
For a floating minnow for casting, the best options here are the true floating minnow plugs: COZEN 'RIOT' Floating Minnow 100mm 14g, Kingdom Floating Minnow 130mm 30g, and Noeby Floating Minnow 140mm 39g. They’re built for casting, have floating buoyancy, and are suited to working baitfish near the surface or just below it.
If you want a more jerkbait-style cast-and-pause bait, Real Fish Bait 4" Major Minnow Jerkbait and Just Lures Fishing Jerk Minnow 5.5 - Blue Chrome are good alternatives. They float and are designed for stop-and-pause retrieves, especially when fish want an injured-bait look.
Switch to a different lure if fish are holding deeper, want a stronger dive, or won’t rise for a floating bait. In that case, a deeper crankbait, suspending jerkbait, or long-bill minnow will usually work better than a standard floating minnow.
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