"What's on the end of your plug rods??"

 

My short answer - "Why fish, of course! Lots-n-lots-o-feesh!"     

The ol' cliche that nearly always applies to salmon and steelhead fishing - "It depends on water conditions" - does apply around here. In general plugs work a bit better in clear to mid-level water color than in murky brown color, except for the lowest plug in this picture below (T50, with a K15 above it - with sardine belly wrap + thick egg juice added at the river):

 

 

The black color makes for a good silouette within murky water and bright white reflects whatever remaining light has filtered thru the colored water, then the bright flourescent orange flappin around in their face finishes them off - AND they just have to have it!!! FISH ON! Oh ya, big Kwikies are mostly for chinookies and that same color pattern (3rd plug down) in  Warts or Wiggler for steelhead! Yeeehaw!!  [Gee's, did I just type down yeehaw??]    ..........

 

For a couple good color patterns that usually work quite well in a broad spectrum of river water color, I suggest 'Dr. Death' (1st & 4th plugs) and also the chrome body with black beak, PLUG add a green & chartreuse, or flame red, arrowhead under the tail end (made from lure tape - I call mine a 'Cop Car wit da Flashing Red Light', with either the white or chrome mid-body). That extra bit of bright flash on the end does make for more hits in average 'steelhead green' river water color, as does using a bit larger steelie plugs such as the #35 Hot Shot (instead of #30) and standard mid-size Warts-n-Wigglers by LJ's-n-Brad's (instead of the Mag sizes).

 

For real clear water, try a productive array of metallic colors and smaller sized plugs (#30-n-#50 H`Shots, and Wee`W's). There's a lot of great killa patterns for that "low and gin clear water"! I personally think the all-time best 'stock' pattern is the 'Dark Green Metallic', in size #30 & #50 Hot Shots by LJ. That's a Hall of Fame lure for sure! I also like them colored in what I refer to as 'mild copper', with either a black or bubblegum pink bill.

 

Steve Hanson

 

 

Tight lines.

 

Bait!!! 

so I always thought if the water was darker you should use darker plugs .

 

and plugs are better in darker water than drift fishin.

plugs are not my go to method of fishin , so i only seam to use them I dark or muddy water .

in those conditions is there something better than plugs ?????

 

dave