I'm aiming to improve my soft plastic use this year, but before stocking up, I thought I'd ask for advice from anyone willing to offer it. Any thoughts on:
Best creature bait, and size ( are the flapping hogs any good?)
Best senko manufacturer?
Best finesse worms?
Best tubes (3 or 4 inches?)
Best drop shot bait/size
Anyone ever try the Yamamoto swimming senkos (I see them at sail)
I mostly fish Mississippi Lake, the Rideau River and the Ottawa River.
Thanks in advance.
soft plastic advice wanted
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
You are going to get many answers but this is what I use.
Creature bait - power team lures crew d'eouvre or taxes rig-jig
Senko - Yamamoto or yum dingers. I use Powerteam sick sticks for wacky though.
Finesse worm - I don't use but need to. Whodatguy is giving me some robo worms to try and they have good reviews.
Tubes - Mizmo are my fav. I use green pumpin a lot. Secondary choose is Reaction innovations. I can't remember the name but the are a big tube.
Dropshot baits. I have a lot of set the hook baits for this but never find myself using them. They've done a good job catching me as a fisherman, I just don't drop shot enough...
Adam.
Creature bait - power team lures crew d'eouvre or taxes rig-jig
Senko - Yamamoto or yum dingers. I use Powerteam sick sticks for wacky though.
Finesse worm - I don't use but need to. Whodatguy is giving me some robo worms to try and they have good reviews.
Tubes - Mizmo are my fav. I use green pumpin a lot. Secondary choose is Reaction innovations. I can't remember the name but the are a big tube.
Dropshot baits. I have a lot of set the hook baits for this but never find myself using them. They've done a good job catching me as a fisherman, I just don't drop shot enough...
Adam.
- River Monster
- Bronze Participant
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- Joined: Fri May 10, 2013 8:59 am
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
My advice is pick up a few different makes of soft plastics, you will get a better idea of what you like in terms of color, action, durability and price
Creature Bait – I used the flapping hogs as a jig trailer. I don’t fish fish a creature on it’s own but if I did I would go with a beaver style bait from Reaction Innovation. Or Jackall cover craw
Senko- I used Yamamoto (used power team for one season) but I just have more confidence in the yamamoto, but they tear easily. Power team sick stick are also a very solid bait
Finesse worm – I also don’t use them…..yet
Tubes – I love tubes. I use two types power team. These are great if you texas rig them. The other is a yum tube, these work well with a weighted tube jig head
Drop Shot – You can use almost any soft plastic on a drop shot. But I like xzone slammer.
Creature Bait – I used the flapping hogs as a jig trailer. I don’t fish fish a creature on it’s own but if I did I would go with a beaver style bait from Reaction Innovation. Or Jackall cover craw
Senko- I used Yamamoto (used power team for one season) but I just have more confidence in the yamamoto, but they tear easily. Power team sick stick are also a very solid bait
Finesse worm – I also don’t use them…..yet
Tubes – I love tubes. I use two types power team. These are great if you texas rig them. The other is a yum tube, these work well with a weighted tube jig head
Drop Shot – You can use almost any soft plastic on a drop shot. But I like xzone slammer.
- Rick Ozga
- OutdoorActionOntario
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- Location: Ottawa Region, Georgian Bay region, Kawartha Lakes Region
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
This is not a one-size-fits-all topic as people are going to have different brands they prefer and it is difficult to go wrong given the overall quality that is prevalent in the industry today, but here some of my personal favorites for targeting bass and walleye:
Best creature bait, and size: Strike King Rodent/Craw/Structure Bug, followed by the Reaction Innovations Beaver. Can't help but catch big Bass with these creature baits. I use craw chunks on my jigs and usually go with a texas rig and bullet weight system for the rodent-styled baits as well as the craw. I love t-rigging creature baits in general, get a lot of bites on them.
Best senko manufacturer: I won't say they are the best because it's all about personal preference and Bass will eat any senko bait regardless most of the time, but I personally use Strike King Zero and Z-Man elzatech senkos. However, I also use Yammamoto as well... The elzatech worms take a beating and you will catch more fish on these and the perfect line of plastics from strike king than you will with other brands, for the most part.
Best finesse worms: I throw a weightless Zoom trickworm and it is incredible. Will also throw it with a light (1/8 oz.) tungsten bullet weight too as the season progresses into summer and bass go a bit deeper. Also try Roboworm and the Strike King Super Finesse Worms (you can also drop shot these - in fact I would strongly encourage that - you will crush Bass with these baits on the drop.) For a different presentation to target walleye, especially Weed-dwellers, try pinning a finesse worm in a more natural hue to a 1/8 - 1/4 oz. jig head and go have some fun.
Non-Finesse worms: 10.5 inch Zoom Ol' Monster. Every season this bait competes with the Jig and Pig for biggest Largemouth of the Season for me personally... 5/0 hook, 3/8 to 3/4 oz. weight left unpegged, and you are on your way to Bass success. Words can't express how much I love big worm fishing with Zoom products.
