ReelWeeds or Stucture on a String

[Steve Ellsworth]

Jonny P.-Have you used ReelWeeds for crappie fishing? Do you think it is worth buying? We're coming up in March. We have your 6 man shack. In Feb. of 2007 I used a homemade version of structure on a string on URL, and I caught more crappies than the other fishermen. Was it a coincidence or was it the artificial structure that lured the crappies to my baits? What's your opinion?

[Wes Ellis]

for what it's worth I used them got them to close to house when we cought fish some got tangled in the reelweeds.

[Kyle Sandberg]

I think URL would be a good lake to use these on. Would be something WAY out of the ordinary and would probably hold baitfish really good. Also, being the lake is shallow, you won't have to deal with to bad of tangles unless you tag into a pike.

[mrklean]

I have always thought about buying some, i think they would be good for red.

[Random guy]

Tough question.

I have seen reelweeds or SOS appear to benifit the angler...although I have also seen small pike use them as an ambush point for everything moving.

This is one of those things I can't really come to a conclusion on.

Yes that is correct, mark the calander I have no opinion or something to say.

[cjac]

Hey Steve,

Not an expert with them, but here's a link to some info on LeDredge underwater structure. I've heard good things, I'd think it would do well on the open expanses of Upper Red.

Chris

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1210068#Post1210068

[Hatchman9]

Flashers, camera's, GPS with 1' increment depths. Not complaining, cuz I have those, but now you're own structure on a string. Won't be long and we should be able to use spotlights and dynamite! lol

I really don't know how productive they may be, but I bet they will attract fish. I'm not a fan of using them. Where do we draw the line. Just my opinion.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm not a URL expert by any stretch of the imagination. However, I've fished URL enough times and am friends with guys that fish it often. So, take what I say with a grain of salt.

If someone put a new lazy boy recliner in your living room, would you notice? This is the approach some people take with Reel Weeds. My thinking is that we should stop thinking like people and start thinking like fish. Are fish smart enough to notice a new recliner in thier living room? I don't know.

I mostly fish more shallow, dishpan style lakes with little to no structure. Reel Weeds have increased my catch rate a TON. I can see on the camera fish come through and just swim on by. I drop down some Reel Weeds and fish swim in, and hang out. Then it's game on!!! However, the lakes I normally fish do not have the population of trophy sized pike that URL has, either. Sure, they have pike, and some large pike, but anyone who has fished or read or heard about URL knows about the pike it sustains. I can see pike using Reel Weeds as an ambush point. I can also see crappie, perch, and walleye using Reel Weeds as a hiding spot.

I've used Reel Weeds on URL and I honestly feel they helped my catch. On that day, during that time, the pike must have been somewhere else. Normally I put my Reel Weeds about 2-3 feet from my house. On URL I'd put them a little farther out just in case Mr. Big comes along and feels the need to tangle things up a bit.

There ya go. Will Reel Weeds on URL help or not??? Maybe.

[CraigM]

I fish Upper Red quite a bit in the winter. I've tried reel weeds a number of times when the bite was both good and not so good and have never been able to notice a difference. I've tried different patterns with the weeds, spread out along the house, concentrated near one hole, etc. and the fishing was never any better than the holes without weeds near. I was into the crappies a few times last winter and with the camera down never did see any fish hanging out in the weeds. Take it for what it's worth.