Fish on rattle reels

Fished out of a house for the first time ever last year. We caught all our fish on rattle reels but didn’t hook up on about 1/3 to 1/2 of our strikes. Any suggestions to help a beginner out?

What were you using for terminal tackle?

I’d say so many lost fish are due to unsharp hooks.

Even brand new hooks can be not super sharp.

If you are using a reel lightly touch the line and if you feel solid resistance set the hook, if not, don’t.

Sometimes fish have the bait and not the hook in their months.

Sharp hooks are a must! Also, slightly bend the hook out. More hookset force is necessary when using mono or floro as a mainline because of the stretch.

Are you using a bobber? The bobber tells you a lot most of the time. If it slams it, set the hook right away. If it’s running with it wait for it to stop, give it a couple seconds then set. If you miss give the next one a little longer. If it pulls it to the bottom of the ice and sits, give it some time. A lot of times this they are sucking on it, and often times don’t have hook in its mouth. Especially with bigger minnows. Or it’s an eelpout. Lol.

too small of hooks?

I assume we’re talking walleyes here? If so, should you even use a bobber? I have Ultimate rattle wheels for my IC and will be going to Red Lake New Year’s weekend, the drag on these can be micro adjusted, and would think not using a bobber would be best.

i like to use the smallest bobber i can as long as it floats. it helps me make sure im at the depth i set it and it never seems to bother the fish with the resistance at all.

Least amount of resistance possible is a much overlooked factor. It seems many like plastic molded and fancy light up options which are quite heavy.

Many of the rattle reels it see are bulky as heck and take a lot of force to spin. Size of bobber (if any) and sinkers also play a factor.

Coletrain27 wrote:

i like to use the smallest bobber i can as long as it floats. it helps me make sure im at the depth i set it and it never seems to bother the fish with the resistance at all.

I do the same. Even in my portable I like setting up a rattle reel so I don’t have to watch the second rod when walleye fishing. Tiny panfish bobber is all I use. And I set the tension so if it’s tapped it sinks.

We used size 6 octopus hooks brand new out of the package a small split shot and a swivel. We hooked the shiner just through the skin of the back below the dorsal fin. The hooks ran through perpendicular to the shiner.

I did buy some size 4 wide gap hooks for this year think that will help?

I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines. Hookup percentage is nearly 100 and don’t notice any reduction in bites. Run single hooks on my finicky foolers. Absolutely love the finicky foolers especially when fishing deeper water.

If you buy a quality rattle reel, like a Lindell, the problem won’t be “spinning to hard or being bulky”, it’ll be trying to react in time so it doesn’t spin off too much line. Ryan, I’ve never heard using drag on a rattle reel, wouldn’t that aid the fish in feeling resistance and dropping your bait?

I’m guessing too big of bait and/or too small of fish trying to eat your bait. Are they little perch or panfish harassing your bait?

Smellson wrote:

I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines. Hookup percentage is nearly 100 and don’t notice any reduction in bites. Run single hooks on my finicky foolers. Absolutely love the finicky foolers especially when fishing deeper water.

Why trebles on the rattle reels but not the Finicky Foolers?

Ryan Overson wrote:

I assume we’re talking walleyes here? If so, should you even use a bobber? I have Ultimate rattle wheels for my IC and will be going to Red Lake New Year’s weekend, the drag on these can be micro adjusted, and would think not using a bobber would be best.

I think the Ulimate Rattle Reels are some of the best on the market, because you can adjust the drag perfectly you no longer need a bobber like you might with some of the cheaper rattle reels that you really can’t consistently set the resistance.

Also with the Ultimate’s you can put the light inside of it and it won’t affect the reels performance at all.

6 is a small hook. Bump that up to a #2 if your not in gin clear water.

usmarine0352 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ryan Overson wrote:</div>
I assume we’re talking walleyes here? If so, should you even use a bobber? I have Ultimate rattle wheels for my IC and will be going to Red Lake New Year’s weekend, the drag on these can be micro adjusted, and would think not using a bobber would be best.

