Plugs

michael_reiber

michael_reiber

Active Member
Looking for a little insight on plug fishing, Ive always just fished spoons hootchies bait but this year I thought I'd buy just one plug and give it a shot, just wondering if anyone has any tips on what plug and what size to buy and any tips for trolling and rigging them. My buddy said to get the tomic 402 does anyone agree or disagree?

Thanks,
 
Im going to use it in ukee first in a week then probably renfrew and nanaimo area. And probably just summer fish for now
 
You can't stop at one. You'll need a collection. Some new, some from the half price seconds bin, some from ebay, some from garage sales that need a repaint, and some from God knows where that you intend to repaint but never do.
Then put out your 4-7" 602 or 5-6" 602 tubby.
 
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tubber said:
You can't stop at one. You'll need a collection. Some new, some from the half price seconds bin, some from ebay, some from garage sales that need a repaint, and some from God knows where that you intend to repaint but never do.
Then put out your 4-7" 602 or 5-6" 602 tubby.
Click to expand...
2x what Tubber said. Of the 30 odd plugs I own about half dozen are my go to plugs. I believe these ones are the best swimmers.
 
I primarily fish a 602 or a 407. I'll fish them in all sizes, 4" tubbys, 5" tubbys, or just 5" regs. Tubbys you can troll slower, and put spoons or hoochies out on the other side. Regulars you troll quicker and can't really throw anything else down on the other side except plugs.
Tubbys I troll around 2.3 to 2.8 mph. Regs I troll 2.8 to 3.5. Tubbys can troll that fast as well.
I personally pull the pins out and run liter through the plug to the swivel and hook.
Hook sizes go 4/0 for 4", 5/0 for 5" and 6/0 for 6".
If I ever go somewhere new I put plugs down right away, you can troll faster and cover more ground and usually locate bait sooner, as well as study contours.
I fish them all year around, successfully catch fish.
 
X 2 for pulling the pins out and running leader through, if you break off the plug it will float to the surface. Did well with the purple haze glow 6 inch for alberni.
 
Awesome thanks for all the info! Sounds like I'll pick up at 602 I think! And is everyone ripping the pin out? And then how should I go about rigging them? Flasher? No flasher? Leader length? I've heard about guys running them far back behind the clip or do I just run it the standard difference? I will be fishing a spoon or a hootchie on the other side of the boat.
 
michael_reiber said:
Awesome thanks for all the info! Sounds like I'll pick up at 602 I think! And is everyone ripping the pin out? And then how should I go about rigging them? Flasher? No flasher? Leader length? I've heard about guys running them far back behind the clip or do I just run it the standard difference? I will be fishing a spoon or a hootchie on the other side of the boat.
Click to expand...

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

No flasher and 602 is the one you want.
 
michael_reiber said:
Awesome thanks for all the info! Sounds like I'll pick up at 602 I think! And is everyone ripping the pin out? And then how should I go about rigging them? Flasher? No flasher? Leader length? I've heard about guys running them far back behind the clip or do I just run it the standard difference? I will be fishing a spoon or a hootchie on the other side of the boat.
Click to expand...
If your running the it with a spoon or flasher, get the 602 tubby and troll 2.5-3 mph and back 50-75 ft back, if we are out on the banks and traffic permitting we will run the 100ft. We just always run plugs on both sides, no flashers and troll like you stole it. I just tie a 6-8ft leader on to the plug and a chain swivel on the end of that. Some of the plugs are pulled some are not.
 
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michael_reiber said:
Awesome thanks for all the info! Sounds like I'll pick up at 602 I think! And is everyone ripping the pin out?

I leave the pins in as you can tune the action by changing the position of the knot on the tow bar. I think you are going to find this to be a braid over wire kind of argument, split kind of down the middle.

And then how should I go about rigging them? Flasher? No flasher? Leader length? I've heard about guys running them far back behind the clip or do I just run it the standard difference? I will be fishing a spoon or a hootchie on the other side of the boat.
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How far back you run them will depend on a number of variables.
1) number of other boats fishing in the area. if you are 60 - 100 feet behind the boat with the plug, others wont be expecting it and you could get caught up in anther boats gear.
2) The plugs float up when you turn inside on the plug side. if your gear is above it it can float up and over into your hootichie side. Conversely they dive deeper when they swim the same thing can happen when you turn plug side out in a strong cross current, both have happened to me.

I have had success clipping at as close as 15 feet to the rigger and far back from the boat. You have to think about the variables of where and how you want to fish and adjust accordingly. Others may have better advice, but this is how I do it.
 
I wouldn't bother pulling the pin on a Tubby.

#602 and #158 seem to get good press all the time.
 
Latest from Tomic is the uv body with an iridescent insert. If the number (such as a 602) is a glow color, there will be a glow stripe painted on the bottom - normally a Tomic glow color would have a glow body but that can't be done with a uv body.

A 602 from the above series will be designated "602uvbii" on the packaging material or painted on the nose of the plug.

I have had good catching at Campbell River, Ucluelet, and the Nootka area with a 7" 602uvbii.
 
The hot plug lately in the Campbell River/Bates Beach area has been the 5" Tubby RVP2 Jack Smith. Probably work very well in Nanaimo later this summer, just upsize it to 6".
 
Awesome thanks for all this info! Deffiently helping out a ton! I went and got the 5" 602 Tubby so I will give that a shot in ucluelet next weekend and will be sure to post how I make out! Is there a certain spot where I want to tie to on the pin? I saw a few different things about trying to tie it in particular spots to get different action
 
Tie it to the tow bar and pull the knot all the way to the top and back, make sure it's centered. This is your leader, then you can tie another knot below that and clip both ends. This helps the leader knot from sliding down. This is how we do it and it seems to work good. Hang it over the side and watch how it tracks and adjust as needed, you want it to track evenly form side to side.
 
Waterwolf2230 said:
The hot plug lately in the Campbell River/Bates Beach area has been the 5" Tubby RVP2 Jack Smith. Probably work very well in Nanaimo later this summer, just upsize it to 6".
Click to expand...

Curtis, Do you know the colour code for the Jack Smith? I can't find it for Tomic

Last year I had a lot of success with the 6" 602 uvbii at Kitty/Bates. I was typically only running it 15' behind the clip
 
Prairie Locked said:
Curtis, Do you know the colour code for the Jack Smith? I can't find it for Tomic

Last year I had a lot of success with the 6" 602 uvbii at Kitty/Bates. I was typically only running it 15' behind the clip
Click to expand...
It's a 5" Custom Tubby Jack Smith UVBII. Playgrounds brought in both 6" Classic Jack Smith UVBII and the 5" Tubby. The Jack Smith hoochie has been really hot as well so guys have been running a JS hoochie on one side and the JS 5" Tubby on the other. Been having great luck with that combo so far. Hopefully they get more before my holiday!
 

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