Best tubes: I really like Strike King's coffee tubes. Personal preference only, the tube market has many great brands. Will rip tubes in weeds to grab the odd walleye too. With that being said, you should not forget about the tube's distant cousin, the grub (Kalin's Sizmic grubs will produce bass and walleye), or the grub's cousin the swim bait, which i talk about further down...
Best drop shot bait/size: Xzone slammer and mini swammer. Berkley Gulp Minnows, Roboworms, Berkley Leeches, Havoc Money Maker. Like someone else said, you can literally put almost any plastic on a d-shot righ and have success. You can drop shot for walleye as well as bass. Heck, you can drop shot for anything.
Another soft plastic to give some room in your tacklebox: Soft Swimbaits. Big (5+ inches) or Smal (3 inch) these will produce big quality Bass and walleye, year-round anywhere in Canada. Trigger X slophopper, Kalin's Sizmic Shad and Yum Money Minnows are all proven producers for me. I have to say that I am pretty much constantly going to be using the Sizmic Shad this season though. Love Kalin's products.
Tight Lines!
~OAO~
Best creature bait, and size: Strike King Rodent/Craw/Structure Bug, followed by the Reaction Innovations Beaver. Can't help but catch big Bass with these creature baits. I use craw chunks on my jigs and usually go with a texas rig and bullet weight system for the rodent-styled baits as well as the craw. I love t-rigging creature baits in general, get a lot of bites on them.
Best senko manufacturer: I won't say they are the best because it's all about personal preference and Bass will eat any senko bait regardless most of the time, but I personally use Strike King Zero and Z-Man elzatech senkos. However, I also use Yammamoto as well... The elzatech worms take a beating and you will catch more fish on these and the perfect line of plastics from strike king than you will with other brands, for the most part.
Best finesse worms: I throw a weightless Zoom trickworm and it is incredible. Will also throw it with a light (1/8 oz.) tungsten bullet weight too as the season progresses into summer and bass go a bit deeper. Also try Roboworm and the Strike King Super Finesse Worms (you can also drop shot these - in fact I would strongly encourage that - you will crush Bass with these baits on the drop.) For a different presentation to target walleye, especially Weed-dwellers, try pinning a finesse worm in a more natural hue to a 1/8 - 1/4 oz. jig head and go have some fun.
Non-Finesse worms: 10.5 inch Zoom Ol' Monster. Every season this bait competes with the Jig and Pig for biggest Largemouth of the Season for me personally... 5/0 hook, 3/8 to 3/4 oz. weight left unpegged, and you are on your way to Bass success. Words can't express how much I love big worm fishing with Zoom products.
Best tubes: I really like Strike King's coffee tubes. Personal preference only, the tube market has many great brands. Will rip tubes in weeds to grab the odd walleye too. With that being said, you should not forget about the tube's distant cousin, the grub (Kalin's Sizmic grubs will produce bass and walleye), or the grub's cousin the swim bait, which i talk about further down...
Best drop shot bait/size: Xzone slammer and mini swammer. Berkley Gulp Minnows, Roboworms, Berkley Leeches, Havoc Money Maker. Like someone else said, you can literally put almost any plastic on a d-shot righ and have success. You can drop shot for walleye as well as bass. Heck, you can drop shot for anything.
Another soft plastic to give some room in your tacklebox: Soft Swimbaits. Big (5+ inches) or Smal (3 inch) these will produce big quality Bass and walleye, year-round anywhere in Canada. Trigger X slophopper, Kalin's Sizmic Shad and Yum Money Minnows are all proven producers for me. I have to say that I am pretty much constantly going to be using the Sizmic Shad this season though. Love Kalin's products.
Tight Lines!
~OAO~
OutdoorActionOntario - Ottawa ON
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
Try the Lunkerhunt Lunkercraws for a creature bait, new bait available this year, should be awesome. Has a bnch of flash and will be very durable! Canadian Tire should carry them too.
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
I forgot about lunkerhunt. They make great tubes as well.
As for everyone throwing out xzone. If you are going to try them, make it quick. The owner shut down operations so what is on the shelves is all that is left!
As for everyone throwing out xzone. If you are going to try them, make it quick. The owner shut down operations so what is on the shelves is all that is left!
Last edited by lape0019 on Wed Apr 01, 2015 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
Thanks for the replies. I will start hunting down some new goodies. It seems to me most of the recommendations are found at paddletails or Bennets. Would that be right?
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
Don't know about Bennetts since I have honestly never been in that store.
As far as I know, Paddletales carries everything listed except Powerteam. He stopped carrying them recently.
As far as I know, Paddletales carries everything listed except Powerteam. He stopped carrying them recently.
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
Some great advice given here fellas. Well done.
Any of our site supporters can help you out with those baits!
RJ
Any of our site supporters can help you out with those baits!
RJ
Re: soft plastic advice wanted
In case you haven't heard xzone is no longer in business, so you better stock up while you can.River Monster wrote:But I like xzone slammer.
oops... I missed your post Adam
Cheers
Smitty
Straight shooter
Straight shooter