"Best" soft plastic... 2024

Fishingintheweeds reply :

I've got a few that I'm partial to and maybe I use some of them in ways or situations where they don't exactly shine. So, of a few types (worm, creature, or by open water/in cover, etc.), what are your favorites and why? What of each type is your favorite in the most situations?

CroakHunter reply :

Anything rage tail.

Mobasser reply :

I'm starting to get into rage tail, but I like Zoom, and Roboworm also.Mostly plastic worms, Texas rig, shakey head, or split shot. I still use Mann's jelly worm also. Now I've started throwing Rage Tail menace. All use it alone, and as a jig trailer this fall too

The Fisher reply :

Zman TRD Ned rig

Senko Wacky or Texas

Keitech Swing Impact Swimbait

Paca Craws different sizes jigs

Chigger Craws Texas or jigs

Hags Tornado Shaky Head

TOXIC reply :

If Yamamoto doesn't make it, I don't throw it. IMHO their line up covers all of my plastic needs with quality baits. I'm a bit biased but it's been that way for over 20 years.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I probably fish a beaver style bait more than any other with the Strike King Rodent, Big Bite Baits YoMomma, and YUM Woolly Bug and Bad Momma being my favorites.

Mike L reply :

Punching...Sweet Beaver, BB Cricket, Speed Craw

Swimming...Fat Max, magnum Speed Worm

Bottom...Jelly Worm, Recon

All subject to immediate change.

Mike

Lead Head reply :

My "go to" soft plastic is a Texas rigged zoom baby brush hog. For me, those things flat out catch fish pretty much anywhere. I've been leaning more on jigs recently but if I'm going to throw a tx-rig it's always the baby brush hog first. If the brush hogs fail me I'll try a weightless senko (yum dinger).

Jig Man reply :

This year TRD because it gave us 65 bass with 14 keepers to 6.25 # this spring.

I always have a Zero tied on.

Can't beat a beaver on a jig.

tander reply :

Anything Z Man or Yamamoto.

TBAG reply :

TRD crawz

TRD

Senkos

Baby Brush hogs

PersicoTrotaVA reply :

Zoom finesse worm and trick worm, yum dingers, yam senko, all wacky rigged on a 1/16 oz owner wacky rig hook or 1/16 oz keitech mono spin jig. Oh and the color is almost always green pumpkin or green pumpkin magic. I put 5 fish in the boat the other day total weight about 18 lbs, all caught with the same bait, 1/16 owner wacky with a green pumpkin magic finesse worm. That’s my go to bait for any situation except super heavy cover, then it’s jig time.

Dens228 reply :

Last year I would have said Senko's.

This year I would say Keitech Impact paddletails. I've used different sizes, fat and regular on swimjigs, weighted swimbait hooks, and chatterbaits and have absolutely nailed bass with them.

Ragetails are a very, very, close second though as my top three bass this year were all caught on them on a jig.

Log Catcher reply :

I like the baby brush hogs, ol monster and mag 2 worms, and ultra vibe speed craw. If the bite gets really tough I will throw a grub or centipede. Once in a while I throw a senko type worm.

fishwizzard reply :

On 8/23/2018 at 5:55 PM, TOXIC said:

If Yamamoto doesn't make it, I don't throw it. IMHO their line up covers all of my plastic needs with quality baits. I'm a bit biased but it's been that way for over 20 years.

What do you use from the GYCB line as a Trick/finesse worm? Pro-senkos or the small Kut-tails come to mind, but they are both heavily salted, right?

TOXIC reply :

On 8/23/2018 at 9:57 PM, fishwizzard said:

What do you use from the GYCB line as a Trick/finesse worm? Pro-senkos or the small Kut-tails come to mind, but they are both heavily salted, right?

