I have a couple plug rods for steelhead that i need to get setup and i have not done much plug fishing so i was wondering what kind of line (braid, mono) you guy like to use, and what pound would be best?

Thanks

30# hi viz power pro, to 30"-36" of 15# Ultragreen.

Swivel between the two, plug snap on the end. Let the rods bury, and gig em with the oars. Get a good hook into them, and it is really hard to lose a fish.

I do the same as Joe but instead just take a black sharpy to the first few feet of the power pro to hide the yellow high vis...it works great!!

Clean water I will lengthen my shock leader out to 4', maybe go down to 12#. I used to black out my line, but never noticed a diff.

Dirty water, Maxima Chameleon leaders are the cats [Bleeeeep!].

I love native season, running 50# Power Pro, and 20# Chameleon leader on an old Fenwick 85c. Kind a paranoid, but you never know when ol' Donkey Dick will show up.

I like 15# maxima hi-vis, bloodknotted to about 10 feet of good quality low vis leader like maxima ultra green, ande, or big game in 12# test then the clip and the plug

30# power pro to a wing spans worth of 15# UG leader for steelhead. I connect the two with a barrel swivel because I am lazy. If the folks you are fishing with aren't capable of discontinuing their retrieve before the barrel swivel reaches the end of the rod, a bumper bead will keep it from doing damage or getting stuck.

Necessity is the mother of invention and/or improvisation. Not my preferred weapon for plug pulling, but in a pinch, a 6wt will run em.

The whole painting/coloring the last few feet of hi-vis seems pointless or even counter productive as black is one of the most visible colors underwated, besides I've seen fish caught on plugs that were tied strait to the end of bright yellow braided lines

Tru'dat... when backtrolling the fish sees the plug first, not the mainline.

That wiggly thing intruding upon his personal space is what's gonna get his attention, not the color of your line.

Amen!

Another vote for 30# power pro straight to your dual clip and tied with a polomar knot. Forget the shock leader as it just contributes more chances for knot failure. Your rod tip is your shock leader.

Beezer

30-40# hi-vis braid Power pro.3' ultra green 12# shocker.Good luck,
SZ

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the feedback, I'm going to get all setup and get out as soon as I can!

I use 12lb ultragreen mainline straight to the plug. Iv considered power pro but i like to not worry about reeling a swivle into the eyes or tying braid to mono. If i knew a good knot to splice them i might just switch to braid for the thiner diameter that braid has. Thinner diameter line is good for plugs so there is less resitance alowing the plug to dive as deep as posible. Mono has strech though which is nice when fighting a fish, but 30 lb power pro with a 15lb leader wont break either.

I use a size 6mm black bead and a size 7 barrell swivel.I have never had a knot fail doing this and have landed plenty of fish on this set up.Good luck,
SZ

Back when I did pull plugs...30# PowerPro, green, right to the plug.

Trust me, steelhead aren't line shy as it is...they'd hit a plug tied to your anchor rope if it had the right action.

No swivel, no knots...just tie it straight to the snap...extra bonus is that you'll get some back that you normally would lose on snags.

Fish on...

Todd

I dont want a swivel or a bead becuase im sure someone in my boat would reel it up into the tip. Iv thought about just running braid without a leader but i still dont feel confident that all fish arnt leader shy, even when its clear?

A lure retriever will pay for itself the first year and unning a swivel is a mistake if you ever plan on retrieving a snagged plug.



Losing a vetran plug is a heart breaker.

The "no knots" and "tie" being used in the same sentence is confusing me. Do I just wrap the line around the snap a bunch of times, or what?

Oh man you are telling me. Losing a legend (15 to the boat) has put many a king fisherman on suicide watch in these parts. Last year while deploying the wall of death with a full boatload I made a bad call and launched into a story about how special my lucky "monster" plug was as I was putting it in the water. No sooner had I finished the story and put the rod in the holder, it hung up. I was literally taking off clothes to go swimming in the 45 degree water when it came loose. They all thought I was nuts, but shortly thereafter these started eating it and they understood