NLBN lures are incredibly realistic and deliver exceptional, lifelike movement. They’re also amazingly versatile, like most soft plastics, and can be fished in a variety of different ways. Four of those methods are covered below.
Straight Retrieve
The straight retrieve is the most straightforward way to fish NLBN lures, albeit likely the least effective. Basically just cast out to structure and steadily retrieve the lure. You can vary up the speed of the retrieve to see what is most effective.
Straight retrieves are generally not as effective on skittish fish as are other techniques like jigging, twitching, or slashing, or just imparting any sort of pause, which entices fish to bite, but they can be effective in some situations.
One of the good things about a straight retrieve is that it can be done expediently, allowing you to cover a lot of water quickly, so it can be helpful for searching.
Troll Them
Even more effective for covering lots of water efficiently is to troll NLBN lures. Patterns like paddle tail swimbaits are especially useful for this.
Like a straight retrieve, trolling NLBN lures will enable you to cover a great deal of water efficiently and effectively. This can be a very useful technique for targeting schooling fish that roam inshore waters like striped bass and bluefish, who aren’t necessarily tethered to structure.
Jig Them
Jigging NLBN lures on a jighead is another very effective way of working these soft plastics, especially when targeting structure, or for any fish that are holding deep.
The vertical presentation can also be highly effective at persuading fish to bite, as the natural drop in the cadence of a soft plastic that is jigged will encourage predatory fish to bite, often in reactionary fashion, and sometimes even when they are not actively feeding.
Twitch or Slash Them
One of the most effective ways to work an NLBN lure of all is to rig it on a jig head and twitch it, or to slash it, or to impart some other irregular movement.
Rig your NLBN lure, cast it to structure (or wherever else you know fish are holding) and then begin an erratic retrieve back to you. Impart long pauses where you allow the lure to fall. This is where most strikes will materialize.
A variation on this erratic retrieve is called slashing; cast the NLBN lure, let it drop for a second or a few, then slash the rod tip from one side to the other. This will cause the lure to dart sharply back and forth in the water, often in a zig-zag pattern. It can be deadly effective on fish, and again, most strikes will come on those momentary pauses.
By the way, the techniques mentioned in this article are effective with other soft baits, too, not just with NLBN lures.
Where to Fish NLBN Lures
If you’re wondering where to fish NLBN lures, the answer is anywhere you know there are fish. Target structure, like troughs and bars, the edges of channels, pilings, docks, piers, the bases of bridges, reefs, rocks and jetties, and wrecks, among others. Fish gravitate to structure like a magnet and you can often find them there.
Explore NLBN Lures and More
Need to restock your tackle bag or box with some new NLBN lures for the upcoming season? Check out Johnny Jigs first. In addition to NLBN lures, they carry a wide range of other artificial saltwater lures, including stickbaits, topwaters, and an exhaustive array of slow pitch jigs in a variety of patterns, profiles and colors.
Visit their website or get in touch with their customer service representatives today if you have any questions.
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