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Soft plastic designs - simplicity catches fish!

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senkosam View Drop Down
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Joined: 26 Apr 2013
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote senkosam Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Soft plastic designs - simplicity catches fish!
    Posted: 15 Dec 2017 at 1:35pm
ver wonder what soft plastic lure would work best for a fish species? Too bad - there isn't one, the reason being: there are just too many to chose from when it comes to freshwater or brackish water fish.
I'm not just talking about one species because fish will be fish and react to lure action: - imparted and lure design in combination. Take the cone-shaped grub below. 

I just happened to find the lure in my box and wondered first -where did this come from? and then, will it catch fish rigged on a light jig head? I rigged it on a 1/16 oz, unpainted ball head jig, cast it out and immediately caught this perch.


I had no idea when I made it or how I made it, only that is caught over a dozen fish that day of different species and size fish.

It doesn't look like much, but looks are deceiving when it comes to lure action. This design is unique in the sense that it has no moving parts like a curl tail or shad tail. When I went to make more I thought, 'why not make the tail from soft plastic and the head from firmer plastic?' This way the tail quivers with the least angler motion. But what I also didn't realize was the action that could be applied to the lure as a whole just using a bit of rod tip twitch. Ever hear of walk-the-dog? It's an action made famous by the Zara Spook surface plugs decades ago best described as a zig-zag across the surface. 
Coupled with the soft tail, the conical shape acts the same way at any depth and drives fish nuts!

The lure labeled soft cone tail, was made in two parts - fusing those parts with a candle flame. The entire worm was poured and then 3/4" of the tail welded to 1/2" of the nose of a worm of a different color.

Here's another where a mold wasn't used:

All I did was pour a layer of plastic on a smooth floor tile and then another over the same layer, I cut the shape into a V and dipped the shape into the hot plastic, building the diameter.

Here are a few other fish caught with the cone tail grub:

A rather large catfish (5lb)

nice perch                                              sunfish

This year I happened to have in my box a lure someone had given me a few years ago that I never used, believing the design so-so. But when I looked at the shape, it hit me that though the lure has a double straight tail, it was basically coned shaped!  I found out accidentally that the lure's manufacturer name is Crappie Magnet. The first cast (coincidentally) also caught this perch:

I ordered a bunch from the company on-line in many colors (which matters not) because I'm lazy when it comes to making lures I can buy cheap. I must of bought over 150 and in 20 different colors!
Why not since like many simple designs they catch most fish species.

Not long after this discovery I decided to  make a spike-tail grub.

I bought a mold that only produces spikes which I add to any grub body using a candle flame.

With a little experimentation, you can produce a design no one has ever sold and, as with so many other designs, rate high in fish catching potential. Try it you'll like it! 

 Just remember to watch the lure in the water as you retrieve it different ways to see what gives it the best action.

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MadDogLures View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MadDogLures Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Dec 2017 at 6:57am
Great looking soft grub plastic lure you got there, I have seen those  Crappie Magnet before online and  the ones you make would be a killer on the Trout , Bream, and Bass over here.

Cheers,
Mad Dog Dave
Life is fishing!
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senkosam View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote senkosam Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Dec 2017 at 10:42am
Thanks.  
So glad I found that soft plastic lures could be modified an infinite number of ways and catch most freshwater species, from the smallest 3.5" bass to a 5lb channel catfish. It all comes down to getting the lure near an eyeball, twitching it a bit and waiting for the rod to load up. 

Cheer from the land way north.

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