I have posted in the other thread asking questions about running plugs for steelhead. Everyone I have fishing with including guide friends have all preached not setting the hook when you first get hit. Now I'm talking about running hotshots, and wigglewarts, and simular plugs. I was suprised to see the posts about slamming the hook home on the first hit. I was wondering how the rest of you guys fish plugs. Do you let them take the plug, and load the rod, or do you slam em on the first hit.

no need to set the hook fish is either on or not when tip of polehits water they are on.

They either have it, or they don't. Just pick the rod up (IF YOU CAN!!) and get to work!

like said above,let the rod load up then simple lift rod out holder and either it's there or it's not.No need to set the hook.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

You guys are doing it the way I have been taught. Once the fish is has hit the plug, and loaded the rod, lift the rod up, and fight the fish. Almost everytime one of the guys up front immediatley sets the hook, the fish is gone.

I am sure what the guys have written above is true but in my boat we "set the hook" and rarely lose them...half the fun is hooking them anyway!

RM

What about the drag, super tight or not so tight?

Keep the drag pretty tight; when the fish strikes let him take the tip down, then grab the rod, make sure no slack is in the line, loosen the drag a bit and play the fish.

Set it for sure!

go to steelhead university.com click on pulling plugs for steelys.

I tell all of my clients when I do occasionaly pull plugs any more to rip there rps off. Jerk like you are trying to brake the rod. Have never broke a rod on a hook set yet. But this is after the fish has burried the rod. I let my cusomers hold the rod as they lay it on the gunnel. In my opinion I have tried both methods and they get off no matter what when you are pulling plugs. Letting people jerk when they get crushed is just a heck of a lot more fun in my opion.

the fish will have it for good usually by the time you grab the rod, but after u pick it up set the hell out of it

Set the hook, keep the line tight. I fish with a lot of inexperienced fishermen, more often than not if you set the hook and keep the line tight, you get the fish. If no hook set and slack line, good bye fishy. Obviously there are times when we do everything "right" and still the fish gets away, that is why it is called fishing, not catching. My two cents. Take care all and Merry Christmas.

Doubletake

Set the hook on a barried rod with a firm pop. Thats the way I have always been doing it and good god it feels so damn good.

Let the rod load up (count to 3-one-thousand, or you can wait 'til the tip is almost in the river) and then drive the hook home...

If you fish barbless, I've found it's better to just leave the rod in the holder, and let it load up. About the time you would instinctively set the hook... DON'T....

Simply reach for the reel handle and crank as fast as you can until line is either peeling from the reel or you are just cranking against the drag and gaining no line. Now pick up the rod and play your fish.

I realize what I've recommended above may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if the end-game is to bring fish to the boat, it'll "gitter done".

If your personal thrill is being able to feel the bite rather than bringing a fish to hand, then by all means hang on to your rod and jerk away!

Like has been said...wait till the rod is LOADED UP before you take it from the rod holder. So many times I have seen steelhead do a "Drive by" and just take a whack at the plug...the rod dips, but does not bury as the fish never turned with the plug in his mouth. If he doesn't hook up, the fish may turn and run down the slot a ways and you will get another shot at him...but if you grab the rod out, yank a hook-set and start reeling before the fish is on, the fish most likely is history.

So long as that rod isn't buried, the fish hasn't turned with it, and "setting the hook" is likely to yank that hook/plug straight out of this mouth as he is still looking at the boat.

Once he turns the rod will bury. Grab the rod from the holder and since I use Power Pro one short little yank (not too hard as PP doesn't stretch) sets the hook.

Another thing I try to do is, once I see that rod start to react at all, I give a couple strong pulls with the oars to help set the hook. People often ask why I have a small bit of chartruse yarn tied just below the first eye (not tip) of my plug rods. That is so I can see not only the action of the plugs, but also it's a major flag once a fish whacks the plug. Unless they are looking right at it, the front seaters may not catch the initial strike on the plug.

