Soft Plastics

[gogetthegaff]

So anyway, moving right along...

Have you guys tried the Maki plastics yet? Fantastic! Perch love 'em, and so do the 'gills and seeds. No bait necessary. These things have incredible action. Every type and color we've used so far has worked, so I can't tell you what's hot. But red is a good place to start. Too many styles to choose from but they're not too pricey, so experiment. Rack and Reel in New Haven has a great supply.

[perch bait]

Yeah, I love them too. Anything in the motor oil color seems to work best for me. I love putting a motor oil maki on a small tungsten clam drop jig, I have caught perch, pickerel, bluegills, bass, seeds, a crappie and even a laker on this combo. If you add a spike or two, it really seals the deal. My personal favorite designs are the maki and the polli. The maki works best for aggressive, hard biting fish, whereas the polli is helpful for soft biters, as it's just one leg vs. five on the maki. I always keep a variety of these wonderful plastics on hand. Today, a polli with a spike on either side seemed to be the secret weapon to trigger bites from picky gills'. For the entire line up of maki plastics, go to Dockside in Colchester off of route 2. I would strongly recommend these plastics to get panfish on ice!

[captain54]

I fish plastic all the time. Bait is only an option if plastics don't work. I've had great luck using the Spiiki this year,pulled above average crappie,and some monster bulls. I used the Jamei three days in a row and did very well on slabs. They are fish getters but the con side,very soft and get chewed up easy. I've got as few as 5 keepers and had to replace them. I also think there over priced at,8 for 3.00 bucks bucks but that just may be me. Pro,they do catch fish. Yesterday I fished with a group of friends and not to BRAG,but I used the Maki stuff and Trigger X minnow.  I caught more keepers than the 5 other guys combined,they use kept using bait.

[bootstrap]

I have a bunch of them but I seem to forget to use them while I'm out. Nuggies too. I look forward to trying them in the spring and summer.

[thebigwiggle]

love all my maki plastics and use them about 90% of the time when i am jigging

[troutcrazy]

They're pretty much my go-to for perch, gills, and crappie.
Like Perchbait said...  the polli is also one of my mainstays.  I don't use it every day, but when the fish aren't biting, sometimes a polli on my tiniest tungsten jig will make it happen.
Maki is another one I use.  Jamei was my secret weapon this summer.  On hot days when they weren't biting, there were a couple times when I tied on a micro jig and a Jamei and they took it.

I do keep spikes on hand, too.

I'm trying to get away from live bait.

My next step is to get away from plastics, too.  Seriously, in principle I don't like disposeable things.  I don't like spending the money, and I don't like losing plastic bits into the waters that I care about.  Next step is to start tying jigs!  Maybe this summer I'll find the time.

[combsey]

Big wiggle.   Where you getting your plastics from?

[flagfishon]

I have also used the maki plastics and they work great, maybe too good.  I am concerned that we will see more binding up the stomachs of other fish as we have seen in trout.  I have already lost a few this year and can only imagine that they were swallowed.  Hopefully the ultra small maki baits will pass through.

[HardWater518]

I have never tried these but I wlike love to give them a try. Does anyone know a place near rouses point New York or crown point New York that might sell these? I doubt our local gander mountain would carry them. They hardly ever have live bait.

I have tried a rubber on a plain tungsten jig head but it is a 3" rubber and I find a lot of the medium fish only getting the tail. What do you attach these runners to? A plain jig head? Color? I am sure it depends on the day. I would assume I would want a jig that has the hook horizontal...  Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

[captain54]

I thread mine on a 100 th oz leadhead jig with no collar. Think the hook size is a 12. I'll cut down a Spiiki and use half on a 3mm Chekai jig. The above sponsors have them online and on sale but lack a lot of colors

[captain54]

Sorry but I think most people would have understood. But you had to point it out thanks.

[johnrielly]

I have a mold that i inject my own. about 1000 costs me $1

[HardWater518]

Went to new haven today and picked some up. Can't wait to try them out.