Most everyone knows my most productive soft plastic lure is the ZMAN ShadZ. What is your most productive soft plastic lure? Tube? Curly tail jig? Leech imitation? Lizard? Worm? Senko? Paddle tail swim bait? Craw imitation? Creature bait? Frog? ETC......

Make and model?

Size specification?

As much as I like fishing soft plastic jerk baits like Shadz or Sluggos, I have caught many more fish on a weightless wacky rigged 4” senko. My favorite color is watermelon/black flake. A close second would have to be a 6” roboworm in morning dawn color fished on a dropshot rig.

for years now, since i first watched Charlie brewer decades ago, i have used berkley 4 inch black worms, curly tail, with his charlie brewer head. 1/4 oz. size. in quetico and bwca the smallies love this combo.
i bought so many slider heads a few decades ago, it will be a while before i run out.
still use the rig, still hot for bass.

I've had great luck with the Berkley Powerbait lizards in darker colors. With a jig head or just a hook I was catching stuff when no one else in my group was getting bites.

Loving it!
I'm going to need another trip to the candy store, if this keeps up. :-)

2" or 3" twistertail in white, probably 75% of my fishing no matter where I'm at is done with that. I've caught just about everything that swims in fresh water with twistertails and plenty of stuff in salt water as well. I like to keep things simple.

I tried the Zman Finesse Shadz last year and they killed! Zman makes a nice mushroom head jig with a wire bait keeper that was great with these. I’m partial to finesse applications and these outfished my usual go-to tubes by a ton.

Second one would be a 5” fluke rigged with a small fitness hook and a spring through the nose of the bait (think of the old school Banjo minnow rig). It’s super weedless from the finesse hook and when the fish eats it head first, the bait rotates on the spring and hits the top lip every time.

Tuna

I've had good success with 3" Berkley PowerBait Power Grub in Christmas Light color.

4 “ white twister tail, or double white tail...

double post--- or orange. White in more clear waters.

Stained (not super clear water- at least during the day ) 3-4" Kalins or Power/Gulp Chartreuse.

in the BW/Q probably 3" solid yellow , twistertail , but i also like the 5" too basically a bigger profile without adding extra weight. also like the color white to but everybody has there favorite , watermelon-junebug-motor oil-green etc... ;)

The last couple years I have had a lot of success and enjoy using the B-Fish-N AuthentX Series Pulse-R... the fish hold onto them longer than any other plastic I've fished. I have had the most success with chartreuse colors.

BUT, my go-to/#1 would be the storm 360 gt searchbait minnow. With that said, I usually am targeting walleye.

I think mine will quickly become the zman and or senko. However, to this point the soft plastic that has caught the most fish for me would be a 3" black twister tail grub. Black and chartreuse twister tail would be close but black would have the edge. This would be on a 1/4 oz jig.

I'm not much of a soft plastic fisherman though. I bought tubes last year but did not try them out at all yet. I have also never fished wacky or neko rigged senkos and will be trying that out this year.

Gulp leech with a pink or orange jighead. Just try to keep the smallie rats off it though:)

Gulp! 5" sinking minnow fished wacky style. I don't seem to be the only one who likes this specific plastic, because at times it's been hard to find in the Cities the past few years. Great for skipping under docks or tossing into weeds where you've caught a fish already.

lundojam: " "

Ding ding ding

TeamTuna06:

Second one would be a 5” fluke rigged with a small fitness hook and a spring through the nose of the bait (think of the old school Banjo minnow rig). It’s super weedless from the finesse hook and when the fish eats it head first, the bait rotates on the spring and hits the top lip every time.

Tuna"

The Banjo Minnow!! I haven't thought of that set up in 25 years! I assumed I was the only one to purchase those from that 2 am infomercial back in 1995! Perhaps more popular than I realized, just outside of my circles. Never gave them an honest try (strong jig bias back in those days) . Did you have luck with them?

I’ve always been a fan of the classic 3” Twister Tail, colors vary from white, black, chartreuse, orange, and pink. But the more and more pictures I see of QueticoMike’s big ol smallmouth bass on Instagram, I think I may have to invest in some ZMan ShadZ’s!

