# What's your favorite steelhead plug?



## sport72186 (Dec 20, 2007)

In light of this year's steelhead run, I thought it would be fun to start a thread like this. So what's your favorite steelhead plug?


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## streamertosser (May 20, 2008)

Hot n' Tots would be my first chice, wiggle warts and jr t-sticks have produced for me before as well


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

I have some plugs that will blow all others away, they are the ultimate steely killes and they are Chrome Heddon Tad Pollys. Streamer will probably concur.


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## streamertosser (May 20, 2008)

Ifish said:


> I have some plugs that will blow all others away, they are the ultimate steely killes and they are Chrome Heddon Tad Pollys. Streamer will probably concur.


 
I definately concur, I guess I over looked them because I rarely use them anymore for the fact that they're so hard to find anymore and I fear losing them, but yes, the chrome, silver black, and blaze orange with black dots would be my 3 fav's out of them, definately a top notch lure, I've caught a helluva lot of fish with them... steelhead, walleye, pike, and i've also had luck surf casting them at the mouth of the platte for early kings and cohos. yeah, good call Ifish, I now change my favorite steelhead plug to the Heddon Tadpolly. Time to hit ebay and buy some more!


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

Ya thats where I get mine is Ebay but ya can you beleive they don't make them anymore? I'm left to airbrush my own. I'm gonna make a dang mold and make a killing off of them lol


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## happyhooker2 (Nov 11, 2005)

Flatfish and Hot N Tots for hot shottin', Mepps Agila Number 3s for casting.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

happyhooker2 said:


> Mepps Agila Number 3s for casting.


I second the big Mepps Agilas. I also toss out thundersticks.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

That's a bit of a poser for me.

I had my best day ever, on the Huron, with a 1/2 oz. blue/silver Little Cleo, above the coffer, in the slower water. It was one of my first 2 trips to the Huron for Steelies ever. I went the day before, tossed a Cleo and hooked a big Chromer right away. When she came out of the water, my line broke. Turned out the whole spool was rotten. I respooled, came back the next day and hooked 5 in 1 hour. Everybody was asking what the heck I was using. Apparently, I was the only one having any luck. Funny thing is, I don't use Cleos there anymore. I think I may be an idiot :sad:. Anyway, Hot'nTot's are my favorite for sure. followed by Hot Shots, This thread has made me decide to revisit the Cleo though. 

Does anyone notice any difference between the Hot'nTot and the Willys Worm. I've never tried the Willys. They look the same to me, except for the lip, which can make all the difference. Willys has some cool colors, like white, the Huron River magic color.


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

Hot n Tots get right on the bottom and continue to bounce off the bottom because the lip is more angled and more surface area, but you can never go wrong with the willys. I'd get some Tad Pollys though if you can find them.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

I'm going to do a search for Tadpollys.

I started using Berkely Frenzy Flicker Shads in May. They are killers for bass and pike. they dive like a Hot'n'Tot, come in good colors, and have a rattle. They make a 2 inch model and they are only $2.99 on line. The action is a little tighter, but I don't think that will be a bad thing. The thinner design should decrease the snags too. I'm going to give them a try for Steelies. I think they are going to be a good lure.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Already found and ordered 5 Tadpollys, all with either silver or nickel in them. 2 of them have rattles. Hope they work as good as you say.


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Each system has it's "special" lure.
for me-
#1- hot n tot
#2 -willy's 
#3 -wee wart

It Really depends on each individual spot. Tot's at the top of a run, willy's down the gut and wee's in a tailout. Depth is the biggest factor I've found. I don't like plugs hitting bottom, I get a better response if it's above them.

In clear water w/sparse cover I don't like rattles.
In deep undercuts with lot's of overhanging cover I like rattles.
negative fish- no rattles- tot's, # 1 willy's
Hot fresh fish- willy's #2 or #3, v-size wiggle warts, ah-tots

I need a couple to finish my willy's collection-2803,2814,2816,2836 and 2850 new in package, get ahold of me..
cash, trades, trips... I'll do what it takes to finish my collection!!
Looking for hsp-tot's also, been a yr. since i've added Any to that collection...


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

I've caught my share of steelies on Tad Pollys, But I've seriously seen someone limit out on Tad Pollys in about an hour and half on the Huron when no one else was catching jack. Now thats unique but they are time tested and steely approved. You just simply can't go wrong with them.


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## Jim..47 (May 5, 2009)

Ifish said:


> I have some plugs that will blow all others away, they are the ultimate steely killes and they are Chrome Heddon Tad Pollys. Streamer will probably concur.


 
Like these?


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

Looks like this but in Silver or Pink with the rattle.


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## streamertosser (May 20, 2008)

that one's perty, one of your airbrush jobs?


