Plastic Or Pork?

[iceintheveins]

When do you guys choose a pork trailer, and when do you choose a plastic one? I have heard pork is best during cold water and plastics work better when more action is required.

[ring fry]

I think pork actually has better action in both cold and warm.  HOWEVER, pork dries out so quick in warm weather that if you lay it down for an hour it gets stiff.  There are so many more choices for plastic trailers that I haven't used pork in years in cold or warm water.   

[whoopbazz]

The  old thought was below 60 degrees use pork. It is more boyant and make the bait fall slower. The plastic craw with "wiggling" flippers gives off a lot of pressure waves in the water, which active fish like.

I know guys will disagree, but this is what I was taught in the 80's and still do it.

[RoLo]

I think pork actually has better action in both cold and warm. HOWEVER, pork dries out so quick in warm

weather that if you lay it down for an hour it gets stiff. There are so many more choices for plastic trailers that I haven't used pork in years in cold or warm water.

I'm with Ring Fry.

I believe that rind offers better action in all water temperatures, but still and all,

I've been steering away from rind trailer for a long time. Unlike the first rubber worms

(technically tough plastic), many of today's soft-plastics stay pliable even in coldwater.

Some anglers still use pork rind for largemouth bass in water under 60 degrees

and smallmouth bass under 50 degrees. Nonetheless, I believe similar results can be had

by switching from a ribbontail or sickletail plastic lure, to a straight inactive tail.

Throughout the years, I've probably thrown away more jars of pork rind than I've used.

At least, plastic trailers give me the peace of mind to take a long boat ride

without fretting about my rind trailers turning to cement...LOL

Roger

[Team9nine]

Used to throw it quite a bit but have gotten away from it. Plastics are more convenient, more consistent and offer much more color options. Bulk and fall rate can be pretty well adjusted for with either trailer.

The cold water temp deal is pretty much just an old rule of thumb that doesn't have much truth to it any more. I catch hundreds of bass every year in water down to 36 degrees using plastic trailers, though I've never tried a jig and pig through a hole in the ice. I have caught plenty on plastic though with the lake partially ice covered where you could still cast open water.

About the only time I still use pork is when I know I'm going to be fishing a jig all day long, in warm or cold water. This is because of efficiency. The one big advantage with pork still is that I can put a piece on at 7AM and fish it all day long, catch or have short strikes from any number of bass, and still have that same piece of pork going strong 10 hours later. Simply remove and put back in the jar until the next day No ripped off or torn trailers, no missing claws, no sliding down the hook shank, no digging arund the tackle box for a new package of plastics, no getting fllung off with a basses headshake during a fight. It takes a licking and keeps on ticking 8-)

-T9

[K_Mac]

Used to throw it quite a bit but have gotten away from it. Plastics are more convenient, more consistent and offer much more color options. Bulk and fall rate can be pretty well adjusted for with either trailer.

The cold water temp deal is pretty much just an old rule of thumb that doesn't have much truth to it any more. I catch hundreds of bass every year in water down to 36 degrees using plastic trailers, though I've never tried a jig and pig through a hole in the ice. I have caught plenty on plastic though with the lake partially ice covered where you could still cast open water.

About the only time I still use pork is when I know I'm going to be fishing a jig all day long, in warm or cold water. This is because of efficiency. The one big advantage with pork still is that I can put a piece on at 7AM and fish it all day long, catch or have short strikes from any number of bass, and still have that same piece of pork going strong 10 hours later. Simply remove and put back in the jar until the next day No ripped off or torn trailers, no missing claws, no sliding down the hook shank, no digging arund the tackle box for a new package of plastics, no getting fllung off with a basses headshake during a fight. It takes a licking and keeps on ticking 8-)

-T9

T9 that is the first compelling argument for using pork that I've seen in a long time. You are right that if you don't let them dry out they may last forever. 8-) I have always managed to find a way to let them dry out, even in wet weather. : That is probably the biggest reason I haven't use pork for longer than I want to think about. I must be getting old...

[Paul Roberts]

I think pork actually has better action in both cold and warm. HOWEVER, pork dries out so quick in warm weather that if you lay it down for an hour it gets stiff. There are so many more choices for plastic trailers that I haven't used pork in years in cold or warm water.

I use both, but pork is a GoTo for me. I pre-soften them and there is nothing with that kind of action. That said, I have no proof or even belief that it will outfish plastic. But I love it and ain't giving it up.

To keep them from drying out on a dry day I put the jig-n-pig in a zip-lock sandwich baggie and hang it on the keeper as usual. It won't dry out all day. Then I put the pig back in the jar. The more you use them, the softer they get.

[iceintheveins]

Pork has a good action in any temp I have found.