Soft plastics fishing has become popular in saltwater environments, and for good reason. These lures can be extremely effective at catching fish. In this article, we will discuss the basics of soft plastics fishing in saltwater, including the best techniques and how to choose the right lure for your target species. Let’s get started!
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A Soft Past
The idea of using soft plastic to make fishing lures dates back decades, with early versions being made from hard rubber. Lure makers gradually shifted their techniques and by the 1970s you could find these types pretty much everywhere in America!
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Modern Soft Plastics
The late ‘90s and early 2000s saw a frenzy of local tackle companies making soft baits for Aussie species. Their success in tournaments was enough to cause an interested community, who had just started becoming aware of these curious creations from Australia; to want them on their range immediately! The innovative design allowed many different types of fish to be caught with ease- including some very rare ones not found anywhere else like tidewater garfish ( identifiable by its long snout) or threadfin bream which can both be hard.
Soft plastics are becoming more popular as anglers tackle collections. They come in just about every color, size, and shape imaginable – there is a soft bait for any situation! Over time developers have noticed areas where they can be improved upon; with feedback from fishermen around the world guiding them down an exciting new path of innovative design that will soon have your day booked up solid – or maybe even turned into night crawler fishing adventures.
“My six-year-old son can rig one on a jighead now, so it isn’t that bad at all! He loves the feel of fighting fish and I am really glad he has found something that makes him happy while also giving us some good fishing opportunities.”
The material used in these reels is incredibly strong and buoyant, meaning they look alive even at rest! This means that the cheaper plastic models will not last as long when compared to stronger ones like Elastomax. Inferior designs won’t be able to sit lifeless on the bottom or come into contact with structure due to their lack of durability which results in far more economic product spending time underwater attracting fish.
Jesse knows that new students sometimes struggle with how much they should be taking. For these people, he recommends weighing the risk versus reward and then going from there – rather than worrying about doing too much or not enough!
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Soft Plastic Basics
The inshore estuarine and beachfront areas are perfect for newbies to soft plastics. Even without a boat or kayak, anglers can still tangle with quality fish from pretty much any corner of this continent! Plus it’s an extremely relaxing pursuit if you don’t have time-poor but want budget-friendly equipment as well–a light spin set up in the 2 – 5kg range will do just fine thanks to Daiwa’s Aggrest Pre Mounted Rod & Reel Combos which offer high-end choices at affordable prices.
If you’ve been thinking about what kinds of lures would be most effective for catching certain species, then it’s time to put those ideas into practice. Tossing just any old plastic into the water won’t work – there needs to be something tailored specifically towards your target fish!
“Downsizing your jigheads might be the way to go!” says Nabeel. He suggests using slow-moving lures, making sure they hit bottom every now and again with plenty of time left over after that for some extra depth finder work before setting them back out into deeper water again – this works well when you’re fishing near concrete or weed beds where there’s less food available but still need something tasty enough so as not leave any potential meals ungettable.
The soft plastic Bait Junkie Minnows 2.5” and 3-inch jigheads are a great tool for fishing in estuaries or shallow bays because they can be fished lightly with this type of gear when used between depths that require more attention, like 1/16-1/8 ounces (depending on current). These little guys will also slow-sink nicely while you’re waiting around looking at what’s biting!
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Nabeel likes to fish with natural baitfish-like colors such as ayu, pearl trout, and copper flash. But if the water is discolored from rain or big tides he might try brighter colors that stand out in dirty shaky waters instead of staying true Naturals which are usually more reliable for catching fish when there’s no color difference between what they’re sitting on top of Mixing it up just means you have options!
If you’re looking to get into fishing, the best way is by slow-moving saltwater species like bread and butterfish. These are great for learning before moving on to fast-moving fish with more gear needed! But when they move through – which happens often around these parts due to our climate conditions plus plenty of bait choices means soft plastics work wonders too though most anglers will tell ya’ not just match what’s happening at your target eve milliseconds beforehand but also go small if need be because nothing beats consistency in this sport.
The Jerk shad is a must-have for targeting larger pelagic species such as tuna, kingfish, and giant trevally. With 1/8 -1/4 ounce heads on lighter plastics with longer casts, you can work them quickly without getting pulled underwater mid-retrieve!
“I’ve chased kingfish in the west of Victoria with Jerkshads,” Jesse says, as he demonstrates how these large lures behave when winding them back. “I found out they look different from any other lure on market!”.
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How to Rig Soft Plastic Lures
Soft plastics allow you to fish from the surface and still be silent. They’re best for flat fishing, sight casting, or surfcasting because they won’t make any noise when landing your catch! A plastic shrimp is perfect if set up right with no internal weight – just position it so that there’s an inch worth of space underneath where this will stick out at the bottom keeping everything upright while also adding some extra sensitivity by using a jig head-on top instead.
Soft plastics allow you to fish from the surface and still be silent. They’re best for flat fishing, sight casting, or surfcasting because they won’t make any noise when landing your catch! A plastic shrimp is perfect if set up right with no internal weight – just position it so that there’s an inch worth of space underneath where this will stick out at the bottom keeping everything upright while also adding some extra sensitivity by using a jig head-on top instead.
One of the most important things to remember when using soft plastics is that they should have beads or spoons attached. The front two “eyes” on a lot of rigs will allow for more strikes, but it also helps prevent your bait from sliding up after hooking so you can enjoy catching other fish as well!
How to Fish with Soft Plastics in Deep Water
In the water, I am a master of using soft plastics to catch fish. With these handy tools in my arsenal and proper technique on hand; it is easy for me to reach 150 feet deep where most other divers only go about 80 or so! It all comes down to weight- what you have available at any given moment plus how far away from your boat/rigging etc., which can make current conditions affect how fast that distance gets covered too – but when there’s no wind + angling towards an object such as coral reefs etc., even light weights will do just fine.
The best designs for deep water are streamlined. These include the arrow-shaped jig head with a slender cylindrical body up to 14 inches long, such as Ron 4X series bait or one that has an undulating tailfin which gets more strikes in colder environments.
It’s a basic technique, but it can be tricky to get just right. Drop the lure over or cast it with some distance and let sink while holding open bail so you don’t pull on your line too hard when doing this manually; then start retrieval by angling rod-tip toward the bottom of water depth desired – slower lifts are better because they allow more time for gravity take effect in pulling up whatever may have been caught at that particular spot down below! Vary rates depend upon how deep each specific spot goes before finally giving into temptation: set higher weights if needed.
There are two types of fishing methods for Bottom bouncing, drift, and jig. When you use a lead head weight with 2 ounces on it will get up to about 100 feet deep but sometimes 3-ounce heads need more than that because they’re designed specifically for heavy fishermen who want their hooks near the bottom where there’s plenty of fish! You can also add egg sinkers above your line/fishing rod so if any big ones come along then we’ll have some bait right away.”
For large, deep water fish like Dorado and Tuna, it is important to have a second rod ready with an appropriate reel attachment so that you can quickly cast your line when needed. often all one needs are some slow-sinking shrimp or grubs on lighter hooks for those times where slowly jigging will not be enough weight behind their boat while drifting at sea without engaging any engines themselves!
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How to Fish Soft Plastics in Inshore Waters
The same principles of rigging live bait for fishing apply to soft plastics. For depths from five up to 25 feet, it’s necessary that you use less weight with your lure in order to reach the bottom and findṗuitable prey–shrimp or swimming baitfish imitations like D O A B FL (which looks like a mullet). If there’s no wind then this jig head would be perfect because its body can easily get tangled on trees while other lures may have problems staying afloat without contactor surfaces such as billfishes etc..
One of the best ways to get fish on your line is by using a shank-weighted lure. This type can be fished either at or just below water level, depending upon conditions and what kind you’re after – inshore rigs work well for depths down near 20 feet if there’s not too much current going forward; but some may prefer deeper waters because then they have room where both lures AND baits will sink slower than usual (though still quickly). The perfect match would depend largely.
The ordinary soft-plastic shrimp has undergone continual improvement over the years. Since they come in endless colors and sizes, science still hasn’t identified a game fish that will not eat them – so most lures are pre-rigged with a hook sticking out back for when you need one! A weight inside helps balance your slow retrieve or natural drift while also providing some extra power to get it deep if necessary, but sometimes adding more sinker up front can help make sure these lightweight creatures swim just below ground level naturally instead of above as many other types might do.
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Conclusion
When it comes to fishing with soft plastics in saltwater, there are a few things you need to know in order to be successful. By following the tips we’ve outlined in this article, you should be able to start catching more fish right away. What have you found to be the most successful way to fish with soft plastics in saltwater? Let us know in the comments below!