New To Soft Plastics Fishing 2025
kingmotorboat reply :
Hi first time poster here. So ive been fishing for a while, but never really used soft plastics. Went to a family friends pond today and used a baby brush hog. Felt a nice thump as it was falling set the hook. Nothing there. This happened multiple times today. Just wondering what im doing wrong maybe some advice on how to tell if it was a hit or structure. Also his pond is about 2 feet on tge outside, in the middle about 8 to 10 feet covered in lilly pads and underwatee hydrilla is what i assume it is so not sure what size weight to run if any at all. SSorry for the wall of text guys Hahahaha
ABW reply :
Welcome to the forums.
Do you think you allowed the fish time to get ahold of the bait? Usually with Texas rigs I'll wait a second or two until I set the hook
gulfcaptain reply :
Could be other species picking at it and not bass. Indiana, may be yellow perch or bigger bluegill picking it as it falls.
Sam reply :
Can you share with us the following?:
1. What type hook are you using?
2. Are you pegging the hook?
3. What type line and test are you using?
4. Baitcaster or spinning gear?
5. Any scent on the bait?
6. Any color added, like yellow, blue, red, orange?
7. What weight ounce are you using?
8. What power rod are you using?
Give us some detailed feedback and we may be able to give you more specific answers.
Darren. reply :
Agreed on needing more info.
And welcome to the forums!
Sam reply :
In order to help you with your query please answer the following:
- What size and type of hook are you using?
- What weight size are you using?
- Pegging the weight?
- What type line are you using?
- What line test are you throwing?
- Baitcaster or Spinning rig?
- What power rod?
- Using sent?
- Using any color on the brush hog, like chartruse tail or other color?
- Are you casting or flipping and pitching?
If you can give us the answers to the above we can give you more specific input.
kingmotorboat reply :
3/0 offset shank worm ewg,1/4 oz weight, no peg, 20 1b braid, revo s baitcast, medium heavy vengeance rod 7ft, no sent watemelon candy red zoom baby brush hog, no odd color, and casting
kingmotorboat reply :
I can feel perch pecking at it but this was a solid thump, so i Dont know maybe im wrong lol
hoosierbass07 reply :
I made this video for new people like you. Soft plastics are cheap. Buy a collection of different kinds - worms, lizards, soft stick baits, really small worms, and rig them like these three in the video:
kingmotorboat reply :
Well thank you sir. My biggest problem is feeling the hit. Has me beyond frustrated
Hattrick7 reply :
When you feel that thump I'd reel in slack and if there's a bass on the other end you'll feel the weight. Bam whack em. You may be hitting a branch or something while falling.
Usually when I get bit on the fall it's more a slight tick than a thump.
Matthew2000 reply :
Upgrade to a 4/0 hook that way you will get thought the plastic easier
kingmotorboat reply :
So using a 4/0 would it be too big for a smaller bass
Matthew2000 reply :
Not at all it just makes the hook go through the bait more when you first rig it thus making penetration a lot easier. I only use a 3/0 on finesse stuff. I fish a Texas rig 90% of the time. And it never fails
Mike L reply :
I've swung and missed 1,000 more times and got nothing than swinging and sticking a fish. It happens.
Your equipment is fine nothing wrong there.
To answer you question..No a 4/0 Is not too big.
If you're not doing it already, tex pose the hook point a tiny tiny amount just enough to hold the point in.
And keep swinging.
If you know there are bass in your pond, all that may be needed is just a color change or a slower presentation.
Another thing is try a wacky rig, shaky head or even dead stick a few cats and see how that works.
But more importantly dont get discouraged and just keep swinging.
When you start to have something pull back remember everything about what you did and how you did it. Then repeat, repeat and repeat again.
I'm sure you heard the story of the 3 taps...
The 1st tap is the fish picking it up,
The 2nd tap is the fish dropping it,
The 3rd tap is me on your shoulder asking why you didn't set the hook.
It was true 100 yrs ago and it's true today
Keep at it, and good luck
Mike
kingmotorboat reply :
Gonna pick up some 4/0 next weekend and try thanks guys
corn-on-the-rob reply :
When I was new to using braid I found that when your lure hits the bottom with braid you can feel it a lot better than with other lines, it feels like a solid tick even on semi-slack line. This was unusual for me because I was always a mono user and yea you can still feel it hit bottom but with braid it almost feels like a bite ESPECIALLY if you aren't paying attention.
Even to this day if I am turned talking to my partner or distracted in any way and accidentally have a tight line as i'm letting a bait fall that solid tick makes me turn quickly and at least check if there is a fish or if it was just bottom.
Rob
whitwolf reply :
On 12/4/2014 at 11:19 AM, Mike L said:I've swung and missed 1,000 more times and got nothing than swinging and sticking a fish. It happens.
Your equipment is fine nothing wrong there.
To answer you question..No a 4/0 Is not too big.
If you're not doing it already, tex pose the hook point a tiny tiny amount just enough to hold the point in.
And keep swinging.
If you know there are bass in your pond, all that may be needed is just a color change or a slower presentation.
Another thing is try a wacky rig, shaky head or even dead stick a few cats and see how that works.
But more importantly dont get discouraged and just keep swinging.
When you start to have something pull back remember everything about what you did and how you did it. Then repeat, repeat and repeat again.
I'm sure you heard the story of the 3 taps...
The 1st tap is the fish picking it up,
The 2nd tap is the fish dropping it,
The 3rd tap is me on your shoulder asking why you didn't set the hook.