Yes, I am a big user of the Pro Senko in 5". I use it on shakey heads, dropshot and Ned rigs. I also use other baits for these presentations as well. Yamamoto does not make a true "floating" worm. I have never found that much of a difference between the floating and non floating but the Ned crowd will say that a Ned rig without a floating bait is just a shakeyhead. I disagree. The difference in the 2 is the mushroom head and the hook eye placement which gives the Ned a different action. I prefer the Pro Senko over the Kut Tail most of the time because I find the fish key in on and bite off the tails on the Kut Tails more often.

NYWayfarer reply :

My favorite soft plastics ATM:

Worm: Yum Dinger (shallow) Senko (deep water) , Powerbait MaxScent (deep moving water)

Ned rig: TRD and Hula Stickz

Tubes: Zoom Salty Super Tubes

Don't throw many creature style baits to have a favorite

Choporoz reply :

I probably have 50 pounds of plastics.

Ironically, I could probably do just fine if I had only three things:

Rage Tail Cut-R

Rage Tail Structure Bug

Rage Tail Craw

fishwizzard reply :

On 8/23/2018 at 10:42 PM, TOXIC said:

I prefer the Pro Senko over the Kut Tail most of the time because I find the fish key in on and bite off the tails on the Kut Tails more often.

Hah, oh yea. I have a bunch of the 4” Kut-tails and while I love them on a small Slider head, they do get bit off constanly if I am fishing them around panfish. It’s even worse if I dip the tails in Chartreuse JJ’s.

Brad in Texas reply :

I'd certainly agree to most anything Gary Yamamoto makes as being quality, creating great outcomes. One way you know this to be true? He has been able to command a premium price for a very long time. Deservedly. ***His fishing resort is about 15 miles from my home in east Texas. I need to go out there some day!!!

The others?

Several things work well for me on my drop shot, none though do as consistently well as a small Roboworm.

For soft swimbaits, sort of like Yamamoto's line-up, there is nothing in the Keitech line I don't like.

I've tried and even liked scores of other plastics, though rarely return to them after a go or two using them, not like I do my primary three.

Brad

Troy85 reply :

Craws: RageTail or Zoom Z-craw

Worms: Culprit for curly tail, and Zoom for finesse.
I used to only use yamasenkos for stick baits, but I recently started using yum dingers as well

For soft plastic bait fish imitations I use super flukes or swimming flukes.

RevoSEMIpro reply :

Zoom Trick Worm - usually weightless

Keitech Fats Swing Impact - weighless, swimbait hook, trailers

Reaction Innovations Sweet Beavers - jig or t-rig

Rage Craw or Menace- trailer, t-rig, rage rigged

GYMC Senkos- wacky

Zman Hula Sticks or Leechz - ned (spoiler alert - walleyes like them almost as much as the smallmouth do)

MassYak85 reply :

The last couple years I've found myself using the following almost exclusively for soft plastics

BPS Stick-O (senko knockoff) - T-rig weightless or wacky

Keitech Fat Impact - Go to for swimjig/chatterbait/spinnerbait trailers or on a weighted swimbait hook

Keitech Crazy Flapper - Jig Trailer or weighted T-rig, bigger ones I use for punching as well

Zoom Super Fluke - Either in open water with a small finesse wide gap or in cover with a 3/0 Superline EWG hook

Roboworm straight tails - Shakeyhead and drop shot

Upton's Customs worms (Mainly the 9" and 10" ones) - Larger shakeyheads, T-rigged and fished slow on the bottom with a split shot

Berkley Powerbait power worms (curly tails, mainly the 10" ones) - Carolina rig or weighted T-rig

I still go to a few others for stuff like finesse jigs (Various grubs), coldwater jig trailers ("dead action" trailers) etc.

greentrout reply :

1. Zoom Trick Worm

2. Berkley Power Worm 7" Original

3. Culprit 7.5 Original Worm

4. Mann's 6" Jelly Worm

5. Creme Worm

good fishing

the reel ess reply :

1. Zoom Trick Worm

2. Berkley Chigger Craw. I like to rig on a plain weedless Arky jighead. It'll get more bites than a skirted jig, it's a big fish bait and they'll bite and carry it around all day. They won't spit it out.