I think the Ulimate Rattle Reels are some of the best on the market, because you can adjust the drag perfectly you no longer need a bobber like you might with some of the cheaper rattle reels that you really can’t consistently set the resistance.

Also with the Ultimate’s you can put the light inside of it and it won’t affect the reels performance at all.

they are nice rattle reels, thats what i use

usmarine0352 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ryan Overson wrote:</div>
I assume we’re talking walleyes here? If so, should you even use a bobber? I have Ultimate rattle wheels for my IC and will be going to Red Lake New Year’s weekend, the drag on these can be micro adjusted, and would think not using a bobber would be best.

I think the Ulimate Rattle Reels are some of the best on the market, because you can adjust the drag perfectly you no longer need a bobber like you might with some of the cheaper rattle reels that you really can’t consistently set the resistance.

Also with the Ultimate’s you can put the light inside of it and it won’t affect the reels performance at all.

How can putting a light in it not effect the balance?

usmarine0352 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Smellson wrote:</div>
I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines. Hookup percentage is nearly 100 and don’t notice any reduction in bites. Run single hooks on my finicky foolers. Absolutely love the finicky foolers especially when fishing deeper water.

Why trebles on the rattle reels but not the Finicky Foolers?

I like to use smaller baits on my finicky foolers (mostly glow demons….single hook). Way easier to keep fish hooked up on the rod setup vs hand lining

May have just been that day / night. Some times the bite is just really soft. Suspect the walleyes are grabbing the bait and moving off with it, but not taking it hard.

Seen the same thing on tip ups. Some days flags oo up and there is little to set on and other days they slam the bait so hard they are hooked before you pull.

I have played with hook type, hook size and hook location on the bait. Especially doable if you are dropping down 4 – 6 or more baits at night. I will say that some nights the right combinaton results in the most triggers, but not necessarily the most fish.

Dave maze wrote:

6 is a small hook. Bump that up to a #2 if your not in gin clear water.

We will be on Mille Lacs. My understanding is that lake is very clear. Recommendation?

I’d use bigger shiners or medium suckers on ml. So I’d stay with a #2 red hook. But if your running fatheads, #4.

Jim Ageton wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dave maze wrote:</div>
6 is a small hook. Bump that up to a #2 if your not in gin clear water.

We will be on Mille Lacs. My understanding is that lake is very clear. Recommendation?

Smellson wrote:

I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines.

This is illegal in MN right?

Not to my knowledge, I know I rented a shack a couple years ago and that’s what they had set up on there rattles.

Seems like a rattle reel is an application that calls for a circle hook.

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Smellson wrote:

I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines. Hookup percentage is nearly 100 and don’t notice any reduction in bites. Run single hooks on my finicky foolers. Absolutely love the finicky foolers especially when fishing deeper water.

What size treble hooks do you use on your rattle reels?

tindall wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Smellson wrote:</div>
I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines.

This is illegal in MN right?

In 2012 (I think) it was updated to say “You may use up to three single or multiple-pronged hooks on the end of one fishing line.” Before that it had to be an “artificial lure” which meant you needed a spinner or something.

usmarine0352 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Smellson wrote:</div>
I almost exclusively run treble hooks on my rattle reel lines. Hookup percentage is nearly 100 and don’t notice any reduction in bites. Run single hooks on my finicky foolers. Absolutely love the finicky foolers especially when fishing deeper water.

What size treble hooks do you use on your rattle reels?

Honestly, I don’t know my treble hook sizes. I run two different sizes based on body of water and minnow size. They are the same sizes you would find on most 1/16oz and 1/8oz jigging spoons.

I have always liked to use the VMC sure set treble hooks on my set lines. They however have been discontinued. Does anyone know if a replacement for the vmc sure set hooks?