Your deadliest Plug...

[fishin_magician]

Wondering what your deadliest plug is? I've got several dozen...actually likely close to 200 collected up through the years..but this once particular plug..EVERY time I have it out...will usually get the MOST fish...and I've got some HOT plugs...some with 200 plus springs on 'em---lots and lots of teeth marks.....but none has come close to a 6 inch 600 with a HOT pink stripe down the size..NOT a 602..but a custom 600 with a hot pink stripe...straight glow with a PINK shovel...

What's numbers have worked the best for you? Do you have a favorite and what is it?

Funny thing how some hot and some not....lol.

 

[fishspoon]

I have enjoyed using tomic plugs while fishing on the west coast for few decades. Blue and white plug was successful on springs. later, none of springs have gotten on this plug. I kept changing the plug colors whatever it works for me. If plug color works for me then I used it a lot depending on the weather... dark water or clear water.

 

[Mr. Dean]

Yeeeears ago we fished Apex's almost exclusively around the Sunshine Coast area. Quit when the fishery went down hill and converted to bait.

WTS. Every time we packed up to go home, I would always have to restock the tackle box because everyone else at fish camp would clean us out of the one's we were fishing with. "Hey dean. Can you sell me that special lure you're using...."

Not sure if the lure is what made the magic. Most guy's there anchored and mooched live herring, then.

We'd just troll around until we found em. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Some like it rough...
Others just puke!
Mr. Dean

 

[Reel Knotty]

My deadliest plug was the one that fell out of my transom last year. Damn near sunk the boat when I came off plane. Since then I aways go with the srew in rather than the hinged type.



Edited by - C Lyse on 04/07/2006 12:09:17

 

[Red Monster]

C: Did you also add a huge bilge pump?

I wonder how many stories of woe could be written concerning the infamous bilge plug? ...One or two I'm sure.




Remember, it's called "fishing," not "catching."

 

[dog]

Mr Dean, interesting about you trolling way back when I was probably mooching off Sangster with live. I was just thinking today that it might be nice to anchor up and mooch again, maybe even out around QA in 300 feet, or maybe another shallow spot with a seal problem. Problem around here is finding herring to jig up, so I have been contemplating mooching dead whole. The grocery store down the street has some fresh caught, frozen, nice looking, super fat herring in the freezer. Anyone think it might be worth trying?

 

[dog]

PS Fishin Magish, I might try 3 rods off Sandheads tomorrow Sat around noon. I'll try to raise you on 16 if I get out. I'll call for the Fishin Magician.

Strait Runner.

 

[Reel Knotty]

quote:
C: Did you also add a huge bilge pump?

I wonder how many stories of woe could be written concerning the infamous bilge plug? ...One or two I'm sure.




Remember, it's called "fishing," not "catching."

Well I've always had a kick @ss bilge pump, but now it's on a float switch. It took me a little time to figure out what was going on. Here I was eagerly setting up my gear when I realised my feet were getting wet. Needless to say, hit the bilge pump button and then hit the throttle. It was the worst hole shot in the history of boating, but it did get up. My next purchase was a float switch! But as I'm doing a complete rebuild right now, I think I'll skip the old bilge plug this time around.

 

[Mr. Dean]

quote:
Mr Dean, interesting about you trolling way back when I was probably mooching off Sangster with live. I was just thinking today that it might be nice to anchor up and mooch again, maybe even out around QA in 300 feet, or maybe another shallow spot with a seal problem. Problem around here is finding herring to jig up, so I have been contemplating mooching dead whole. The grocery store down the street has some fresh caught, frozen, nice looking, super fat herring in the freezer. Anyone think it might be worth trying?

I tried the anchor/mooching back then also.............HATED all the doggies that fed on our expensive baits.

As for the grocery store, depends on the $$. I usualy go over to Berry's and p/u a couple of cases.

Some like it rough...
Others just puke!
Mr. Dean

 

[battaglino]

We used 602 plugs off of Bamfield a few years ago and did ok. The locals told us to troll the plugs at 5-6 knots with no flasher. It seemed realy fast where they just yanking my chain? I felt like I was back in California trolling for tuna. We still caught most of the fish with meat and hochies butyou sure can cover alot of area at 5 or 6 knots. We are going up to Winter habor and thought we would try them agian I have one of the 600s I'll bring it too. Any one used them up there?

Joe

joseph battaglino

 

[Pablo2079]

Mr. Dean -

When/why do you think the Sunshine Coast Fishery went bad? Was it a gradual thing? I remember back in the 70's when I counted over 100 boats anchored w/live herring between Camp Byng and Chaster Point. Don't see that anymore! I still fish the area, but I consider myself lucky if I pick anything up other than a doggy or flounder. It's really sad, but it seems like the mainland side of the strait is pretty much dead these days.

There also used to be a kelp bed between Camp Byng and Roberts creek. It disappeared about 15 years ago....

- Paul

 

[Eagle Eyes]

4 knots is about right, and trust me its a great technique, especially when the pilchards are in.

