Plugs are hard lures that wobble and roll on the retrieve, and by now they're almost as varied as soft lures. There are plugs for every condition — clear or coloured water, high action, low action, shallow or mid-running, or deep diving. Some plugs can be fished on the surface as well as below it. Because the way you work a plug depends heavily on its design and swimming characteristics, quality really does matter.
A few of my favourite brands are:
There are plenty of other good brands out there, of course. To give you a clearer picture of what plugs can do, I'll walk through the different types and actions in detail.
My descriptions always assume the plug is moving through still water on a steady, normal retrieve.
Understanding Plug Characteristics
How a plug behaves will naturally change with a faster retrieve, a longer cast, a heavier line, or a different rod and reel combination.
Frequency and Amplitude
The characteristics of a plug are measured in frequency and amplitude. Put simply: frequency describes how quickly the plug moves from side to side on the retrieve, while amplitude describes the width of that side-to-side movement.
Frequency is described as 'high, medium or low' and amplitude as 'tight, standard or wide'.
Even the smallest change in plug design can produce a completely different swimming action — and that's exactly what gives different plugs their different names.
Diving Depth and Dive Rate
Plugs are also defined by their running depth — 'shallow, medium or deep' — and by how quickly they reach that depth on the retrieve.
The shape and size of the lip (the small plastic tab at the front of the plug) determines how deep and how fast it dives.
What Types of Plugs Are There?
The range runs from twitchbaits with a fast, tight action all the way to wide-wobbling crankbaits with a big, sweeping roll — and everything in between. As a general rule, the wider the amplitude, the more the plug imitates an injured fish with exaggerated side-to-side movement.
Hopefully this gives you a decent grounding and makes it a little easier the next time you're choosing or using a plug.
Daniel's Favourite Plugs
Right, on to a few of my personal favourites.
Rapala BX Minnow 10 cm
The Fire Tiger 10 cm BX Minnow from Rapala is a great summer performer. Depending on retrieve speed, it dives between 90 cm and 1.50 m. I've caught some chunky perch and good pike on this little plug.
Yamashita MJ-1-D50SP
A very similar offering is the Maria Yamashita MJ-1-D50SP — a tiny plug and therefore a perfect choice for targeting big predators in spring and early summer, especially on waters where smelt (baitfish) are present in numbers.
Spro Power Catcher Crank
Another solid small summer plug is the Spro 4.5 cm Power Catcher Crank — a compact, chunky crankbait that puts out a lot of vibration.
Savage Gear 4Play Herring Lowride
Another summer highlight for me is the Savage Gear 4Play Herring Lowrider Fire Tiger, which produces an incredibly lifelike herring action — also available as a crank version.
Illex Squad Minnow 80
A few years back I discovered the Illex Squad Minnow 80, and all I can say is that this plug catches a lot of asp. I've used it across a wide range of water conditions, usually with similar results. You can twitch it, crank it, or simply wind it back quickly — it works either way.
Berkley Frenzy Minnow
In autumn and winter I switch to deep-diving plugs, including the Berkley Frenzy Minnow. Even though I don't fish plugs all that much in winter, I simply can't overlook the Frenzy given its striking, attention-grabbing action and the results I've had with it. The approach that works well is to wind it back quickly at first, then make fairly sweeping sideways pulls with the rod.
Rapala Skitter Prop
Finally, I want to talk about what I think are the most exciting plugs of the lot. Those of you who know me a little better will know that I generally reach for soft lures over plugs — but there's not even a soft lure that's as much fun as fishing a popper.
There's nothing quite like watching the take rather than just feeling it through the rod. For that, I use either a Rapala Skitter Prop (a plug with a rotating propeller) or a Skitter Pop Top Water. Both are brilliant midsummer plugs for pike and perch, and they'll guarantee you some memorable moments.
I've even put together a short video of me catching a pike on a popper:
Until next time — tight lines and screaming reels!
