Hi all! I was talking to a gentleman recently at on of the launches. He was just looking to get some fishing reports as we just got off the water. He asked me what we were using and I told him we were pulling plugs, he said "that's kind of lazy" LOL.

So I was wondering what you all think about those of us that pull plugs. Do you think that is lazy?

My 2 cents: Plug pulling is one of the most productive ways to catch fish when done correctly.

Anybody have any thoughts?

Doubletake

NOT pulling plugs is lazy...if you've ever pulled plugs before that is.

i guess you could consider it lazy if your not the one rowing! i think there is a art form to all types of fishing, plugging included. i think all my buddies are lazy, they never row when we plug.

It's boring and I hate it. I'll try every other method at my disposal first, but I the truth be told, a person is severely limiting their potential for success without using plugs once in a while. It's the guys that *only* use plugs that puzzle me for the same reason.

Just my two cents.

I like running plugs, not at anchor though. I like the challenge of trying to put a couple under a log or other obstacle without hanging them up. My take is the guy that called you "lazy" has never rowed plugs before.

Plugging has saved many a day for me, however I much prefer methods where I'm holding the rod and feel the fish strike. It's definitely lazy for the guys in the front of the boat. Only thing worse is plunking! When learning to flyfish for steelhead a few years ago, it struck me how similar swinging a wet fly, cast again, step down etc is to plugging....same strategy to cover the water but you are working the rod and flyline instead of the oars and you are holding the rod so when they hit the fly, wahoo!

Pulling plugs is what you do when you want to eat your sandwiches and drink beer -- Then it's back to fishing! Oops - I guess that would be hanging plugs for us ultra lazy power-boaters on anchor. It also accounted for a nice 22lb Sky King so it's what I do during beer-time.

Pulling plugs is an art form when done correctly in a drift boat. Sitting at anchor would have to be concidered plunking.

Lazy or not if it produces who cares? I love my plugs! From my tadpollies to Kwikies they've all produced for me. I will usually drift/float fish a hole before I run plugs through it. Reason why is because alot of time when backtrolling you will back fish all the way to the tail out and they will either bite or bail up or down. So you get a shot or two at them. so why not try everything else beforehand? Nobody can call plugging lazy if they have tried to guide 3 or 4 plug rods down stream on the sticks.

Harbor Hog

Who says u can't cast plugs?
This time of year especially. Casting plugs in back water holes for late silvers and chum can often be just as deadly as tossing spoons or flipping spinners.
Plugs aren't just for backtrolling or plunking.

I'm willing to bet the guy that called you "lazy" couldn't row a boat for 8 hours straight, few guys can. What you should have told him is "that's ok, I will get my workout cleaning my fish", lol.

And what form of steelhead/salmon fishing isn't somewhat lazy? Plunkin, cast out , sit and wait while devouring cold brews and chips. Float fishing, cast out, watch the float, if it goes under, get ready, you have to "set the hook", wow, lost my breath on that one. Drift fishing, geez, I have to reel that half oz weight all the way back to me after each cast, whew, exhausting.

I say choose the method you 1. Most enjoy and or 2. Proves the most successful.

RM

half ounce weight?
wtf?
these are 12 at least
some are even 16

Money!! Pulling plugs is MONEY!! My dad hated pulling plugs untill the day that we C&R'd 20 steelies in a half a day when nothing else worked. Needless to say the he is now a believer, especially because he is never behind the oars. Obviously the man claiming "lazy" has no arsenal.

It's only lazy for the guys up front knocking down the Yukon Jack

Drift boats should come with a bunk bed up front for those long plugging days

Half the time the guys up front are yacking back and forth so much the only one watching the rods is the guy on the oars.

Give LT one shot of Yukon and you won't be able to get a word in all day

There is some art to pulling plugs and being productive all the time at it.The oarsman is not being lazy as he's the one working his or her arse off while the lazy one's are up front talking sh!t.
Pulling plugs is challenging and hard work to get it done right on some drift's or stretches of certain rivers.Like said above the only lazy one's are the one's up front.Being versitile is the key in my book over being lazy or having ambition."PLUG'S ROCK".I have a rule in my drift boat.Bait it,then plug it,then move on.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE
STRIKE ZONE

It would sure be nice if one of these guys who said pulling bugs was lazy would get off his lazy azz and give my tired old azz a break sometime.

And speaking of lazy, why is it always the guy up front that is the first to complain about having had his nap interrupted when a fish hits and the last to pour a cup a joe for the poor sot on the oars busting his azz for him. And heaven forbid anyone should EVER have to reel the oarsmans bug in or set somebody elses line out. That would be way too much teamWORK!

Rowing the Sky at 5000cfs with plugs or divers out is not my idea of relaxation, although it still beats mowing the lawn.

Mooch

You should fish with me and my friends sometime. With us it is a total team work thing to get the fish to the boat. It is nice when you get guys who work together.

We don't really care which rod goes down as long as one does.