I think most times, in all the confusion and excitement, that folks forget to even set the dang hook as once that rod comes out of the holder the fight is on!

Mike

Mike, I don't remember "setting the hook" on that little chromer....do remember watching the line smoke off that 6500 thou !! BTW, I found that little (hot shot ??) I was yarning about floating down the Sky. Its a SE just a touch smaller than a #30 in silver w/rattle, has a wider bill than the #30's too. Also found 3 steelis warts, 3 #30 hot shots and a K-10 in silver w/pink spots. I had them in my trout gear.....

Brad,

With a serious bend on the rod (fish has turned) I don't think much (if any) of a hook-set is needed. Unless that plug has a dull hook it should have set itself when that fish turned and loaded the rod up...still, it's nice to give 'em a little yank just to be on the safe side.

That's another thing to consider. Sharp hooks are a MUST for plugs. Either keep a good hook file around or a pack of replacement siwash's.

If you had given that little chromer a mondo hook-set he would have been swimming away sans our plug in his jaw...he didn't grab it deep enough and we were sure to have lost him. Ya done good!

Bring those plugs along come March...we'll give 'em a once over and put them to work!

Mike

And having fun is what it's all about

Hammer it up, rod holder and all if needed. Love it when that happens. Merry Christmas.

I set the hook with the oars most of the time.
Most everyone wants to jerk as soon as the rod moves.
Let the rod load and dance,and then just start
reeling,or the guy on the oars will do it for you with the oars. (plugs)
Running bait with divers,let the fish gobble the goods and then set hook firmly.

A good move. I was wondering when somebody would mention this.

It is a natural reflex for me anymore to try to help with the hookset by pulling back on the oars. BUT, it may not be enough in itself. I still find the key to be the SMOOTH removal of the rod UNDER TENSION followed a solid hookset (not a jerk) AFTER the fish is locked tight and under control. This can be easier said than done since the hit usually comes when everyone is least expecting it and before you know it it's a proverbial Chinese Fire Drill. Since the rower is usually paying more attention, he can help by not only rowing back on the fish and getting out of current but he can also assist by remaining calm and speaking in sweet dulcet tones to subdue the Keystone cops up front. You know the drill. In fact, I will often make a point to calmly dialouge with those up front in order to keep them engaged and prepared to respond more efficiently before a takedown occurs. I find that teamwork definately results in fewer lost fish when plugging.

However, I also fish alot in a boat by myself and knowing when and how to go to the rod can be exasperating at times. Regardless of the strong urge to set the hook first, I have learned (the hard way) that it is better to get your situation and boat under control before going to the rod. Yes, I lose fish this way but I have not only lost fish in the other scenario, but I have also lost rods, anchors and nearly the boat. Some places are tougher than others but trying to control a boat and a fish at the same time when plugging by yourself is always interesting and at times down right dangerous. You know like trying to milk out that last couple of centimeters of the tailout at the Ice Box Hole.

Be careful out there.

As per my usual opinion regarding "rules" when fishing for steelhead...it depends.

It depends on what plugs you are fishing with, what the water you are in looks like, what the hit looks like, who is in the front of the boat, etc., etc., etc.,...

I think that the initial hard pulls by the rower is key to getting the process going...at the very least stopping the boat from moving downstream, and at best moving the boat up the river a few feet.

The experience of the dudes on the rods is a factor...if they know what they are doing, then I trust them to get the rods out of the rodholders without slacking up the lines and losing the fish...I also trust them to know when to NOT grab the rod if the fish has not yet turned with the plug in its mouth.

Some hits are just grabs...the rod pulses, but doesn't really bury...this is when the guy rowing the boat has the most important job, i.e., rowing his ass off and getting a tight line on the fish, causing it to turn downstream with the plug in its mouth, virtually hooking itself.

Others just take the plug, turn, and are boot-scoot-booty'n for the lower river within about half a second...I don't think you could miss that fish if you tried to screw it up; they're hooked and peeling line before you can yell "right rod!!".

