Ah Reel Weeds.
I know the first time Mike Smith, Dean Marshall and I tried them the worked awesomely well for panfish. In a Mississippi River marina.
I’ll post a like to that once I find it.
There were many reports of using them up on Red Lake for crappies in that featureless bowl. I recall one person saying they held the fish longer as they swam through the area.
Now on the other hand, up on Winnie one year after the walleye/pike season was closed, we were fishing perch, crappies and gills. I found a hole with fish in it and then placed the reel weeds around that hole. The fishing stop shortly after. Went to another hole and repeated. Same thing. the fish just quit shortly after.
I dropped my camera down, because it didn’t make sense…found out there were pike hanging all around the reel weeds. Duh!
In talking with the manufacturers later, they said it happens a lot. I should place a tip up with a sucker on about 20 feet away from the weeds. (if the seasons open of course)
Reel Weeds are legal in MN because they are strong enough to handle the cold without becoming brittle, falling apart and littering the waters. In other words, they can be removed when done fishing.
As one article explained “they aren’t a silver bullet, but they are another bullet to help catch more fish”.