I took out my plugs to get them ready for the fall season today and couldn't help but reminise about each one as I checked the hooks and shined up the plug. I wasn't actually thinking about individual plugs, except for the ones with bite marks on them, as I was the color and how well it produced fish. I thought I'd pass on some observations:

Blue herring bone mag wart was a favorite for salmon. I prefer it over the blue pirate which also works well. Kings hammer the green mag wart with the blue, red and yellow underbody. However the gold wart with the red bill and the black stripe down the back is my plug of choice for kings. Don't overlook the purple mag wart! It did well. When chinook have seen a lot of plugs (and even when they haven't) the white hot shot with the red bill is a killer. I've got a "bubblegum" colored plug that has so many bite marks on it it is half white. Both chinook and steelhead love that one.
A good plug to use in glacial colored water for kings is red and black mag wart. I tried a clatter tad for steelhead this year and did real well on it. It was metelic pink with a black bill. My favorite hatchery steelhead plug has to be chrome and red mag wart.

Wish I had this info when I first started buying plugs, might have saved a lot of money. But then again, like most fishermen, I would have experimented with everything I could anyway.

Thanks for the insight. Do you make any hook alterations....especially the mag warts?

Depending on the river clarity, season and temperature I use different colored plugs as well as different style plugs. The Green/copper red bill tadpolly is great in the sky as is straght copper. for the green I use a black/gold/red hotshot. I also use various kwikfish for summer runs when the river is low and slow. The best way to experiment is to go to a flea market and buy different colored plugs and then try them out. It also pays to go with a guide and then run what they run. Bob has helped me out tremendously on the coastal rivers this way.

I change out the trebles on my plugs with Mustad triple grips. You don't lose fish with these hooks! #4's on wiggle warts and tadpolly's and #2's on mag's.

Potter do you ever use Kwikfish? How about scenting your plugs. Thanks for letting me look into your plug box. You have told some tried and true plug secrets.
We have been using the metalic pink tad with black bill for several years...good plug.
Haven't fished a purple plug enough, Will have to throw one in the box and give it a whirl.
Love those bite marks.
Tight Lines


------------------
Marty
Steelheader.net marty@steelheader.net

Potter - Allow me to pass on a good tip for using plugs that was passed on to me by an Oregon guide. At the start of the season he would take all of his plugs and amass them in a large circle facing inwards on the garage floor. He'd then put the least productive one in the middle. Then he would simply tell the rest of his plugs that the following would happen to them if they didn't catch fish this season; then he took out a hammer and smashed the bad plug to bits in front of the others. A bit harsh I think, but he swears it works wonders. ..... (pssst ... do you think there is anyone out there that doesn't realize this is a joke? Needing a jk?). - RT

A small and very fine file similar to a fingernail file can help you tune up your plugs by keeping the leading edge of the bills nice and sharp, this allows them to dig a little quicker in slower flows.
Interesting that no one mentioned the gray with black spots and blue eyes,and red throat slash never saw some fellows without one.

EricW, I make some alterations; bigger trebles, bead chain with singles & treble.

Marty, I do fish quick fish. I wrap them about 1/2 the time. K-16's mostly.

RT, Here's what I do to plugs that just won't fish. Throw them overboard and hope that another guide finds them and puts them on. Don't forget to scratch in the "bite marks"

AAAAAARRRRRGGGGG Letty,
You know what ya just did don't ya!!!!! More diggin' into the wallet. Oh well, just another great excuse to hit Sportco. Thanks for sharin' some great information!!!! Now RT, what I did for the unproductive plug was to paint it another color!!!!
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff