4" Soft Plastics Texas-Rigged Weightless - Shallow Water Action

By Ian   

​  Fall is here. The trees glow with various colors, and the water is getting colder by the day. The fish also are less active. It's time to switch out those summertime baits.

   Often in the morning, when many people do their fishing, the fish are out in the shallows of ponds and lakes. In the past, we fished the banks in the morning with topwater lures. But now's it's too cold for topwater. What you do?

   That's when a 4" finesse soft plastic comes in. Whether be a 4" craw, worm, or lizard, anything that isn't too bulky is fine. It know, 4" plastics are hard to find, but after a bit of searching  you will find them.  Rig that with an exposed thin wire hook (aberdeen), and you are set. This soft plastic is designed to be rigged weightless, and on a light action spinning rod and reel, with light 6 or 8lb line. 

Above: For best results, cast towards structure in the shallows, such as weeds or rock piles.

​  To work this bait, simply cast towards structure, and let it sink. Feel for bites. If there are none, twitch and "hop" it across the bottom. Reel in and repeat. Bites with this bait are subtle. I often get big bluegill on this bait, with the occasional catfish.

  Sometimes, it's good to add a little bit of fish attractant to this bait when the bite is stale. With the plethora of scents on the market these days, get on that matches your bait for the best results (get crayfish for a 4" craw, etc). For baits that don't resemble anything in particular, such as worms, simply get a generic all around scent. I hope that helps.

Tight lines,

-Ian