Northwest Fishing Reports

Is there an optimal plunking rig to maximize bite feel?

I was using a three way swivel and a dropper with 3oz pyramid and could barely feel bites. I also tried using a snap swivel above the main swivel with a weight directly attached to the slider. I caught some fish, but i think they all swallowed the whole bait and hook or hooked them self on the bite.

I was watching people fish and it didnt seem like anyone set hooks on small bites. Is that the best way to plunk?

also i understand it probably wont mater in a couple weeks what method is used but i still want to know how to plunk for other times when fishing is not as easy.

For the duwamish I use a sliding swivel on the main line with a pyramid weight. Another swivel then leader with a spin glow and eggs. I do set hook on light bites. Alot of the time silvers will just chew on your eggs. Or sometimes its a Bullhead robbing you.

Your setup sounds good. Don't swing at every little tap you get, I used to do this all the time and would miss so many fish. Let them eat it, and when your rod starts pumping good, thats when you smack'em.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TAP5X0hqeE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This might help you understand whats going on with bites a bit more.

fear_no_fish wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TAP5X0hqeE
This might help you understand whats going on with bites a bit more.

They claim they are using hooks, Im gonna throw up the B.S. flag there... Unless the are like size 8 with the point filed off.


Plunking is one of my favorite ways to fish for Spring kings and winter steelhead when the water has a little bit of color too it. Here is the way i do it.

Im sure you have seen those little metal spreader bars at your local tackle shop, the metal T-shaped ones. I use two of those, connected with 40# line about 24" apart. on the top one i use a split ring and a swivel to help everything not get twisted. For my wieghts, i take a 8" chunk of thick rubber snubber. Tie a 12" of 10# mono to a big snap swivel, and run it thru the tubing, then tie the other end to another snap swivel. slide the swivels into the tubing and i wrap it with some mechanics wire (or tie some fishing line around it) to make sure the swivels stay put unless you really jerk on it. The snubber does to things- #1 it let your rig move a little bit telling on the fish, #2 if you wieght gets hung up some good steady pressure will pop the wieght off allowing you to retrive your rig. For my spin-glo's I tie a 1/0-3/0 hook on 8" of 30# florucarbon leader with a snap swivel on the end. allowing for quick color or bait changes and helps keep everything neat and organized while not on the river.

I think the biggest thing that increased my catch ratio with plunking was using bigger hooks then i though i needed, and keeping them nasty sharp. If the point so much as catches the inside of the fishes mouth, its gonna stick, the fish is gonna feel pressure and pretty much set the hook himself. A little pop when you pick up the rod wont hurt though.

The biggest difference between a plunking strike and a drifting/casting strike is this. When you drifting or casting at a fish they have a split second to think about to hit it or not, if it pisses them off or looks tasty they will smack it. When your plunking ole mister kingsly can smell your super cure eggs/shrimp/sardineball from half way down the river. triggering a feeding response, he then follows that scent trail to your bait. You can see it in the video, those fish want to eat those eggs, and if your plunking with a good sharp hook the is the correct size and a fish closes its mouth around your offering, its game over.

I cast my offerings out. set my pole in a sturdy rod holder and wait until my pole is doubled over with the bell just singing me a song before i even set my beer down.

Hope that helps out.

I also have a question. I've been having a hard time determining weight and it seems that the river flow pushes my weight down river with the flow. I've also been using cannonball weights in 3-5oz variety. Perhaps I should consider pyramid weights but i'm also concerned that it will get snagged and i'll lose the weight. Is plunking just general better for low currents/holes?

To feel the bite better is using a "Spreader bar" I use them to get even the littlest nibble on my rod. Spreader bars are way better then the 3 way swivel.

Parlance wrote:I also have a question. I've been having a hard time determining weight and it seems that the river flow pushes my weight down river with the flow. I've also been using cannonball weights in 3-5oz variety. Perhaps I should consider pyramid weights but i'm also concerned that it will get snagged and i'll lose the weight. Is plunking just general better for low currents/holes?

For plunking, cannon ball weights are not the answer.... Pyramid or bank fishing weights are what I use and even the bank sinkers in the right current move down stream..... They also make the pancake weights that work pretty good also but I cant seem to find them as often as the pyramids...

Parlance wrote:I also have a question. I've been having a hard time determining weight and it seems that the river flow pushes my weight down river with the flow. I've also been using cannonball weights in 3-5oz variety. Perhaps I should consider pyramid weights but i'm also concerned that it will get snagged and i'll lose the weight. Is plunking just general better for low currents/holes?

I use 4oz pancake wieghts and hardly ever get hung up, I tend to focus my plunking in walking pace water

I too use pancake weights.. Pyramid sinkers for sandy bottoms.When using braid I go with the Pancake.

Thanks for the advice! Never heard of pancake weights before.

I get them at Sportco/Outdoor emporium. 4 0z is good . If I drop a plug down my line I go with 5 oz.

long ago, like back in 88' or so, i was plunking down on the lower puyallup, about at frank albert road. i was using the right gear, per se. but i was missing all my bites. i was using the same hook i do for drifting. a 2'0. well, down comes this old man, says hi. and he got a fish on every bite. and he was not in a hurry to grab his rod. his secret, i asked? "he was using the same thing as me. a 2 oz pyamid, off a three-way swivel, with about a 4 or 5" dropper on it. and he was using justs a gammie #4 and eggs! i guess the hook is small enough, the fish just inhale it, and, being so sharp, they set their own hook most times when they swim off and hook themselves, when the lead resistance. i did not have any hooks that small. but he gave me one. an hour later, i left with several silver jacks. and in 91' my freind and i fished the same spot. we were naughty. we kept 33 silvers in like three hours. mostly small jacks and jills, as the nets were a seven day a week thing now. anyway. small hook! some red yarn, and maybe sometimes i will use a double #4. or a #2. but thats as large as i go, plunking. sometimes i will put a tiny corkie on it, but my leaders is only like 16" long. one fellow was killing pinks with the same setup, just sandshrimp instead. the white spin-glo with pink dots, is a killer. anyway, 91' was a record. thats the year we abused the coho. they got 61,000 coho back to the hatchery, and had to run oxy in the water, to save the fish. no money for fishfood for several years now. this is why the runs are puny. they raise just enough, to keep the run alive. id would like to see em dump this strein, and go with some bingham creek stock.