How far in advance can I completely rig soft plastic baits before using them?

[SpokaneDude]

I ask this because I am unable to use any of my soft plastic baits due to low water in the lake; however, I have time on my hands to get my few rods prepared for the coming season when the lake is at full capacity,.
 

So, I have been putting new line on my spinning gear, and tying Prime Snap Minis for ease in changing components.  I plan to attach Chatterbaits to the Snaps along with assorted tails.  Question is:  can I do this  in advance us actually using them, without any damage to the tails, IF I keep them in a cool dark closet?
 

Comments are most appreciated... For what's it worth... I'm basically on my 2nd season of Bass fishing... (unable to become unhooked!  ? )

[MN Fisher]

Depending on the salt content - I wouldn't put plastic trailers on any lure earlier than the night before. At the very least they'll dry out, at worst they'll rust your hooks.

 

Personally - I take an open compartment box (Plano 3607-10) and toss the bags of which plastics I plan to use first in that box. Then put the plastics on when I'm ready to use that lure.

 

Also - knots degrade line strength on nylon (mono) and FC over time (as Tom/ @WRB will tell you). If I'm going out in the morning, I'll tie lures on the night before...if I'm doing an afternoon trip, I tie them on that morning. I wouldn't trust a knot that's more than 36 hours old unless it's on braid. I even redo my leaders in the same time-frame.

[Mike L]

As @MN Fisher

I tie hooks a day or so before each outing and rig plastics either the night before or when I’m ready to throw it 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Bankbeater]

I don't rig up the plastic bait until I'm out at the lake.  If I rig up early the chances are very good that I will be changing baits as soon as I hit the water.

[bowhunter63]

A minute or so before they get wet . If there scented i think it keeps them fresher in the bag

[Fishin Dad]

I have not had bad luck with knots at all. If I had to Re-tie all my lures 

before each time I went fishing, it would cut out a lot of fishing time.   I carry 20+ rods rigged up it in my boat.    
I will keep plastics on my hooks for weeks without any problems.   I will rig up plastics the night before a tournament as blast off is often at 6 AM.  I wouldn’t have time otherwise.   
I do agree that there is no reason to rig up hooks or plastics for fun fishing unless it is the night before.  

[Catt]

Cocked, Locked, & Ready to Rock!

 

3 setups still rigged from last Thursday, I 'll be throwing them in the morning.

[Jig Man]

I don’t take stuff off even if the baits contain salt.  It takes months for salt to damage a good hook.  

[SpokaneDude]

Thanks everybody..,. varied responses, really hard to pick a solution, each has a point, depending on when they are being used.   

[Kyhokie]

You are overthinking it. Tie your knots whenever, put your soft plastics on the night before. Fin. 

[Fishin Dad]

24 minutes ago, SpokaneDude said:

Thanks everybody..,. varied responses, really hard to pick a solution, each has a point, depending on when they are being used.   

I would have fun rigging them up and get excited about heading out fishing.  Plus, you are ready to go when you can get out.  It really isn’t going to hurt anything.  It is also good practice for you to tie up lures and thread on plastics when you have the time and conditions to do it.  Go have fun!!

[GreenPig]

You're not going to sleep much the night before that first trip, just rig them then. 

[Jrob78]

Did you mark your own post as the solution? lol  I never worry too much about leaving plastics rigged up but I will always retie if they're still rigged up from the last trip and I wouldn't personally rig and tie a bunch of stuff up randomly. The day before a trip though, for sure.

[casts_by_fly]

My jigs and vibrating jigs stay rigged with plastics indefinitely. The first time I tie them on to use they get a trailer and it gets replaced if it gets broken up. When I’m done at the end of the day I don’t strip them down before they go back in the box. Next trip out they get fished until they break. 
 

only exception is elaztech.  Don’t leave them rigged with other plastics (and for that reason they don’t go on jigs anymore). 

[WIGuide]

Not sure how long they'll be sitting, but if it's going to be more than a few weeks I'd skip putting trailers or plastics on that contain salt as it can wreck havoc on your hooks. Aside from that I wouldn't hesitate to rig everything else up. In the past there have been a few years where I started the year off and fished the first few trips with the rods rigged from the previous year without any ill effects. Up where I live that's a break of about 4-5 months. 