3. Tie for Zoom Super Fluke and Swimming Super Fluke. The latter I like to rig on an EWG hook with a 1/8 oz. bullet weight.

4. Others.

Hillbilly Bennett reply :

I really have gotten in to throwing straight tail worms this year and have caught most of my fish this year on them.

1- Yamamoto Senko-Weightless, wacky or on a light Texas rig.

2-Strike King Ocho-I’ve done some damage with these on shakey heads in my local lakes.

3-Strike King Caffine Shad-My favorite Soft Jerk Bait

4-Missile Baits D-Stroyer-My confidence bait on a t-rig.

5-Netbait Paca Craws-T rigged, Carolina rigged or jig trailers.

J Francho reply :

On 8/23/2018 at 5:55 PM, TOXIC said:

I'm a bit biased but it's been that way for over 20 years.

I think bias built over two decades of experience with a line is totally OK. Even if you're sponsored. Speaking of sponsors, I'm lucky that our site sponsors put a VERY diverse bunch of baits in our hands, to test them out. Rarely is there a "bad bait." Some I can't use that much, like the hujungous glide bait Savage Gear sent me, but the thing swam well, and did what much more expensive baits do.

So plastics. I have a few favorites for certain things. Ragetail Denny Craws, GYCB Senkos and Ikas, YUM Dingers, Jackall Crosstail Shad, Robowoms, and RI Sweet Beavers will always be in my box.

I'll be looking forward to trying a pile of new Berkley MaxScent baits. I used to fish a ton of Powerbait plastics back in the 90s, so I already like their stuff.

Jar11591 reply :

Netbait Paca Craws & Chunks

Rage Tail Menace

Zoom Baby Brush Hog

Culprit 10” Ribbon-tails

Yamamoto Senko

LonnieP reply :

Berkley Power worms t-rigged

Rage craw or chunk for jig trailer

BigAngus752 reply :

I keep trying other things but no plastic catches for me like a Zoom Trick Worm or Zoom UV Speed Worm. I have never caught anything on a Senko...and I've really tried! In fact, I have fished a Senko for an hour with not a bite and pulled it off, put on a Trick Worm (same rig!) and bang...fish in the boat. Not sure why and I'm not knocking Senkos. I've got a lot of other brands of plastics also but those two Zoom worms are my best bets.

Fishingintheweeds reply :

Thanks for the replies. I ask because I set out to spend time with a type or to specifically try and fish one into the ground and/or try color changes throughout the day and then I draw a blank on what to do next OR I start to play with my retrieve and trying different targets and angles instead.

Any of a few Zoom worms are good for me. Most of what I've caught on worms lately had been 9" or larger...I keep meaning to throw in the 4" but...all I have are intentions. How does everyone decide when to try a larger or smaller worm? If you're getting feedback from the fish, what kinds of things indicate that you should try and downsize?

For me...it's when I have zero bites but don't want to give up in the plastics just yet. I say zero because fishing from the banks, spots are limited and if I know there is reason for fish to be there but I've got no action, it's time for a change.

Fishingintheweeds reply :

For me...it's when I have zero bites but don't want to give up on the plastics just yet.

About the craws and creature baits...I know the brush hogs are supposed to really kill em...but I have had zero on them. Same with the crawdad baits. I take that back, I was tossing them into holds in the pads and on the retrieve got a blowup on top. Ha, it was pretty cool, because topwater strikes always are, but it wasn't what I was trying to do.

Maybe I just can't comprehend or process some techniques but I like the chigger bug on the weedless no-skirt arkie. That will be getting tied on soon.

Do you have any specific recommendations for how you like to fish craw and creature baits? When do you choose one over the other?

I have pretty good success with almost any kind of paddle tail swimbait...as my chatterbait trailer. I've caught more fish on chatterbaits, since I started using them, than almost all other ways combined. Thanks to the paddletails. But I've also had success throwing them at cover and working them through or slowly dragging them, weedless. "Swimming" them hasn't gotten me any action.

