unproven plugs

[newt]

Hey all,

I'm a veteran egg slinger who only occasionally fishes plugs. Plugs have a place and I realize this. I am slowly fishing them more in the spots that I know they would do the best job but I am also running into a mental dilema here. I would appreciate some response from you veteran pluggers.

I've read in great detail how certain plugs "get em'" and how some are garbage and should be trashed. Here's my dilema: I'm fishing the correct rods, correct water, have the correct angle out of the rod holder and am using well-tuned tadpollys and hotshots. When I try a new plug, how long should I fish it before I get suspicious of it's effectiveness if it's not producing?

I know this is a loaded question because of all the variables involved but what do you guys do? I find myself getting impatient and revert back to my egg-slinging when a plug I'm fishing doesn't produce. This is probably a mistake......or is it?

How long do you fish a new, non-producing plug before you get suspicious?

Thanks!

[Trout,myster]

Newt- Your topic caught my eye as one of my favorite ways to pass the summer months is bass fishing which involves plugs. First thing is to find a plug YOU like and feel good about. Chances are the fish won't care as much as you do, but you have to have some confidence that it's going to work. Pulling plugs in a boat is different than casting for bass (the action you get is dependent on line weight, line out, type of plug, current speed). When casting, the retrieve varies some of that and adds to the mystery.

If I feel good about a plug catching a fish, I'll run it for at least an hour if I know there are fish around. After that, I'm going to switch to an "oldie" that produces and see what happens. If I get bit, then I'll retire the original for another day unless it happens to be exactly the same color/size/model. If that's the case, I'll likely toss it into the "someday we'll have a garage sale box". The real key is having confidence in what you're using long enough to prove it's either bad or good. And if you really want to test the logic, leave everything else home and just take your rod and that plug!

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Troutmyster

[Gone Fishin]

Here's a tip, (I should get $400 worth of Holdzit Products for!) How to effectivly "tune" a new plug:

Take all the plugs you own, (old and new) and line them up in a circle, making sure all the "eye's" on the plugs are facing to the inside of the circle.

Now take a "bum" plug, (or plug you suspect as being bum) and place it on the inside of the circle.

Take your fish-whacker and smash the bum plug.

The other plugs will get the idea.

Works every time!

http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[David Johnson]

Troutmyster has something going there.

I buy at least four to twelve plugs of a color and fish them. If i am fishing around fish and am using the corect color usually if it's a good plug it will produce right away. I will make a hash mark for each fish and keep my eye on that plug.

One of the keys is having fish. Some times that doesn't happen around here. In Alaska I will start out the season with about four of each color, say a silver chartruse head. If you can get them all tuned good they will all catch a few fish, but the good ones will catch 40 or 50 before it gets lost. Then I start over again. There will be no doubt what plug is best.

In Oregon/Washington I may fish a plug for two to four days before it gets the boot. While guiding I have the advantage of fishing several rods at once and fishing multiple days in a week so it doesn't take me as long to figure out my favorites. Always fish at least one or two "killer" plugs and one new or semi tested plug at once. New plugs are almost always good for one fish so I have high confidence in that one too.

At all times any plug has to be well tuned action.

David Johnson

P.S. Any one want to by some used plugs?

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[Deleted User]

David, I have some left over sandshrimp I'll trade for your 'used' plugs, as long as you leave the hooks on them. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Big Willie]

Good one Marty http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif. That's a good idea, except RT has a bad habit of smashing his good ones. Funniest thing ever...we were up on the Columbia and I was using one of his favorite Wiggle Warts and I nailed a nice springer. RT had the fish bonker and just as he got done saying how careful you should be not to smash the hooked plug what does he do? One crack and he totally missed the head and smashed his prized Wart all over the boat. I was laughing so hard I almost fell out!
As far as plugs go, namely Hotshots, I will usually fish the same one all day. The only thing I worry about is matching the plug size to the water depth.
-Gary

[newt]

Thanks trout and Dave.....good, useful info.

Appreciate it!

[Gooey - Bob]

The first time i herd that story was 20 years ago. A real good friend of mine Chris Sessions was over at shop and it was this time of the year and we were having so Xmas cheer and another friend came by Dennis Mobley a very good guide at that time and he wanted me to do some welding on his drift boat so while i working on itiherd him and chris talking and then they had my tackel box out and then there were stuff flying allover by the time i got over there the ones that was still good were all in a big pile it looked like the hooks wewe all weled together and what a treat trying to make them come out of the tackel box to do there job. Gooey Bob

[Deleted User]

Gary, so guys don't think we were 'protest' fishing the closed Columbia, it was at the mouth of the Wind river springer fishery that I clearly demonstrated to you and Garrick how to bonk and ruin a fish catching plug http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif . You see, these 2 guys are ... ah ... well, slow learners http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif, so I figure to help them save many good plugs in the future I'd whack one good one to show them what can happen if you aren't careful with a valuable 'catcher'! http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif - Hey Gooey, Chris and Dennis have been smashing bad plugs in front of other plugs for as long as I can remember. Chris told me it's not just to get the others to try harder but they are shaking with fear before they even hit the water, so it doubles their action.

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Know Bonk or No Bonk http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif . - RT