Cut plug verses Rotary Salmon Killers?

[Waterfish]

This will be my first springer season. I bought a Pro-Cure plug cutter. The instructions show five different ways to rig herring after you've cut it. Yea, I know, learn how do it this way... and I will. But I would like to know more about the plastic herring helmits; the "Rotary Salmon Killers". At a springer clinic I went to at the Sportsman's Show, the speaker briefly mentioned them and said they were easy to use and that they were very effective. For you guys who've used both cut plug and the Rotary Salmon Killers, which do you think work the best? Are there times when you would use one verses the other? Do the Rotary Salmon Killers save rigging time? Pro/cons of each?

[chummer]

I really much prefer to plug cut. RSK's are'nt cheap, and they break or you loose that little fin.

[Dangerous_Dave]

I've also used both and have extremelly good luck with the helmets. Plug cutting works but in srtong current they do tend to get blown out. I really like the helmets because they are so easy to use. Depending on how you place the hook in the herring and how much tension you place on the line with the toothpick, you can simulate a slow roll or a fast spin with any combiniation thereof. Sportco seems to have the best selection.

[Hawg Caller]

I've used both,the r.s.k's do work but I've done MUCH better with plug cuts.I do keep a couple rsk's in the box but hardly ever use them any more.

[Pitch Pocket]

The Rotary Salmon Killers by Pro-Troll only come with their hook (which I don't like) and a plastic tube and they want $4 or so for one.

Hot Spot Roller Baiters are my choice. They are less than $1.00 apiece and you can rig them with your own hooks. They have 3 different sized fins that will roll up to a 7" bait. They spin a green label herring really well and will keep a whole bait in good shape all day if you want it to. Changing baits is about a 5 second job.

The only places I found the #1 large bait size are Ollie Damon, Tackle Time and Englunds.

[Uglygreen]

Spin rig a whole red label for dead chinook in Multnomah Channel - bag the RSK's and forget the plug cut IMHO.

UG

[Miss B Haven]

Pitch- Talk to Dave (Gambler) about those RSK's next summer. He'll tell you everything that's wrong with them (he's got a long list). He'll tell you the only reason he's got them rigged is somebody left them in his boat (he would NEVER acutally buy one ).

When he's done with bs that he'll tell you how dang effective they are and wouldn't run anything else.

I had one day in the river last year when I couldn't touch a fish on any other rig. Had to retie that RSK 3 times that day. What is it sometimes?

[Pitch Pocket]

Mel, the Hot Spot Roller Baiter is reportedly the original version of Pro Troll's RSK and is identical except for the hook (don't get the Hot Spot rep going on this one).

The brand name RSK is starting to be like brand name Kleenex is for a facial tissue. If you buy them without hooks, the only brand you can buy is Hot Spot Roller Baiter. RSK is not sold without the rigging. Gene's jar on the counter is filled with the Hot Spot product, not Pro-Trolls.

I agree that they are the best thing since sliced bread. Anyone can rig a herring to roll perfectly in 5 seconds.

I set the boat speed to roll MY herring and if they don't rebait the same way, the other fishers on my boat don't get the roll. The Roller baiter takes the guess work out of it and allows everyone to rebait their own hook.

We killed the ocean coho and in-river chinook the last two years with them. Everyone baited their own hook and they all caught fish.

UG, why are you fishing for dead chinook? :whazzup: :grin:

[ 02-16-2004, 02:20 PM: Message edited by: Pitch Pocket ]

[Miss B Haven]

Yep Steve- I buy out of Genes Jar exclusively. :grin:

What I was refering to is the fact that those RSK's have that single siwash (that ends up right in the middle of the bait fish) and a piece of stiff plastic tubing between the hook and the "spinner". Like Dave says- everything about this is wrong. Yet he's found they are very effective and that day in the river I'm running the Hot Spots on 3 rods (the usual suspects) and 1 lousey RSK (that somebody really did leave behind) and all the fish came on that dang RSK. We snapped the leader twice in the net and I had to retie just to get another fish. It was really quite amazing (and frustrating).
Of course if I go out and buy a couple hunert of 'em then I won't ever catch another fish on one!

