Jiggin' Johnsons' Goby 2.5" Finesse Soft Plastic Bait

When/Where: Rock transitions, riprap, bridge corners, gravel points, and current seams where bottom forage is the meal.

How: Thread it straight as a compact trailer. Crawl it with small pops and let it settle after every tick. Pause longer than you think.

Why: A goby profile looks “heavy and real” on bottom without needing big flapping action.

Tuning: If bites feel mushy, slow down and reduce rod movement. Let bottom contact do the talking.

When/Where: Hard bottom, clear–stained water, pressured smallmouth water, and any place fish inspect baits closely.

How: Drag in inches, then pause. Add a single hop only after a pause, then let it settle back down.

Why: The goby look is a different “bottom story” than the usual stickbait Ned.

Tuning: If you’re snagging, raise your rod angle and slow down; keep it gliding instead of digging.

When/Where: Edges, breaks, and vertical targets when fish are holding just off bottom and won’t chase.

How: Nose-hook or lightly thread. Hold it in the lane and use tiny pulses to keep it “alive” without traveling far.

Why: You can present a goby profile in place—perfect for lookers that need time to commit.

Tuning: If you’re only getting pecks, reduce movement and shorten the distance the bait travels.

When/Where: Rock, docks, and edges where you want a controlled fall and a bottom “stand and quiver” posture.

How: Light nail weight and short lifts. Let it settle back and sit between moves.

Why: The pauses look natural—like a goby nosing bottom.

Tuning: If it falls too fast, lighten the nail and slow your cadence.

When/Where: Great “search” rig for rock and transitions, plus a clean option for mixed-species days.

How: Hop-settle-pause. Keep hops small and let it sit after each contact point.

Why: Simple jig heads keep the presentation honest and bottom-forward.

Tuning: Match head weight to control, not speed. If you speed up, it stops looking like bottom forage.

When/Where: Rock + weeds mixed together, wood edges, and snaggy lanes where open hooks hang up.

How: Use the lightest weight that keeps you in contact. Crawl through openings and let it settle.

Why: Weedless goby profile that still looks bottom-oriented.

Tuning: If it rides too high, add a touch of weight rather than increasing retrieve speed.

When/Where: Sparse grass edges and shallow transitions when you want a clean track without constantly clearing weeds.

How: Slow swim with brief stalls. Let it drop back to bottom occasionally to keep the goby story believable.

Why: Keeps the bait weed-friendly while still presenting a compact forage profile.

Tuning: If the bite is light, add longer stalls and keep the bait in one lane longer.