Plugs
Plug Choices - a guide to plug performance
All of the following advice is based on personal experience and the experience of friends I have
fished with, and whose judgement I value. I make no attempt to divide the plugs into categories,
because if you jerk a minnow is it still a minnow? Or a Jerkbait? If you crank a jerkbait is it
still a jerkbait? Or a crankbait? I will offer a guide to how I think the plugs can be used to
their best advantage. Bear in mind that I use 100lb test Power Pro braid for casting and 50lb
test Power Pro or TUF for trolling large lures, so bear that that in mind when you read the working
depths that I ascribe to each plug.
Rapala Super Shad Rap
|
Body length
|
5.75"
|
Weight
|
1.5oz
|
Rattle?
|
No
|
Material
|
Wood
|
Working depth
|
To 5ft
|
|
Buoyant plug best fished as a minnow when cast, with twitches and jerks, or pulled and paused.
Good trolling lure
Mainly for pike when cast, although I've also caught a few big perch and lost a chub, when
trolled it also takes quality zander. This plug has a normal working depth range of O-3ft when
casting, and a foot or so deeper if you really rip it, but they troll easily down to 12ft+. The
finish deteriorates rapidly on contact with pike teeth. See notes on
Lures made of Wood
Ace Flipper
|
Body length
|
6.4"
|
Weight
|
2oz
|
Rattle?
|
No
|
Material
|
Wood
|
Working depth
|
4 to 12ft
|
|
An easy-to-use jerkbait although it can take a little practice to get the best from this lure. Count
it down, then begin the retrieve, - soft, short downward twitches should have it flashing its flanks
nicely, although the action does vary slightly from one to another. Available in a nice range of colours
and not expensive. Working depth seems best in the 4 to 8ft range. Will cast a long way. Mainly a pike
lure though I have seen a perch take one.
See notes on
Lures made of Wood
Muskie Mania Little Ernie
|
Body length
|
5.25"
|
Weight
|
1.25oz
|
Rattle?
|
Yes
|
Material
|
Plastic
|
Working depth
|
To 10ft
|
|
A strongly-made, easy-to-use crankbait with a loud rattle. Cranked, twitched or worked with soft pulls
with plenty of pauses, feed a little slack line on the pause to reverse the plug, but watch out for
takes. Very controllable and easy to manouevre in snaggy swims using braided line. I have worked it
very slowly among weed and caught pike on the surface. Available in a nice range of colours. For pike
mainly, but I have caught a perch with one, and takes zander when trolled. Described by the manufacturer
as a multi-species plug. Versatile enough to be used in a variety of waters and conditions.
Works easily down to 6ft casting, a little deeper if worked harder with a stiffer rod, and will hold a
good depth right back to under the boat. Trolled it will reach 15ft+.
Bagley Monster Shad
|
Body length
|
4.6"
|
Weight
|
1.1oz
|
Rattle?
|
No
|
Material
|
Wood
|
Working depth
|
4 to 10ft
|
|
Crankbait that works well on a simple crank and pause retrieve. Best working depth
range 5 to 8ft, for pike and zander. Spoiled by a poor finish that lets in water so the buoyancy
changes during a session, and it finds a lot of snags. Not a versatile plug because of its limited
depth range and requires concentration to keep it out of trouble, good catcher if you fish it slowly
enough.
See notes on
Lures made of Wood
Heddon Meadow Mouse
|
Body length
|
2.5"
|
Weight
|
0.5oz
|
Rattle?
|
No
|
Material
|
Plastic
|
Working depth
|
Surface
|
|
Ignore the daft mouse shape, this is a magical surface plug, just crank it in slowly so that its
backside wobbles across the surface, it will get takes when noisier and larger surface lures fail.
Good for pike in flat calm conditions and a great small river chub plug. This is a warm water lure.
Too small for consistent big pike action, and too light to cast far on baitcasting tackle, must be
used with a light trace.
Manns -1
|
Body length
|
3.1"
|
Weight
|
0.6oz
|
Rattle?
|
Yes
|
Material
|
Plastic
|
Working depth
|
0 to 1ft
|
|
A small but very effective surface plug and very-shallow diver with loud rattles, simply cast it out
and crank it back in, either on or just under the surface. Long caster, especially useful for snaggy
weirpools where deeper diving plugs are easily lost, great fished slowly through pads and above patchy
weed. For pike, big chub and occasional perch.
Bagley Topgun
|
Body length
|
5.75"
|
Weight
|
1oz
|
Rattle?
|
Yes
|
Material
|
Plastic
|
Working depth
|
0 to 2ft
|
|
A well-made, plastic minnow with a loud, high-frequency rattle. Although this minnow can be effectively
twitched beneath the surface I have always found it to be an excellent topwater lure, cranked slowly
across the surface. Can be a really deadly presentation in summer and early autumn. Needs a lightweight
trace to work on the surface, but casts well for its weight
|