Reddit mentions: The best fishing soft plastic lures

If you are willing to drive to the Lost Coast, then I feel comfortable recommending the Trinity Alps Wilderness. You would take 5 to Redding, then 299 west for about 1.5 hours to get there.

The Lost Coast is great, but unless you have ocean tackle, I wouldn't recommend it for fishing. All of the creeks there are closed to fishing year round. I had fun fishing the ocean, but your luck will greatly depend on the beach you select. If you decide on the Lost Coast, get some Berkley Sandworms (I recommend 2" Camo), and rig it up carolina style with a 1/2oz weight and a size 1 offset worm hook for perch. You can also dig for sand crabs on the beach to use as bait, but I did not find them consistently enough. You would be fine with 6-10# test line, just make sure to rinse your reel with fresh water after use. Ideally, you would use a sealed reel like a penn battle.

I did the entire trip in 2 days on the northern stretch, but it was definitely taxing due to walking on the sand/rocks. If you hit the tides right the trip becomes much better since you can walk on packed sand.

Now about the Trinity Alps. The coffee fire is 95% contained (as of last Friday) and most trails are back open. Smoke isn't too bad unless you are on the Northern half of the wilderness. Trinity Alps Wilderness is the second largest in CA, so you have lots of options. The Stuart Fork trail is know for its very gentle grade and something you could consider:

Day 1: If you start late afternoon, hike to Oak flat and camp for the night (6 miles). You could also hike to Morris Meadow (8 miles), but this place is heavily used (for Trinity Alps) and sometimes has a poo smell about it.

Day 2: Hike to Emerald Lake 8 miles. If you feel up to it, you can hike the 1 mile to Sapphire (no covered spots to camp so be careful in the heat), or keep going 2ish miles off trail to Mirror Lake. All of these lakes are amazing for fishing. I caught many, many 8-10" trout with reverse hackle flies and nymphs. Someone caught a 24" trout when I was there as well with a kastmaster.

Day 3: Hike to Alpine Lake, or Caribou Lake. Both of these are some pretty decent ascents (1-1.5k feet in ~4miles) but are some great places to camp. The turnoff to Alpine is at Oak Flat and the turnoff to Caribou is nearby Emerald Lake. Caribou would be something like 6-7 miles and Alpine closer to 12.

Day 4: From Caribou you could do the loop around browns meadow. From Alpine, your only option is to leave or offtrail to Smith Lake.

Day 5: Long hike out!

There is also the trail to Grizzly Lake which is 37 miles and ends with an amazing lake and a beautiful waterfall. I have not personally done this hike, but the recent trail reports say that it is open.

Alternatively, you could go do the Foster Lake loop near Coffee Creek Road. My buddy and I are planning on doing it in 2 nights next weekend. It is 22 miles and has amazing views of Shasta almost the entire trip. You will get to go through a valley filled with flesh eating pitcher plants (they just eat bugs!) and fish at some beautiful lakes. You could definitely stretch this trip out by spending a night at Boulder lakes, or you could drive out to the coast to checkout Arcata, spend some time in Weaverville, or car camp along the Trinity River and spend time fishing (~1 month ago the campsites were EMPTY).

If you decide to pick any trail in the Alps, please make sure to call the Weaverville Ranger station, (530) 623-2121, to find out current trail conditions and make sure to ask about smoke in areas you are considering. There are no open fires allowed, so plan on bringing a gas or alcohol stove. Bear Canisters are also not required, so you can lighten your load by using a bear bag!

For both areas, be very careful of Rattlesnakes, especially in the driftwood piles on the lost coast!

EDIT: I forgot to mention, my wife and I just now got some permits for the desolation wilderness in Tahoe. There are still permits available, but as I have never been here, I can't really recommend any trips.