My favorite? When you're in moderately fast current, and the fish is so aggressive in its hit that as it charges up and grabs the plug, its momentum carries it upstream of where the plug initially was, and the rod snaps straight up on slack line...then the fish turns and goes, and when the fish takes up the slack it has created, it's moving about 30mph downstream when the line goes tight, and damn near tears the rodholder and all right off the side of the boat.

Kid Sauk and I had one do that at the Ranch a few years ago, and it peeled a bunch of line and swam right into a log jam and busted the line off, taking Dr. Death with him...all in about three seconds.

No one even reached for the rod...by the time reactions caught up with the violent visual, the fish and plug were already gone!

One of the most exciting fish I never hooked, got to see, or even feel on the line.

Of course, the pain of losing the plug and the fish was softened by the fact that we had four other takedowns and landed three fish, including the one in my avatar, within twenty minutes of each other, and all were hooked in a spot in front of a log jam no bigger than the bed of a pickup truck!

Yeah, the Ranch can be a good spot to fish every once in a while.

Fish on...

Todd

The fish is already hooked. The key is get the rod in your hands so you can get the slack up if he runs at the boat. I will give a couple big strokes on the oars, and try and work to the bank. We fish barbless over here, and anyplace else for that matter. so its slack that will get ya. I really love the total blow up that happens every time. I seldom am in front so I get to watch all the fun. Want to see a guy get pissed ??? just see what happenes when one "expert" starts telling the other "expert" how to fight the fish, they can't help it. One second they are sitting there getting along O.K- Then a fish hits and after about 30 seconds they are wanting to kick each others asses

It's amazing how the emotions get higher when the fish actually has some size too...

Keith

My experience has been the fish is usually already set hard by the initial hit. If they hit it either they are on (and on for good) or are off before it's possible to get to the rod. Hooking fish on a plug has, for the most part, ended with a fish to the net for me and my buddies without the need for a big sweeping hook set but just a good firm hand in the beginning.

Whatever you do, don't let Todd set the hook while plugging! He crackers off more plug fish than anybody I've ever fished with! Just kidding, Tood, but it's true. His reflexes are "too good" and as soon as the rod moves he's on it like a cat on a mouse. I prefer the daydreamers in my boat..........they are just spacing off staring at anything and everything but the rods when they hear RIIIIIIIIIIIGGGHHHT RRRROOOOOOODDDDDDD RIIIIIIIGGGGGHHT RRROOODDD GGRRRAAAABBBITTT GRABBBBBIITTTTT GRRRRABBBBBITTTT!!!!!!!!!!! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO YYYYOOOOOOUUUUUUURRRRRRRR OTTTHHHHER RIIIIIGHT YYYOOOOOUUU IIIDDDIIIOTTTT!!!!!!!!!

I don't allow anybody with heart conditions to fish with me if I pull plugs.....they'll have a heart attack when we get takedowns. I have been known to go postal on takedowns and scare the living sh!t out of my front seaters. Always have and always will.......that's just part of the fun.

Yeah, eating a sandwhich at the same time adds alot of effect to that Kid. Nothing like blowing chunks all over the poor bast**** infront. Im gonna carry a big "Homie da Clown" sock with me and whap em' upside the head when there is a takedown. The only down side to that is, i'll get thrown in the water later

Having the proper rodholder on board will make this a NON-issue.

Nearly every rodholder on the market requires you to push forward with the rod (to free it from the holder) before you can pull back to regain tension on the line. That momentary slack has cost EVERYBODY fish (don't be bashful about fessin' up dudes) at one point or another.

Can't help putting in a "plug" for the FOLBE rodholders at this point in the thread. Until you see one in action, it's difficult to imagine how efficient and automatic a plug hookup will be ever after.

FOLBE

Check 'em out. Seeing is believing!

This again?

Do you guys ever actually go fishing?

Just waiting for all the others rivers to drop back into shape so I can get my rock back at Tokul Cr.