The Most Versatile Soft Baits

When it comes to choosing which baits to put in your tackle box, I believe that versatility is one of the most important factors to consider.

This is because using versatile baits allows you to simplify your approach to fishing. There's less to carry, less to organize, and less to think about. By choosing your baits carefully, you can travel light while still being prepared for just about any situation you'll encounter.

What makes a lure versatile?

A versatile lure is one that comes in multiple sizes and can be fished multiple different ways. Specifically, I'm talking about baits that:

• Can be put onto several different rigs
• Can catch fish during any season
• Can be fished in different segments of the water column (topwater, middle, or bottom)
• Can be used to target a variety of different types of cover (weeds, rocks, laydowns, etc.)
• Can imitate a variety of different types of forage (shad, crawfish, bluegill, etc.)
• Can be used with multiple different rod-reel setups (finesse, heavy, or anything in between)
• Can function as a jig trailer or as a standalone bait

One thing to note here is that most hard baits are designed to specialize. For example, buzzbaits are designed exclusively for topwater, not subsurface fishing. Spinnerbaits are designed for hard cover and open water, not weeds and lily pads. Hollow body frogs are designed for heavy rods, not finesse setups.

Every hard bait has its place and, at times, will outperform everything else. However, in terms of versatility, I believe that soft plastics generally win. In fact, most of the soft plastics on my list can be used as substitutes for hard baits in certain situations.

The Top 5 Most Versatile Soft Baits

Keitech Swing Impact/ FAT Swing Impact

Between the regular and the FAT versions, the Swing Impact baits are available in sizes ranging from 2 inches to 7.8 inches. The FAT has a slightly bulkier body than the regular one, giving it more wobble and vibration.

On both versions, the connection between the body and the tail is super thin, allowing the bait to "kick" even when retrieved at a slower pace.

The smaller sizes (under 3 inches) are ideal for targeting species like perch, trout, crappie, and other panfish using ultralight setups. You can also put them onto an Alabama rig, giving them a place alongside your heavier gear as well.

The other sizes in the Swing Impact family are even more versatile. Throwing one on a weightless Texas rig allows you swim it through the water without the risk of getting snagged. You can even use it as fast topwater bait, as "Flukemaster" Jene Gensen demonstrates here. Of course, if you're fishing in open water, you might opt to thread it onto a jig head for better hookups.

Although anglers typically use swimbaits for covering water horizontally, they can be very effective for pitching and flipping as well. In the video below, Randy Blaukat discusses his success flipping swimbaits into grass, docks, and flooded cover using a standard Texas rig.

Lastly, the Swing Impact also makes for an excellent trailer on swim jigs, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits. You can also put it on an Arkie style jig for flipping shallow cover or a finesse jig for situations where a smaller presentation is more ideal.

Z-Man GOAT

Available in 3 inches, 3.75 inches, and 4.25 inches, the GOAT was specifically designed with versatility in mind. These large grubs have two kicking tails and are great for imitating craws, large insects, and small baitfish.

The GOAT is made of a buoyant thermoplastic material called ElaZtech. When fished weightless, it will sit on top of the water like a hollow body frog, opening up a range of interesting presentations.

For example, you can rig one onto an EWG hook and slowly retrieve it along the surface of the water, similar to a Whopper Plopper. You could also work it with a "twitch-pause" pattern, as if it were a Hula Popper.

Another option is to put it on a Carolina rig for a totally unique presentation. When stood still, the bait will rise into the middle of the water column. As you move the sinker along the bottom, it can freely pivot and swivel around. It's an odd concept, but sometimes the best way to catch fish is by showing them something they've never seen before.

The GOAT is also a great bait for flipping, pitching, and punching. It easily slips into thick cover while the paddle tails generate plenty of action on the way down. Thanks to it's shape and buoyancy, you can also skip it under under docks and overhanging trees.

