Up until a few decades ago, saltwater fishing lures were constructed almost exclusively out of materials like wood, feathers, metal or even bone. But it was not until the late 1970’s, with the advent of the soft plastic lure, that the face of sport fishing began to change for the better for both fresh and saltwater anglers.

For those fishing in saltwater, some of most deadly and productive designs are the swimbait, the grub and the slug; all of which can be rigged with or without the aid of a lead jig head.

One of the primary advantages of the plastic lure is its soft body and the enticingly lifelike action that can be imparted to it on the retrieve, particularly by anglers who have perfected the technique.

Over the past few years, the plastic swimbait has become particularly popular among saltwater anglers targeting larger gamefish. Usually rigged on a lead jig head that corresponds in weight to the depth at which the lure is being fished, it is generally cast out and then allowed to leisurely flutter down through the water column until it reaches the bottom, the swimbait is then retrieved with an occasional twitch of the rod tip.

Since some species tend to hit these jigs on the fall while others like to attack them on the retrieve, it is always important to be mentally prepared to set the hook immediately as soon as a strike is detected. Once a fish is hooked, be sure to keep the line tight and free of slack as you bring it in to keep the fish from shaking the lure. 

The bodies of plastic swimbaits are available in a wide variety of colors and configurations that are designed to match the appearance of a plethora of forage species.

Lead jig heads are usually plain, but can also be dressed up with various colors or even eyes to help enhance the effect. A couple of popular lure manufacturers such as Storm and Panther Martin make plastic swimbait products that already have the lead jig head molded inside the body of the lures, which are made to mimic the physical appearance of specific baitfish like anchovies, sardines, mullet or shad.

While plastic grubs and slugs can also be rigged this way as well, it is often even more common to see these types of plastics used on a Carolina rig with a leader or on a dropshot rig that is tied directly to the main line. But however you choose to rig your plastic lure, I highly recommend using fluorocarbon leader, which becomes practically invisible once it is submerged and helps you to more easily provoke a strike.

New, hybrid 'plastic-like' lures made by companies like Berkley are also becoming quite well accepted by serious anglers. Fashioned from biodegradable substances and infused with natural, pheromone based scents, these products go even one step further in the ongoing quest to create artificial baits that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing when inhaled by hungry gamefish.

Without a doubt, today’s saltwater anglers benefit greatly from the availability and variety of these relatively new tools for their fishing arsenal. Tucked away in the tackle box until the time is right, when properly fished, plastic lures can occasionally be even more effective than natural live baits themselves …and without all of the mess, inconvenience and expense that is usually involved.