soft plastic lure along the bottom so that it bounces off cover and elicits strikes from bass. The key to this technique is having the bait spring free off rocks or cover. When fishing near reeds and other grasses, flipping and pitching techniques can be effective.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of Soft Plastics | Worms, tubes, lizards, jerkbaits, swimbaits, creature baits |
| Types of Worms | Straight tail, curly tail, swimming |
| Types of Rigs | Texas, Carolina, Ned |
| Techniques | Flipping, pitching, cranking ("biffle bugging") |
| Considerations | Water depth, cover (weeds, grass, etc.), water temperature, time of year |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Soft plastic worms
When fishing with soft plastic worms, it is important to be gentle and slow with your rod, only using your reel to pick up slack. You should drag your bait slowly across the bottom, feeling for brush, rocks, and other structures. Occasionally, you can stop and let the bait sit for a few seconds before giving your rod tip a light pop. The size of the worm can also be a factor, with smaller plastics generally catching more fish and larger plastics resulting in better quality catches.
Finding Plastic Pipes: Underground Detection Techniques
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Texas rigs
To set up a Texas rig, you will need three essential elements: a bullet-shaped sinker, a pegging device, and a hook. First, slip the rigging stop and sinker onto your line. Then, tie your hook with a Palomar knot, which is one of the strongest knots if tied correctly. When attaching the soft plastic lure, insert about 1/4 inch of the hook point into the top of the bait. Then, turn the hook and exit the lure at the side of the head. Slide the lure up the hook shaft and twist the lure around the shaft, so the hook's point faces the lure. Insert the hook at a right angle into the lure and drive the hook point through the lure’s body. Finally, push up on the lure to slip the hook point just underneath the plastic surface to make the bait weedless.
The key to Texas rigging is to match the forage in the lake that bass typically feed on and then determine the depth at which the fish are holding. Depending on what you discover, you should pick a heavier weight to fish deeper. A longer rod, around 7 feet, will help you take up slack quickly on the hookset, as fish will often pick up a Texas rig and run. You want a rod with some backbone because you might have to drive a hook through plastic and into fish in heavy cover.
A Texas-rigged green pumpkin lizard is a classic bait that can catch bass in any color of water, at a wide range of depths, and at any time of the year. If you are fishing in areas with a lot of lily pads, cast a ribbon tail worm in a dark color on top and reel it back fairly quickly, imitating a water snake. You can also try the lift and drop method: cast out along an edge of weeds and let the worm sink to the bottom.
Plastic Earrings: Safe or Unsafe for Healing Piercings?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Carolina rigs
The Carolina Rig is a great way to fish with soft plastic baits and cover a large area of water. It is a simple setup that can be used in most places where bass are likely to be found, such as lakes, and is effective at drawing their attention.
To set up a Carolina Rig, you will need a strong, abrasion-resistant mainline, as you will be dragging the rig along the bottom. You will also need a short, light leader line, which can be made from fluorocarbon or monofilament. This allows the lure to disconnect from the weight and move more freely. The leader line length can vary depending on the conditions, with shorter leaders providing more control over the bait's movement, and longer leaders offering more freedom of movement and attracting more fish in clear water.
Next, add a sinker to your mainline using an egg or bullet-type weight. You can use a bullet style when fishing through grass to avoid snagging. Then, add a bead, which can be made of plastic or glass, to protect the knot from the sinker sliding up and down the line. This also creates noise to attract bass. After this, tie a swivel to your line, followed by your chosen leader. Finally, tie on a hook, such as a 3/0 worm hook, at the end of the leader.
When fishing with a Carolina Rig, you drag a heavy weight along the bottom, with the soft plastic bait moving erratically behind it. The weight stirs up silt and creates noise, attracting bass, while the natural bait swims behind. This technique can be used to learn about the underwater terrain, such as whether there is rock or grass, and if there are fish in the area.
Glock Magazines: Metal vs Plastic — What's the Difference?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Flipping and pitching techniques
Flipping and pitching are excellent techniques to use when fishing for bass in shallow waters. These techniques are ideal for approaching hard-to-reach areas with heavy cover, such as lily pads, fallen trees, docks, or overhanging branches. The key difference between pitching and flipping is that pitching allows for longer casts, while flipping is used for shorter distances of a few yards.
