Traits of a Preferred Plastic

[Ray Esboldt]

I have about 5 different style/brand/color combinations in a plastic that I consistently grab for. In fact, I bet I go through 2 packs of Comidas and 1 pack of Zoom Chunks for every 10 hours I spend on the water. The qualities I like in a Comida are weight, length, and durability. The Zoom Chunks standout for their durability. I pick certain brands of worms because of their softness/hardness factor. And, so on. Sometimes the trait is as simplistic as "looks good."

So, here's what I am looking for. I am looking for 3 traits from each person that best describes what they prefer in a plastic. For example, I would post, "Durability, weight, and length." Make those your first 3 words of your post. You can provide your description after that.

This is just human interest poll. I like statistics.

[polarsusd81]

Durability, weight, action (aka softness/hardness), and value.

I fish a lot of soft plastic jerk-bait-baits and for my money the ones I turn to are the YUM Dingers. I can usually get one or two more fish per Dinger than a Senko. There is a bit of sacrifice in weight with the Dinger, just a bit lighter than the others, but I think that adds in the slow fall when rigged wacky style. Action is third, although could be considered first or second as well. The bait has to move and flutter in the water when I want it too, if the bait is too hard, it doesn't move, too soft, and I can fling it off the hook after a couple casts. This leads into #4, which is value. I am not rich by any means of the word, so I like to get some use out of my baits before they go to the can.

FWIW, I have not yet tried a bag of Comida's. Willing to give them a shot though, next time I am at Thorne, I will take a look at them.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Size and action... Color.

[Fluker]

Action, Size and Color

Same as Deitz, but different order of importance (if we were supposed to do that).

Funny how 2 different traits can be the same, btu different. Action vs. Durability for example. If your talking a straight worm, one with more action is probably softer, and less durable.

For me, action is most improtant. Do I want a lot of action, or none. Size is next. Different applications, different size. (Big bait for flipping, small bait for DS, etc.) Color is 3rd, but moving it's way down. I used to be a color freak in the clear water resevoirs, but I'm almost to the point now where color - light or dark.

[JP Z]

Size, action, color

Although it isn't a trait nowadays PRICE is in that top 3 sadly.

[fishcast]

Action or size, shape of profile third

I guess some of mine kind of depend on eachother like size and profile and that affects the action. And I might have added drop speeds but that has more to do with how its rigged and kind of falls into action

most important for me action if its a tougher day more subtle straight tail worms or tube for example versus a high action tail on a good day

next size, in darker water and or heavier cover usually larger size plastics

last for me profile, the general shape I think the fish may look for the most, thin minnow shape versus broad sunfish profile versus crayfish shape etc. Also on highly pressured waters a new profile, just something different might make the difference too

past third for my choices but now smell is also something I look at, fishing dark colored waters on the WI river for smallies I think the strong smell of gulp! is often preffered or maybe just located easier but it appears to work really well over unscented plastics sometimes

[RickyBobby]

size, color, "looks good"

"Looks good" in that it scores high in the "if-I-were-a-fish-I'd-definitely-eat-that-thing" test.

[Central Bassman]

Size, action, color

Although it isn't a trait nowadays PRICE is in that top 3 sadly.

I agree with you

[Neighbor_guy]

Shape, size, color.

Then mabe scent, and price. But if I dont like the look of a bait, if it just doesn't "do anything" for me I am not going to buy it. Size kind of goes right with the shape and could be considered one in the samen but we are playing a game so it is seperate.

I do open the packages at the store and "cop a feel" as well as give everything the smell test. I have turned things away at the store because of the feel/smell test.

[Neighbor_guy]

BTW Dick's sporting goods frowns on that. I have been "escorted out" for that before.

[ptkane]

color, size, how it falls

[goblueM]

Price, action, durability. I would say scent/color, but nowadays I think there's so many colors of pretty much every bait, and there's a lot of good fish catching scents out there.

I'm in the YUM Dinger crowd as well, tougher and cheaper then Senkos. Just picked up 3 packs of Comidas at 3.29 per 10, so if they work good for me I'll switch over

[EBass]

Profile, Action, Color

And runner up is Price. I do like to get things in the bargin bin if I can. Tubes and such, but I will fork over the $ for real Yamamoto Senkos. Kinda evens out in the end.

[YUM]

"Looks good" in that it scores high in the "if-I-were-a-fish-I'd-definitely-eat-that-thing" test.

lol, all my baits have to pass this test

[RK]

Hiya -

I've been scratching my head over how to answer this. For me it's so totally dependent on the situation at hand.

Example: pitching into rushes, it'd be durability, size, and profile/bulk. Color would be WAY down on the list in this case, and the traits that matter are purely performance-related. Rushes are murder on plastics, so they have to be tough; I usually want a bigger bait to present a big target; often I want something bulky for a slower fall and large profile. Color - whatever I happen to grab on my way to the front deck...

On the other hand, if I'm casting grubs for smallies, it'd be size, color, action. Size - 2" grubs for cold fronts, 5" for active fish, and everything in between; color, because there's a huge difference between a translucent and opaque color, and smallies can be nauseatingly color selective sometimes; action (and shape a little bit too) because there's a big difference between the thump of a 5" grub like a Kalin's and the subtle buzz of a 5" curly tail worm like a Persuader or Roboworm.

Probably could come up with other examples, but you get the point. It totally depends on the circumstances.

I never used to say price was much of an issue (plastics, overall, are pretty cheap, especially if you buy in bulk). Then came the $9 for a 4 pack of swimbaits nonsense. If it takes plastics that are $2.25 a piece to catch 'em, I'll go dig up some angleworms and fish sunfish

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[bassNspear]

i think your all right, size action and color are key!