This is just general advice as I fish a farther South than you, but some versatile lures to consider are as follows:

Berkley Gulp/Gulp Alive!/Salt minnows and/or Zoom Fluke/Super Flukes, along with some jig heads to fish them with. Whatever size jig head you can throw comfortably, but some 1/4oz and 1/2oz are a good start, and then move to heavier if you need more weight to throw out farther for blues/stripes from the surf. For soft bait, I like to have some that look like natural baitfish colors, some white ones, and some brighter colored ones. For general use, 3-4" range, or for blues/stripers I would go bigger, 5-6" at least, and larger jigs that are salt safe. For jigs, either red, whatever matches the lure, or just unpainted.

Just for example, I wouldn't neccessarily order form Amazon unless I need something quick since the price is often higher, but something similar to the following for soft bait:

https://www.amazon.com/8-Pk-Berkley-Gulp-inch-Minnows/dp/B000GAWGPQ/ref=pd_sbs_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=GTA2FQMWYSAQYEKSS0BV&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Fluke-Bait-Pack-White-4-Inch/dp/B004IT0EYQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1486062545&sr=1-2&keywords=zoom%2Bfluke&th=1&psc=1

And something like these for jigs:

https://www.amazon.com/Berkley-Heads-Minnow-8-Ounce-0-Hook/dp/B00AU5PR7G/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1486062595&sr=1-2&keywords=gulp%2Bjig&th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Strike-King-Saltwater-Chartreuse-0-125-Ounce/dp/B000EYUFTI/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1486062617&sr=1-1&keywords=salt%2Bflats%2Bjig&th=1&psc=1


A couple of white bucktail jigs wouldn't hurt as well, they're pretty versatile.

For bass and toothy fish like gar/pike/snakehead I like Rapala Countdown Minnows, or Rapala Jerkbaits. I have had the best luck with size CD5 and CD7 in countdown minnows in silver.

For some sunfish and trout, I like a rooster tail spinner, 1/8 to 1/4 oz. I've had the best luck with yellow and chartreuse.

Finally I would grab some smaller bait hooks and weights for fresh water, and some heavier for salt. Crickets for smaller fish, minnows for larger in fresh water, or minnows or shrimp/squid in salt are usually a good way to increase your chances of catching something.

I've been more successful with it going the opposite against my grain for LMB - lighter gear, simple. It's a finesse technique so it makes sense, but it's just not how I think we're wired for LMB typically.

Pick up the Zman Shroomz jigheads. Go with the 1/20th, literally the lightest one. Pair it up with the Zman TRDs - again, they're small and light and practically indestructible. Put all that on like 4-8lb test on a light spinning rod. I use 6lb test on a medium light 6 foot spinning rod, which makes nearly any fish you catch a fun fight. Now you're geared up.

I've done this pond fishing for LMB, and river fishing for SMB - it's great for both, but technique is different.

For ponds, cast it out, let it fall. It's very similar to wacky worm fishing, really. Fall, wait, pop and let it fall again. Repeat. Watch the line like a hawk. With light gear you don't want to set the hook hard - it's a small wire hook, it's going to go in pretty easily. This was the hardest thing for me to learn. All you have to do is raise or sweep the rod tip a bit faster than usual, and the hook will set.

I'm still working on the rivers part. But with light tackle it will just drift in the current, and smallies pick them up, often without you even feeling a strike. My buddy has just anchored in one spot below a riffle and just caught fish after fish this way. If the current is slower, you can do the same as the pond technique above. You could consider slightly heavier heads in faster current to get your rig down, but the heavier it gets the more chance of getting hung in the rocks where I fish, so you have to find the right balance. At this point I only carry the 1/20th and 1/10 heads with me.

I've caught LMB, SMB, big bluegill, falls fish - just about anything will hit a Ned. And it seems to work well even on colder, slower days when they're not hitting larger more active baits. It's quickly becoming a go-to technique for me.

thanks for your input. i've added the line you recommended and removed the sebile swimbait as well as the truscend.

one setup will be for bass and one for pike. i've upgraded the pike setup to support up to 1oz lures as it's getting too pricey with everything adding up to go any bigger. does this look ok for that?