For finesse setups, the 3-inch baby GOAT is an excellent on a Ned rig. Optionally, you can cut the tails off to turn it into a small stickbait, similar to the Finesse TRD.

Finally, this is another bait that functions extremely well as a trailer on moving baits. Swim jigs, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits are all fair game for the GOAT. When thrown on a buzzbait, the extra buoyancy helps the bait stay on top of the water, allowing you to retrieve it slower.

Here's a video of the GOAT and its versatility in action.

Zoom Lizard

The Lizard comes in four sizes, ranging from 4 inches to 8 inches. With its flat, curly appendages, this bait is ideal for situations where you need something with a larger profile.

That being said, the Lizard's body itself is rather thin and worm-like. This allows you to rig it on shaky heads and small straight shank hooks, making it an great choice for light and heavy lines alike.

The Lizard is effective on just about any type of rig. Some of the more popular options include:

• Texas rigs
• Punch rigs
• Carolina/ mojo rigs
• Shaky heads
• Dropshots
• Weightless Texas rigs

As a trailer, this bait works fine on any of the moving baits previously mentioned. However, I find that it's especially effective when dragging football jig (or some other bottom jig). The Lizard's large profile adds a ton of presence, helping it stand out when fishing slow. It also makes it easier for a bass to suck the bait up off the bottom.

Overall, it's a great bait for dragging, hopping, shaking, swimming, dead sticking, and pretty much any other retrieve you can think of.

Lunker City Slug-Go

The Slug-Go is a unique stickbait that's available in six sizes, ranging from 3 inches to 12 inches. Although it's been around since the late 80's, not many people talk about it nowadays.

In terms of feel, the Slug-Go is like a stiffer version of a Yamamoto Senko or a Yum Dinger. It's got a triangular cross-section, which gives the bait some additional character and allows it to do things that a regular stickbait can't.

The 3-inch and 4.5 inches sizes can nose-hooked and thrown on a dropshot or weightless rig. When threaded onto a Ned rig, they imitate a minnow feeding off the bottom. They can also be used for hover strolling and as trailers on various jigs, spinnerbaits, and chatterbaits.

The larger sizes (4.5 inches and up) can be fished the exact same way as a Senko: rig it weightless, cast it out, and let it sink.

However, one of the most popular ways of fishing a Slug-Go is by using it target the upper portion of the water column. By twitching it repeatedly, you can make it perform the same "walk the dog" action that you get out of a Spook. Angler Waki of the Japanese Fishing Insider Youtube Channel demonstrates this here:

6th Sense Divine/ Magnum Shaky Worm Shaky Worm

Rounding out the list is a bait that belongs in every tackle box: a straight tail worm.

Between the regular and the Magnum version, the Divine Shaky Worm is available in 6.3 inches, 7 inches, and 9.5 inches.

As the name suggests, this bait is designed for shaky heads and other finesse fishing techniques. It's got a sharply tapered midsection and a bulbous tail that wiggles and shakes with even the slightest rod movements.

At the same time, the front section of The Divine Shaky Worm is significantly bulkier than competitors such as the Roboworm or Trick Worm. It has sharp ridges along its body that cause the bait to displace more water as it moves, allowing bass to feel it from further away. These characteristics, combined with the fact that it's available in 9.5 inches, make it a decent choice for power fishing too.

On the finesse end, this bait is excellent for things like shaky heads, mojo rigs, wacky rigs, Neko rigs, free rigs, and small Texas rigs. You can even cut off the front end and throw it on a Ned rig.

On the heavier end, it's great for flipping and pitching on a standard Texas rig or dragging on a Carolina rig.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, versatility is all about finding the optimal balance between convenience and being prepared. With the right baits in your arsenal, you can pack lighter, fish smarter, and adapt to anything from heavy cover to open water, topwater blowups to subtle finesse bites, or anything in between. So the next time you load up your tackle box, skip the clutter and ask yourself: which baits can do it all?

Thanks for reading, and good luck!