[BigWaterBigFish]

Normally I plug cut rig one hook on the side and one in the belly or trailing ... but if the current is stong or I have too small herring for a decent cut, I use these "helmets" that I saw used up in Canada and I found at Sportsman's Warehouse. Use your own mooching/trolling leader and hooks, just slide the "helmet" down the line, over the head of the herring. You can pin it with a piece of toothpick or pin but I usually don't as the first hook in the side will create enough of a bend to make a really nice roll, then the second hood can trail or be also hooked around the anus. I get about as much success with it, mostly as both hooks are available to the salmon instead of one up higher up holding plug into the current. You get either three or five "helmets" to a pack and I want to say they are about $1.50 or so ... I bought two packs and still have most of them as reusable and have no fins or clips to break off. They are imported from Canada, sorry, don't remember the brand name.

[Pitch Pocket]

Mel, I get it now! It may have been the fin on the RSK being bigger or smaller than Gene's Hot Spots and giving a different roll. The odd man in the array generally gets the strike! Gene only had the small ones for the little fresh herring and anchovies we used last summer.

I've got a couple of the RSK's that someone donated to my boat. I'll experiment with it a little next time.

[Mojo]

I like the RSK because A) I'm lazy - and they are idiot proof to rig quickly, and B) everyone gets the same roll when you are using them.

[ 02-16-2004, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Mojo ]

[Fish Hawk Adventures]

Can I put in my 2 cents????

Please!!!


The rotary things stink in my opinion!!!!!

I will and do out perform with a cut plug so bad that the people with the rotary thing on their pole will ask to have it removed.

That is my experience with them, take it for what it is worth.

Joe

[slabhunter]

Whole is the way to go! Only use the helmet if the current is fast. Most of the time you can just use a herring like this and inject your scent of choice in the belly.

[ 02-16-2004, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: slabhunter ]

[Perfect Drift]

You don't worry about keeping the eyes intact?
What are you using to hold the rear hook to the body?

[Pitch Pocket]

oops

[ 02-16-2004, 05:12 PM: Message edited by: Pitch Pocket ]

[slabhunter]

The eyes are still there. The trailing hook is held by going just under the skin with the eye and shank of that hook. :grin: That dog will hunt! There are more pics in the how to rig herring thread.

[ 02-16-2004, 05:24 PM: Message edited by: slabhunter ]

[chinookin]

cut plugs can last quite a while and can be changed out in less then 3 sec. Just don't use the double angle. knife blade straight up and down and adjust the spin by making the cut at a bigger or smaller angle. I decked on charters for 10yrs and this is usually the only way I baited. would start out 1/2 & 1/2 but almost always ended up with all plugs and was usually one of the first boats in. Also leave the back hook out and trail it just enough to clear the tail, and the trailer has to be SHARP. Also, and this may sound silly but they head section of a bigger cut plug works good too. rig it like a whole herring but the back hook needs to come out of the end.

[illbfish]

I've used both plug cut & helmets. The only time I use the helmet is if the current is strong. Strong will flair out your plug cut. I like whole with a slip tie for backtrolling. I have caught Springers either way.

[eyeFISH]

My observations. Brined baits hold up a lot better than fresh when plug-cut, especially when trolling. Plug-cut fresh works well for mooching, which is what most of the charters do. The nose clips (RSK or HSRB) are idiot-proof and work great for those who can't figure out how to rig hooks on a whole herring. They also save the day if your bait is of too poor a quality to plug-cut.

My preference? Buy the best quality frozen, brine the night before, and plug-cut. Bait will last for 2 hours under a steady troll... unless of course Mr King goes for the interception.

[ 02-17-2004, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: eyeFISH ]