Last, the Berkley Havoc Pit Boss...they've worked for me as chatterbait trailers, topwaterz (open or in pads), weightless and T rigged in lots of applications. Similar is the devil spear...but I think I'm the only person who still has some of those lying around...but they worked for me. And even though I never hear any talk about them, I see the Pit Boss is still being made so it must be working for at least a dozen other people besides just me.

TOXIC reply :

On 8/24/2018 at 4:34 AM, J Francho said:

I think bias built over two decades of experience with a line is totally OK. Even if you're sponsored. Speaking of sponsors, I'm lucky that our site sponsors put a VERY diverse bunch of baits in our hands, to test them out. Rarely is there a "bad bait." Some I can't use that much, like the hujungous glide bait Savage Gear sent me, but the thing swam well, and did what much more expensive baits do.

So plastics. I have a few favorites for certain things. Ragetail Denny Craws, GYCB Senkos and Ikas, YUM Dingers, Jackall Crosstail Shad, Robowoms, and RI Sweet Beavers will always be in my box.

I'll be looking forward to trying a pile of new Berkley MaxScent baits. I used to fish a ton of Powerbait plastics back in the 90s, so I already like their stuff.

The funny thing about being sponsored by Yamamoto is that I bought them by the case for the guide service at retail for a number of years. Then I got on their guide program which gave me a bit of a discount. I didn't get to the upper level of sponsorship for a number of years and only then by putting in a lot of extra hours doing a lot of extra work doing shows, appearances, seminars, writing articles, etc. Plastics is a pretty generic catagory of baits that most everyone uses. The differences between them are small I mean is there really a difference between all of the craw style baits other than what it takes to avoid copyright infringement? Shape of the claws, extra leg here or there, balls on the end of the legs, etc. Look at the number of Senko knock-offs there are out there. Other than the plastic formula, amount of added salt/scent/silica/flake/pigment they all are pretty much the same shape. In my personal opinion the original Senko still out performs all of the others and that's based on my using them as well as the others. I believe the difference is in the plastic formula which is only known to 3 people. Will the others catch fish.....absolutely. So it boils down to cost, personal preference and most of all confidence. Buy what you want but you better have confidence in what you buy otherwise you won't catch anything.

J Francho reply :

That GY plastic formula is like magic.

mattkenzer reply :

On 8/24/2018 at 8:16 PM, TOXIC said:

In my personal opinion the original Senko still out performs all of the others

I concur!

On 8/24/2018 at 8:57 PM, J Francho said:

That GY plastic formula is like magic.

It can be scary good at times.

I only carry one stick bait that is not GYCB because they do not make that color.

Crankin4Bass reply :

On 8/24/2018 at 12:37 AM, MassYak85 said:

The last couple years I've found myself using the following almost exclusively for soft plastics

BPS Stick-O (senko knockoff) - T-rig weightless or wacky

Keitech Fat Impact - Go to for swimjig/chatterbait/spinnerbait trailers or on a weighted swimbait hook

Keitech Crazy Flapper - Jig Trailer or weighted T-rig, bigger ones I use for punching as well

Zoom Super Fluke - Either in open water with a small finesse wide gap or in cover with a 3/0 Superline EWG hook

Roboworm straight tails - Shakeyhead and drop shot

Upton's Customs worms (Mainly the 9" and 10" ones) - Larger shakeyheads, T-rigged and fished slow on the bottom with a split shot

Berkley Powerbait power worms (curly tails, mainly the 10" ones) - Carolina rig or weighted T-rig

I still go to a few others for stuff like finesse jigs (Various grubs), coldwater jig trailers ("dead action" trailers) etc.

Have you found a non-lead weighted swimbait hook for the fat impacts?

fishwizzard reply :

On 8/24/2018 at 11:25 PM, Crankin4Bass said:

Have you found a non-lead weighted swimbait hook for the fat impacts?

https://www.siebertoutdoors.com/Moaner-The-Weighted-Stroker-Lead-Free-1509.htm

The selection is pretty thin at the moment and they are not on Moaner's website anymore, so they might be discontinued.

http://www.omtdhooks.com/en/catalogo/products/hooks-en/oh1500-2/

These are pretty good as well, but I wish the hookgap was a little bigger.