I know the rower really catches the fish while plugging but if the guys up front goof up and let the lines out to late you can miss an important part of the slot by not getting set up early enough. There are a lot of things that can go wrong if the guys up front don’t help out.

When we go there is a rule in the boat, a line must be in the water at all times. Guys up front let out plug rods, slot is fished and plug rods come in. Rower moves boat down stream, while boat is floating down stream guys up front should have some type of presentation ready for the water in between plugging holes. This usually picks up a few fish a season just by catching a fish in a traveling lane. Heck a couple of times we hit some fish in water that there was no reason fish should have been holding in. But it was the only water to cast at in between the plugging holes.

I am an excellent up front slouch

Oh and I can row when my back isn't screwed up But I am working on getting that fixed

P.S. When I am up front the oarsman never has to touch his rod until it is handed to him with a fish on.

Hmmm...there are some good drugs on the market (usually the black one)...that can help with back pain.

BTW: Congrats on becoming a CARCASS! 2000 posts...and then your just another nasty old boot, floating on the bottom and getting eaten by Dollies.

Mike

Hey Mike

Too funny I noticed the 2000 post thing was coming up but I never noticed the carcass thing

Over the counter or prescription?
Got a name for them???

The rower does indeed catch the fish and is usually the only one paying attention when the rod goes off. I crack up every time watching the circus that happens when a couple of guys who have been doing nothing for quite awhile have to leap into action. Another thing is you constantly have to tell them things like..

Dude, don't sit there with that box of plugs open in your lap... you remember that one time.. I think you still owe me like 20 plugs.

Ever had to wake somebody up? I remember a warm June day years ago when when had fished hard starting at dawn in Sultan on the lower Sky. Fishing was slow and we did more plugging as the day wore on. Around noon just below Ben Howard a 12lb buck hit the right side rod. I hit the oars hard and shouted hey Mike, set the hook.....Huh, what? I don't have a fish...about then the fish turned downstream, buried the rod tip and jumped. Best alarm clock he ever had!

Kyle is right!
Pulling plugs is all skill and it's an art imo.

Try pulling plugs on the Keani out of a DB, after a huge tide. FishnPhysician could probably vouch for me, and I don't know how many of you have witnessed multiple takedowns by 60lb kings or better, but the pucker-factor is unmatched by anything. Additionally, the challenge of trying to hold-the-hole in a drift boat, with a bruiser of that magnitude is far from being lazy. And teamwork is absolutely VITAL to a successful landing.

Pulling plugs kicks ass. I've been exclusively a drift fisherman my whole life, even in my drift boat I'd usually drag bait. However, there's also nothing like a steel double-header. I'd say that I'm pulling plugs about 50% of the time, and if someone called me lazy, I'd probably haul off and punch him in the kisser

There's guys who pull plugs, then there's guys who REALLY PULL PLUGS. The guys who know what they're doing can kick most everybodies arses regularly

That tactless nimrod at the ramp should've just kept his hick-ass mouth shut. Pulling plugs out of a big sled is lazy fishing, but it works so who cares. Still no need for that guy at the ramp to open his big yap and make a comment like that.

"He was just looking to get some fishing reports as we just got off the water." "we were pulling plugs, he said "that's kind of lazy"


I would have asked him if he thought standing at the boat launch to get reports is being lazy?

Good one King

Last year on one trip I think we plugged 18 holes, that was not easy. Although on one of the fish I think my brother was asleep, but lead thrower was quick to the rod. I love to see the take when a steelhead grabs the plug. I also like catching fish casting gear, but at times plugging is a lot more effective.

Ya and we would have had a second fish out of that hole if that freaking sled did not cork us by cutting 30 yards in front of us as we were plugging again. :rolleyes:

Ya we plugged a crud load of holes that day.

Lazy? Not if you're doing it right. Plug fishing is fishing with the boat. I like to do it because i'm usually the one on the oars (or kicker, as the years go on...). It lets me take out a bunch of friends who are often at best indifferent fishermen, and get them into some fish. And, shoot, it's productive.

There's one slot I fish that is anything but lazy. There's a bar with a little short slot behind it that most people pass by. To get the plugs in right, you have to loiter above the top of the bar (which is 8 inches under water, so no one can see it. ), and then slide the boat down a 10 ft slot between the bar and a bunch of fallen trees, then you want to snuggle in just below the bottom tree, and work slowly through the next 43 feet. If you go 44 feet, the plugs will snag.

That's not lazy. Good plugging requires skill in handling the boat, reading the water, and managing the gear.

Nothing like it! CraigO!
It's awesome to see take downs!!
Fish ON! Git'em!

You're not out there to be WORKING, so why NOT fish a lazy method.

Great technique if newbies are on board with you too....they can almost fish as good as the best fishermen on board, even though they have no experience (the captain of the boat kind of does most of the work when pulling plugs.)

Gentlemen, thanks all for the input. I do take a lot of, let's say, fishermen that don't get out a lot. I get a lot more time on the water being productive than teaching someone various ways to catch fish. Good luck all and good fishing.

Doubletake