It was true 100 yrs ago and it's true today
Keep at it, and good luck
Mike
The above is solid advice, especially the part about NOT getting discouraged. When I first started fishing plastics in a serious way in the late 70's It took what seemed like forever to finally figure out what I was doing. It was and at times can be quite difficult to distinguish a bite but nothing solved that problem more than being on the water and getting a feel for not only structure vs. a bite but for you equipment.
As Mike alluded to above, hook sets are free and when In doubt set the hook. I promise you the more you work at this the better you will become and at a certain point all the thinking you will be doing about steps, hook sets, placement, etc., will become second nature. Again, don't get discouraged!
WRB reply :
When you reel the brush hog back in after missing a strike is the lure bunched into the hook bend?
Tom
kingmotorboat reply :
No i dont tgink i had it right to get a good hookset maybe. Going to try some 4/0 thid weekend at the pond maybe catch a few and gaib sone confidence in my soft pladtic game. Big tanks to everyone for beibg helpful. Will let yall know whst happens
Catt reply :
Baby Brush Hog - 3/0 straight shank round bend hook!
When the bass are hitting on the fall I count my lure down, If I know that I threw in 10' & my lure stops at 8', I set hook. But if I get to 10 & my lure fells like its still falling I set hook.
lectricbassman reply :
On 12/7/2014 at 6:17 AM, WRB said:When you reel the brush hog back in after missing a strike is the lure bunched into the hook bend?
Tom
Ive had this happen before tom, what does it indicate?
WRB reply :
The bass had the soft plastic inside it's closed mouth and slid down the hook shank covering the hook point.On 12/10/2014 at 4:47 AM, lectricbassman said:Ive had this happen before tom, what does it indicate?
A rebarb style hook or a 1/4" piece of rubber peg-It through the hook eye, then pull down the eye and peg-it into the soft plastic head to prevent sliding. Skin hooking the hook point also helps. With thick body soft plastic a belly slice about 1/2.way through similar to a Fluke works good.
I don't believe a 4/0 hook is needed for a baby brush hog, 3/0 is the right size as Catt mentioned.
Tom
Catt reply :
On 12/10/2014 at 5:13 AM, WRB said:The bass had the soft plastic inside it's closed mouth and slid down the hook shank covering the hook point.
A rebarb style hook or a 1/4" piece of rubber peg-It through the hook eye, then pull down the eye and peg-it into the soft plastic head to prevent sliding. Skin hooking the hook point also helps. With thick body soft plastic a belly slice about 1/2.way through similar to a Fluke works good.
I don't believe a 4/0 hook is needed for a baby brush hog, 3/0 is the right size as Catt mentioned.
Tom
Or you are whipping your cast which starts wearing the hole where the shank is.
Or grass simply pulled the worm down
Next time this happens look at the bullet weight for teeth marks.
WRB reply :
Peg* the nose of the plastic and it prevents it from sliding down the hook shank, casting, weeds, grass and bass.
The baby brush hog is a smooth skin soft plastic and easy to see tooth marks from missed strikes.
Tom
* Glenn has a video pegging with heavy mono, you can use round tooth pick, I prefer rubber peg-It. Some hooks have a pin and rebarb uses shrink sleeve. Screw lock hooks are another choice...welcome to soft plastic bass fishing.
kingmotorboat reply :
Hmmmmmmmmmmm i was going to get a 4/0 but my worry is thst it may be too big
kingmotorboat reply :
So i finally pulled a fish in today on my soft plastic rig. Sadly it was a catfish but nonetheless, a fish and a confidence booster. The catfish demolished my poor baby brush hog
JThoms38 reply :
On 12/1/2014 at 6:05 AM, kingmotorboat said:Hi first time poster here. So ive been fishing for a while, but never really used soft plastics. Went to a family friends pond today and used a baby brush hog. Felt a nice thump as it was falling set the hook. Nothing there. This happened multiple times today. Just wondering what im doing wrong maybe some advice on how to tell if it was a hit or structure. Also his pond is about 2 feet on tge outside, in the middle about 8 to 10 feet covered in lilly pads and underwatee hydrilla is what i assume it is so not sure what size weight to run if any at all. SSorry for the wall of text guys Hahahahapersonally
personally I'd just cast to the exact spot you felt the thump a few times, if you feel the same thing every time it is most likely structure, also watch your line..if one has the bait your line will move with the fish and that usually means he has it good enough to set the hook. Good luck in your future soft plastics fishing and just keep after it and youre bound to catch em
kingmotorboat reply :
On 12/15/2014 at 10:12 AM, JThoms38 said:personally I'd just cast to the exact spot you felt the thump a few times, if you feel the same thing every time it is most likely structure, also watch your line..if one has the bait your line will move with the fish and that usually means he has it good enough to set the hook. Good luck in your future soft plastics fishing and just keep after it and youre bound to catch em
Like i said today i caught a catfish on my brush hog. Didnt feel a tap or bump just something felt different. So i set the hook. While it wasn't s bass i felt like it was a step in the rite direction, and above all a little confidence builder
Suspendingjerk reply :
As someone mentioned above time time time is the only way to get better with plastics.
Just think the more time you swing and miss a Hookset take it as a learning experience.
kingmotorboat reply :
On 12/16/2014 at 7:15 AM, Suspendingjerk said:As someone mentioned above time time time is the only way to get better with plastics.
Just think the more time you swing and miss a Hookset take it as a learning experience.
All i fisg with now is soft plastics to try and learn
Matthew2000 reply :
Go get some rage craws then try. Or a gambler ugly otter, another bait is a zoom big dead ringer very good begineer bait.
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