From 6/28/01</font id=blue>
There is something about a wall full of offshore lures that makes me feel more like the fish than the fisherman. All of those pretty, flashy lures look so good that before I know what I’m doing I am standing at the register with two or three (four) of the one’s that caught me. With all of the new designs and “improved technology” you begin to wonder how we ever lived without all of these works of art. If you study that big wall a little closer and look beyond the glitz you will find the time tested cedar plug.
The cedar plug has been around longer than almost anything you will find on that wall and there is a good reason. Cedar plugs catch fish! Many a seasoned fishermen will tell you Cedar plugs saved the day when it looked as if the fish were not going to take anything. While they have undergone some minor changes over the years like, brighter paints and even sparkled paints, the overall design of the plug has remained the same. The plug basically consists of a hollowed out piece of cedar in the shape of a cigar, with some colors, a leader, and hook.
While many anglers know this plug to be a Tuna bait, most are still surprised when the line goes off and a dolphin or wahoo is on the other end. While not very pretty to look at when you set a cedar plug loose in your spread it becomes apparent why these baits are so successful. The erratic movement will catch your eye more than once if you are watching the spread. Anglers struggle to understand what the predator fish think this plug is. Many say they think the shape resembles a squid, which is quite a popular meal for larger fish. Others say they think it acts like a wounded fish and this is also a target for larger fish. Either way all anglers agree that cedar plugs catch fish and are an integral part of an effective offshore trolling spread.
Recently anglers have found some different ways to fish cedar plugs in their trolling spreads. Rigging with fluorocarbon leaders has become very popular and anglers ha