Let’s face it, fishing can be a bit rough at times – it’s all about knowing when to make the right moves and what lures to use. Today, we're going to check out some common questions about soft plastic and hard lures and trust me, with these tips, your reel will be screaming like a pro!
So grab a coffee (or your lucky fishing hat) and let’s get started!
A lot of people ask us at Lures Edge, When should I use soft plastic lures versus hard lures?
Which brings us to the age-old debate: soft plastics or hard lures? Well, It's like choosing between pizza and burgers – both are fantastic, but it depends on the mood (or in this case, the conditions).
Soft plastics are your best friends when you need a subtle, sneaky approach. Imagine it's a calm morning, and you're throwing a soft plastic along the edges of the weed beds. Soft plastic lures are made to have that “lifelike”, “injured bait fish” look to them, so much so that even the smartest and most hardened bass can’t resist. They have the wiggle and the shimmer that says, "Hey, look at me! I’m an easy meal!" and before you know it, bam – fish on!
Hard lures, on the other hand, are for those times when you need to make a statement. Picture this: You have the wind at your back, and you’re throwing a surface lure across open water. These bad boys are often bright, maybe a little flashy, loud, and make erratic movements that scream, "Catch me if you can!" bass can’t help but chase them down, thinking they've found a frantic, fleeing baitfish. Remember that bass are opportunists, if its easy, they’re going to have it!
You might be asking, What are the best techniques for rigging and fishing with soft plastic lures in heavy cover?
Well, we may have an answer!
Fishing in heavy cover is like trying to sneak back into the house at 3am when you were a kid ( you might even do that now, I’m not judging) – you need to be stealthy and precise. When it comes to soft plastics, going weedless is the way to avoid getting snagged and to reach those fish hiding in the dense vegetation.
Here’s a quick rundown on how to get rigged up for stealth mode:
- Grab an offset worm hook (for Texas rigging) that matches your soft plastic bait. You can use Belly weighted hooks or the jig head style weedless hooks, each of these plays their own part as well, we’ll cover this in a future blog. (don’t worry we got you covered)
- Stick the hook the into the centre of the nose of the lure and push it out about a quarter of an inch on the underside.
- Slide the bait up the hook towards the eye, then rotate it so the hook sticks out.
- Re-insert the hook into the body of the soft plastic, making sure the point is just beneath the surface or slightly exposed.
- Ensure the bait is straight and covers the hook point to make it weedless.
Once you’re rigged up, cast into those tight spaces, let your lure sink, Use a slow, steady retrieve with a few twitches of the rod tip here and there and its these subtle moves can lead to big rewards.
Now we’ve got the soft plastics covered (kind of) How do you choose the right colour and size of hard lures for different water conditions and times of day?
Choosing the right colour and size of hard lures is like picking out the perfect shirt (If that’s your thing)– it’s all about matching the occasion. Here’s how to dress your lures for success:
- In Clear Water: You want to go for natural colours like silvers, blues, greens or translucent shades, they blend in perfectly with most baitfish that are around (Like the Fishus Espetit 95 in Translucid Anchovy)
- In Murky Water: Bright colours are your friend. Chartreuse, orange, bright yellow or a mixture of these will stand out and attract attention, and if your from the freshwater world you know that dark colours also add some serious contrast in murky water. (Like the Fishus Wobly in Yamame)
- On Bright Days: Try and stick to natural and subdued colours that won’t spook the fish. You want them to blend in, not look like an alien craft (Like the Trefle Creation Rafale in Metallic Red Belly)
- On Overcast Days: Look at using brighter colours or something with a little bit of flash. They can be more effective as they’re easier for fish to spot. Think of it as a high-vis raincoat – practical and noticeable. (Like the Fishus Don Belone Flashy Shad)
- When Using Smaller Lures: Try and use lures that are 5-10 cm when fish are feeding on smaller prey (early season) or are being picky. They’re easy to swallow and again, bass are opportunistic! The easier the better. (Like the Fishus Espetit 7cm)
- When Larger Lures Are The Answer: Bigger lures (10-15 cm or more) are for when you want to make a big impression, mimicking larger baitfish and making some noise, They’re your hearty main course. (Like the Fishus Espetron Long Minnow)
So, For instance, on a sunny day with clear water, a silver-ish lure like the Fishus Shallow Runner 90mm in Mullet could reign supreme and on a cloudy, overcast day, a bright Chartreuse Cuda from Fishus Espetit may be the one to grab all the attention.
In a nut shell that’s pretty much it! Soft plastics and hard lures each have their shining moments. Whether you’re going for subtlety with a soft plastic or making some noise with a hard plastic, knowing when and how to use each will set you up for success. Next time you're out on the water, think about the conditions and choose your lure wisely. Don’t forget, if ones not working, try the other and HAVE FUN!
Tight lines guys and girls!
View our Lures Edge Soft Plastic Collection
View our Lures Collection