You can do “everything right” and still blank on soft plastics if one key piece is off. The good news is it’s almost always one of the same few problems.
This guide is a practical checklist: five fixes I’d run through before I blame the lure, the moon, or bad luck.
Why am I not catching fish on soft plastics?
Most people don’t catch fish on soft plastics because their jighead weight is wrong, the lure is rigged crooked, they’re fishing too fast, they’re casting into low-percentage water, or they’re missing bites on the sink. I usually fix it by rigging straight, using the lightest jighead that still keeps contact, fishing edges and structure, pausing longer, and watching my line for ticks and sideways movement.
Fix #1: Your jighead weight is wrong
This is the #1 issue.
If you’re too heavy:
- you snag constantly
- lure looks dead
- you pull it out of the zone too fast
Fix: go lighter one step and hop it, don’t drag it.
If you’re too light:
- line bows
- you can’t feel anything
- you miss sink bites
Fix: go heavier one step and regain contact.
Read: Jighead Weight Guide for Soft Plastics (Simple Rules That Work)
Fix #2: Your plastic is rigged crooked (it spins)
Crooked plastics spin. Spinning plastics don’t get eaten as often.
Fix: re-rig it straight.
Dry-fit the hook alongside the lure first, mark the exit point, then rig dead-centre.
Read: How to Rig a Soft Plastic on a Jighead (Step-by-Step)
Fix #3: You’re fishing too fast
Soft plastics often work best when you slow down and let them sink naturally.
Fix:
- slow your retrieve
- add longer pauses
- fish hop-and-pause until you get confidence
Read: Hop and Pause Retrieve for Soft Plastics (Bottom Bounce That Catches Fish)
Fix #4: You’re fishing low-percentage water
Soft plastics shine around structure and edges. If you’re casting to open, featureless water, you’re relying on luck.
Fix: target:
- drop-offs
- weed edges
- sand/weed transitions
- rock walls
- pontoons/pylons
- current seams
Read: Where to Cast Soft Plastics (Structure, Edges, and “High-Percentage Water”)
Fix #5: You’re missing bites (especially on the sink)
A lot of bites happen when you’re not feeling “tap tap tap”. The line just does something weird.
Watch for:
- ticks
- early stops
- sideways movement
- sudden weight
Fix: wind down until you feel weight, then lift firmly.
Don’t strike wildly on slack line.
Bonus fix: Stop changing everything at once
If you change lure + color + weight + retrieve every five minutes, you learn nothing.
Change one variable at a time:
- zone
- jighead weight
- retrieve speed/pause
- lure profile
- color
Quick checklist (save this)
Before you quit the session:
- ✅ rig straight
- ✅ lightest jighead that keeps contact
- ✅ fish edges/structure
- ✅ longer pauses
- ✅ watch the line on the drop
- ✅ change angle/zone before changing color