Painter1 Posted April 18, 2023 Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 I’m starting again on a small scale, planning to make 4” worms, 2.75” “McMinnows”, and 3” grubs. I’m thinking Soft? The lake I fish has very clear water with 15’ to 20’ visibility, so my goal is natural look. Recommendations are most welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Young Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 I'm using bait plastics plastisol & myself personally i like medium for everything except for mixing 50% hard/medium for tubes & lately i'm liking saltwater hard for crappie lures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painter1 Posted April 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2023 No kidding? That surprises me. I was taught to go with soft for finesse baits. Hmm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigmeister Posted May 4, 2023 Report Share Posted May 4, 2023 Typically finesse means 4,6,8 lb lines . The original hand pour 4 and 6 " finesse worms made in the west were so soft you could literally set the light wire worm hooks by simply reeling down hard when a bass bit . Todays Robo worms same thing . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted May 4, 2023 Report Share Posted May 4, 2023 "Super Soft" was my selling point back in the day here in Central California as there weren't many of us doing it at the time. That rage really took off then. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems to have fizzled a bit in the past decade or so. Now that I'm doing my fair share of fishing, really the only bait that I want super soft is a worm because as jigmeister mentioned, it takes next to nothing to set the hook. I don't want a soft craw, stick bait, ned rig, swimbait, etc. Just don't care for the action on them in a softer plastic. So now that I've talked about pouring baits just for me and my son, I'd say I'd probably go with 80 percent medium and maybe have a gallon of super soft set aside for worms. This is going completely against my selling point LOL! Just my 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Young Posted May 6, 2023 Report Share Posted May 6, 2023 I make the essential series finesse worm, essential series ribbon tail worm & an 11 inch ribbon tail worm that i fish hard in summer & make them all with bait plastics medium & it works great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskat Posted May 7, 2023 Report Share Posted May 7, 2023 I use baitplastics. 50% medium and 50% super soft. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoonMinnow Posted June 18, 2023 Report Share Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) Lure action always matters and I haven't done bad using med. plastic and still get the best action from all designs. As you see from the various actions tail, thin tails such as the spike tail, shad paddle and paddle tails shown, they all do just what their supposed to on slow retrieves mixed with slight rod tip twitches and/pauses. This 2 3/4 lb bass is an example caught yesterday: The cone or taper tail grubs waddle with twitches added making for some incredible numbers of fish caught - 35 caught the day before that included a catfish and 3 species of panfish/ 82 in total caught with a few other designs. Medium plastic for all - 107 fish for 2 consecutive day. BTW the cone shaped tail was slammed by panfish of all sizes and the fish held on for good hook sets. Two schools of fish were a fishing nirvana for over and hour! Edited June 18, 2023 by SpoonMinnow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...