Crankin4Bass reply :

On 8/25/2018 at 1:34 AM, fishwizzard said:

https://www.siebertoutdoors.com/Moaner-The-Weighted-Stroker-Lead-Free-1509.htm

The selection is pretty thin at the moment and they are not on Moaner's website anymore, so they might be discontinued.

http://www.omtdhooks.com/en/catalogo/products/hooks-en/oh1500-2/

These are pretty good as well, but I wish the hookgap was a little bigger.

It's tough finding lead free options. Thanks for pointing me to these two options!

fishwizzard reply :

On 8/25/2018 at 1:46 AM, Crankin4Bass said:

It's tough finding lead free options. Thanks for pointing me to these two options!

No problem. The OMTD line has a lot of interesting looking jigheads as well. If you are willing to wade through JDM sites, there are more lead-free options out there.

J Francho reply :

On 8/24/2018 at 9:14 PM, mattkenzer said:

I only carry one stick bait that is not GYCB because they do not make that color.

I carry Dingers because sometimes I think the slower fall gets bit. I'm testing the new General from Berkley and reports say it falls faster than a senko. I realize it's not all about fall rate, but I like to know these things.

MassYak85 reply :

On 8/25/2018 at 1:46 AM, Crankin4Bass said:

It's tough finding lead free options. Thanks for pointing me to these two options!

I have been using the OMTD hooks as well! Another thing I do is take an Owner Beast Hook (unweighted) and then use nail weights.

I do use the Owner Flashy Swimmers though. To me any kind of underspin falls into the grey area of the law (it's more than just a weighted hook or jig head at that point). Because how is an underspin different than a spinnerbait (which are not part of the law, and in essence are simply jigs with a wire blade attached)? The length of the wire arm? Yea I don't think so. Obviously the law doesn't go into that kind of detail so to my understanding they're fine. Take away the blade though I don't use the normal weighted beast hooks because according to the letter of the law they do count.

Dorado reply :

On 8/25/2018 at 6:14 AM, MassYak85 said:

I have been using the OMTD hooks as well! Another thing I do is take an Owner Beast Hook (unweighted) and then use nail weights.

I do use the Owner Flashy Swimmers though. To me any kind of underspin falls into the grey area of the law (it's more than just a weighted hook or jig head at that point). Because how is an underspin different than a spinnerbait (which are not part of the law, and in essence are simply jigs with a wire blade attached)? The length of the wire arm? Yea I don't think so. Obviously the law doesn't go into that kind of detail so to my understanding they're fine. Take away the blade though I don't use the normal weighted beast hooks because according to the letter of the law they do count.

Huge fan of the Owner Flashy Swimmers as well!

scaleface reply :

I have hundreds of Jelly worms , so I use them all the time .I still have a lot of the old 6 inch Bass Pro Shop Squirmin Lizards . They are thin and flat . I like them because the hook comes through so easily . The Larew Salt Craw Is another favorite . Bass Pro and Mister Twister Worms that had a different color core would get used up rather quickly .Bright lime green Fliptail worms were a hot color . I have never found that color in any other worm .

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

1.Manns 6" jelly worm purple

2.bass assasin

3.zoom

These 3 keep my fingers rough all i need ..grubs to flukes to worms

thinkingredneck reply :

Zoom trick worm, finesse worm, U vibe speed worm

Creme scoundrel

Zoom lizard

Horny toad

Lunker city salad spoon

FishTank reply :

Senkos> 5in any dark color

Zoom lizards

Venom Tubes> when I can find them

Any creature bait >just for the fun of it

Way north bass guy reply :

One word: Berkley

There, that’s all you need to know, your welcome ????

