What's the best rod/reel/hook setup for big redear?

Guys, I'm tired of losing big adult redear on my poles, using four pound test line and number 8 long shank hooks. Here's a quick rundown on my gear: poles-5'6 inch Cherrywood Berkley light action poles bought at Kmart and Walmart. These poles are a blast to catch big crackers on but I'm wondering if they're stout enough. Line-four pound test line is currently on all of my reels. Reels-I have one Mitchell 310 and five Shakesphere models from Kmart. Hook size-no 8 long shank hooks. Knot-half blood knot or clinch knot, whichever you call it.

I'm losing fish sometimes when the line breaks, other times they're spitting the hook at the top of the water or just spitting the hook after being hooked. The poles seem to really buckle when these big redear make their last dive under the boat. What's the best gear to chase these fish, I'm interested in hearing opinions on this. Bluegill and redear are two totally different species, I target the redear, keep that in mind.

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

Guys, I'm tired of losing big adult redear on my poles, using four pound test line and number 8 long shank hooks. Here's a quick rundown on my gear: poles-5'6 inch Cherrywood Berkley light action poles bought at Kmart and Walmart. These poles are a blast to catch big crackers on but I'm wondering if they're stout enough. Line-four pound test line is currently on all of my reels. Reels-I have one Mitchell 310 and five Shakesphere models from Kmart. Hook size-no 8 long shank hooks. Knot-half blood knot or clinch knot, whichever you call it.

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Your gear is PLENTY strong for redear. I have no idea why you're losing fish, but it's not because of your tackle. I've landed carp and cats over 10# and bass over 7# on gear like this. There are stronger knots, though. I use the Orvis (Becker) knot. Palomar, Trilene, and Uni knot are good, too.

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I'm losing fish sometimes when the line breaks

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I've never had a redear break 4# line. Maybe your line is old or damaged. You could try using braid, like 8/1 or 10/2 Power Pro. Fireline is good, too.

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

other times they're spitting the hook at the top of the water or just spitting the hook after being hooked.

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Not much you can do about that. It happens with other types of fish, too.

I use a 5 and a half ft. Berkley Cherrywood rod light action...with a ABU Garcia C100 spinning reel and 6 lb. Mr. Crappie line...I use a number 4 long shank cricket style hook. Works great for me have caught some really big red ears...thats about all I target anymore are red ear. I fish on the bottom with red worms.

I use the BPS Micro light series rods, and have a couple Okuma reels spooled with 6lb. mono. The tackle you are using, should be fine....Although I like a 6'6" or a 7' rod for longer casts and better hooksets. I have never had any panfish break my line, I have had a few pull the drag though. Check your line, it could be time to change it. I change line 3 or 4 times a year.

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

What's the best gear to chase these fish

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Check out this thread, too:


http://www.crappie.com/crappie/panfi...egill-rod.html

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Your gear is PLENTY strong for redear. I have no idea why you're losing fish, but it's not because of your tackle. I've landed carp and cats over 10# and bass over 7# on gear like this. There are stronger knots, though. I use the Orvis (Becker) knot. Palomar, Trilene, and Uni knot are good, too.





I've never had a redear break 4# line. Maybe your line is old or damaged. You could try using braid, like 8/1 or 10/2 Power Pro. Fireline is good, too.





Not much you can do about that. It happens with other types of fish, too.

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I don't know how to tie those knots, but I'll look them up on the internet. The half blood knot has been fairly reliable for me and it's super easy to tie.

I do need to change the line out, some of it is a year old and I fish quite often. I've also been thinking about going to some longer poles for better hook sets. We went today and my wife lost a pound redear at the boat and I lost a ten inch ear at the boat, that's why I'm irritated with my gear.lol.

A number 8 long shank hook is mighty small for red ears weighing a pound or more...a lot of folks use a number 6 but I use a number 4...even when I am fishing for smaller bluegills...It seems like I hook up better with them.

I'll second the Palomar knot. Very strong, and fast and easy to tie.

I'm not very good at explaining knot tying, but if you do a search as you'd mentioned you'll see how easy a knot it is to tie.

As far as them spitting the hook, are you're hooks really sharp? I always hit mine with a file to touch them up while fishing ... even straight out of the package too.... Just some food for thought.