Zwater: "Gulp leech with a pink or orange jighead. Just try to keep the smallie rats off it though:)"

I use the Gulp leech in my walleye hot spot and the walleye tear that thing up. One time I decided to see how many I could catch off of just one leech and I was still catching them with just a small piece of the lure about the size of my thumb nail. No tail left on the lure, just a tiny scrap of black plastic on a jig head and they kept hitting it. Just drop the jig below the canoe, lift it a foot off the bottom and jig it a couple of times and fish on. Some days it can be too easy in that spot. I wish smallmouth fishing was that easy ;)

Z man hula stick, Neko rigged with a mushroom head jig. Hands down.

For Smallmouth day in and day out it would be a green pumpkin tube on a 1/8 oz insider head. Although I enjoy the zman shadz and jerk shadz very much, I can often times catch more fish with tubes( technique is critical). When the fishing is slow( August) I like the various zman Ned rigs. Ned Kehde is a local guy, so we have been fishing them long before they exploded across the country. Elaztech is an amazing material( floats, is very soft and jiggly, and TOUGH) and CRITICAL for true Ned rigging. Last August I was amazed how a little green pumpkin finesse TRD on 1/15 and 1/20 oz finesse mushroom heads just tore up the smallmouth and walleye when nothing else would work for anyone, with many large fish. And as Quetico Mike has been preaching, you can catch many, many fish off of one elaztech bait. Mike, I am anxious to try the Razor Shadz as per your recent BWJ article. Walleye- 4" twister tail, 1/8-1/4 head.

White pearl superfluke is my go to

mgraber: "For Smallmouth day in and day out it would be a green pumpkin tube on a 1/8 oz insider head. Although I enjoy the zman shadz and jerk shadz very much, I can often times catch more fish with tubes( technique is critical). When the fishing is slow( August) I like the various zman Ned rigs. Ned Kehde is a local guy, so we have been fishing them long before they exploded across the country. Elaztech is an amazing material( floats, is very soft and jiggly, and TOUGH) and CRITICAL for true Ned rigging. Last August I was amazed how a little green pumpkin finesse TRD on 1/15 and 1/20 oz finesse mushroom heads just tore up the smallmouth and walleye when nothing else would work for anyone, with many large fish. And as Quetico Mike has been preaching, you can catch many, many fish off of one elaztech bait. Mike, I am anxious to try the Razor Shadz as per your recent BWJ article. Walleye- 4" twister tail, 1/8-1/4 head."

The RaZor is the best subtle top water presentation I have ever used. Just texapose rig a RaZor on a Gamakatsu 2/0 worm hook and you have the complete setup. Best used in calm conditions. A couple of twitches followed by a long pause is all that is required for the presentation. Similar to twitching an original Rapala stick bait on the surface but better. Get the Bad Shad color if you are looking for recommendations.

3" Berkley Ripple Shad - pearl color.....on a road runner underspin jig

yamamoto 5" green senco rigged weedless, no weight.

3" curly tail, assorted colors
But that's all I fish in terms of plastics

Any thoughts on the best Ned rig color for Walleyes? Especially mid June?

jungro: "Any thoughts on the best Ned rig color for Walleyes? Especially mid June?
"

I don't see how you could go wrong with black or even white

moray: "As much as I like fishing soft plastic jerk baits like Shadz or Sluggos, I have caught many more fish on a weightless wacky rigged 4” senko. My favorite color is watermelon/black flake. A close second would have to be a 6” roboworm in morning dawn color fished on a dropshot rig."

x2. I like my 4" Senko in Green Pumpkin or brown/orange color with green flake that I really like as well, can't remember the name. In clear water in most of the places I fish, including the BWCA, these 2 are hard to beat.

Agree with DD and Moray. Senkos fished wacky style weightless in colors mentioned are favorite bass lure. Really like the family of Elazatech baits QM has talked about as well. Gulp 4” minnows on long shank 1/4 oz jigs are favorite for eyes.

