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As fishing has advanced beyond a simple wooden pole and string, so have lures evolved to match. While some anglers choose to stick with live bait, there are endless benefits to the choice, selection, and customization that comes with synthetic lures.
Soft bait lures date back to the 1950s when fishermen began using the rubber from old inner tubes for attracting fish. What fishermen gained in their ingenuity and new bait tactics, they lost in the lifelike appearance because of the stiff rubber that didn’t mimic natural movements.
Today, soft bait lures have come a long way. The evolution of plastics have given way to an extensive variety of choice when it comes to lures. Thus, it’s of no surprise that fishermen using soft bait lures find themselves many times becoming confused with the choices available.
This guide aims to simplify the choice process based on a variety of factors including environmental, preferential, and target specifications. With over 20,000 fishing items in our inventory, Outdoor Shopping has the most extensive lineup of fishing equipment online today! Shop our inventory of soft bait lures at Outdoor Shopping.
Soft Lure Bait Types
Soft bait lures aren’t restricted to one style. In fact, depending on what type of fish you’re aiming to catch, there are a variety of molds available that can produce several categories of lure shapes.
Bait Type | Guidelines | Best for: |
Worms | One of the most basic designs, worms are an easy creature to imitate and still one of the most popular choices today. Worms come in sizes from a few inches for trout and panfish up to 12 inches for bass and pike and are available in almost any weight, scent, and color imaginable. The main fish attracting action components of worms are the texture (ringed, ribbed or smooth) and the tail (ribbon, twister, paddle, or straight). |
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Grubs | This subset of the worm bait type is typically shorter and thicker than the traditional zipper worm design, and their main attraction lies in the flattened, fluttering tail. Grubs come in various lengths from 1″ up to 12″ and hundreds of colors combinations. Because these are heavier, they work well when dragged across the bottom of a body of water where their tails can flutter as it’s moved. |
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Baitfish | These are designed to mimic forage fish, so you’ll want to select baitfish lures that match the environment you’re fishing in. |
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Tubes/Stick Baits | With a hollow center to allow for scents, these baits will fall more slowly through the water. Tubes range in sizes from 1″-2″ for crappies and panfish 3″-6″ for largemouth and smallmouth bass up to 14″ for big pike and muskies. |
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Crawfish | Created to look like a crawdad in defensive position, these are ideal for dragging along the bottom of a body of water. |
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Lizards | These work best during bass spawning season, as lizards tend to raid nests and consume bass eggs. |
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Leeches & Reapers | A variation of the grub, these baits have a rounded head and body leading to a soft thin membrane. The sizes start from 3″ for walleye and bass up to 12″ for pike and muskies. |
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Frogs | Mimicking frogs, these baits are especially convincing for bass and will keep them on your lure for longer periods of time. |
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Magnum | When manufacturers started creating soft bait lures for pikes and muskies rather than just bass, the magnum lure was created. These are hard-bodied, soft-tailed baits that come in hundreds of varieties, weights up to 1 lb, and lengths up to 15 inches. |
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Soft Bait Setups
Knowing which gear and target species you’re working with will help determine which soft lure baits will work best with your equipment and situation. Here are some examples to keep in mind:
Lure Size | Fishing Gear | Target Species |
Small |
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Mid-Size |
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Large |
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Extra Large |
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Lure Colors
Plastics allow for endless varieties of color choices, and while it may seem easy to simply pick the flashiest color, the fact of the matter is that there’s a method to the madness when selecting the right color for your soft bait lure. Here are some details to keep in mind when selecting color:
Light Penetration: Clear waters and bright skies call for more translucent lures. With darker conditions like murky waters or cloudy days, it’s best to stick to darker black and purple colors.
Conditions | Visibility Distance | Lure Colorings |
Poor Visibility (muddy waters, cloudy days) | 1-2 feet |
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Medium Visibility | 3-15 feet |
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High Visibility (clear water, sunny days) | 15-25 feet or more |
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Target Species: Many bass, for instance, will spook at highly unnatural colors, so even the brightest days call for natural or translucent soft bait lures. Even red colored lures tend to just be the accent colors with the primary coloring a natural pigment.
If you find yourself in extremely dark conditions or muddy waters, be sure to utilize other lure additions like scents to attract fish without looking unnatural. Glow-in-the-dark lures are best served for Crappie fishing during dawn or dusk.
With over 20,000 fishing items in our inventory, Outdoor Shopping has the most extensive lineup of fishing equipment online today! Shop our inventory of soft bait lures at Outdoor Shopping.
