"Easiest" bait to learn to fish soft plastics?

[FishInTheDesert]

So...like all terrible fisherman I like to consider myself a "power fisherman." Basically....I just crank! LMAO I do well enough at a pretty tough lake, so thats prolly my gift and curse since I just stick to crankin or something else reaction based....and by something else i mean cranking a different color! lol

Well, im planning to jump into a tourney or 2 this year to get my feet wet...and next year I wanna make my push to the Classic (LOL) and fish the whole tourney schedule here at my "local" lake (2 hours away).

When im fun fishing like I do now...shoot ill crank all day and not care if I catch or not and switch "styles" rarely throughout the day. Just stick to my fishing style, and what I like to do and have confidence in. BUT...if I get into tourneys, well thats different since im putting my cash up! If the bites not on the crankbait...i cant run around the entire lake to find my pattern to do what I want, I gotta fish the moment and get those bites when and where I can....my lake is notoriously a tougher bite now a days, 10-15 pounds regularly win tourneys.

A lot of the anglers on the local tourney scene tend to fish slow and use ned rigs, spider jigs and things like that. I could definitely learn those baits...but right now im making an effort to learn shakeyhead WORM fishing. I feel that ned rigs are just more refined shakeyheads, with shorter strike zones resulting in less short strikes or missed bites/hooksets (i read a berkley article about how for some reason bass like soft plastic worms). Havent had great success, but I just started making the effort last trip.

I usually always have a football head jig tied on, and its a bait I use at least a few casts each trip...limited success. Prolly catch one or 2 on it a trip...nothing giant yet tho. But beside that, and my new effort to master shakeyhead fishing...i rarely do things like ned, neko, wacky rigging...even texas rigging is something I might go to once every trip or 2. What is a good way to learn to fish slow, and fish soft plastics...or "worm fish"? Even tho I have caught on the jig....I know I miss bites! I just know I am! Im still learning to use my boat and TM, so thats another challenge...but i know ive been out and not paying enough attention cuz I was thinking about boat control and missed a damn bite or 2. So what would you all recommend so I can become a more well rounded angler?

[FishInTheDesert]

whats easier to learn? carolina rigging or shakey head? I have the theory that carolina rigging will kill on my home lake

[Quillback]

I like to Carolina rig much more than fishing a shakey head. Go with the technique that's most fun for you to fish.

[LewStulePH.D.]

Does it get any easier than a Senko™ weightless?

[06 SB]

I started with a Texas rig and Trick or Ribbon tail worms. It was easy but you need to learn the feel of the bottom vs the feel of a fish. You must watch your line too because the bass can gently pick up the worm and start moving it. The Carolina rig is just the same BUT the hook set is different. On the c-rig you set the hook with a sideways sweeping motion so the energy generated is not lost lifting the heavier weight. In both cases you set the hook hard to drive the hook through the worm and into the fish.

Whacky Senkos are the easiest tecnique but it is much better for targeting small areas (docks, timber, stumps) vice covering a larger area with the two techniques above.

[11pounder]

A 6" Texas rigged worm with a 1/4 oz. weight. Make your cast, let it sink to the bottom, lift the rod from 3 o clock position to around 1 or 12 o clock, let it fall back to the bottom, take up your slack and repeat, or just drag it. One thing about fishing any type of plastic rig or a jig for that matter is learning what a bite feels like, you don't always feel the bite, WATCH YOUR LINE,often all you see is your line just make a small tic, often you'll see it swimming away, when you go to move the sometimes all you feel is weight and it takes a little time to learn the difference between a piece of cover and a fish. I set the hook on a lot of limbs before I learned the difference, just don't get frustrated it will come to you, and did I mention WATCH YOUR LINE.

[FishInTheDesert]

A 6" Texas rigged worm with a 1/4 oz. weight. Make your cast, let it sink to the bottom, lift the rod from 3 o clock position to around 1 or 12 o clock, let it fall back to the bottom, take up your slack and repeat, or just drag it. One thing about fishing any type of plastic rig or a jig for that matter is learning what a bite feels like, you don't always feel the bite, WATCH YOUR LINE,often all you see is your line just make a small tic, often you'll see it swimming away, when you go to move the sometimes all you feel is weight and it takes a little time to learn the difference between a piece of cover and a fish. I set the hook on a lot of limbs before I learned the difference, just don't get frustrated it will come to you, and did I mention WATCH YOUR LINE.