Abu Garcia 1430485 Veritas Casting 1Piece Rod, 6'10" Length, 12-20 lb Line Rate 1/4-1 oz Lure Rate, Medium/Heavy Power

Abu Garcia Pmax3-c

Also I was looking at the swimbait you recommended and I see they're going to be heavier than what I'll be able to handle. Any other recommendations 1oz or under? Are these good?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CTU2Y0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CTO2L4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_27?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

These are what I have for lures picked out so far. Any input greatly appreciated

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001445MZE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_10?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001J9SU30/ref=ox_sc_act_title_11?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FKJTP4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_15?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CURA7Q/ref=ox_sc_act_title_21?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GU6MRF8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HJ4DN4O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1


This would be for bass I guess? Would like to get some smaller swimbait for bass as well, something that would work for pike and bass could be nice I suppose.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OSZ0TY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_12?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1


Here is a compiled picture if it helps. https://i.imgur.com/a6PEjID.jpg

Can you describe the dam and where you will be fishing more? First off id like to start with there are almost no cardinal rules. There are preferred methods, but nothing in fishing is black and white or 100%. Fishing that spot below the dam should be treated like fishing any other type of water in my opinion. Do you know what kind of fish might inhabit these waters? Without a picture, and just guessing there's going to be 3 "parts" of the water in front of you. There will be the turbulent part, probably the deepest where the water is crashing into the spillway. Then there will be a deep section after this that's kind of like a pool, and after that the water probably shallows out and turns into a river or stream. Its always advisable to fish with the current. This simulates bait fish being washed through or swimming downstream which is what most ambush predators will be waiting on. Its the most natural presentation. However you can absolutely fish against the current and catch fish. There's pros and cons to both. Fishing with the stream, like i said appears the most natural, however there's a higher chance of getting stuck because the water will be pushing your bait into and under debris and rocks. it will also be more difficult with lures and spinners to achieve the correct action because you'll have to reel pretty quickly to overcome the current. Opposite, if your going against the current you can almost let your lure or spinner sit in the current suspended without reeling because the moving water will be doing most of the work for you. Id focus on that 2nd part of the water id described. The part after the turbulent water, the pool area. That's where most things will be sitting in wait for bait fish. Fish up, fish down, fish across it. Honestly, and i might be a little biased because its not my preferred method, but a jigging here may not be your best bet. If it were me, id be throwing Spinners, spoons, A Crank Bait or Jerk bait in there. I think the water situation here works against a jig. a Paddle Tail Swim Bait with a little weight might do awesome here. Id be simulating bait fish while trying to reduce my chances of getting hung up. All this being said though is based on me picturing your situation as being somewhat similar to this

Awesome, thank you! So I am an Amazon addict, I assume these are perfect?

Hooks

Senkos I was hoping for something brighter because of the dark water, but I will look around a bit more. Thanks again!

Wal-Mart carrys those combos too. Don't know how much ur looking to spend, but at Wal-Mart a $40ish Quantum 6'6" medium heavy spinning rod is a good product. It says what the rod's specifications are on the rod. on the cheaper side, you can get him some of these http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-inch-Ultra-Speed-Baits/dp/B003607MPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311703988&sr=8-1 preferably the green pumpkin color. They sell those at Dick's or other major sporting good stores. Wal-Mart has them sometimes too, but the colors are often goofy. But any green colored craw should do good, and get him some weighted hooks for them, like this http://www.amazon.com/Owner-Beast-Hook--Weighted-Oz/dp/B003DS35MG/ref=sr_1_8?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1311704259&sr=1-8 not this http://www.amazon.com/Weighted-Superline-Hook-Black-Nickle/dp/B0010XDKYE/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1311704259&sr=1-4 the later isn't for these types of plastic lures. It doesn't have to have the screw, sometimes it's just a piece of metal with a barb to hold the lure. Wal-Mart sells them too. if this stuff looks a lil pricey, it is, but that's b;c it works and they know you'll pay more to catch fish.

