Pulling Plug advise

fishhog4u · 12-01-2003, 09:16 AM

Im hoping to start trying pulling plugs for steelhead this winter, but I have a few questions.
My first and foremost question would be, "how much line do I let out"? Is there a set line length?
Color selection?? Any hints???

Lure Dragger · 12-01-2003, 09:23 AM

Depends on where you are fishing. I fished NcNary this weekend and caught a 30 pound chinook, 18 pound steelhead and a 15 pound steelhead. I was letting out 70 feet of line and trolling fairly fast. Last year at this time I was letting out 120 feet of line and trolling as slow as I could go. Color of choice this weekend was green. Last year michael jacksons and blue pirates. Everybody probaly has different ideas on this but I almost always put fish in the boat.

Grantspastor · 12-01-2003, 09:33 AM

Depends on the depth, flow, and length of the hole you are fishing. Fish will hit on a fairly short line, so if the hole is short use less line out. If it is a long hole, fish farther away from the boat. I have no experience on big rivers like the Columbia, but on the Rogue an average situation calls for about 40' of line out.
Lots of colors and and types of plugs work well. The most important thing is to tune them carefully

Jennie@ifish · 12-01-2003, 09:36 AM

Tune carefully, and if you are fishing several rods, have them all let out the same amount of line.
20 pulls, etc.

Jen

Jennie@ifish · 12-01-2003, 09:38 AM

...and then, after everyone puts out 20 pulls,

let yours out 2 more pulls.
Long line 'em! AHAHAHAH FISH ON!
:smile:

KIDDING!
(Well, I have done this, once!)

[img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

Mr. BrownTrout · 12-01-2003, 09:42 AM

I always use to put a bobber slip knot on my line at 50' for both the rods in the bow pole holders and would do about 55' for my rod at the oars. Always worked for me.

Miss B Haven · 12-01-2003, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jennie@ifish:
...and then, after everyone puts out 20 pulls, let yours out 2 more pulls.
Long line 'em! AHAHAHAH FISH ON!
:smile:

KIDDING!
(Well, I have done this, once!)

[img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Jennie, I'm shocked! :shocked: I guess if you ever fish in my boat I'll have to bring a moderator to make sure you follow the AFPP (acceptable fishing partner policy). It's pretty short, let Mel catch all the fish! :grin:

FishinMission · 12-01-2003, 09:56 AM

Think like a fish. If you had to swim upriver...you'd swim in the slower water right??

Fish your plugs in the water you'd pick if you had to swim upriver. Also tail-outs are good too.

Above pointers about distance are O.K. You didn't mention if you were pulling them with oars, or a motor...but if you're using a motor...I'd recommend going back a little farther from the boat.

Good luck!

Mark

FishinMission · 12-01-2003, 03:16 PM

If you ask me...one of the hottest colors I've come across (that Luhr Jensen no longer makes, unfortunately) was the dark copper they used to have on the #30 Hot Shots from about 10+ years back. It was absolutely KILLER in green water with about 4 feet of vis.

If the water's on the clearer side..the "Pirates" work well. Flo Red works prett fine in dirty, high water if you fish them up close to the shoreline.

Mark

River Ranger · 12-01-2003, 03:47 PM

cop car,Pirate,Met red,Met pink,clown,all good at one time or another.Just don't set the hook to soon.If you make a pass and don't get hit try another pass with a different plug or color,Or diver and bait.
R.R.

Beerbelly · 12-01-2003, 04:45 PM

Jennie your are wicked.

Lockjaw · 12-01-2003, 05:20 PM

Try a gold K12 or Gold and red tail K12 kwikfish. It will fish great in any color water! Just don't tell any one.

LJ

fishhog4u · 12-01-2003, 11:05 PM

Jennie ~ I like the way your mind works!!!!!!!

fishhog4u · 12-01-2003, 11:08 PM

I would most likely be using my kicker on my sled to back down through the holes.
The rivers I mainly fish are not too deep, 10 - 15 feet max depth.
Any color selection hints????????

RichH · 12-01-2003, 11:44 PM

Fishhog,

For the depths you're talking I would use a wart, out 6 or 7 times on my 5501. Shallower water I prefer to fish either a tadpolly or a hotshot, mostly size 30 or 35. In shallower water you can still fish a wart, just run them closer to the boat. I've caught fish with as little as 4 times across and even a couple with 6 feet or less when reeling them in.

The bobber slip is a great idea, especially if you're fishing different style reels. I think that getting them out the same distance is critical, almost as much as tuning them.

As for colors, blue and green pirates work for most conditions. I never go without putting out something mostly chrome, and metallic red works real well for me in clear to green water. Good luck.

SHOUGALNITE · 12-04-2003, 10:28 AM

I like to let out about 20 pulls on 6501c and like to use green and blue wee warts.

SHOUGALNITE · 12-04-2003, 10:31 AM

I like to let out about 20 pulls on 6501c and like to use green and blue wee warts.

Yellow North River · 12-04-2003, 12:08 PM

Use 50lb tuff line (so you don't loose the plug, and get wild fish released faster) put a bobber stop at 60ft from swivel and use 5ft of 20lb leader. Have every rod set up the same, the two out side rods run the same type of plug, inside something different if you want. The guides will allways out fish the weekend warrior that fishes different rods and lines when pulling plugs because everything is the same so they set up a wall of plugs...