[Functional]

Nothing comes off a hook or rod unless I'm changing it or if its elaztech or similar funky plastic. Had no idea taking off plastics was even a thing. 

[WRB]

19 hours ago, SpokaneDude said:

I ask this because I am unable to use any of my soft plastic baits due to low water in the lake; however, I have time on my hands to get my few rods prepared for the coming season when the lake is at full capacity,.
 

So, I have been putting new line on my spinning gear, and tying Prime Snap Minis for ease in changing components.  I plan to attach Chatterbaits to the Snaps along with assorted tails.  Question is:  can I do this  in advance us actually using them, without any damage to the tails, IF I keep them in a cool dark closet?
 

Comments are most appreciated... For what's it worth... I'm basically on my 2nd season of Bass fishing... (unable to become unhooked!  ? )

It only takes 30 seconds to tie a knot and add a trailer or rig a soft plastic.

You should be doing that several times during your outing.

[Susky River Rat]

I never take mine off unless I want to change them.

[Cdn Angler]

If it is elaztech or has high salt content I don't like to leave them on. 

 

If not then I often leave it on if it's a trailer  until the end of the season, then everything is off. 

 

Hook rust is the only main concern here. 

[Catt]

I don't know whose jigs & hooks y'all are using but y'all need to switch brands.

 

Looking in my jig box I have Fluorocarbon jigs, Oldham's jigs, & Siebert Outdoors jigs. They have had trailers attached for a couple years with no signs of rust.

 

[Woody B]

I rig most of my soft plastic stuff(jigs, spinnerbait/buzzbait trailer, shakey heads ect).  The texas rig I have tied on stays rigged until it's no longer usable, then I'll rig another.   There's a rigged motoroil t-rig worm on my deck right now.  

 

I normally only get to fish on weekends.  Due to postings by @WRB I normally re tie my stuff on Friday nights before my weekend trips.   I've done some knot testing.  A knot (in mono) that's been tied a couple weeks seems to be just as strong as a fresh one with a steady pull, increasing in force, but will break quite a bit easier with a quick shock, like a hookset.   I've got (gasp) braid on one reel.  I never re tie it, unless I change lures, or damage, nick the line.  It's @T-Billy's fault I have braid on it.  It's @AlabamaSpothunter's fault I've got a new $40 swim bait to tie on it tonight.  

[Tennessee Boy]

I use a lot of Zoom salty baits.  I leave ‘em rigged up.  I’ve been doing it that way for decades but I’ll stop if my hooks ever start rusting.  ?

[WRB]

Mono is Nylon that cold flows with time under pressure. Knots put the line under pressure when snugged tight .

How much deformation to the line depends on several factors but deform it does. 
Every knot I have tested loses nearly 20% of strength after 24 hours compared to a fresh tied knot.

Knots tend to fail under fast applied force like hook sets and hot fish near the boat. That is why fresh knots and line reduce breaking off a fish of your lifetime. 
Your choice, me I choose fresh knots and re tie often.

Tom

 

[Deleted account]

On 3/15/2023 at 4:22 PM, SpokaneDude said:

I ask this because I am unable to use any of my soft plastic baits due to low water in the lake; however, I have time on my hands to get my few rods prepared for the coming season when the lake is at full capacity,.
 

So, I have been putting new line on my spinning gear, and tying Prime Snap Minis for ease in changing components.  I plan to attach Chatterbaits to the Snaps along with assorted tails.  Question is:  can I do this  in advance us actually using them, without any damage to the tails, IF I keep them in a cool dark closet?
 

Comments are most appreciated... For what's it worth... I'm basically on my 2nd season of Bass fishing... (unable to become unhooked!  ? )

 

There is zero reason to rig stuff early, but if you are just bored and want to fondle tackle, knock yourself out.

[Bankc]

I leave mine rigged up until I want to switch to something else.  I prefer to keep them fresh in the bag as long as possible, but I'm not going to waste a plastic bait over it.  I only takes me a few seconds to rig up a soft plastic, so I don't worry about doing it the night before.  Plus, sometimes I change my mind once I've found my spot.  But there have been many, many times where I've left a soft plastic bait on a hook for months on end.  And in the case of some jigs, years on end!  And yeah, I've seen it rust the hook a time or two.  But I guarantee you I would have wasted more money in needlessly swapping out plastics than I have in replacing the rare hooks.  And most it's just surface rust that rubs off easily.