As I said in the "Gibbs" thread, I want to develop a collection of productive plugs for later-season, bigger stripers in New England. I'd like to know which ones to buy without going through the expensive trial and error process.

So here's my request:

Will you guys who've been using plugs and have favorites, PLEASE LIST YOUR TOP 6 FAVORITE PLUGS FOR STRIPERS IN NEW ENGLAND, STARTING WITH MOST FAVORITE AT THE TOP???

Please send your list to this thread. I'll bet there are a lot of guys and guyettes out there who will find your ideas helpful in buying the best plugs without wasting a lot of time and MONEY. ???

My favorite plug has to be the Rebel WindCheater. I've gotten several fish on the green over white fella. The only problem is they can dive really deep. This one is best left to deep cut offs or channels.

Then there is always the Kastmaster. Drag it along the sandy bottom and the flash mimics a sandeel perfectly. The best thing about Kastmasters is they come in a variety of sizes and colors(I like silver, silver/blue or gold). Plus the hook comes in a variety. Treble, Treble with bucktail, Single hook with bucktail, single hook with surgical tube. Good lure that you should never be without. I've caught bass, blues, sea robins, and fluke on them. I don't know if a weakfish would hit them but I wouldn't doubit it. Plus they cast far!
Next favorite is a Krocodile spoon. I carry three. A small light one, a large light one and a large heavy one for when the fish are deep.

Then there is the redfin. Hard to cast on anything but light tackle but once you get them out there, the fish will swarm to it.

The Bomber. The 6 inch ones are dynamite. Color preference is your choice I guess. I like the yellow over white one.

Yo-Zuri Arc Minnow. My aunt got me one of the really small ones in FireTiger. The thing has such a seductive wiggle. The head kind of darts then the tail follows like the "rubber pencil" trick. Very cool lure.

So those are the cool lures that I like. I have a few wooden plugs but I haven't had any luck with them. Maybe this year. Cross your fingers.

Atom Popper (old type) , Bomber (I use Bombers and Mombos and Redfins and Rebels and Tobis pretty interchangebly depending on whats cheap or hot at the time) , Plugman Popper :) (he makes good poppers with good hooks) , Danny (Gibbs) , Needlefish (few different kind) , Darter (Gibbs) , Atom Swimmer , Pencil popper ( them Hawg Hunters cast a mile) , Kastmaster , Deadly #^&#^&#^&#^& , Hopkins , Needle Eel

Bob Senior (04-28-2001 11:06):

Will you guys who've been using plugs and have favorites, PLEASE LIST YOUR TOP 6 FAVORITE PLUGS FOR STRIPERS IN NEW ENGLAND, STARTING WITH MOST FAVORITE AT THE TOP??? ??

1) YoZuri crystal minnow...black/silver
2) Rebel 5 1/2" (sinker, although they're discontinued now (blueback)
3) Jindivik (Australian lure...Predatek Co)
4) Atom popper 3/4 oz...all white w/ bucktail
5) Rebel...5 1/2" & 7", all paint sanded away down to bone color...middle treble removed...single 4/0 on rear hook w/ yellow bucktail (great for blues in a blitz), stripers feeding on surface bait...
6) Pt. Jude minnow, 6", wood, blue/white, I play w/ the wobble plate to get depth I want, also replace hooks w/SS trebles...

I almost never find a need to use plugs and other than some late season popper fun with the blues/bass when they are feeding actively on top, I rarely stray from my plastics. Even this past fall with 2 solid weeks of big bluefish topwater action, after messing with maybe 7 big blues and the trebles on the poppers, I switch back to the plastic.

My favorite plug list is Spit'n Image (best smallmouth topwater bait going), classic floating rapala, 1oz spot and one of my old favorites the Chug Bug. Not surprising that any of these in the saltwater versions are also great topwater offerings for stripers and blues.

Come striper season, most of my plugs get put away, although I still carry a couple plano 3700's in the boat...they just rarely see the light of day. Next to a live eel or bunker on the end of my, the bigger plastic offerings are going to be far more reliable then any plug...IMHO.

[img="http://www.rgsiroisco.com/fisherman.gif"]
Tight lines.

