While I fish swimbaits and jerkbaits in the winter for spotted bass, I also throw a lot of soft plastics in the 15-30 ft. depth range on steep rocky banks. I use mostly light and ultralight tackle with mono with these soft plastics. Wondering what you all prefer and think about the merits of the above methods of presenting small soft plastics in deep, rocky water for spots? Also small jigs? All comments are welcome. Thanks.

Equipment is fine, but I prefer MF spinning tackle. These are are few baits I would

recommend: Rage Menace, Rage Structure Bug,  Rage Baby Craw, GYCB Kreature,

Kut-Tail, BPS Tinder Tube (#71) and Megabass Dark Sleeper.

I fish the same kind of stuff on Table Rock.  Shaky and Ned with fluorocarbon line are my main items.

They all certainly work just fine for LMB out this way on the WC and I have all of the tackle to employ any of those techniques at any given time. 

Shakey

 

the steep rocky part steals all the rest you listed, except for maybe the jig 

Around here a lot of the steep rocky drop offs have sunken trees around them.  I can usually get through the snags with a weightless plastic, or maybe a 1/8 ounce jig, but anything else hangs up.

On 12/1/2022 at 9:27 AM, SpinLight said:

While I fish swimbaits and jerkbaits in the winter for spotted bass, I also throw a lot of soft plastics in the 15-30 ft. depth range on steep rocky banks. I use mostly light and ultralight tackle with mono with these soft plastics. Wondering what you all prefer and think about the merits of the above methods of presenting small soft plastics in deep, rocky water for spots? Also small jigs? All comments are welcome. Thanks.

Boat?

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Boat?

Will be fishing from a small bass boat with good TM and electronics.

The reason I ask was working uphill from shore limits choices, boat doesn’t.

My experience with Spots is they prefer cinnamon Browns and watermelon color soft plastics with chartreuse or orange tipped tails.

1/8 oz Drop Shot, size 1 mosquito hook, Jackall Flick Shake 4.8 worm watermelon candy with chartreuse tipped ends and camouflage with orange tipped ends, wacky rigged.

Siebert 3/16oz or 1/4 oz finesse jig in similar colors and high lites with Iovino 2” craw in honeycomb.

Tom

Its probably just me, but on a rocky bank, steep or not, is a small skirted jig.  In small I don't necessarily mean light.  I mean a weight anywhere between 1/4 oz and 1/2 with a light wire hook.  Now is hard to find a manufacturer that makes such jigs, but making them yourselves can be fruitful.  If you don't want the hassle, then Jewel Baits, Beast Coast, and Keitech all make them.

The hook I use is Gamakatsu #114.

Tom

Whatever u use, think light as possible. Rocks like to keep heavy things.

I'm partial to tubes .