Soft plastic lure fishing

Why soft plastics dominate

Soft plastics imitate baitfish, crayfish or worms with lifelike movement that is hard to match. On a jighead they can be fished from the bottom to the surface, slow or fast, and they suit almost every predator: pike, zander, perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye and catfish. For many anglers they are the most versatile way into predator fishing.

Tackle

A fast-action rod rated for the weights you use, a reel with a smooth drag, thin braid to feel bites and bottom, and a fluorocarbon leader, or wire or titanium where pike live. Add a range of jigheads, some offset hooks for weedless Texas rigs, long-nose pliers and a rubber-mesh net.

Choosing the right weight

The golden rule: the lure should touch bottom without dragging. The deeper the water or the stronger the flow, the heavier the head; in calm, shallow water a light head gives a slower fall that often triggers strikes. Count the lure down so you know the depth and can repeat the productive pass.

Retrieves

Lift-and-drop (zander, perch, walleye), a slow steady retrieve (pike), small hops near the bottom, or a Texas rig crawled through weed (bass): the retrieve depends on species and season. In cold water, slow everything down. Watch the braid on the drop: a tick or a line that stops means a take, so strike firmly.

Releasing predators

Arlinghaus and colleagues (2008) compared injury and initial hooking mortality in pike by bait and lure type and size, a useful guide when you plan to release. Barthel and colleagues (2003) showed that landing-net mesh affects injury: choose knotless rubber mesh. Unhook with pliers, in the water where possible.

Rules and the environment

Some countries ban lures during the pike close season, and some waters require single or barbless hooks. In North America, rules on bass during spawning vary by state and province. Check the regulation page. And never discard worn soft plastics in the environment: take them home.

Getting started

Start with a single rod rated around 7-28 g (1/4-1 oz), a pack of 3-4 in paddle-tail shads in natural colours and jigheads from 5 to 15 g. Fish harbours, weed edges and drop-offs, and learn to feel the bottom before trying complex retrieves.

The gear, item by item

• Fast-action spinning or casting rod rated for your jig weights
• Reel with a smooth drag
• Thin braid for contact and sensitivity
• Fluorocarbon leader; wire or titanium for pike
• Shads, finesse baits, creatures and grubs in several sizes
• Jigheads in a range of weights Flat Metal Jigs with Assist Hooks, Pack of 3 €24.90£12.90Not shipped to the United States Add to cart
• Offset (Texas) hooks for weedless rigs
• Long-nose pliers
• Rubber-mesh landing net
• Compartment tackle box

Step by step

1. Pick a jighead weight that reaches bottom without dragging.
2. Cast and count the lure down on a tight line.
3. Work it with lifts, hops or a steady retrieve depending on species and season.
4. Watch the line on the drop: many takes happen then.
5. Strike firmly at any tap or when the line stops.
6. Net, unhook with pliers and release quickly.

Common mistakes

• A jighead too heavy, so the lure buries and snags.
• Not watching the line on the drop.
• A weak strike with thick hooks.
• No bite-proof leader where pike live.
• Discarding used soft plastics in the environment.

Rules to check before you go

• Lure bans during pike close seasons in some countries.
• Single or barbless hook rules on some waters.
• Predator size and bag limits.
• Whether boats or float tubes are allowed.

Fishing regulations by country

Studies cited

1. Arlinghaus et al. (2008) Size Selectivity, Injury, Handling Time, and Determinants of Initial Hooking Mortality in Recreational Angling for Northern Pike: The Influence of Type and Size of Bait North American Journal of Fisheries Management doi:10.1577/m06-263.1
   Compares size selectivity, injury, handling time and initial hooking mortality by bait and lure type and size in pike.
2. Barthel et al. (2003) Effects of landing net mesh type on injury and mortality in a freshwater recreational fishery Fisheries Research doi:10.1016/s0165-7836(03)00059-6
   Evaluates the effect of landing-net mesh type on injury and mortality in a freshwater recreational fishery.