1. Black bomber or Gags Mambo Minnow

2. Atom Striper Swiper

3. Yozuri mackeral popper

4. Yozuri crystal minnow

5. Gibbs danny swimmer

6. Habs' needles

I use alot of jigs (smillin' bills white and black) also and my favorite teaser is a 4" Red Gill

Bob, good topic

OK, in order from best to leat best ??? :

1 Eel - black,

2 Eel - black but slightly green

3 Eel - dark green

4 Eel - dark brown

... oh damn, Plugs

1. Gibbs Stubby Needle fish *

2. Habs Stubby needle fish *

3. Gibbs Danny swimmer *

4. Gags Mombo Minnow (or bomber....) *

5. Pencil Popper *

6. Creek Chub, Gags Popper (waiting to try that new holographic one) *

* Most often fished with fly teaser or Red Gill teaser...

Going to spen more time on the Yozuris this year as I just started them a little last year...

Tins:

Kastmaster/Hopkins with tube or bucktail

Megabait tins

Eels are my favorite also, but as far as plugs go:

1 - Creek Chub popper (daytime, love that surface smash)
2 - Bomber
3 - Lex Fatboy
4 - Gibbs stubby needle
5 - Yozuri Tobimaru or Mag minnow
6 - Mambo 5" & 7"

I also use a red gill or deveiver teaser on all of the above except maybe the Lex because it doesn't cast well with the teaser. And I bet I catch more fish on the teasers than the plug itself.
MZ

Patrick, Saltheart, Roccus, Slipknot, John R., Mark Z., Mike P.:

Great lists.

#1 choices across five, so far, respondents:
-Rebel Wind Cheater
-Old style Atom Popper
-YoZuri Crystal Minnow (bl/silv)
-Black Bomber
-Needle Fish (Gibbs/Habs/Superstrike)
white, black, or Olive/silver
-Creek Chub Popper

# responses/lure:

5--Bomber
6--Needle Fish
3--Rebels-various kinds
3--Kastmaster
3--Pencil Poppers
3--Danny
4--Gags Mambo Minnos
2--Hopkins
2--Deadly #^&#^&#^&#^&
2--Creek Chub Popper
2--Redfin
2--Atom Popper
2--Y.Z. Crystal Minnow
1--mostly all other

Popular YoZuris:

2--Cryst. Minnow
1--Arc Minnow
1--Mackeral Popper
1--Mag Minnow
1--Tobimaru

Atoms:
2--Poppers
1--swimmer
1--Striper Swiper

Spoons:

3--Kastmasters
2--Hopkins
2--Deadly #^&#^&#^&#^&
1--Megabait
1--Needle Eel

More to follow...

For New England:

1. Needlefish (Habs or Superstrike) Olive/silver, all white or black.

2. Pencil Popper (Hawg Hunter) pogie color scheme

3. Stubby needlefish (Gibbs or Superstike)

4. Pan swimmer (Beachmaster, Lex or Atom Jr)

5. Mega Bait plastic swimmer, 5-1/2 or 6".

6. Polaris-style popper (Hawg, Gibbs or Superstrike).


For Long Island:

1. Yellow darter

2. White darter

3. Parrot darter

4. White bottle plug

5 Needlefish (same brands and colors as above)

6. Chicken scratch Bomber, 6".

In many places after September on Long Island, you won't find anything but darters, bottles and needlefish in my bag. Especially in current and/or rough surf.

Bob,

This just goes to show you, you can ask this question to anglers and you'll probably get a bunch of different answers.

Saltheart,

I see you mentioned the Need-l-eel. Is that the one made by Acme? I have one of the acme ones but haven't gotten hit on it yet. Any secrets? You ever put a trailer on the the hook? Looks like it should work though. The smaller ones are about the size of the sandeels get down here. Sometimes there are larger ones but you only find them trapped in tidal pools.

Guys:

I'll try to keep track of these and let you know what responses boil down to. I just got another response while typing, from Mike P., and I have three other lists of six from a store on the Cape whose address I bookmarked on my office computer.

So far, though, it looks like Needlefish, poppers, and the venerable Kastmasters/Hopkins are leading the herd, with Danny and Bombers close behind and gaining. Recurring brands: Gibbs, habs, Hawg Hunter, and Gags.

