Lure of choice up North?

[mike_t]

Any of you northern guys (WI, MN, MI, area and around there) what is yall preferred lure of choice for the reeds? Not the slimy disgusting algae hydrilla type weeds, but clean water reeds. Im asking because i just got back from a week trip from MN and I just couldn't capitalize on any bites in isolated reeds. Absolutely nothing worked, any thoguhts?

[MN Fisher]

Swim Jigs

Chatterbaits

 

Both those have worked for me in reeds...even in milfoil/hydrilla...pretty universal for any type of plant-cover.

[FryDog62]

Buzzbaits in the morning - 

 

I will add to this based on experience around reeds. I know a few high percentage spots up North where reeds are growing off a point, or on isolated structure... Then you throw the usual swim jig, chatter bait, plastic ... and nothing. Scratch your head... 

 

I learned to come back a half hour later and throw a buzzbait across the outer edge of the reeds, and work inward as you keep casting. Or cast over the reeds to the other side and pull back and steer through the stems best you can.  More times than not, I have had explosive blow ups and picked off a few bigger/smarter fish in the process. Something different, that ticks them off, gets a more violent reaction, etc. seems to work where other traditional lures don't. 

 

Worth a try anyway ~

[A-Jay]

Jig & Craw on heavy Braid.

A-Jay

[DitchPanda]

Was gonna say a swim jig should be perfect.

[gim]

Something that doesn’t have treble hooks.

[Bassmanfromthenorth]

Man I use both vibrating jigs (chatter baits) and swim jigs all day in that but I also run some Jackhammers to switch it up.

[Cgolf]

My favorite topic:) If you have old issues of BAM I actually wrote an article on it because I love fishing reeds and am choosing my retirement lake based on this preference lol. If you do I can look up the date when at home.

 

As for the baits I generally use slider spider rigged soft plastics like with baits ranging from 5" Kalins single tail, tubes, Menace style baits. Some finesse worms but not a lot. Also fish spinnerbaits a lot and when a front comes through the spinnerbaits really shine. Topwaters work, but I find there are a lot of misses because the reeds mess with their angle of attack, really narrowing the target window. Jerkbaits have really been working well for me at times the last couple of years along with spy baits.

 

For targeting them, I generally work the outside edges first landing the baits right on the edge of the reeds but tight to the base of one or a clump. I find using snaps with plastics and a spinning rod allows the bait to fall straight down to the base of the reed. If you use a knot, for the bait to fall vertically it has to first pull the line down to get nose down and at that point the lure has drifted away from the target. That will impact the number of bites because a lot of the time they are really tight to cover. Once I have worked the outside and if that isn't producing at the levels I want I will either drift through them or use the trolling motor to work through the inside of the reed bed. The baits I use here depend on the denisty. I will throw cranks and jerks in them if there are clear enough lanes to do so otherwise it is plastics and spinnerbaits for dense beds. I rarely mess with swim jigs or chatterbaits, but they are always on my list to try.

 

Scent, I use liquid mayhem, but any gel scent would work with plastics especially on a tough bite day. I just wish every lake was clear and had reeds, they are a lot of fun to fish:)

 

My spinning rods generally use 10lb fireline with a fluoro leader and either 30lb or 50lb braid on the baitcasters. If you snag up troll over to the reed you hung up on and 9 time out of 10 you can free the lure by pulling straight up without uprooting the reed. Tugging from a distance will either snap your line or uproot the reed.

 

Editing to add that the RES in particular, great drop bait, and other lipless baits have crushed it in and around reeds as well. 

[Junk Fisherman]

Surprised no one has said a Senko.  

[Cgolf]

41 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Surprised no one has said a Senko.  

 

I am sure they would work when calm, but lightweight baits like the Ned as well will get pushed off the target in windier conditions. 

 

For me personally the only thing I have ever caught on a Senko is a turtle

[ajschn06]

On 9/13/2021 at 5:21 PM, mike_t said:

Any of you northern guys (WI, MN, MI, area and around there) what is yall preferred lure of choice for the reeds? Not the slimy disgusting algae hydrilla type weeds, but clean water reeds. Im asking because i just got back from a week trip from MN and I just couldn't capitalize on any bites in isolated reeds. Absolutely nothing worked, any thoguhts?

 

I just spent a week at a lake in northern MN where the entire shoreline is lined with good reed patches.  I did not leave those reeds and I did not take a Jackhammer out of my hands the entire week...

[NorthernBasser]

Swimming a Cut R Worm. 

[WRB]

Reeds, bull rushes/ cat tails or pencil reeds?

My limited experience fishing in MN and Ontario Lake of the Woods region for about 20 years on vacations is both types are predominate in soft bottom areas less then 6’ of water. 

The only time I had success with LMB in reeds was boat lanes edges and inside breaks near shore. The isolated reeds around islands were dominated by toothy fish Pike and Musky. 

The outside weed breaks away from the reeds in 8’ to 10’ of water was far more productive using both soft plastics and jigs.

Tom

[OkobojiEagle]

a fluke style bait... currently MaxScent Jerk Shad or Caffeine Shad

 

oe

[Deephaven]

On 9/13/2021 at 8:26 PM, gimruis said:

Something that doesn’t have treble hooks.

Ha, I normally start with a rattletrap....but obviously for the outskirts of the reeds.  Once that doesn't work I will switch to a frog, which SUCKS in the reeds and always gets hung up but I can't help myself.  It will get fish though if you can find clean pockets to throw it.  If I can't find those pockets or once they are fished up I will switch to a jig and fish the rest of the patch.