Jig Heads with Soft Plastics — When You Need to Work the Bottom or the trees

Jig heads paired with soft plastics are lethal for yellowbelly, particularly in deeper holes and slower water. The approach is straightforward: get your plastic to the bottom, work it slowly along structure, and stay in contact with the lure throughout.

**The Assassin Jig Head 5-Pack** with twin assist hooks is a big seller for us specifically for this reason — the twin assist hook configuration gets better hookup rates on short strikes, which yellowbelly are notorious for. They'll mouth a soft plastic gently rather than smashing it, and a single treble misses a lot of those bites.

Weight selection matters. In slower water or when targeting shallower flats, go lighter — 1/8oz to 1/4oz. In deeper holes or when there's current pushing through, you need enough weight to stay on the bottom. In the Murray and Goulburn, 3/8oz to 1/2oz is often the right call.

Soft plastic profile: paddle tails and curl tail grubs in natural colours — green pumpkin, watermelon, and motor oil work well in clear water. In stained or murky conditions, go brighter — chartreuse, white, or pink will get noticed faster.