When I'm done with this, we'll have every single plug on the market listed!!!

I think Kastmaster is the Acme lure. These types of "spoons" are good for when its too windy to get a plug out. Some tips for using them. Vary the depth of the retrieve. Vary the speed of the retrieve. ( a deadly #^&#^&#^&#^& retrieved very fast is good for Bonito and Albies). Cast past where you think the fish are and retrieve through them. Lots of people cast into the fish but by the time the lure gets down to depth and the slack is taken up , you are out of the fish.

Just cause its you Patrick I'll give you a good tip that few know. Go to the tackle shop and get a gold and copper Thomas' Colorado Spoon. Get the biggest you can. Change the hook to a big treble. Retrieve and then let it flutter down then retrieve and let it flutter down , etc. Best in brownish or dirty looking water , the gold and silver is also good on very sunny days with clear water. Good now and in the fall.

I thought Acme was a tackle manufacturer that made lures like the Kastmaster, Need-l-eel, and Fiord spoon. Let me check my tackle bag.
Well the thing I have is an "Acme Need-L-Eel." It weighs in at 1/2 oz. White back. The other side is dark green blended into a chatreuse belly. Also has a big yellow and black eye.

Here is the color selections off the Acme Tackle Website.
www.acmetackle.com

Do those Acme things work?

They look like handles from toenail clippers!!

I got mine way late last season. I'm gonna give it a go next trip. They have a bend in them that you can't see from the images. I'm sure they work though. Heard they work for Blues, Bass, Weaks, Fluke, Bonito, and Alberts. It looks like they can imitate any slender baitfish. Silversides and sand eels mostly.

I have a couple of those jigs I had gotten for albies. Very light jig, so-so action. I wasn't impressed with it. I'd stick with a Deadly #^&#^&#^&#^& instead.

Spoon-Krocodile...outfishes the Kastmaster 2 to 1 for stripers, in my experience. More than 2 to 1 for blues. I like Acme's other offerings, though.

Charlie Graves tins....very nice.

Mag Darter from Yozuri is deadly on smaller stripers in the 25-35 inch range. Arc minnows are nice as well.

Black Mambo minnow is unstoppable after dark. Big fish.

Eels. Bigger fish.

Love the Ranger for blues.

Those are my favorites. I have some luck with the other 100 lures in my bag as well....I just don't use them as much. :P

My six are as follow,s,
I know this may be a sore spot but the Gibb,s have it. and no I am not on there pay roll.
1. Goo Goo's
2. Gibbs Deep Danny
3. Gibb's Trolling Swimmer from the past.
4. Gibb's Surfase Swimmer
5. Cisco Kid's
6.-------------- "BLACK EELS---------------

This list is more canal specific.....

1) 4 oz Canal Special with 7" forked pork.

2) 4 oz Mega Bait Jigs (whenever, wherever)

3) 3 1/2 oz Yellow Polaris (Slack- 1hr+/-)

4) 3 3/4 (?) oz Yellow 155 Special (apx 1hr+)

5) 3 oz Mega Bait Bucktail (slack-1 hr in)

6) 2 3/4 oz Super Strike Polaris (even when it's moving good)

EELS EELS EELS EELS EELS EELS EELS EELS...


East Tide

Honorable mentions: Mega Bait Swimmers, Bottles,

Hey Linesides,

No need to hide your opinion... Gibbs isn't such a sore subject around here as is a disapointing subject. Many of us do use those plugs and most are effective. The problem here with Gibbs revoloves around a couple things; some have had problems where the were breaking when they shouldn't have and some "improvements" to some models may or may not have had a negative impact on them.

The thing which has some people bent out of shape (myself included) here is the seriously unprofessional attitude they've taken relative to people's opinions of their product. They felt that everyone was bashing their product line inorder to sell a pal's plug. Not the case at all... And the very accusatory tones in some nasty-grams I received. They were also invited to chat with their clients here and maybe show an interest in their clients but have chosen not to. It appears they would rather send nasty-grams and threats than openly discuss things in a positive manner....

And I'm not on anyone's payroll either ;D