Buying New plugs

[Squire]

I’m going to follow Birdman’s query up with one of my own. It could be a poll question but I’m curious among the devout plug fishermen what finish is on their best producing plug, uv, glow, or old school?

 

[Aces]

I’m going to follow Birdman’s query up with one of my own. It could be a poll question but I’m curious among the devout plug fishermen what finish is on their best producing plug, uv, glow, or old school?

It’s different everyday depending on location, water color and light conditions.

Sometimes I run 3 or 4 stacked to determine what’s the favourite of the day and try and correlate the data. I also kept a log book for over 20 years to find some common points for future reference

 

[Rain City]

It’s different everyday depending on location, water color and light conditions

But 99.9% of conditions call for a glow 602

 

[PEETZcanada]

OK here's a query for those experienced plug dudes - when would you run the 232 colour (whether regular or with the RVP UV special additions)?

I've often seen this colour referenced by old school plug dudes, and it does show up on various spoon brands as well. It doesn't look much like a herring to me, so is it a water colour or time of year based pattern?

232 standard or glow body or RVP2 are all solid go to in that colour pattern. In the upper water column run standard or RVP2, in the lower water column run glow body or RVP2. Lower water column all year round. Upper and lower RVP2 in late July through October. The smallest I run is 4 inch tubby the largest 7 inch. Year round I mostly run 6 to 7 inch in open water and 4 to 6 inch in the shallower structure. I generally go fast for the most part. Faster than many local coho anglers, unless the tide is moving, then I adjust to keep them working.

 

[PEETZcanada]

I’m going to follow Birdman’s query up with one of my own. It could be a poll question but I’m curious among the devout plug fishermen what finish is on their best producing plug, uv, glow, or old school?

RVP2-(any number)ii

 

[RiverBoy]

RVP2-(any number)ii

Little biased eh ? you’re not wrong though. They are killer. My all timer would be a 5” tubby 602 uvbiirt with a bloody tail. Killer in all water columns and both coasts.

 

[EstevanPoint]

Haven't run a 232, so I can't comment on that.

All time best plug has been a classic 602, but I think it's more related to the action than the glow properties. Can't beat the RVP2 for its adaptability tho. It's basically always matched to the conditions... likely why Rob made them that way. But I also had a plug in Haida Gwaii that was a killer, and it was 158 with a pearlescent body (gold hue). So, conditions, conditions, conditions, but really it all comes down to the plug's action...

Personal plug mantra. Any plug, as long as it's a 602.

 

[Squire]

I guess it’s not a fluke that my 5” classic 602g was money then lol

 

[Samnjoe]

But 99.9% of conditions call for a glow 602

Correction 600 tubby IMO

 

[terrin]

That is exactly what I do-if I have a colour that works-such as a 602 or the 500 I have it in most sizes as well as a tubby. I tend to fish very deep with 20 lb balls-- area (CR-Kitty). Flashers cause tangles and are a pain to retrieve. Plug caught fish are more fun

What size hook would you use on a 6” tubby?

 

[PEETZcanada]

What size hook would you use on a 6” tubby?

It is generally recommended to match the hook size with the plug size. This however has much better hook set ratio if you increase the hook one to two sizes larger on Tubbys and classics from 5, 6, 7 inch.

Examples using claw point hooks not straight point.
3in - 2/0 to 3/0
4in - 3/0 to 4/0
5in - 6/0
5in Tubby - 7/0
6in 7/0 to 8/0
6in Tubby - 9/0
7in 9/0 to 12/0

 

[spoiler]

I have a selection of plugs available at $8.00 each

 

[tortuga]

I have a selection of plugs available at $8.00 each

Where are you? I’m in Comox

 

[PEETZcanada]

I started plug fishing this year and I'm a convert. No flasher... I don't even fish spoons with a flasher anymore.

Big plugs, big fish I heard... makes sense.

602 & 700 were both good for us this year, I like the 6" tubby, my son likes the 5". We got a few patterns in 5" and 6" and a tubby.

Big plugs and big spoons for big fish. You may not hit the numbers that anglers do with other gear, but you will get bigger fish more often than not. Just remember, go fast. Up to six mph and better at times.

 

[spoiler]

Where are you? I’m in Comox

I'm in Chilliwack but I can ship

 

[mikep]

Wow 6 mph....cannonballs will be skipping on the surface. Most of the commercial trollers I fished alongside on the west side of the gwaii would do 3.5-4mph hard to keep up.

 

[PEETZcanada]

Wow 6 mph....cannonballs will be skipping on the surface. Most of the commercial trollers I fished alongside on the west side of the gwaii would do 3.5-4mph hard to keep up.

Ya no. If you don't do it, you won't know.

 

[mikep]

Haha anything is possible. I agree with you that big plugs catch big fish and minimize small fish. That was proven to me over and over again on the west side and now in the georgia straight. Much easier to fish faster and deeper with less blow back which you get from flashers.

 

[EstevanPoint]

Very random plug question… but I can’t be the only one to have thought this. Old or new, stash them in a tackle box, open the box days or weeks later. They “stink”. They always stink the same… why do they stink?

And no, this isn’t because I’ve put fish oil or something on them. It’s a plug stink.

Any theories why they smell the same?

 

[RiverBoy]

do you wash the salt off them after use? that smell associated with your dads old Plano tackle box is improperly washed off gear. raw water pump water is just putrid