Something like this but smaller 2"-3" is best. Use with an #1 offset hook. Likethis.

Wacky rigging them works best for me. Also, get a wacky rig tool like this one. It'll pay for itself pretty quickly because it drastically increases the life of each bait. When I hook through the middle of the worm I am lucky to get two fish before I lose the bait. With some o-rings and the wacky rig tool I can usually catch 8-10 before I need to replace the worm

Culprit worms are sweet.

I also like Bass Assasins

I've caught so many bass on these in PA.

I see guys constantly raving about [these](PowerBait Power Floating Trout Worm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EO974KC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ezTTBbNNZZXCC) things. Just bought some myself for when I go trout fishing but they are nice to use so far if I don't really know the fish as much. Put them on a jig head wacky rigged I believe is a good idea. Don't know why exactly they are so good, but figured I'd at least suggest since I see so many using them.

Get yourself some o-rings for those senkos. My lady and I landed over a hundred smallmouth in two days this spring and didn't even use a whole pack of senkos. The best fishing investment I've ever made.

http://amzn.com/B00KQ19X7E or http://amzn.com/B00EEABFQA

Frogs do really well above weeds. Of course they gotta be in the mood to bite it but I hear ya... feel like it's the only thing I can cast w/o getting caught up sometimes. Maybe topwater poppers too? Similar design but I've never tried one.

It's not boats.

I grew up around boats and live in an area with a lot of boating and I can count on one hand the times I've seen a glitter/metallic finish on a boat.

They're all flat, opaque white. A few are cream-colored or pale blue or red, but no glitter.

I'll concede that there speedboats are occasionally a bit glittery, but their finishes look identical to pearlescent automotive paint. And browsing the listings, it seems that the trend right now is high gloss finishes on flat color.

Honestly, if you told me it was something maritime, I'd say it was saltwater fishing lures. https://smile.amazon.com/SILANON-Octopus-Fishing-Trolling-Saltwater/dp/B07NLSR1VX?sa-no-redirect=1

Not really. Especially not that color. I have a lot of luck fishing for bass and crappie with the Storm brand Wild Eye Shad. https://www.amazon.com/Storm-WildEye-Swim-Pearl-Size/dp/B001NXD31G

They have an iridescence to them that I think mimics the sun reflecting off the gill plate of a bait fish thats skitting away.

Wacky rigged stick style worm. Can't go wrong with the Gary Yamamoto Senko but I like the bass pro shops Stik-o because they're cheaper and more durable. Try green or black&blue colors

Stik-o:
http://m.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-StikO-Worm-41/4/product/95621/

Wacky hook:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZZD6MQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_O5qtzbG97JRHR

Senko:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00144HFIQ/ref=pd_aw_sim_200_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RP996RNDWDJSR80FYV05&dpPl=1&dpID=51JGRnEjquL

Get the tool with the little black rubber bands. Worth it's weight in gold. They last 10000x longer. Let it sink to bottom and sit, twitch a couple times ever 20ish seconds. Slam fattys. If you get hung up on something on the bottom, let it sit there and gently tug. Most times I catch a fish when this occurs.

Wacky Rig O-Ring Tool for Senkos & Stick Baits w/ 10 orings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHC5JLA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GnCwzbN2QY72J

Theeese.

This

[These]
(http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Bait-Swimmin-Super-Bait-Pack/dp/B008DRCHLC/ref=pd_sim_200_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=21X0t-S7j-L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0FM1EQVXFPGC711YX587) in Smokin' Shad color! 5/0 hook with a 1/16 oz weight and my 20lb. mono is getting stretched out!

I’m with you, I catch smallies all day with the baseball bat and rings

https://www.amazon.ca/Wacky-Ring-Senkos-Stick-orings/dp/B00KQ19X7E

DOA BFL-420 Big Fish Lure

Amazon!