NLBN Soft Plastics - Boulder fields
 

Has anyone been fishing these NLBN soft plastics that everyone raves about? IN particular in boulderfields (I want to bring some out to Cutty with me this summer).

Curious if anyone has been successful using the 8" bodies and if so what size jig head y'all have been using. I'm not super familiar with their sink rates and was thinking i'd buy some 1/2oz and 3/4oz jig heads and some 5 and 8 inch bodies to mess around with.

Oddly enough, while i haven't really used them in the surf, I caught a 175lb yellowfin on their new tuna jig head and 8" straight tail this fall.

Never heard of them. Just googled. Don't look any different than the other 1000 rubber producers out there. Just real good marketing plan. But As long as hook+ eel is legal esp on my island why bother
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Why not throw them unweighted in the boulder fields?

Over the last 2 years I've pretty much used weighted soft plastics 80% of the time. Obviously we are fishing different areas but I mainly use 1/2 to 3/4 oz with the occasional 1oz. Some of the longer and heavier 4oz plastics I'm gonna try 1/4 oz head this year.

yea for unweighted i use the 9" sluggo

i wanted to try something that has a paddle tail, so the NLBN seemed like a good option

Plastic is my thing and for shallow boulder fields I'd be fishing them unweighted, I'd see no need for weight unless you have a really good current running.

I have not used the NLBN stuff yet (if nothing else I am turned off by all the hype), but I have had very good success with JoeBaggs Freedom Shads fished on Joe's 1/2-ounce eeljig heads. Late this fall I picked up some of the Gravity Tackle 7.75" paddle tails and fished them weightless on BKK TitanRider hooks. These would be my selections for paddletails in boulderfields depending on depth.

FYI if you search facebook marketplace for "Fishing Tackle Hobby Business", I'm trying to finally clear house and sell my old Ledge Runner Bait hand poured plastic business, all original carved designs in mold boxes to create RTV molds, all the RTV molds, supplies and poured and bagged plastic ready to sell and at a bargain price. Rediculous low $2500 price, especially considering the plastic poured and bagged is worth half that price retail.

I've been using them with great success in boulder fields on Block and my hometown Newport. I'm sure you'll have windows of opportunity to use them on Cutty. I've written a few pieces about soft plastic paddletails since I started using them. Still learning when, where, and how.

Are those the "tarpon" plastics? Those worked!

That's what you guys were using 2 years ago at Black Rock?

Yes, originally designed by Florida fishermen. I also started using Gravity tails last season which are different... but still effective. Like all plastic lures soft plastics come in different formulas which will work differently. Different shapes, jig heads, and plastic formulas affect sink rates. I'm finding this is the critical element in boulder field use. Every boulder field is different so there is a substantial learning curve for correct combination to use in different areas. But this is what I love - always keep learning.

Yes.

I was more interested in trying the jig heads than the plastic.
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Had really good luck with the zingers last couple years 1/4-3/8oz jig heads and also weightless

I'm not changing to rubber.
Inch for inch, a rigged eel weighs more. Therefore, it floppily casts better than rubber-- inch for inch.
SauerKraut bias.

The Queen / King Cocahoe with the head pre bitten ; )