As conservation becomes a bigger issue more areas are becoming bait free zones. Soft plastics offer a  realistic substitute for the use of bait. If you are fishing a area where bait is allowed scented plastics are available or you can scent them yourself. Soft Plastic give the steelhead a chance to chew on lure with out the hardness of a Corkies or spin glow. 

Soft Plastic will eat away your painted lures or plastic trays, so keep them sealed tightly in plastic Ziploc bags

Worms

Worm fishing requires the use of a single hook or a longer space between doubles to string the worm. If you are having problems with the worm ripping, tie a piece of yarn around area where rips are occurring. Pictured above is the "beenie weenie" famous in Canadian Waters.

Egg imitations

These usually have a hole thought the center and can be easily rigged with normal leaders. If you want the egg imitation to stay down by hooks, place a toothpick in the hole. 

Custom soft plastics

Custom soft plastics are not that difficult to make with the proper equipment.

• Burner to use outdoors (plastics really smell when cooking)
• Pan to cook  plastic in ( Good Will has pans so the wife don't kill you)
• Plastic solution ( bass catalogs have it in quantity)
• Dyes to color plastic
• Glitter or glow powder (optional)
• Mold (sinker molds, copper pipe end caps or you can design one yourself)
• Oil (substitute  scented oils if regulations allow it)

This next couple steps must be done rapidly since plastic sets up if over cooked.

1. Heat up plastic solution stir until clear and add die to color to your custom shade. 
2. Add glitter or glow in dark material when plastic is still liquid.
3. Pour in oil sprayed mold ( use sand shrimp oil, sardine oil, etc.....)
4. Remove from mold when set up
5. If you want a hole in middle, use a small air hose (aquarium stores carry it) can be threaded through center with a big needle. You may need to oil outside of hose to thread 
6. Trim to fit
7. Store in Ziploc plastic bag