Has anyone tried this and if so what kind of setup did you use and did you have success?
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Has anyone tried this and if so what kind of setup did you use and did you have success?
I've tried it...several times...
Seems there are 2 distinct difficulties...
*Getting the baits close enough to the bottom...without hangin up...
*Boat on top of their heads spooks the fish...
I've heard of spider riggin the river channel edge for read ears in the hot summer...but I haven't tried that one yet....
Yet!!!
Rickie
Redear are very spooky
I spider rig after the first spawn, and the water heats up. You can find them on the drops. I use popeyes tipped with wax worms. I have found spider rigging in shallow water for bluegill and redears it tough on equipment. The fish in shallow water tend to run with the bait, and tangle your poles. In deeper water, they tend to dive with the bait. You will need to be quick on your hook sets.
During the spawn, redear are easily spooked, so I believe it would be very hard to spider-rig for them. I know a lot of folks talk about how during the spawn they always catch the redear spawning near bluegill beds, and always just a little deeper than the bluegill. I have not always found that to be the case. Several times on Lake Barkley and Ky Lake, I have seen redear spawning so shallow you could see their fins coming out of the water. True, I do catch them sometimes deeper than the bluegill, but don't be afraid to try between the bluegill bed and the bank, especially around grass and rocks. Also, year before last during October on Lake Barkley I got into several redear out on the main channel of the river while fishing for catfish. The water was about 15 feet deep or so and I managed somehow to catch one on a small catfish hook. I threw out a marker, laid my catfish gear down and picked up two light rods with about half-oz weights and small hooks. I baited with pieces of night crawlers that I was using for the catfish and immediately caught a fat redear on one....and then another. I ended up with 11 really nice redear. I never had the chance to really try that again, but I'm convinced a person can catch redear in deeper water like that during the summer and fall, particularly around shell beds on the edges of river channels. That's my two cents worth, anyway!
I do not have any problems finding the bluegill but have never found a redear bed anywhere. I do not know if I am fishing to close to the bank and essential the boat is over the bed. or what but it is hard and I have had problems locating beds any help with this issue.