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

Thats not one of mine, just for reference. I don't exactly want to post my airbrus jobs because they are straight up steelie killers but if you want any Tad Polly or any lure painted, let me know I'll do it for free long as you drop off and pick up.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

What do you all think would make a Steelie turn down a Hot'nTot [say], then grab another lure like a Tadpolly or Mepps? If the fish is feeding and they all look like food, why would he turn any of them down? Steelhead will eat almost anything they can get in their mouths, from tiny insect larvae up to 6 inch baitfish, and everything in between. That pretty much makes them opportunistic feeders. Why would they be picky? I've seen Steelies caught on some of the oddest looking contraptions you can imagine. I'm not into the whole life like action thing either, beacuse I doubt if anything looks less true to life than a spinner. It just flickers like a baitfish as it darts and turns. Maybe it's matter of the right amount of flash, at the right time, triggering a response. Maybe the shape of some lures, causes them to reflect the flash better or more into the line of sight of a fish. Maybe there is a slight difference in sound that triggers fish, even if they're not all that hungry, even in lures that aren't really 
advertised as having sound? I would think that if a lure makes a clicking nojavascript:void(0);ise, from a swivel or quick clip hitting the lip or the hooks bumping the body and rocks, it may help. Shrimp make a clicking noise and that has got to be embedded in the Steelies' genes. It is a primary part of their diet in saltwater. Let's see if we can get inside the fishes head. For the sake of arguement let's say the water conditons are ideal, not too clear or too dirty.


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

STeelmon you are looking at it the wrong way bro. 

It's not about turning it down, it's about attracting that steeling thats 8 feet over in Dirty water and getting the lure in-front of them. It's presentation. 

And if you know anything about steelies you darn well know what works one day could be absolutely useless the next day. I'm not saying one is better then the other I'm saying this is my go to plug thats all. If you saw a Tad Pollys action in the water it blows a Hot N Tot away.


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## Jim..47 (May 5, 2009)

Are the light weight sppons such as used for salmon fishing behind a downrigger effective at all

also, anyone have any luck with jigs tipped with some kind of grub, wax worm or plastic?


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## bntz313 (Aug 13, 2009)

I've been going to Huroc, and just caught a bunch of small large mouths. I hoping to finally get ahold of a steelie or two. I have two hot n tots and a bunch of rooster tail spinners


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

I'm not gonna spell out how to catch steelies at flatrock but you cannot go wrong with a silver or gold hot n tot, a white or white and pink jig tipped with a waxworm, or spawn. Go to the little dipper, give them your business and ask around. Thats about the key to Flatrock. Other then find the holes.


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## Treble (Sep 13, 2009)

Metallic silver tadpollys are the greatest steelhead plug ever. I have limited out many times over the years with them on the huron. Member ifish can vouge for that (well, I guess he already did). Just dont understand why they discontinued them? I am willin to pay someone $100,000,000,000,000 for every one of them they have.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Your on Treble. I have 5 new Tadpollys on the way to me. Is that price for all of them or per each? Will the price be lower if they're not chrome? If Heddon is still in business, maybe a few requests to them could get them to bring the Tadpolly back. They're made in Dowagiac, Mich. Here is a link to Heddon:
http://www.heddonlures.com/he_newprodFDS.htm

That's kind what I was getting at Ifish. I know how important presentation is. As a matter of fact, when guys ask me about success, I say it's the 3 Ps, presentation, patience, and persistance. You have to be willing to work a little and change lures a couple times, rather than walking away in disgust after a couple casts. I just know there is a "trigger' that gets neutral fish to hit as well and making for a more succesful day. After all, you'e not going to do well by properly presenting a bare hook.


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

seen some tadpollys at Franks yesterday on the way home.
flo/red- w/blk spots, maybe 30of them
firetiger same thing...
No chromes.


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Steelmon said:


> If Heddon is still in business, maybe a few requests to them could get them to bring the Tadpolly back. QUOTE]
> 
> Not the first time they've been discontinued. They just re-released them a few[?] yrs. back 00-02?? I can't remember exactly...
> They work good in 6-8'/ mod flow.
> Just not popular to fish anymore, Not from what I have seen.


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## Mags (Apr 10, 2002)

Faster water: Tadpollys and Tiny tads.
Slower water: Flatfish

I've still got a bunch of original Tadpollys and Flatfish that I've been using since probably the later '70's. The one lure that has seemed to have oufished them all for some reason is a U20 Flatfish in chartreuse with red & black dots. Thank God I still only have 3 left in that color.


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

If you have tad pollys do youself a favor and spray paint half of them chrome and paint a red dot on each side. And the other half all chrome with a pink stripe down the back. OMG!


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Most of the chrome spary paint I've tried dries to a more silver than chrome. What do you do to get it to come out bright chrome?


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

Gotta use acrylic, they sell chrome in aerosol cans although an airbrush is better. Back in the day I spray painted my lures and it works good, just take your time and do alot of light coats.


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

Trebles right though, I've seen him limit out several times on just the Silver Tad polly when the fish were not biting anything else. Everyone was asking heyman what are you using and we always told them the truth. Hot dog chunks.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Something that wroks better than hot dog chunks is strips of onion. Saute them till they are flexible, cut them into nice size strips, and hook them up. That's one of the many hints I've had from passers by, at Huroc.


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## Ifish (Aug 4, 2009)

lol steelmon, 

I heard that flank steak works great for sturgeon.


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## brookies101 (Jun 23, 2008)

I had really good luck for steelhead last year using a 3'' pearl x-rap. Had one just smash it about 5ft away from me, was pretty cool to see. Then i hooked another one on the very next cast, but lost this one during the fight. I take the o-ring off and just tie a big loop/rapala knot for the connection. They already have a nice action to them, but tieing a larger loop to the lure eye just make them go crazy in the current. I do the same thing for walleye here in the river. By the way, them tadpoplly's look pretty smooth, gonna have to jet over to franks and check them out


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