Fishing Plugs

[TheHurtLocker]

Have been fishing plugs a lot this year. They have been doing well, but I haven't. I seem to loose a lot of fish. Seems like right at the boat too. It's a totally different way from using flashers, I feel like I'm really horsing the fish.

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Do you pull the pin on your plugs?

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Yes the pins are pulled.

 

[scott craven]

If using single siwash hook, take some needle nose pliers and give the point
a good "beak". (bend towards the shank)

 

[Fish Assassin]

I run a plug yesterday in your backyard there HurtLocker and not a sniff. Not that we didn't catch fish, just not on a plug.

Man was it a snotty crossing.

What plug are you using?

 

[Ugly Betty]

I found this plug floating off Cape Mudge. Over twenty years ago it is still a great producer now.I nailed a large coho ten min after tying it on, that day. Thanks to the guy who pulled the pins!!!

 

[KatieB]

Have not fished pugs a lot in the past and this year was going to try and use them more. Fourth trip this year fishing by Hornby Island on a 6" Tomic glow with pink stripe no modifications done besides pinching the barb I landed this:



Great battle without a flasher! 150ft deep about 10 feet from bottom. I'm a believer now.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

I run a plug yesterday in your backyard there HurtLocker and not a sniff. Not that we didn't catch fish, just not on a plug.

Man was it a snotty crossing.

What plug are you using?

The number is worn off, it was white with 2 pink strips down each side.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Awesome, guys over here swear by plugs. That's why I've tried them this year.

 

[Prairie Locked]

Is there any benefit or advantage to not pulling the pin?

 

[spring fever]

Is there any benefit or advantage to not pulling the pin?

Can't think of any benefit to not pulling the pin other than getting out of the work of pulling it. I suppose to some extent the plug is rigged and just has to be tied on. Most guys who fish plugs with pulled pins usually tie it complete with a 6 or 8 ft leader and then it just needs to be clipped on. One benefit to pulling the pin is the plug USUALLY tracks better. Sometimes tieing the knot on the pin will cause the plug to pull one way or another resulting in having to shift the knot.

 

[Fishin'Zinn]

Is there any benefit or advantage to not pulling the pin?

Good Reads:


http://tomiclure.com/instructions/fellow-fishermen-tips/pull-the-pin/

http://tomiclure.com/instructions/elastic-andor-bead-chain/

 

[Prairie Locked]

Thanks guys. I had read the articles on the Tomic site.

It seems the consensus is that the plug's action is better and/or more consistent when pulling the pin and running the leader through the plug? Would that be accurate?

What would you recommend for tackle on the terminal end? Hook, swivel, bead? Is there a pre-rigged setup you can pick up?

Obviously I'm new to plugs this year. I'd like the challenge and experience of not fighting a flasher. Also thought I'd give it a try running a center line off the back for the kids and take a stab at some coho.

 

[leftcoast]

Good Reads:


http://tomiclure.com/instructions/fellow-fishermen-tips/pull-the-pin/

http://tomiclure.com/instructions/elastic-andor-bead-chain/

Thanks for the links. Great information

 

[seagal]

Have been fishing plugs a lot this year. They have been doing well, but I haven't. I seem to loose a lot of fish. Seems like right at the boat too. It's a totally different way from using flashers, I feel like I'm really horsing the fish.

Hi T.H.L. A couple things you can check/adjust. Make sure your hook is not too far back.I use the distance set from the factory which equates to one medium bead. Like Craven said, put a slight bend in the beak will help the holding power and bury the line in the clip. Hold On!!!

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Hi T.H.L. A couple things you can check/adjust. Make sure your hook is not too far back.I use the distance set from the factory which equates to one medium bead. Like Craven said, put a slight bend in the beak will help the holding power and bury the line in the clip. Hold On!!!

Sounds good. I have the bead in and the distance is the same as a store bought set up. Going to try the slight bend. Thanks seagal and Craven.

 

[fishin_magician]

If you're not fishing a Tubby, go fast...as in 45 degree angle on your wire. That will help. Since you have no flashers....run lines 3 and 4 with plugs too...since tangles won't be an issue. Select one hook size bigger than the plug...or at the minimum, the same size hook as the plug. So, 5" tomic use a 5/0, 6" 6/0 , at the minimum.

I personally do not pull pins unless the plug in proven unproductive. A few years ago I was using a bunch of 5" tomic plugs which should have worked, they would not. Spoons and flashers kicked their butt. The last time I had a guest break off a fish was 4 seasons ago, you should never be in danger of losing the plug when you yourself are on the rod.

Fish the most productive tackle first, limit yourself out, then experiment with the tackle you are not experienced with or least successful with...and make that work. There has to be fish around for certain tackle to work.

If I know that a given lure may get eyeballed once or twice in a half day's fishing, for sure I will fish the lure I know will get it done, not a chance hit by some rogue fish who will select a plug over a flasher towing an anchovy.

 

[fishin_magician]

I would try to figure out exactly what they are doing to catch those fish in the plugs....are they running them 50' back and 120 feet down in the cable in 130 feet of water or 25' back at 100' in 300 feet of water.....where can be just as important as "how"

 

[Derby]

RVP has been fishing plugs ECVI this season, primarilty using Tomic six inch and six inch tubby. He fishes both styles at the same speed range 5km to 8km depending on tidal current. He uses the furnished speed ring & tow bar combo with 4ft of 60lbs mono terminated with swivel to a ball bearing pigtail connection on his mainline. He clips his plugs to the rigger line
10 to 25 feet back. The ocean floor average depth has been aprox 100ft to 275ft and drops the ball from 90 to 139 feet. The extreme angle of the wire would indicte that the ball depth is about 30 to 40 feet higher in the water column than the counter shows on the rigger.

His plug colors of choice are anything as long as it has iridescent insert in the body of the plug. RVP-ii series Tomics like G26L, 94, 118, 211, 231, 232, 500bgs, 727 to name a few.

Last weekend two days fishing...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtT1wtl-19w

 

[Birdman]

Those RVP-ii series plugs are unbelievably effective. Are you guys selling those in 5-inch tubbies as well? (thinking ECVI application) The 7inch RVP-iiG26L was insane for me last summer off the west-coast.