SPRING SOFT-BAIT SHOWDOWN
Early Spring in my opinion is a great time to get out in hunt of some juicy Perch. They are more active, fishing is more fun and there are less lure anglers on the bank because they are normally off hunting Carp! This time of year is mostly active, no need to stand still for 20 minutes twitching your rod tip whist your 3cm dropshot shad wobbles around in front of a lethargic wasp. We are talking heavy hitting, fast-er paced, big baits (I love a big bait!) and explosive takes.
In this blog we are concentrating on early Spring soft baits that I will be using this year. Mostly for the first time (even though I have used similar baits for a longer time). In a future blog we will look at hard baits, more specifically top water which is the most fun you can can whist fishing!
So lets look at baits, there is a theme here….. Creature baits…… You now me well enough now to know that I LOVE creature baits almost as much as Perch do! So lets start with the smaller versions then work our way up to the slightly crazier ones!
Firstly the Rage NED Bug..
This is a relatively small bait measuring in at about 65mm with a ribbed body. It has long claws at the top with ‘rage flanges’ to increase movement and water displacement, and smaller appendages on the side. The most important thing about this bait is that it is buoyant. Rig this baby on a light NED rig head for the canal or on a cheb rig for a weedless presentation. This bad boy would also be perfect on a drop shot if the going gets tough!
Secondly the Rage Baby Craw…
Coming in at 75mm the Baby Craw pack a powerful combination of lifelike realism and tantalizing action thanks to its unique claw design which delivers effective attraction on drop and on retrieve, even at low speeds. This bait sits perfectly on a Texas Rig or Carolina rig for a slower presentation. Dragged or bounced back across the bottom it is going to do some real damage this Spring! Don’t be afraid of using this in waters where crayfish are not present as they will still get you fish!
Thirdly its the Rage Chunk…
This one also comes in at 75mm but its short, fat body tempts finicky fish with a tasty meal while the extra-large pincers swirl and twirl for eye-catching action. For best results, fish the Rage Tail Chunk as a jig trailer for swimming jigs, flipping jigs, skipping jigs, and football head jigs. It will also work well on a simple jig head as it only has a short body. This one is all about movement and attraction!
My fourth choice is the Rage Bug…
This beast comes in at 10omm. BIG Perch bait territory! It delivers massive attraction through incredible action, thanks to its amount of ridges and Rage arms. The Rage Bug features flanges for consistent, subtle action even at very slow speeds. This will probably be my go to Texas Rig bait! It also weighs 10g itself… So just sticking it on a weedless hook and casting it with its own weight is going to work really well for a slow presentation!
In my fifth spot we have the Rage Space Monkey…
Things start to get a little strange here…. Space Monkey…. To be honest, the name suits the bait! This 100mm creature bait also weighs in at 10g. I would fish it the same way as the Rage Bug above. The scalloped Rage Tail design, elongated legs, and extra ”bumps” send a radically different signal through the water column, bringing fish in to investigate. This is a great bait to use when the fish have seen everything!
Sixth is the Rage Toad…
Now, soft frogs and toads are a very under used bait, yet predators eat them in the wild every day. This is going to be the trump card! This one in particular works very well as a top water lure. Rig it up with a weightless hook and bring it back across the surface in a frog like way near snags and margins and watch as the predators smash it off the surface. Alternatively work it along the bottom in the margins and wait for the thump! It is 100mm long and weighs a whopping 15g so keep your weights in you bag!
Last but certainly not least the Gurgle Toad…
Coming in at 95mm and 15g this is secretly my favourite release in the Strike King range. rig this weightless and work the margins and over hanging cover. This soft plastic is going to catch a lot of fish this Spring! Also its worth a try on a chatter bait for an insane amount of vibration.
Frogs and Toads should without a doubt be in your armory this Spring!
So there you have it, my rundown of early Spring lures to hit the bank with this year. Get yourself out on the bank for a couple of hours after work or before work and see some of the magical results that can be had from very quick session in the sun.
keep your eyes on our social media pages to see how I get on with this selection over the next couple of months.