What is a fishing plug
So, you were down at the marina, and heard an angler mention a PLUG and you thought, what the heck is a fishing plug? Is it a bait? Lure? Rig type? Well, you came to the right place.
Plug is a generic term that a lot of baits fall under. Some of these include, crankbaits, twitch baits, slow dive baits, floating baits and minnows. When someone uses the term Plug, they are usually referring to a salt water lure. So even though some of these styles of baits may cross over into fresh water, they usually are not referred to as a plug. Confusing for a beginner I know.
Fishing Plugs are a hard-bodied bait. Usually solid, but sometimes segmented. They are not flexible and are usually made from hard plastics wood or even metal. They come in a variety of shapes and colors to mimic certain bait fish. In almost all cases these will be rigged on the bottom side using one or more treble hooks.
Depending on the design, fishing plugs can float, sink, dive, or hover at a certain depth. Most plugs will either float or hover at a certain depth, but when retrieved they usually will dive down. The bigger the lip on the Plug, the deeper it will descend when being reeled in. Some will rise back to the surface once the retrieval is stopped.
Plugs usually have their action ‘built in’. Either from the shape of the bait and its lip or a combination of the plug and the retrieval from the angler. A slight twitch here and there at the right time can cause a fish to strike even if that plug is not intended for that retrieval style. Changing the retrieval speed or even pausing are also commonly used techniques.