Fishing Plastics
Jason Fraser, Calgary
Hands down, plastics are my favorite lures to fish. There is no right or wrong way to fish them, only the desire to try something new. Modification, variety, versatility are the biggest aspects that bring plastics to the top of my list.
One simple, yet effective way to fish a basic single or double tail grub is to modify the size. A basic single or dual tail plastic has ridges on the front end. These ridges act as a great marker to cut and modify the size of the bait. You can start with something larger to hit that very aggressive bite. If the bite is not overly aggressive and all you have are larger tails cut it down to a size that the bite requires.
I personally cut down the majority of my single tails leaving the tail and just a stub end to run a hook through. This small tail is now a perfect addition to the back end of spoon. Also using these smaller plastics cut down to the nub you can add more than one to the spoon and give yourself some very interesting action in the water. A subtle change to a simple cast and retrieve spoon turns it into a very versatile and effective tool on the water.
The hits will tell you when you get it right: pay attention to depth fished, action on your retrieve or jig motion used, and repeat it as long as the bite is consistent. When the bite slows, again modify your action or depth, or use your sonar to find new structure or pockets of fish to work.
The simple approach of cutting a plastic down will give you opportunities that were not present before. A cut down or modified plastic is a great addition to other tackle present in your box. Plastics are an entire genre of fishing that embodies the idea that there is no wrong way of doing things, only limited by creativity.