A Beginner's Guide to Soft Lures: Get Started Catching More Fish

Last spring, I was fishing a tournament on a lake in northern Alabama. The weather had been up and down – one day it was 80 degrees, the next it dropped to 55. The bite was really tough, and I'd only caught two keepers by 10 o'clock. I'd thrown all my favorite Hard Baits over the main point without much luck, so I tied on a 5-inch green pumpkin Soft Lures worm and started flipping into the brush along the bank. Twenty minutes later, I'd caught four more keepers including a 5-pound largemouth, and I ended up finishing third in the tournament. That day reminded me why every angler needs to have soft lures in their tackle box – they catch fish when nothing else wants to bite.

If you're new to fishing or just getting started with soft plastics, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start catching more fish. Soft lures aren't complicated once you learn the basics, and they'll help you catch more fish in almost any situation.

What Are Soft Lures?

Soft lures – also called soft plastics – are fishing lures made from flexible plasticized materials that are designed to imitate baitfish, worms, crawfish, and other natural prey that fish eat. The flexible plastic gives them a natural action in the water that fish can't resist.

There are several big advantages to fishing with soft lures:

  • Natural action: The flexible material gives them a natural movement that looks just like the real thing.
  • Versatile: There's a soft lure for every fishing situation – shallow cover, deep structure, cold water, warm water.
  • Affordable: When you buy factory direct like from LENPABY, soft lures are really affordable. You can stock your tackle box without breaking the bank.
  • You can rig them different ways:
    • Weedless for cover, on jig heads for deep water, on Carolina rigs for covering bottom. You can adapt to whatever the fish want that day.

Common Types of Soft Lures Every Angler Needs

There are many different types of soft lures, but these are the most common and every angler should have them in their tackle box:

1. Plastic Worms

Plastic worms are the classic soft lure, and they catch all kinds of fish, especially bass. They work great Texas-rigged for fishing cover, and you can fish them slow when the bite is tough. I keep several sizes and colors in my box at all times.

2. Crawfish Imitations

Craw imitations are deadly for bass in the spring when bass are feeding on crayfish that move around in the rocky shallows. They work great flipped into cover along the bank. If you're fishing in an area with a lot of rock, you need to have some craw soft plastics in your box.

3. Tube Baits

Tubes are incredibly versatile – you can fish them Texas-rigged in cover, you can jig them vertically on deep rock piles for smallmouth bass, they work almost anywhere. They're one of my go-to lures when I'm fishing clear water for finicky bass.

4. Swimbaits

Soft swimbaits imitate small baitfish, and you can reel them in steadily just like a hard bait. They work great when bass are schooling up chasing shad, and they catch some really big bass.

5. Creature Baits

Creature baits have multiple arms and legs that move around in the water, and they're made for flipping into heavy cover like brush piles and thick grass. Big bass love to hide in heavy cover, and creature baits get bitten when other lures won't.

Basic Rigging Methods for Soft Lures

There are several common ways to rig soft lures, each works better in different situations. These are the three most common methods every angler should know:

Texas Rig (Weedless)

This is the most common way to rig soft plastics for bass fishing. You put a bullet weight on your line, tie on an offset worm hook, and thread the soft lure onto the hook with the hook point buried back into the plastic. This makes it completely weedless, so you can fish it right through thick cover without snagging constantly. It's perfect for fishing brush piles, grass, and laydown trees where big bass hide.

Carolina Rig

With a Carolina rig, you put a heavy weight up the line, then have a leader with your soft lure on a hook. This keeps your lure on the bottom where the bass feed, and it gives the lure more freedom to move naturally. It's great for covering deep points and humps where bass hold in the summer and winter.

Jig Head Rig

You hook the soft lure onto a lead jig head with the hook already molded in. This works great for tube baits when you're vertically jigging deep rock piles, and it also works for swimming soft plastic minnows. It's simple and effective, and it's my go-to when I'm fishing deep water for smallmouth.

How to Fish Soft Lures Successfully

When the water is cold and bass aren't active, you need to fish your soft lure really slow. Drag it along the bottom, pause between drags, and let the fish have time to find it and strike. When the water is warm and bass are active, you can fish it faster and cover more water.

The most important thing is to feel your line. You need to watch for subtle bites – sometimes it's just a little tick or extra weight on the line. When you feel anything different, set the hook. You miss a lot less bites that way.

What Other Anglers Are Saying About LENPABY Soft Lures

"I've been buying soft plastics from LENPABY for a couple years now, and the quality is just as good as the big name brands I used to buy from the tackle shop, but I save almost half the money. I fish tournaments every weekend, and I go through a lot of soft plastics, so the savings add up quickly. I've caught tons of fish on their worms and creature baits. Definitely recommend."
– Bryan K., Texas USA

"I fish the Tennessee River for bass every week, and I've tried just about every brand of soft plastic out there. The LENPABY plastics have just the right amount of softness – not too soft that they tear after one fish, not too hard that they don't have good action. The colors hold up well, and the value can't be beat. I've converted all my fishing buddies now."
– Michael W., Tennessee USA

Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Lures

Q: Do soft lures only work for Bass Fishing?

A: No, soft lures work for all kinds of fish – walleye, pike, trout, redfish, even catfish will eat soft plastics. You just need to match the size of the lure to the size of fish you're targeting. Everything from 3-inch worms for trout up to 10-inch swimbaits for trophy bass and Predator Fish Specials.

Q: How long do soft lures last?

A: With quality soft lures from a good manufacturer, you can get multiple fish out of each lure. Eventually they'll get torn up by fish teeth, but that's just part of fishing. When you buy in bulk factory direct like from LENPABY, it doesn't cost much to replace them.

Q: Can you use soft lures in Saltwater Systems?

A: Yes, there are soft lures designed specifically for saltwater fishing for species like redfish, speckled trout, and flounder. Just make sure you get ones that are formulated for saltwater so the plastic holds up longer.

Q: What color soft lure should I use?

A: Follow the same basic rules as other lures – natural colors like green pumpkin work well in clear water, bright colors like chartreuse work better in murky water. Black and blue is a classic combination for dark cloudy days. Start with a couple basic colors and go from there.

Q: Do I need to add scent to my soft lures?

A: It's optional, but it can help especially in dirty water when the bite is slow. Many soft lures come pre-scented these days, and you can always add extra scent if you want to. It doesn't hurt anything, and it can help get more bites.

Ready to Stock Your Tackle Box With Quality Soft Lures?

Soft lures are an essential part of every angler's tackle box. They catch fish when other lures don't, they work in almost every situation, and they're affordable when you buy factory direct. Whether you're a beginner just getting started or an experienced angler looking to save money, you can't beat having quality soft lures in your box.

When you buy from LENPABY, you get quality soft lures with great action at factory-direct prices – save up to 60% compared to buying from retail tackle stores. They've been making quality fishing lures since 2010, so you know you're getting a product that's designed to catch fish.

Start with a dozen plastic worms in green pumpkin and black blue – those two cover most situations – and head out to your favorite lake. I promise you'll catch more fish, just like I did that tournament day in Alabama. Good luck and happy fishing!