Good way to put it, and learning the bite is what I need to learn. Forgot who's video...prolly GMan or Jeff Kriet...but they said something that ive lived by....."THE HOOKSETS ARE FREE FOLKS" lol

Im actually OK with senkos since bass seem to love them and make the hits a lot more noticeable...plus theyre usually on the fall. I just hate throwing them when im at the lake....theyre soooooo slow! lol Ill def try out some of the things you all mentioned! thanks

[Walkabout7781]

Like a lot of bass fishermen around here, I'm a plastics freak, and have done most methods, from Texas rig to Splitshot, Dropshot, unweighted Senko, Tubes, C'rig and Shakyhead. The one thing I haven't done is wobble-head, but might give it a try.

I'm fairly sure you're "local lake" is Elephant Butte (technically, I've fished there, but I was about 3 years old...Dad was stationed at Holloman AFB). Also sure you have to fish in some wind, and from what I've read, you have Stripers that you'd want to avoid. I believe that C'rig, Dropshot, or Shakyhead would work well, or maybe that Wobble-head. I've just about abandoned plastic worms in favor of Zoom lizards...Smallies will eat 6" lizards, and I'll use 5" or 6" on a DS, Shaky or C'rig.

Feeling the bite is MUCH easier if you get into the habit of holding the line ahead of the reel. With a spinning reel, just hook the line over your index finger, like you were casting. With a baitcaster, palm the reel and hold the line between thumb and index finger. I do this with either LH or RH crank reels. With a C'rig, just drag the bait with the rod, reel up slack, drag, reel, repeat. Pretty much the same with the others, but shorter drags and some hops. The bite can feel almost like an electric shock, or you may just see the line jump or move off, so you'll need to watch your line. If you're using Copolymer, avoid green lines. Clear is much easier to see. The search function will help you find equipment and bait info on any of the techniques you decide to try. Chances are real good you're going to become a plastics freak, like me!

[OkobojiEagle]

jig-worm, drop-shot, wacky worm... exposed hook jighead/grub... 4" swimbait/weighted swimbait hook... weightless caffeine fluke... now you have to learn WHERE to fish these baits.


oe

[96MrBass]

Does it get any easier than a Senko™ weightless?

Exactly it's like fishing live bait lol.

[FishInTheDesert]

Like a lot of bass fishermen around here, I'm a plastics freak, and have done most methods, from Texas rig to Splitshot, Dropshot, unweighted Senko, Tubes, C'rig and Shakyhead. The one thing I haven't done is wobble-head, but might give it a try.

I'm fairly sure you're "local lake" is Elephant Butte (technically, I've fished there, but I was about 3 years old...Dad was stationed at Holloman AFB). Also sure you have to fish in some wind, and from what I've read, you have Stripers that you'd want to avoid. I believe that C'rig, Dropshot, or Shakyhead would work well, or maybe that Wobble-head. I've just about abandoned plastic worms in favor of Zoom lizards...Smallies will eat 6" lizards, and I'll use 5" or 6" on a DS, Shaky or C'rig.

Feeling the bite is MUCH easier if you get into the habit of holding the line ahead of the reel. With a spinning reel, just hook the line over your index finger, like you were casting. With a baitcaster, palm the reel and hold the line between thumb and index finger. I do this with either LH or RH crank reels. With a C'rig, just drag the bait with the rod, reel up slack, drag, reel, repeat. Pretty much the same with the others, but shorter drags and some hops. The bite can feel almost like an electric shock, or you may just see the line jump or move off, so you'll need to watch your line. If you're using Copolymer, avoid green lines. Clear is much easier to see. The search function will help you find equipment and bait info on any of the techniques you decide to try. Chances are real good you're going to become a plastics freak, like me!

nailed it on the head with the butte! you wouldnt recognize it today the water levels are so low compared to 20+ years ago. You know what kinda lake it is tho...and I fully agree about the crig, dropshot and shakey head! Not much C-rig or shakey head talk around the lake, but I know a few bank anglers who do well on drop shots...even swimming them! Those are the techniques I actually wanna focus on because I think theyll excel in the conditions.

Ill definitely try the lizards out...and also getting back into the habit of having my finger on the line. I used to do that a lot more before...it also helps you detect crankbait strikes...but slows you down when cranking. Cant believe I havent thought about this before lol...thanks...I really think that might be the key to getting my feel!

jig-worm, drop-shot, wacky worm... exposed hook jighead/grub... 4" swimbait/weighted swimbait hook... weightless caffeine fluke... now you have to learn WHERE to fish these baits.


oe

did you list your favorite baits? lol

I know more about where to throw them then I do how to throw them. You can only learn so much from youtube videos and articles...and the feel is one of the things neither can cover.