When using these techniques, it is important to use light bait to avoid spooking the fish. Soft plastic lures, such as worms, tubes, lizards, and jerkbaits, are commonly used. For shallow water, worms with a 1/8-ounce weight or 3/16- to 1/4-ounce jigs are recommended. If you need to penetrate thick weeds, you may need to increase the weight up to 1 ounce. When fishing with worms, it is important to be gentle and slow, dragging your bait across the bottom and feeling for brush or rocks. You can also let the bait sit for a few seconds and give your rod tip a light pop.
The rods used for flipping and pitching are typically longer, ranging from 7 to 8 feet, to provide more accuracy and easier handling of the line. The reels should be high-speed, with a gear ratio of around 6:1, to quickly retrieve the line when a fish takes the bait. Some reels also have a ""flipping switch"" that prevents the thumb bar from locking in free spool, allowing for instant hooksets.
When flipping or pitching, the bait is swung and dropped accurately and softly into the selected area, minimizing any disturbance. This technique allows for a quiet presentation, with a soft "plunk" that draws the bass's attention without spooking them. It is important to practice this technique to achieve a smooth and quiet entry into the water.
Flipping and pitching are most commonly done from early spring to late fall, when bass are more likely to be found in shallow waters. Spring is particularly ideal, as the fish are moving to the shallows to spawn. In summer, water temperature plays a crucial role, as higher temperatures may drive bigger fish to deeper waters.
Plastic Eggs: What's the Standard Size?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cranking soft plastics
To get set up for cranking soft plastics, you'll need a medium-heavy extra-fast tip rod with a dependable baitcasting reel. Look for a rod with some backbone and give. The give in the rod will allow the bass to eat the bait, while the backbone will help drive the hook into the bass's mouth as you wind it along. When it comes to reels, don't skimp on quality. A good reel will help you cast further and more accurately. The Lews Tournament Speed Spool is a smooth and efficient reel for cranking soft plastics.
For the bait itself, the original Gene Larew Biffle Bug is a great option. It's bulky to attract big bites and has numerous appendages to elicit strikes when cranking. Green pumpkin is a recommended colour. When cranking soft plastics, slowly wind the bait along the bottom so that it ticks and bounces off the cover. This technique creates a reaction from the bass, as the bait springs free and whizzes by.
In addition to the Biffle Bug, there are a variety of soft plastics to choose from. Soft plastic worms are a classic choice, with straight tail, curly tail, and swimming worm varieties available. Soft plastic lizards are another effective option, especially when used with Carolina or Texas rigs. For a versatile bait that works year-round, try soft plastic swimbaits. You can even rig two baits together to create a double-Fluke rig or donkey rig.
Plastic Monomers vs DNA: The Strength Showdown
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Soft plastics for bass fishing include worms, tubes, lizards, and jerkbaits. Worms are the most popular and can be straight-tailed, curly-tailed, or swimming. Lizards are also versatile and can be used in a variety of rigs and water conditions. Jerkbaits are great for shallow and schooling fish.
Texas rigs and Carolina rigs are two of the most popular rigs for soft plastics. A Texas rig is good for fishing around grass or brush, while a Carolina rig is good for fishing after bass spawn. A lift and drop method can also be used with a Texas rig, casting along the edge of the weeds and letting the worm sink to the bottom.
Flipping and pitching are two popular techniques for bass fishing with soft plastics. These techniques are used when fishing near reeds, grasses, logs, or docks. Cranking soft plastics, also known as "biffle bugging", is another technique where the bait slowly winds along the bottom, ticking and bouncing off cover to elicit strikes from bass.
A swimming jig like a Zoom Z-Craw or twin-tail grub can be used with moving baits. For docks, try hanging chunks like a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. or Big Salty Chunk. When the water warms up, use something more wiggly, like a Zoom Fat Albert Twin Tail Grub.
The right soft plastic bait depends on the fishing cover and the time of year. Professional angler Casey Ashley recommends keeping it simple and focusing on catching the next bass rather than overcomplicating things.