Been hooked on ZMAN Shadz for years now. It's the ONLY soft bait I bring these days.
1) Pearl white
2) Gold

yellowhorse: "

TeamTuna06:


Second one would be a 5” fluke rigged with a small fitness hook and a spring through the nose of the bait (think of the old school Banjo minnow rig). It’s super weedless from the finesse hook and when the fish eats it head first, the bait rotates on the spring and hits the top lip every time.


Tuna"

The Banjo Minnow!! I haven't thought of that set up in 25 years! I assumed I was the only one to purchase those from that 2 am infomercial back in 1995! Perhaps more popular than I realized, just outside of my circles. Never gave them an honest try (strong jig bias back in those days) . Did you have luck with them?
"

It’s not the Banjo Minnow per se, but a way to rig a fluke (Zoom, Zman, etc.) that is similar. Take a look at this video from Tactical Bassin’ on how to rig them. Best hook up ratios I’ve ever had with flukes and the action is more erratic than with a Texas rigged wide gap hook.

Tuna

bwcasolo: "for years now, since i first watched Charlie brewer decades ago, i have used berkley 4 inch black worms, curly tail, with his charlie brewer head. 1/4 oz. size. in quetico and bwca the smallies love this combo.
i bought so many slider heads a few decades ago, it will be a while before i run out.
still use the rig, still hot for bass."

My number 1 rig for smallies also .

AuthentX Pulse-R! Walleye dig ‘em

Watermelon red flake senko

trailcheif: "AuthentX Pulse-R! Walleye dig ‘em "

Never seen this before, is this new?

They’ve been out for a few seasons. They work really well in spring. They can be worked slow but still have a lot of action. I use them with a roadrunner jig head and rip them through weed lines. Have caught walleye and LM bass with them down where I live..

3 inch power grub. Color depends on body of water, but white/cream is probably my most used color. Always use an overhead spinner, for extra flash, plus acts as a leader to prevent bite offs from pike. It’s my go to lure for numerous species.

Kalin's 4 or 5" Lunker Grubs have landed me many largemouth, smallmouth and pike. I've had luck with the following colors: Mardi Gras, Watermelon Black Fleck, Summer Craw.

In the BW would probably go with the Z-Man Shadz in Redbone. Thanks, QMike.

Bringing this thread back to the top...…….

I also have had a ton of success with Erie Darters and Dixie Darters. Again, Large and smallmouth bass, and the occasional pike in a lake that is not typically loaded with pike here in Indiana.



Often fish them on a standard jig head or use a slider head:



If I'd be on a lake that was not ultra rocky in the BW where I could bottom bounce it, I'd use it more up there.

I still like the Shadz in redbone and a big Venom tube in copper glitter.

Anybody seen the Live Target Skipping Shad? Haven’t tried them yet but just received a pack and they look awesome. Look very similar to the razor shadz.

trailcheif: "AuthentX Pulse-R! Walleye dig ‘em "

I have that exact lure except with a twister tail, is there a big difference do you know? I am tempted to add the paddle tail my kids could fish it like a swim bait, that presentation would be easier for them, than the typical lift Andy lower walleye retrieve.

T

timatkn: "

trailcheif: "AuthentX Pulse-R! Walleye dig ‘em "

I have that exact lure except with a twister tail, is there a big difference do you know? I am tempted to add the paddle tail my kids could fish it like a swim bait, that presentation would be easier for them, than the typical lift Andy lower walleye retrieve.


T"

I think the one you have is called the Moxi. Have you had good success with it? and in what colors?

Yea you are right. I have caught walleyes on it, but really haven’t used it a lot. At least not enough to say one way or the other.

T

Does anyone have any luck using soft plastics for brookies? I've got some that kinda look like craws (Crackin Craw) and some that kinda look like big bugs/beetles (Bandito Bug), that I'm planning on Texas rigging with weighted hooks, and slow crawling near shore. I may try jigging them as well if slow crawling doesn't work. I have other lures I plan to use as well, but I really wanted to see if I can get some bites on plastics. The aforementioned two kinds are the only plastics I have that I would anticipate a bite on, given the typical brookie forage of craws and insects.