YB

Had it happen a few times to me last year on glendale trips. Moved up from 4lb. line to 6lb. and have not lost an ear this year. I use the 6lb. Mr. crappie line in yellow with a 4lb. Fluoro leader. I also use #8 hooks. I am switching over to longer poles slowly but surely.

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I don't know how to tie those knots,

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Here's the Orvis knot. It's very strong and easy to tie. It's also very hard to tie it incorrectly.


Fly Fishing West Georgia & Beyond


You can find all the other knots on Youtube.

... it could be your hook size is too small, and you really aren't getting a good/deep hook penetration. I use #4 bronze Aberdeen lite wire hooks for Redear/Gill fishing (usually with pinch of nightcrawler as bait), and I don't lose many fish.
New line is always a good idea, especially if you fish alot ... fish in the sunshine alot ... fish cover alot (wood/rocks/etc) ... or store your rods in the trunk, bed, or backseat of your vehicle. Heat and sunlight will damage your line, over time.

I'm using Mr Crappie Super Hi-vis 4lb test line (old version, not the newer "chinese" made version) ... and I'm handling Crappie over 2lbs, Bass, Cats, Drum, Hybrids, etc. w/o fear of breakage. I've used the Improved Clinch knot about all of my life, on mono from 4lb test to 20lb test, and never had a problem with the knot. Improper cinching down of the knot, dry cinching of the knot, nicked/freyed line (from contact with cover), or kinked up line (from picked out birdsnests & professional overwinds) ... now those will cause problems :p

I'd change my line, first ... then, if I still lost fish (as before), I'd change hooks ;)

... cp :cool:

I'm not sure that hook size is the problem. You can land pretty big fish on small hooks.

For bait fishing, the biggest hooks I use are #10's, and those are my carp hooks! :D (My biggest carp -- a 20-pounder -- came on a #14 fly hook.)

For gills/crackers, I normally use a #14 or #16. My biggest brown trout (a 20-incher) came on a #20 nymph.

As long as the line and rod are matched to the hook, small hooks hold just fine. :)

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Originally Posted by crappiepappy

I've used the Improved Clinch knot about all of my life, on mono from 4lb test to 20lb test, and never had a problem with the knot. Improper cinching down of the knot, dry cinching of the knot, nicked/freyed line (from contact with cover), or kinked up line (from picked out birdsnests & professional overwinds) ... now those will cause problems

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I'm still working on my improved clinch skills, CP. ;)

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

I'm not sure that hook size is the problem. You can land pretty big fish on small hooks.

For bait fishing, the biggest hooks I use are #10's, and those are my carp hooks! :D (My biggest carp -- a 20-pounder -- came on a #14 fly hook.)

For gills/crackers, I normally use a #14 or #16. My biggest brown trout (a 20-incher) came on a #20 nymph.

As long as the line and rod are matched to the hook, small hooks hold just fine. :)

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Exactly. People even catch large trout on #28 midge patterns....

Sure small hooks will hold...if hooked in the right place etc. With a larger gap hook you have a better chance of hooking up more solid.

I haven't had bluegill break 4 lb. test, but had a big one break 2 lb. test once. The reason I know it was a bluegill is I caught the fish the next day and it still had my jig and line in its mouth.

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Originally Posted by Festus_Haggen

I haven't had bluegill break 4 lb. test, but had a big one break 2 lb. test once. The reason I know it was a bluegill is I caught the fish the next day and it still had my jig and line in its mouth.

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So how big was it? did you weigh it?

redear are powerful fish, make no mistake about that. the best redear fisherman I know uses 10 lb line, two rods that are 8 1/2' long. they are st. croix float and fly rods meant for smallmouth fishing. he uses size 2 eagle claw aberdeen crappie hooks. he had a 2lb plus redear break his 8lb. line at the boat a couple yrs. ago. I use 9-11 foot rods, 6 lb. line and size 2 extra lite aberdeen hooks, so I can get some of them back when snagged. alot of times a redear will have you wrapped around some wood before you can even pick the rod up. this happened to me a couple mos. ago with a 1lb. 12oz. redear, I was lucky to get that fish in. the size 8 hooks are too small for consistent hookup when using 2 redworms on the hook. If the worms are small I'll put more on there. the long rods really help when you get the fish up close to the boat to keep them away from the anchor lines, and also to help keep them out of the wood etc. I always try to wear them down some before bringing them close to the boat, this nixes alot of problems. and when they are close to the boat I'll back off the drag too, because they are gonna lunge for the bottom. you can readjust the drag after you have him in the cooler.

