reef runner speeds

[Kevin W]

I love to pull reef runners on Sakakawea. Currently pull reef runners and little rippers at 2 mph with Yamaha t8 tiller as per gps. I,m catching some walleyes at this speed is my speed to slow or should i increase my speed. I use 7 foot fenwick rods and diawa 27 line counters with 10/6 fire line. Also when trooling with the wind my gps goes from 1.5 to 2.whatever do i use the lower speed or the top speed for trooling. Ive been trying to keep at 2 mph. Thanks for any reply's

[Eyez]

The only way you would be going too slow or too fast is if it prevents your plugs from running correctly. Any speed from barely moving to 4.5 mph (and faster) really is fair game this time of year, so long as your lures will run correctly, although most people don't troll much faster than 3.0 mph. Experiment with your speed, you'll find that simply changing from 2.5 to 3.0- 3.2 mph can trigger fish when slower speeds will not. Not always, but definitely try it. Reef Runner plugs in my experience do not run well much above 2.8 mph. I have a couple that will do 3.1 or so, but most won't. I use a paddle wheel speedometer when trolling, so mine bounces around alot too. Average the speed between the high and low ends, but pay attention to what speed it says when the plug gets hit, that may give you a hint as to how to fine tune your speed, especially when trolling in waves, causing the boat to surge forward and then pause in the trough of the wave.

I hope this helps a bit, I'm really not a trolling expert.


Eyez

[Deano]

I like the reefrunners too but sometimes I want to run 2.8 to 3.5 mph. When this is necessary I switch to Hotntots. I have found them to be able to run at the faster speeds. Don't worry about trolling too fast for walleyes. When they want something they will easily catch it. The faster speeds seem to work best in hot calm conditions. Not sure if it's because we just cover more water or if they are reaction strikes, but it has seemed to catch more fish at certain times for us than others are catching. You also were concerned with the surging of your speeds. This is perfectly normal and is also a good trigger for the fish. When the boat slows from a wave and then speeds up the walleye thinks it's easy meal is trying to escape. BAM! Fish on! You can and should also make your trolling runs in S's so you can intentionally speed up and slow down your planer boards to find out if they want a faster or slower speed to the baits and you also run the baits over water where the boat hasn't alerted the fish.

[chadk66]

I pulled reef runners an awful lot last year on Sakakawea and had great success with it. I found that the slower I went the better it was. There are quite a few that believe you have to be really cruisin to pull cranks. That isn't always so. At times that may be what it takes. I always start very slow and if need be then speed up. One way I really had success was when there were the 3-4 foot rollers, I would troll with the wind with boards out, and troll with the main motor. Every once in awhile I would kick it in neutral for a few seconds and then back in gear. This caused a lot of strikes. Also I might add, caught 75% of the fish off the boards verses the ones straight back. The predominant color was the fire tiger and chartreuse colored reef's. Also don't get so caught up on MPH. Try to guage your rod bend and feel of the lure more. It is a better guage of you speed than anything when it's windy, at least for me.