TackleTour

Do you favor on over the other for any reason ? ... As far as my fishing goes it's about 90/10 in favor of hard baits. I just kind of gravitated towards them over the last few seasons as my 'whims' changed. I still will throw plastics on a jighead if that's what is getting bit but I'll always have some type of hard bait tied on first. Two years from now it may be the opposite, who knows ?

I would prefer to catch the fish that I pursue on UL tackle on single-hook hard baits (among which I include a marabou jig) simply because of the speed of unhooking one fish and casting for another. But I've found soft-bodied baits so much more effective for smaller warm-water species that I usually start with them and try switching over to hard baits once I get into some fish.

When fishing with stouter tackle, I usually start with hard baits to cover water faster.

I'd rather catch them on hard moving baits, but the reality is that I throw plastic the vast majority of the time.

I used to prefer plastics. I am just getting back into using conventional tackle. I have been using hard baits. I hook more with plastics but that may all change once I switch from trebles to single hooks.

Mike P.

I think like 1/2 or more of the reason why I'm into UL is the tiny versions of popular bass hardbaits and the baitcast gear used to cast them. I don't think I would find it as interesting if I just used plastics and spinning tackle.

Plastics all the time. Much more versatile fishing the entire water column, much easier to cast a 32nd ounce jig versus a 32nd ounce hard bait.

What kind of UL plastics are y'all using?

John G wrote:What kind of UL plastics are y'all using?

Fish arrow makes some amazing stuff, 1" Flash Js and J Huddles for one example. I like the Itty Bit Swim'R from Bobby Garland and HookUp baits a lot as well.

I generally start with reaction baits/hardbaits and then use the plastics for cleanup.

Hard baits appeal to me far more. I know I'll catch more with soft plastic. That's the fall too.

Depending on what they're biting I like both, but I guess I prefer jig heads for their versatility, castability, and for the thrill of the hook set.

I love fishing Bobby Garland shads on Crappie Magnet 1/32 jig heads under Thill Crappie Corks. It's a blast sucking up all the slack with a fast reel and driving the hook home when you see the bobber tick. I always have that rigged and ready to go on my St Croix Panfish Series 69ULF/Daiwa Exceler 1500/4# Invizx.

My other favorite setup is a 1/16 Fin Spin underspin jig head with a Bobby Garland shad. I always have that ready on a Panfish Series 70LXF/Exceler 2000/6#Invizx. It's fun to bounce it around on the bottom or dart it around on an erratic retrieve with that.

Either combo can handle anything the other can, so if they only want a jig head under a bobber I'll set em both up the same with a different color and heavier weight on the L/XF.

I do like fishing little crankbaits, too, as well as Mepps Aglias, Kastmasters, Super Dupers, etc. For that I've got a BPS micro light graphite 6'6" UL with a Laguna 500/8# J-Braid for a nice sloooow retrieve. As someone else mentioned, this does tend to work better for me in the winter when the fishing's slow.

Then there's always cheating part. The hybrid combination of putting both together, soft plastic onto the hardbait.

Such a cheating method at times is just tipping the hardbait with a tiny bit of plastic. Although this may be the ultralight forum...cheating with a 1" tube rigged onto your treble hook on a larger lure. Ah the days before all poppers had feathered trailer.

Or if you look at a Mepps spinner where they have the rubber baitfish on the inline spinner. Cheating with micro spinners and adding that 1" curly tail grub.

Defintiely a hardbaits guy here...

I like micro hardbaits and will usually be my first choice unless I am fishing gills near vegetation.

I do use plastics. I usually use tungsten ice jigs with ice fishing plastics. I got a crap ton when Gander Mountain went under. Got them for 80-90%off. I got at least 8 years worth, maybe more if the pike dont kill them.

The tungsten flies like a missle and sinks into the mud/sand good. Gives the bait a nice standup profile that dancing in the current.

Hardbaits for me - hits from big trout and perch are more aggressive and exhilarating...