Graham reply :

On 8/23/2018 at 1:28 PM, CroakHunter said:

Anything rage tail.

Straight up gets em.

Sellersrobe reply :

shhh... don't tell anyone but Cabin Creek Spider Parts on a NedLock jig head catches any smallie around. My problem is finding them...

Fishingintheweeds reply :

Hmmmm...sounds like any of these baits are good if you present them the right way. I guess that's really the lesson. I definitely like the suggestions...I threw together something today, that I found out already exists as a Jika rig...that felt good to throw, open water or into the reeds and pad edges. It seems like a good rig for the smaller craws that some of you have mentioned. I also threw a Christie Critter (or brush hogs, man bear pig, etc.) in it for a bit and that seemed like it has potential also.

NorthernBasser reply :

This is tough. I throw a bunch of stuff that others have mentioned. But if I had to choose one, I'd say my favorite is a Texas-rigged Pit Boss in black/blue. Kind of surprised how little it's been mentioned in here.

Fishingintheweeds reply :

On 8/26/2018 at 9:26 AM, NorthernBasser said:

This is tough. I throw a bunch of stuff that others have mentioned. But if I had to choose one, I'd say my favorite is a Texas-rigged Pit Boss in black/blue. Kind of surprised how little it's been mentioned in here.

Me too. They've been extremely useful for me in just about any way you can name.

LL Westside reply :

1. Zoom 6" Grn Pkn Lizard, C-Rigged or Texas Rigged.

2. Zoom Grn Pkn Super Fluke rigged weightless on a 5/0 wide gap hook fished from the top of the water column down to around 4'.

3. 1/2 oz Blk/Blue Triple Rattleback Jig w/B/B pork frog

These are my confidence go baits to when I absolutely need a fish.

RHuff reply :

Craws: Biospawn Vile Craw, Rage Bug, D-Bombs

Worms: Culprit or Powerbait

N Florida Mike reply :

•Flukes- Mostly zoom, and GY

•Senko type- Gy , yum dingers

•Ribbon tailed worms- Culprit, lucky strike, bass assassin

•Trick worms -Zoom

•Zoom super speed worms

•Producto tournament worms

•Manns jelly worms

• Creature baits- Zoom baby brush hogs, super speed craws,Z-hogs . Berkley havoc pit bosses.

There are a few others ☺

J Francho reply :

On 8/25/2018 at 12:31 PM, saltystick said:

A ball head jig and plastic designs have accounted for hundreds of fish caught in my local waters. 1/8 oz or less is usually enough for water less than 8' deep, my confidence depth limit.

This was the first plastic rig I learned from my grandfather. Called it a "jig worm." Pretty awesome for high pressured waters and tough days.

Fishingintheweeds reply :

I'd have to say the best thing I've done with my plastics is stand back, take a good look at them and all of the hooks, weights, split rings, beads, etc. and get creative. I've thrown together a few things lately that have addressed difficulties fishing in tight spots or cover and pretty highly pressured spots.

A big thing I've started to let go of is how I thought certain baits were "supposed" to be rigged or fished, etc. Somewhere along the way, probably when I was a lot younger, I got the idea that the "jig worm" deal was a mismatch of techniques. But now, it's probably something that I will be giving another look.

Is there any particular way you like to fish it? Do you leave the hook exposed?

LCG reply :

Zoom trick worm

Zoom brush hog creature bait

Roboworm 4in worm

Kalins 5in curly tail grub

Reaction innovation Sweet Beaver

Fishingintheweeds reply :

A few people have mentioned any of the smaller craw-style baits. I'd never tried a 3" or less, craw-style, trying to specifically good smaller. Comparing to similar conditions, locations and other baits that I've tried for both, these got more bites.

I'm going to try to keep throwing these the rest of the year.

GateToWire reply :

I'm a big fan of all things Missle Baits

D Bomb

D'Stroyer

Bomb Shot

The 48 worm - especially for wacky rigging

Great products that just put fish in the boat

6277

"Best" soft plastic... 2024

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