Just like the title says, at the end of the day, is it more expensive to fish soft plastics or hardbaits?

The bait monkey disapproves of this nonsense talk.

 

It really just depends how much you lose stuff. 

Based upon my own experience: Soft plastics are cheaper.

Some days it may seem like this:

 

Definitely soft plastics simply because I throw them more often and they are more fragile.

I've thrown the same spinnerbait, Buzz bait, square bill for years but can go through a bag of Senko's in a day.

 

Softbaits if using regualr plastics and calculating hooks and weights. 

 

Not so much with Zman as they last seemingly forever. 

My favorite crank bait cost 12 times more than my favorite soft plastic.   So does the crank bait on average last 12 times longer than the soft plastic.   Absolutely.

 

Answer:  Soft plastics are more expensive.

9 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

My favorite crank bait cost 12 times more than my favorite soft plastic.   So does the crank bait on average last 12 times longer than the soft plastic.   Absolutely.

 

Answer:  Soft plastics are more expensive.

If on average you’re losing 12 soft plastics for every crankbait, isn’t that a wash?

Definitely hardbaits. Some of my favorite crankbaits are up to $15 a piece now and a lot of days I’ll lose at least 2 of them. 

10 minutes ago, OldManLure said:

If on average you’re losing 12 soft plastics for every crankbait, isn’t that a wash?

Yes,  but I would estimate I loose/destroy at least 50 soft plastics for every crankbait.

May depend on what we fish, where we fish and how we fish it.

Perhaps making a definitive determination a little tricky.

On my quest for brown bass, the majority of soft plastic usage is as trailer(s).

When I’m doing it right, I'll go through a few bags. The initial price of many of my most productive non soft plastic baits is routinely a bit more than pack of tubes.  Another point to consider is changing and replacing hardware on hard baits when needed.  That can add up pretty fast.

And finally we come to the essox. 

If you have not had the pleasure of being bit off several times a day by nuisance pike, you're really missing out.

Best part is you can lose both soft plastic trailers and the bait it's riding on,

at the same time.

It's just the best.

So to answer the question, for me, it's hard baits.  There's way too much storage in my rig and the bait monkey knows it.

A-Jay

 

 

2 hours ago, Big Hands said:

is it more expensive to fish soft plastics or hardbaits?

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Yes,  but I would estimate I loose/destroy at least 50 soft plastics for every crankbait.

Ouch!

I lose a lot of hard baits at the river. Other places, I rarely lose one, so I think it would be soft plastics.

48 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

If you have not had the pleasure of being bit off several times a day by nuisance pike, you're really missing out.

 

 

 

Just pike? Lucky you! LOL 😆 

 

I deal with Bowfin, Long Nose Gar, Walleye, Pike and Musky! 

 

But I agree with you..people without various toothy critters don't know what real bait loss pain is! LOL 😆 

At my lakes, jigs are the most expensive bait to fish. There seems to be these magic portals that suck them into another universe. 

 

Between softplastic and hard baits.... It's probably softplastic simply because I am fishing them more often and get hung up with them more so than I do with hardbaits. 

Soft plastics are more expensive. If I have one good day with a particular soft plastic, I will buy 4 packs in the color(s) that worked and the bass will never bite it again.

49 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

If you have not had the pleasure of being bit off several times a day by nuisance pike, you're really missing out.

Best part is you can lose both soft plastic trailers and the bait it's riding on,

at the same time.

It's just the best.

 

I'm gonna take your word for it. That could make it a no brainer that getting Megabass hardbaits zipped off regularly would get Mega-expensive in a hurry. Probably end up with hurt feelings over it too.

21 minutes ago, RRocket said:

Just pike? Lucky you! LOL 😆 

 

I deal with Bowfin, Long Nose Gar, Walleye, Pike and Musky! 

 

But I agree with you..people without various toothy critters don't know what real bait loss pain is! LOL 😆 

We have a few bowfin as well as plenty of  musky and walleye.

Not bummed about no gar though.

Either way, I am no stranger to American Fishing Wire.  

Interesting to note that when not using Wire, it's usually the smaller specimens that don't make it into the net. 

A-Jay

@A-Jay you sure about the gar?  Long nose and spotted are native to MI and widespread.  I see them all the time and have been bit, but never hooked up with one down in SW MI.

 

scott

49 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

Not bummed about no gar though.

 

For reasons I don't understand, the population has exploded here in SW Ontario! You can literally see groups of dozens swimming by, feeding, etc Some in the 36"plus range. And they are probably the worst offender for breaking me off even with AFW.They seem to have atrocious aim and whiff and miss completely..often above the leader. And they thrash incredibly once hooked. 

 

I consider them a hazard to handle and always wear a heavy glove. One moment of indiscretion with all of those fine teeth will turn your hand into burger.

 

Note my pink thumb nail! Wife was testing UV polishes on me! 

4 hours ago, Bird said:

Definitely soft plastics simply because I throw them more often and they are more fragile.

I've thrown the same spinnerbait, Buzz bait, square bill for years but can go through a bag of Senko's in a day.

 

 

Bird nailed it. Soft plastics are way more expensive.

8 hours ago, softwateronly said:

@A-Jay you sure about the gar?  Long nose and spotted are native to MI and widespread.  I see them all the time and have been bit, but never hooked up with one down in SW MI.

 

scott

I see them too just have never caught one and the ones we see seem smaller than most of the freaks often picture here.

A-Jay

Hard baits and it’s not close. 

The day I lost 5 Rock Krawlers it was definitely hard baits.  On a regular day I will lose more jigs than shaky worms.

Most of my baits, which consists mainly of soft plastics, ends up in the trash can in my garage after being damaged or worn out from fishing. While I do break off a few, I’m pretty good at retrieving baits that get hung up.