[FishInTheDesert]

Exactly it's like fishing live bait lol.

Im ok with senkos....plus I dont really think its the type of bite I have trouble with. In my experience, and its prolly just cuz of the way I fish it, most all the strikes come on the fall....im talking about learning and mastering bottom contact baits.

[LewStulePH.D.]

Then the SwimSenko

Or

5" Kalins grub w/a small bullet weight.

Both work great as trailers too.

[OkobojiEagle]

did you list your favorite baits? lol

Nope... the easiest soft plastic baits to hook bass covering the entire water column from bottom to top.

oe

[DrewFlu33]

I think the Ned rig would be the easiest, followed closely by a Senko. Wacky rigging the Senko will usually get the most bites, though it'll also get snagged and fouled up a lot more. Given that you like to crank though, I'd wager that transitioning to a small swimbait might be the easiest way for you to start with soft plastics. Then a weightless fluke or floating (or Trick) worm might be a logical next step.

You can also work a wobble/swing head similar to a crankbait. That's what Tommy Biffle does, and he swears it's more effective and more efficient than a crankbait. Just pick up some 1/2 and 3/4 oz swing heads, put a bait on it with some action (I like a craw with flapping craws or a swimbait), cast it out, let it hit the bottom, then reel it slow enough so that you can feel it ticking the bottom. Works best in rocks, worst in vegetation. If that's not working, you can also employ a dragging technique where you pull it along, usually rod tip down, until it feels like it's snagging up on something. Then lift the rod tip and work it over whatever it's hanging on. Pause as soon as you clear whatever it was as this is where most bites will come. This is also how I fish a Carolina rig and occasionally how I'll fish a shaky head.

Of course there's always the standard Texas rig which is probably the most versatile. You can flip it, drag it, hop it, swim it, etc.

I *personally* think a drop shot is just about the most difficult way to fish soft plastics, though I'm sure many will disagree with me.

[Aric11]

Soft Plastic Swimbait with a weighted twist lock. It's literally chuck and wind in most cases. They can be fished anywhere that has forage. Easiest bait to learn IMHO.

[Dogfish_Jones]

I started out using the Texas Rig worm. It seems you might can feel the bite better than a C-Rig because the weight for a C-Rig is anywhere from 6" to 1' away from the lure itself. I personaly have found the Ned Rig to be a very good fish finding bait. In the past year I have really worked on my wacky worm technics and it has been very good.
My go to plastic bait use to be rigging a lizard to a C-Rig but now for the past year or so, if the bite is slow, I throw a Ned Rig.

[jab0106]

For a strict power fisher like you sound like, as am I....I can honestly say, senko is NOT the easiest, if only for your maddening desire to be actually DOING something. I cannot stand that 5" piece of plastic. For an all around bait that will get bit a lot (small fish help you learn too) use a 5/16 or 3/8 tungsten bullet and peg it to an EWG or J bend 4/0 hook. Put on a berkley powerworm 7" red shad. It catches fish everywhere. Learn that and expand. The more current the faster you can fish it, so we use it a lot in the rivers. If you are in still waters, opt for a chigger craw or beaver bait, and just fish slow as you can stand. Target high percentage areas 100% of casts until you got it figured out. Laydowns are your friend. What sucks about it is that it is also a great thing for a squarebill...lol

[Skeeterbait]

I have bought into the Jika rig hook, line and sinker, literally. Jika was developed in Japan. The word Jika means direct and refers to direct connecting a weight to a hook using a split ring or round bend snap. It is far superior to standard bullet weight Texas rigs. It gets hung far less, especially in broken rock bottoms, and the hook has the ability to swivel and allow the bait to swing and float with natural movement. It gives a very natural presentation on fall, and really makes a crayfish or soft swimbait presentation come alive when bounced along the bottom. Will even allow a swim, bounce, swim action that really resembles a minnow feeding along the bottom. Now the rig can be bought made up from Owner (they call it Jig Rig), you get their hooks and it is kinda expensive. You can make your own up using fatter metal eye sinkers easily obtained in the USA and your own preferred hooks. You can modify dropshot weights and a tiny split ring. I found a source in Japan and stocked up on the thin weights like Owner uses in three weights, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4 and I make up rigs using hooks from 2/0 to 4/0 in three styles depending on the bait I will use with it. I have them made up ahead of time but I use Gamakatsu G-finesse snaps to make quick changes without retying. The reduced snags and increased strikes makes it a great soft plastic presentation method for beginner or pro alike in my opinion.

Demo video from Owner.





How I rig mine.

[jab0106]

^this is basically the same idea as a wobble head jig right?