As a person that has tubs and tubs of soft plastics in my basement, I feel like I am an expert on this topic. I used to get caught up in new colors and every time I fished with somebody that caught fish on a color I didn’t have, it seemed like I would rush out and buy 3-4 bags in a few different shapes and sizes. Fast forward a few years and I have Rubbermaid tubs of plastics that rarely make it out of the basement.
As I have gotten older and I believe wiser, I got tired of rummaging though and carrying these plastics. So lately I have really pressured myself to simplify what I buy and now carry in my boat and/or tackle bags.
I think the biggest thing is to limit colors that you use. For me, a couple variations of Green Pumpkin/Watermelon and Black make up most of my arsenal. I carry some white for shad presentations and bed fishing as well as a few red/purple colors of worms. You always will have your odd balls for certain water systems, but for me for clear to stained water use my lighter greens and for dirtier water use the darker greens and black tones.
From there, you still need a fair variety of shapes and actions for the conditions. Stick baits, finesse worms, ribbon tails, craws, beavers, creatures, etc, all have a time and place. There are a lot of options, so find a few of each that you have confidence in and stick with those!
I embedded a picture of what I think will catch fish almost anywhere you go.
This will save you time and money when out fishing!
Rich
RichLindgren.com
