Reefrunners

[Phil]

I was planning on buying some reefrunners to trie out this year. My question is I always here how good they are in the spring an fall but how about the summer. I fish Lke Erie an would like to no what sizes everybody used mainly during the summer on the western basin. Thanks in advance.

[ezmarc]

Phil,

Normally I'd let ETT or Den answer this but they're both at the Cleveland Boat show for the next week or so. The easy answer is they work all year long. However in the warm water months you might be better served just about anywhere on Erie, with spoons, shallow cranks or harnesses with jets or dipsy's. You can also keep your Reefrunners in the water by running 3 ways.

[Brian_MN]

Phil,

If you want to get a great look at all the colors and styles of Reef Runners, try www.reelbait.com. I just placed an order there and it's a very nice site, easy ordering, and good prices.

[ezmarc]

Phil, Den is at the boat show in Cleveland and he has quite a few 2nd's for sale at 3 for 10 bucks. I bought some and they look great. If you're close by it may well be worth your while to make a trip to see him at the show. Think he had about 1200 of them but people were buying them by the dozens.

[Kevin/CO]

An additional plug for reelbait.com, the site is great. Al Patterson, the owner, is a great guy and very dedictaed. I placed an order there and on the order there was a descrepancy and Al himself called me very promptly (ordered on saturday called on sunday but he left a message on saturday 2 hours later) and we worked out the problems with the order. If you're going to order online go to reelbait.



PS- Al also posts here on WalleyeCenteral from time to time too. Great guy.

[FROGMAN]

For Summer fishing where you will have to cover various depths you should look into the Ripsticks. You can run them behind dipsy's, or jet divers, and snap weights to get down deeper, but yet have the option of trolling higher behind boards.
Ripsticks will also allow you to troll at much higher speeds.

Check your local tackle shop, or give Den a call.

Tight lines

Keith Segar
NPAA #260

[iamwalleye1]

I third the www.reelbait.com I order from Al and my package showed in 3 days. With everything I ordered! he has a discount for the month of jan.!

[FreeByrd]

Phil,
As Mark said, yes you can catch fish on Reefrunners all year, but the summer bite is predominately spoons or harnesses. Here's what we generally run.

Late March / April: Big bodied crankbaits off planar boards(Reefrunner Deep Divers, Ripsticks - both in the full size).

Late April - May: Big Bodied crankbaits and start mixing in some smaller crankbaits (Deep Little Ripper). We also start running a few dipseys with either stickbaits (non diving or thin lipped), Little Rippers and Spoons (Michigan Stingers and ProKing).

Late May - June, July: Running mostly spoons - mainly the smaller size Michigan Stinger Scorpions.

Late July, August: Still mostly spoons, but about half small sixe and half larger. Start running a few Reefrunners again in Aug.

Sept: About half spoons and half Reefrunners.

Oct-Nov: Mostly Reefrunners.

Last year I ran worm harnesses more than in the past and mixed them in throughout the year.

If you can make it to the Boat Show that is going on at the IX center through next weekend. Look for Jim Stedke (ETT) during one of his seminars in "Anglers Alley." He's doing talks from a Ranger that is set up in a water tank. Also right by that is a booth for Stedke Brothers fishing, and Den's Sportsman's Outpost. Talk to any of the guys hanging out in that area. Someone mentioned Den has Reefrunner seconds (all sizes) 3 for $10 tax included. This is a great price. Most of these are "seconds" because of a slight difference in the paint or they may be scratched. Den also has most all colors of the Reefrunners.

Good Luck,
Steve