Pluggin the big M help

[fishin'magician']

hey all I need to know the set up. From rod, reel, line, methods all of it. I am going on friday and want to be prepared. so any info you all have will be appreciated.
thanks

[gomer]

ok, i'll throw ya a bone. I've caught a number of fish plugging and it isn't rocket science.


first off, you need a boat, with rod holders. Although its not impossible to plug fish without rod holders, its MUCH MUCH easier with them.

Most of the real plugger dudes on the river will be using bait casting tackle or light downrigger setups. Probably for the same reasons that you don't really see too many spinning rigs on the big lake. A line counter is somewhat nice, but it is not a necessity.


There are many many different kinds of plugs out there that will take steelhead, but from my experiance, willy's worms, dave's kaboom, double downers, hot n tots, and wiggle warts are all good choices. I've had my best success with magnum wiggle warts and others swear by flatfish (although i have never caught a fish on one...)

Colors- anything with gold in it I have found to be at least somewhat productive, but gold/black or gold/orange have been good to me as well as silver/black and silver/orange. Another good plug that saved the day one time was a pink/silver dave's kaboom.

I know some guys out there are firm believers that some random plugs just have a special "action" to them that outfishes plugs identical to them, which i believe to an extent, but man, just about all of my magnum warts would get rocked...

How far you let the plugs back is really dependant upon the depth/speed of the hole you are fishing. I'd say for most conditions, my plugs were between 40 and 70 feet back, the main thing I have found to be key was to not have the plugs tapping bottom until you get to the very back of the hole... then watch out... :yikes:

Working the plugs down through the hole-

There are many ways to do this and it varys depending on what kind of boat you have or just how you like to fish. Most of the guys plugging from driftboats will just back-row upstream to allow the plugs to "grab" the current, but at the same time, they are slowly floating downstream covering the entire hole.

another popular way is to just work the motor to control your drift

or... I have a flat bottom and i just let out my chain anchor a little bit so it was ticking the bottom to slow my drift and then controlled positioning with my oars. then, when you hook a fish you just let out a few more feet of anchor line and you are anchored up to fight it.


Wow, thats a lot longer than i originally anticipated, but hey, good luck.

Adam

[fishin'magician']

Thanks gomer I owe you one.

[gomer]

maybe you could send me some of those 15lb steelhead my way... ;)

[fishin'magician']

I caught wind of a 22 that was caught on the big M last week

[fishin'magician']

still waiting on confirmations though