“The key to these types of baits is their sink. The Gulp! Sinking Minnow imitates the dying quiver of a creature in a helpless dive to the bottom. Its action is the key to getting bass to bite.” Because of their tantalizing built-in action, soft stickbaits are tremendous visual lures, so they’re generally more effective in clear water. But don’t underestimate their attraction under various water-color conditions.

“We’ve known that in plastic worm fishing the lighter the sinker the more bites you’ll get,” says 2002 Bassmaster Classic champion Jay Yelas. “Soft stickbaits like the Gulp! Sinking Minnow are the ultimate lightweight bait. You basically have a worm with no weight—just a hook. It extends the light-sinker theory to the extreme. The slow fall is part of the attraction. That slow tantalizing fall with the tail shaking looks like something alive that’s drifting down, like a sickly nightcrawler, sinking with a little wiggle. Bass can’t resist it.”

When They Work

Although soft stickbaits catch bass at all depths and were first envisioned as a tool for fairly deep water, many anglers have found that soft sticks are at their best in mid to shallow depths. “The best time of year to throw one is when bass are shallow and cautious, refusing to bite power-type lures like spinnerbaits, jigs, and topwaters,” Yelas says. “And one of the best times is around the spawn when you often have to finesse them. Then in the hot weather of summer and during the fall cool-down, bass often revert to that picky attitude.”

Martin emphasizes that the Senko “has been an absolute killer on spawning bass for me, particularly the light colors like chartreuse and pearl. You can tug on it as the bait falls and just glide the Senko onto the bed. It drives ‘em wild.”

Lake Fork guide and tournament competitor Lance Vick favors Wave Worm’s Tiki Stick for sight-fishing—a weightless bait that can be cast far across clear shallow pockets so it sneaks up on skittish bedding bass or other wary fish.

“Whenever bass are shallow, cast it to the area and just let it sink, then give it a twitch,” Vick advises. “Pause it and then twitch it. Adjust your speed according to the activity level of the bass or the number of fish in the area. When they’re packed into an area, a faster action triggers them better. When you can’t spot fish, the slower you fish it, the better.”

Rigging Options

Texas-Style—“Like most anglers, I’m probably most familiar with fishing it Texas-rigged with no weight,” Klein says. “I cast it out and let it sink on a slack line.

“Last April, I found a great spot at Guntersville Lake in Alabama. I’d just fished through one of my best areas and had only one bite. I knew more bass had to be in there; I just had to figure out how to catch them.