ratte reel help?

[kjvanbata]

Hello everyone,

I just got back from a nice weekend on the lake with my dad, brothers, and 6 year old son. This was the first time for us taking a trip like this and I must say it was a success. We rented a 8 hole house from Mac's Twin Bays and the service was great. I am posting because we had 5 rattle reels go off each night and we only managed to catch 3 fish out of the ten total bites, a 23, 18.5, and 15.5. To me this is not a very good percentage but I was just curious as to what other peoples' thoughts were or if anybody had any tips for the next time?? Perhaps, bigger hooks, let them take it longer? Any and all comments are appreciated.

[BradHawthorne]

Start by telling us how you had them rigged, #lb line, hook size, jigs?, bobbers, leader length, etc.

[TruthWalleyes]

Did you lose the fish on the way to the hole? Or, set the hook and didn't feel the fishes weight?

First scenario is most likely too small of hook or you gave them slack and they spit the hook.

But if you set the hook and felt nothing, then it could be that you waited too long, or not long enough. I've seen it both ways, but typically its cuz you didn't wait long enough.

Also, if there isn't enough hook showing to hook the fish. Barely hook your bait, leaving hook exposed.

Nice report.

[broman]

I have the hook the minnow so that the hook bottom is toward the front of the fish and the shank and tip point to the back. I've heard fish like to attack from the front. With the hook facing this way when you set the hook it has a better chance of sinking in. But, then again it might not be that big a factor. When the fish takes the line I like to lightly hold the line to feel resistance. I do this while its moving then set the hook hard and right away.

[kjvanbata]

We just mostly used what was already rigged on the rattle reels which was as follows to the best of my knowledge: approx 6 ft leaders, some with 6-8 lb mono, some with what I think was fire line, most misses came on the lines that had small regular gum-ball jigs, I would guess 1/8 to 1/16 th oz. bobbers were styrofoam with plastic stop in the middle. Lastly most of the guys said they were on for a little bit and then came off. Maybe weak hook sets??

[TruthWalleyes]

First thing you should do when entering a rental is cut off the leader line and put on new, then take whatever lures the last jokers left on those lines and throw them away. Tie on your own frostee spoons, northland jigs, plain hooks, etc.

I've seen some pretty comical lures from previous guests. Put good line and hooks on, then set the hook hard.

[FLAG!!]

Truth- you don't like set lines with flying lures, etc?

[broman]

8 lb mono, gumball jigs and bobbers are all wrong for rattle reels. Like Truth said, take all that garbage off. I like 4lb test using forrage minnows, or slick jigs or red hooks with red beads and split shots, or Swedish pimples. Make sure the rattle can move as freely as possible. A bobber causes resistance and isn't needed on a rattle reel.

[TruthWalleyes]

Truth- you don't like set lines with flying lures, etc?

I don't understand the question.

[Stick in Mud]

I think he was making a joke about the old Flying Lure you used to see on TV.

I don't know about 4 lb test on the set lines. I use 10 lb mono or flouro, and that's after about five years of experimenting in the same house with all sorts of lines. Before the year started, I went back through my journal, and the 10 lb line had just as many bites as the lighter line, with waaaay fewer broken lines and escaped fish. With that light line, you've gotta be pretty gentle on the hookset, and that meant missed fish for me. Just my .02.

[TruthWalleyes]

My rattle reel "Drag" isn't that great So i too use 10# flouro.

[FLAG!!]

Just a joke truth. Thx carmike. Heading up to Reddoor now. Will report back

[kjvanbata]

What size jigs or hooks does anybody recommend?

[Stick in Mud]

Depends on the size of your minnows. #6 or #4 for me (usually).

[Faner50]

I rig my rattle reels as follows...5 foot 6# Fluorocarbon leader on the swivel end of 50 feet of braided 25#. I use a plain snelled kahle hook. Up 6" from the hook ( in the following order)I have a slip knot, quick change glow clevis, small colored spinner blade, 1/32 bullet weight then another slip knot on top. As the minnow swims, the spinner blade wiggles. Sometimes I might add a colored bead under the clevis. I also paint my blades hot pink, or glow white but sometimes use standard hammered silver or gold. Sometimes I feel that the fish seem leery about minnows attached right to a jig. My rigs with 6 inches between lure blade and hook seem to work better at times plus the minnow swims better & is more lively. My rig is basically a replica of an old 30year old Lews (or Lewies) packaged rig. Build a couple of these & try them out. You may be pretty happy with the results.

[TruthWalleyes]

That would be the kind of rig i'd cut off when entering a house

[greenbackslayer]

hahaha you cant be scared to try something different. That rattle wheel setup sounds like the ticket for pike.

[Faner50]

Worked really well at night up on URL. Used the glow painted blades.

[BryeGuy]

Thats a lot of gear! Does the chubby darter get tied below or above the bullet sinker?

Sounds interesting. Ive thought there has to be something other than a red hook on a rattle reel. A few times ive added a glow bead to the line.