It should go without saying that we here at Johnny Jigs are partial to slow pitch jigging. The technique is effective on a dizzying variety of species in both freshwater and saltwater, and perhaps most compellingly, long after the finish wears off and you’re dropping and jigging a piece of naked metal, the thing will still catch fish. Often, this goes for other hard baits too. They last forever and catch fish long after they no longer resemble what they once did.
With that in mind, there is something to be said for the subtle, lifelike action, and even more convincing scents of soft plastic lures. Though they are nowhere near as durable, and after a few catches will be in tatters, soft plastic lures can be deadly effective in saltwater on an equally wide range of species (in some instances, as we will explore, even more) and are highly versatile.
At the end of the day, we’re here to catch fish. It shouldn’t matter whether they’re keyed in on metal, topwater, or a soft plastic grub on a bucktail. We just want to bend the rod, and sometimes, fish feed on plastic.
Which is why we compiled this list of some of the top soft plastic brands and lures that are effective in saltwater. Add these to your tackle bag if you don’t have some already.
NLBN Lures
NLBN lures (for No Live Bait Needed) are extremely realistic and available in a variety of colors and patterns, including straight tails, paddle tails, and K-tails. Their unique colorways and patterns make them highly versatile on a variety of inshore species when fished on a jig head.
Another big selling point of NLBN lures is that they’re designed for express compatibility with unique jig heads that have a corkscrew-like retainer that helps prevent the lure from slipping off the jig head, or from fouling on it, when they are rigged properly.
Versatile, realistic, and effective, NLBN lures can be deadly on a wide range of inshore species.
Berkley Gulp Soft Plastics
There are two truly great things about Berkley Gulp soft plastics that make them extremely popular among saltwater anglers. One is that they are available in a wide range of patterns and profiles, and the other is the scent.
But it is the latter consideration, the scent, that really defines Gulp plastics. The scent is so enticing, and so effective on fish, that you can actually in some circumstances catch fish on a small chunk of Gulp, like a piece of bait.
They are also highly versatile. They can be fish weightless, rigged on a drop-shot, used as a trailer, or rigged on a jig head or bucktail. The latter rig, with a grub (Gulp calls it a “Swimming Mullet”) bounced along the bottom, is an extremely popular fluke tactic in the Northeast.
There are however two downsides to Gulp. One is the price; they are extremely expensive. The other is durability. For whatever reason, Gulp plastics are very fragile and tear apart after a few strikes. They also lose their flexibility if they dry out, though you can reconstitute them by resoaking them in the juice they come in if that happens.
Lunker City Slug-Go
This one might be one that’s more familiar to freshwater anglers, as the Slug-Go is a killer pattern for largemouths, but rigged on a jig head and cast to structure, or bounced along the bottom, a Slug-Go can also be deadly on striped bass, weakfish, sea trout, bluefish, and even flatfish like fluke.
Zoom Flukes
Zoom Flukes, available in many sizes and colors, are just like Slug-Go lures, and can be fished in the same way. You can also fish a Zoom Fluke weightless, as it produces a very enticing side-to-side darting action when slashed. The downside is that you lose castability when you fish it weightless.
Otherwise, they are fairly affordable soft plastics for saltwater anglers, and Zoom uses a plastic formula that is pretty durable as soft plastics go.
Z-Man Soft Plastics
Z-Man plastics, which are available in a wide variety of patterns and colors (like most of the other plastics mentioned here) are very popular among saltwater anglers for a few different reasons.
But the big one is toughness. All else being equal, these are probably the toughest soft plastics on this list. They’re made with a special “ElaZtech” formula, and unless you’re fighting particularly toothy gamefish, should last through several strikes and battles.
D.O.A Shrimp
D.O.A. Shrimp are also highly popular soft plastics for saltwater anglers, especially those that target inshore species that gorge on shrimp, like snook and red drum.
They produce a very lifelike action due to the softness of the plastic used in the formula, and critically, they are infused with scent produced from real, farm-grown shrimp, making them highly effective against a wide range of saltwater species.
Storm WildEye Swim Shad
Lastly, we have Storm WildEye Swim Shad, a very versatile lure that’s popular among saltwater anglers for several reasons.
One is the fact that they come pre-rigged, which can save you time on the boat. They are a touch expensive as plastics go, but part of the value is in the form of convenience. You just tie one on, cast, and hold onto the rod when you get thumped.
They’re weighted, so they can cast a mile, which is another selling point, along with the realism. Not only do they look lifelike, but most patterns include internal holographic foils that add flash to the presentation.
Lastly, they produce a lot of noise, and the paddle tail adds to the realism. Even on just a steady retrieve, a WildEye Swim Shad will “swim” just like a real baitfish.
Just one drawback, besides the price. After a big hit, you’re liable to lose the paddle tail, which will cripple the action of the lure.
Even so, together, these things make these exceptionally popular saltwater soft plastics, despite the high price of the lures themselves.
Explore Saltwater Soft Plastics (Not Just Slow Pitch Jigs!) Here
Explore our full collection of saltwater lures and if you have any questions or want recommendations based on your target species, or where you will be fishing in the country, get in touch with us directly. We would be more than happy to help.