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Originally Posted by redear

redear are powerful fish, make no mistake about that. the best redear fisherman I know uses 10 lb line, two rods that are 8 1/2' long. they are st. croix float and fly rods meant for smallmouth fishing. he uses size 2 eagle claw aberdeen crappie hooks. he had a 2lb plus redear break his 8lb. line at the boat a couple yrs. ago. I use 9-11 foot rods, 6 lb. line and size 2 extra lite aberdeen hooks, so I can get some of them back when snagged. alot of times a redear will have you wrapped around some wood before you can even pick the rod up. this happened to me a couple mos. ago with a 1lb. 12oz. redear, I was lucky to get that fish in. the size 8 hooks are too small for consistent hookup when using 2 redworms on the hook. If the worms are small I'll put more on there. the long rods really help when you get the fish up close to the boat to keep them away from the anchor lines, and also to help keep them out of the wood etc. I always try to wear them down some before bringing them close to the boat, this nixes alot of problems. and when they are close to the boat I'll back off the drag too, because they are gonna lunge for the bottom. you can readjust the drag after you have him in the cooler.

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Wow, great post, this is the type of information I was looking for. I'm gradually going towards longer poles, six foot poles and better. I bought two the other day that were six foot, medium and medium light action. I've learned the hard way that those five foot ultra light poles I grew up on really struggle to consistently land these fish. The nine foot pole seems a bit much but again, these rascals are a totally different hookup than most bluegill. It's that final dive at the boat where I lose lots of nice redear, even a good nine inch ear fights like a prize fighter when he sees the boat.

I personally am using four pound test line, but will upgrade to six pound line for next year. I'm also experimenting with several different knots, the palomer and jansik knot in particular. The palomer seems like a great knot and fairly easy to tie.

I spend a lot of time and money chasing these fish and when losing a good one, I feel cheated out of my money. My goal is to land a 1.8-2.0 pounder and have it mounted, but those fish are smart and not caught easily. I know they're out there though, the game warden showed me a picture of a fourteen inch redear caught at the lake I frequent a couple of weeks ago.

You don't have to use the 9 foot rods, and you'll do fine, but I like the fact that the long rod bowed over acts like a big shock absorber, when he lunges for the bottom at the boat, I will let him have some rod, by bowing my rod down to him, I would rather do that than rely on the drag only. the other reason is that the longer rod allows you to take up more line when you are getting a bite and the wind has blown slack in the line. when I am in closer quarters tho, I like to use a 7 1/2 foot rod by ozark. I do on occasion use 4 lb. line while casting 1/16 jigs and roadrunners etc. but I use an 8 1/2 foot micro lite from bps. try a chartruese roadrunner head 1/16, with a grasshopper color tiny bass assassin, plastic body with the little straight tail, and keep it close to the bottom. pm me with your luck, good or bad. kip

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

My goal is to land a 1.8-2.0 pounder ... but those fish are smart and not caught easily.

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To me, this is an argument for going to lighter, not heavier gear. My biggest redear was 12" (not sure of the weight.) I got him on a #16 hook and 6X tippet (that's about 3.5# line, but it's much thinner than regular 4# mono.) There's a guy over at FAOL (Jim Hatch) who fishes Santee Cooper for shellcrackers. He uses very light fly tackle and has landed redears over 3 pounds.

As I said earlier, I'm not sure what the problem is, but I don't think it's your gear. Good luck, though. :)

Palomar Knot

Try this link for knot tying.

Should have given you this link.

Fishing Knots

I went today and while the bite wasn't good at all, I did switch up on tactics. Most importantly I switched hooks and went to number 2 and 4's, that's probably the single most important thing I did. I only missed one fish all day and that's great for me, I usually miss at least four good ones.

I also bought two new six foot poles that are medium action and they are just a much better product for these fish. Those ultra light poles struggle to bring in big redear off of the bottom in twelve feet of water. This is a great thread, TONS of great info in here.

Try running a cotton swab (Qtip) thru your guides on the rods. If the cotton tip snags and pulls, you have a rough spot that could be breaking or just weakening the line.