 

[battaglino]

Thanks Eagle I thought 5 or 6 was kind of fast but the action looked great. Where they correct don't use a flasher? We did well at blue dot last year with the 6 inch green holographic ones. It realy looks like a big herring.

Joe

 

[battaglino]

Magic
I agree with you with the spoons vs plugs we catch 3 or 4 times as many fish on the spoons. We used the plug mostly offshore when the silvers were so thick you couldn't get down to the Springs. That was the problem for a number of years off Ucluelet. After the 30 or 40th 5 lb silver I would have tried anything. What size hooks are you using on the plugs. I have some that have hooks that must be 10/0+. When we used the 4 inch plugs we still where picking up the silvers and with the big hook it would really tear them up. Thanks for the information. Joe

 

[Even-tide]

We were in Ucluelet last August when the pilchards were thick,big fat ones. 5 inch #500 with the pin pulled was hammering them at 3.5 knot. one day for a few hours stopped trying to drop the 2nd rod with chovy cause the plug would get nailed as soon as it was put out. tried a 6" #111 with little success. ( reg. plugs with pin pulled seem to have plenty of action at 3.5....) does the tubby really make a difference. thought they were made for rowing in current?
BTW the purple haze 4" at 2.4 scraping bottom has picked up some feeders this winter.

 

[Slabby20]

Last August we found great fishing 7 to 12 mailes offshore out of Bamfield using 7" 602's and 603's. Big springs and lots of them. The pilchards were thick and huge so the big bait seemed to be the ticket. We only used the 7" plugs because the pilchards were so big but it sounds like others had success with the 5-6 inchers. Every time we tried an anchovey, or anything small, we were always unhooking a coho or pink.

We didn't troll as fast as 4-6 knots. We were probably 2.5 to 3 knots. Sounds like trolling faster also works and I'll keep that in mind for next year.

Our best plug last year was this real ugly one we found floating in a kelp bed 10 miles offshore. This ugly hand painted 7" Tomic that was floresent green and yellow (green on top, yellow on the bottom). My buddy threw it on as soon as we found it and it hooked up in 5 minutes and boated 4 25+ springs that day. Kept working the rest of the trip. It probably won't ever catch another spring again but sure was good last year.

We tried some of the big spoons with limited sucess. Any suggestions on what spoons, including color, work best offshore?

 

[fishinmaniac]

Fish plugs a lot on banks off Ucluelet. Been pulling them for 15 years Plug choice depends on what bait is in the water. Last year, with all the pilchards, I had most success with 6-7 inch 600s, 500s and 212s. Like using big plugs to stay away from cohos. 602s and 603s work really well when there is squid in the water. I don't watch the speed I troll... more concerned about the plug action. Know I am going fast as am always passing the hootchie and spoon guys.

When time to catch cohos, switch to smaller plugs (5 inch) in same colors, spoons orhootchies For spoons I like 4 inch coyotes in copcar and green/glow. Hootchies I like green gators, purple haze or all glow.

I never use chovy offshore as it is too much work and it isn't needed. In the rockpiles, chovy all the way.

 

[fishin_magician]

I match my hook size to the size of plug. 6 inch plug, 6/0 hook, 5 inch, 5/0 hook. Usually in Stainless or the Aluminum ones..they're wicked sharp.

Tubbys work well at slower speeds..and at 2.5 knots you're getting the same action as a classic plug at 4 knots..the downside is that they are more expensive...

By the way...many plugs don't catch JACK around Vancouver...because the fish have stopped feeding as often and aren't as aggressive on the lures...

As for spoons on the West Coast go OLD school...Tom Macks, Wonders, Clendon Stewarts etc...Coyotes will go to CRAP in no time flat.

 

[Mr. Dean]

quote:
Mr. Dean -

When/why do you think the Sunshine Coast Fishery went bad? Was it a gradual thing? I remember back in the 70's when I counted over 100 boats anchored w/live herring between Camp Byng and Chaster Point. Don't see that anymore! I still fish the area, but I consider myself lucky if I pick anything up other than a doggy or flounder. It's really sad, but it seems like the mainland side of the strait is pretty much dead these days.

There also used to be a kelp bed between Camp Byng and Roberts creek. It disappeared about 15 years ago....

- Paul

This is the area where I learned how to fish on the chuck. Agamemnon, Bjerre, Thormanby, Trail, Chaster, Byng....Back in the mid eighties.

We would go up and after a day's worth of scouting, we could go out for day two and load up. It seemed easy. One of the places we liked to hang out was @ Silversands. It's a no frills 'resort' with nice amenities.

Then they closed the Coho down and (to me) the Chinooks started to fall off.

It's been a VERY long time since we've revisited for a fish trip. One day I'll be forced to as we now own some property up there near the harbour.

You seem to have more history than I. I can only dream of what things were like in the 70's. I have lots of friends in the area who claim that it continues to get better (?).

Sorry for the thread jack


Some like it rough...
Others just puke!
Mr. Dean