Please help a newbie rig Tomic lures

[kawini]

Good morning all. I’m moving my boat up to Alaska this year and will be transiting beautiful BC.

I’m a bottom fisherman, because that’s what I know how to do. The only salmon I’ve ever had on a line got away because I was so excited that I couldn’t let it run. So I need help with my salmon skills.

Based on what I’ve read here, I bought a half dozen Tomic lures to troll on my way up to Alaska. I also bought a couple of Rapala X-rap Magnums (one 30 and one 40). I’m going to be using these lures without a downrigger.

What is the best way to rig the lures? I’ve read about the tying of the helper knot on the Tomic toe bars. But I still have some very basic questions:

What sort of leader? Monel wire, mono, fluoro?

Leader attached to swivel or tied directly to main line?

Any flasher or dodger involved?

Do I use bait on these lures?

Do these lures really get to depth by themselves, or will they require a Deep Six or similar?

Troll with current or against current, or aim for no current?

I know these are pretty basic questions guys.

Thanks tons.

 

[chille51]

I'm no expert myself, and there are tonnes of guys on here with WAY more experience then me, so if one of them tells you something different than me best listen to them. But here is what I know, or at least think I know.

- Mono leader. 30lbs test is pretty standard. I have heard of up to 50lbs test if you expect to encounter larger fish. I run 30. About 72" length.
- I do run a swivel or bead chain at the braid to mono connection, along with a bead above the swivel a bit bigger than the top eye of my rod.
- Different ways to rig the plug to the leader. Tie directly to the tow bar. Tie a dummy knot and use that to cinch your actual not up higher on the tow bar. Put a split ring dangling on the tow bar like a nose ring for some rattle. Tie a bead chain on the leader, and use an elastic band around the plug to pull the leader up tighter. Pull the tow bar all together and run the leader right through the body. I've heard of and tried most of them, all change the way the plug runs in the water. It is fun to experiment.
- Never a flasher inline with a plug. Spoons and hootchies, yes. Plugs - no. If you run a downrigger, you can do a dummy flasher on the rigger, but not on your mainline. You want the action of the plug itself, not the flasher.
- Never heard of anyone putting bait on a plug, except maybe something tied to the belly of a flat fish style plug. With Tomics I don't think it is the norm. Someone else will correct me I am wrong on this one. You can and should use scent.
- I've always been told troll with the current. The bait fish and plankton move with the current. A bait fish swimming upstream doesn't look natural.
- Getting "to depth" really depends on what depth the fish are at, which can vary considerably by area, species, time of year, time of day etc. etc. A downrigger is standard on salmon fishing boats for a reason - it is a huge advantage to put the presentation right at the same depth you think the fish are at. Plugs dive a bit, but not 150 feet. I imagine there are conditions where running plugs on a naked line shallow could work, guys do it on lakes for trout - but I don't think it is anywhere close to the "normal" way to do it in the ocean. A downrigger would be highly recommended, or barring that then yes I guess a Deep Six or Dipsy Diver or something - but not sure what one of those devices would do to the action of a plug

Again, I'm not expert but those are my thoughts to your questions.

 

[Northfish]

I'm no expert myself, and there are tonnes of guys on here with WAY more experience then me, so if one of them tells you something different than me best listen to them. But here is what I know, or at least think I know.

- Mono leader. 30lbs test is pretty standard. I have heard of up to 50lbs test if you expect to encounter larger fish. I run 30. About 72" length.
- I do run a swivel or bead chain at the braid to mono connection, along with a bead above the swivel a bit bigger than the top eye of my rod.
- Different ways to rig the plug to the leader. Tie directly to the tow bar. Tie a dummy knot and use that to cinch your actual not up higher on the tow bar. Put a split ring dangling on the tow bar like a nose ring for some rattle. Tie a bead chain on the leader, and use an elastic band around the plug to pull the leader up tighter. Pull the tow bar all together and run the leader right through the body. I've heard of and tried most of them, all change the way the plug runs in the water. It is fun to experiment.
- Never a flasher inline with a plug. Spoons and hootchies, yes. Plugs - no. If you run a downrigger, you can do a dummy flasher on the rigger, but not on your mainline. You want the action of the plug itself, not the flasher.
- Never heard of anyone putting bait on a plug, except maybe something tied to the belly of a flat fish style plug. With Tomics I don't think it is the norm. Someone else will correct me I am wrong on this one. You can and should use scent.
- I've always been told troll with the current. The bait fish and plankton move with the current. A bait fish swimming upstream doesn't look natural.
- Getting "to depth" really depends on what depth the fish are at, which can vary considerably by area, species, time of year, time of day etc. etc. A downrigger is standard on salmon fishing boats for a reason - it is a huge advantage to put the presentation right at the same depth you think the fish are at. Plugs dive a bit, but not 150 feet. I imagine there are conditions where running plugs on a naked line shallow could work, guys do it on lakes for trout - but I don't think it is anywhere close to the "normal" way to do it in the ocean. A downrigger would be highly recommended, or barring that then yes I guess a Deep Six or Dipsy Diver or something - but not sure what one of those devices would do to the action of a plug

Again, I'm not expert but those are my thoughts to your questions.

Only things I would add would be;
-quick change snaps also work just fine for leader to plug connection, the pivot point remains the same
-mono leaders are more than sufficient unless 'pulling the pin' in which fluoro is better for the abrasion resistance
-no point running flashers at all
-the farther back from the clip or the more line you have out the deeper it will dive, to a point
-you can add scent but it's more to cover whatever scent is on the plug rather than enticing bites
-invest in high quality ball bearing swivels for leader to main line connection, I personally use owner #3 stainless with great success
-downriggers are essential unless fishing close to shore and shallow, unweighted plugs pulled fast (5+ knots) are deadly for coho

Hope this helped!

 

[Dogbreath]

Those Rapalas fish best just dragged behind the boat something about being tethered to a downrigger wire affects the action and they don't work nearly so well.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Check out this link from Tomic Lures website. Make sure to check out the other rigging instructions listed below
https://tomiclure.com/instructions/

I have switched from tying special non-slip knots on the tie bar or using rubber bands to get good action to pulling the pin. First I cut of both top/bottom round ends of the pin. I then pull the top portion of the pin through the plug and leave the bottom one in and just file it down smooth on top and bottom. Leaving the bottom pin in is key to prevent water from getting into the plug. I then run the line through now empty top hole through the plug to a red bead & swivel then to the hook.



Simple to do/use, always has great action (no fiddling around with knots) and if you snag something or break your line, the plug floats back up to the surface so you can retrieve it - as they are not cheap!.

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

 

[Tighthead]

Check out this link from Tomic Lures website. Make sure to check out the other rigging instructions listed below
https://tomiclure.com/instructions/

I have switched from tying special non-slip knots on the tie bar or using rubber bands to get good action to pulling the pin. First I cut of both top/bottom round ends of the pin. I then pull the top portion of the pin through the plug and leave the bottom one in and just file it down smooth on top and bottom. Leaving the bottom pin in is key to prevent water from getting into the plug. I then run the line through now empty top hole through the plug to a red bead & swivel then to the hook.

View attachment 105551

Simple to do/use, always has great action (no fiddling around with knots) and if you snag something or break your line, the plug floats back up to the surface so you can retrieve it - as they are not cheap!.

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

For those visual learners:

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