ya, every year it comes up
pooplar is a cheap wood, yes it rots outdoors, better for indoors but if treated properly, it can be ok for plugs. I just like ayc because it sands easier with less tearout, has natural oils, good density.
Use whatever you want, red cedar,sugar pine,yellow pine, mahogany,maple,birch, spanish cedar, cocobola, PVC trim boards 800 year old cedar, reclaimed old growth cypress, use whatever you want, I have so many woods available to me I even thought of using some apple tree wood from the backyard.
winch your problem with those plugs is that you didn't seal them
what the heck did you expect to happen?
stripercrazy, maybe leave it in the sealer longer, maybe run a pipe cleaner thru the thru wire hole just to be sure. and do all drilling beforehand, if you get any expansion around the belly grommet, that could cause problems and the expansion will have a hard time shrinking back down around the metal grommet being that it's size stays the same unlike the wood.
If you guy do a complete process from start to finish and have adhesion between paint coats, them maybe they won't split on you.
Ya I said poplar is crap, I was half joking and at that time didn't have time to explain further.
If you don't want your plugs to get wrecked, don't get them wet, it's that simple. If you want them to survive catching lots of fish then figure out a procedure that will work for you. There is a ton of info on this site and others, some good and some not so good. Figure out what works for you. Different woods will need more submersion time in sealers than others. Paints and primers and finish coats have to all be compatible or it will separate. Once you figure out what works, stick with it.
Lots of woods can be used for plug building, I have always had a hard time with birch or maple since it swells greatly even from humidity in the summer nevermind siting in water. It needs a good sealer to keep the water out. I don't know if Val oil is the answer, there are so many things to try. There are clear penetrating epoxies, wood hardners etc.
One thing I know, what works for somebody else may not be what works for you and what works for you may not work for somebody else.
sorry I said anything
I'll take the advice in Goose's signature
good luck Lower