Reel Weeds™ FAQs

Q. I have all the latest electronics, lures, ice houses, etc. Why should I add Reel Weeds™ to my arsenal?

A. Great question!! What Reel Weeds™ will do is simply enhance the potential of much of the equipment you have. Imagine a normally barren environment all around you, often in all directions, but right underneath you is a very visible source of weed structure that no active fish can swim past without stopping in. As Matt Johnson pointed out some time ago it is like a new sporting goods store opening. You can't not stop in.

Once you have the fish there and holding, you can then capitalize on all your other equipment to drive it home and catch more fish. Reel Weeds will bring he fish to you. It is then up to you and the rest of your arsenal to get them to bite.

Reel Weeds™ will bring the fish to you. It is then up to you and the rest of your arsenal to get them to bite.
 

Q: Why would I use a 6 footer instead of a 4 foot Reel Weeds?

A: We have conducted hundreds of hours of underwater surveillance, monitoring exactly how, where and why fish react to our products. We have placed dozens of video clips throughout this website for you to view, but we obtain an entire library of additional footage that rendors a solid conclusion. That conclusion is that although most fish do relate to the bottom 4 feet of the lake, many fish will suspend far off the bottom for various reasons, most of which involve feeding activities. The 6 foot Reel Weeds provide two of the final components that these suspending fish are looking for… structure and food (your bait).

Northern pike, panfish, trout, and even walleye will leave the bottom few feet looking for food. Fish know that where there are weeds, there is often food and the 6 foot Reel Weeds can give you returns that you never imagined possible in attracting and holding suspended fish.

When using Reel Weeds for Docks, boat lifts, etc., it all depends on the depth of the water. The more Reel Weeds that are in the water the better the results.
 

Q. Why not make my own structure?

A. LaDredge Outdoors has spent many years designing and patenting Reel Weeds™, including hundreds of hours of testing to create a product that will withstand extreme winter conditions, improving what was not right, and building the perfect artificial underwater weed for fishermen and fisheries.

Reel Weeds have been manufactured to withstand outside temperatures far below zero degrees. In addition, closed-cell technology makes the floatation device ice-free.

Summary: Although appearance and familiarity to fish is high on the list, quality, safety and durability exceeds everything else. Our product line has been custom designed and manufactured specifically with these factors in mind. It can withstand extreme winter weather conditions and is completely safe in our fisheries. We will cut no corners to provide to you the best possible artificial weed structure.

Please note: We caution anybody in constructing and/or submerging into our fisheries a homemade structure with products purchased from pet stores, tinsels from craft stores, etc. These products are in no way designed in any way, shape or form for this type of application. Many of these over the counter decorations have everything from wires to color dies that should not be introduced to our fisheries and are simply intended and constructed for heated aquariums, holiday decorations, or other interior household decor.
For additional information, please read the "Is Reel Weeds legal" FAQ.

Q. What types of Reel Weeds formations are most effective?

A. Many fisherman have told us they just surround their portable or permanent shack with 5 or 10 reel weeds and the fish come and stay. The formation opportunities are only limited to your experience, knowledge and imagination. One of our favorite comparisons when considering how best to strategize is to create a set similar to decoys for duck or goose hunting. Know the territory, know where the majority of fish may be coming from and use Reel Weeds™ to funnel them right to your jig or lure.

Q. Are Reel Weeds™ legal?

A. With a wide variance of laws and regulations regarding submersing structure into public and/or private fisheries throughout the United States it is advised to verify that Reel Weeds™ products comply with individual state regulations.

As an example as per the Minnesota DNR "an individual permit is not required for placement of temporary structures** if the conditions as outlined on this informational sheet are followed"...

** Temporary Structure means any dock, floating structure, watercraft lift, watercraft canopy, or other structure that can be removed from public waters ....

Note 1: In public lakes and fisheries, Reel Weeds™ products should be attended at all times and removed similar to other fishing equipment as per individual state laws and fishing regulations.

Note 2: Most importantly and one of the primary reasons for our ongoing efforts in perfecting Reel Weeds™ is to adhere to and protect these laws and our precious fisheries.

Q. Will the Reel Weeds freeze into the ice?

A. Water will obviously freeze around the float in cold conditions...no problem! When you are ready to retrieve your Reel Weeds, simply squeeze the float and lift straight up. There will be open water the size of the float (see photo below) allowing you to reel your Reel Weed right up.

The Reel Weeds will remain "ice free"; however will not prevent the entire hole from freezing shut if left for an extended period of time in extreme cold conditions. As with all ice fishing equipment, a common sense approach with respect to the elements will prevent problems.
 
 

Q. How close should I fish to Reel Weeds™ structure?

A. Just a few pointers regarding the distance you should fish from Reel Weeds™.

A key rule of thumb is to simply fish as close to your Reel Weeds™ as you would fish to another hook and line, underwater camera, etc.

Respect the depth and species you are fishing. For example, when fishing panfish in 10 feet of water you can fish very close, if you so desire. If fishing Northern Pike, Trout, etc. who will take "runs" respect that just as you would with other lines, etc.

You will be amazed what putting a Tip-Up 30 or more feet away from a structure set up will do for bonus success.
In our extensive testing and feedback from a lot of fishermen there is no drastic difference in success when fishing 2 feet or 6 feet from Reel Weeds™. When they are hungry (or often don't want another fish to get the food) they will not hesitate to head over to your bait. They are utilizing the structure for many reasons but one of them is obviously to be where they know their prey is going to be.

Q. How long will it take fish to be drawn to Reel Weeds™?

A. The concept with presenting Reel Weeds structure to fish, (especially where and when lake weeds don’t exist) is to simply give fish a reason to stop roaming for cover and food and hang out for a while. You will see in video clip, after video clip on our amazing video page many examples of this.

Time spent chasing schools of fish can be drastically reduced by building your own weed bed and getting ready for the fish to come to you, and to stay. This allows fishermen a greater opportunity to catch more than the one or two fish per school that happens to be roaming by.

Q. Are there any precautions or special instruction when using Reel Weeds in sub-zero temperatures?

A. We have gone to extreme lengths to design Reel Weeds to stand up to the elements, including an exclusive custom mold-injection plastic recipe, rated for well below zero. Understandably, Reel Weeds are extremely tough but no plastic is indestructible.

Due to such things as humidity and water absorption many more things than the temperature come in to play when bitter cold conditions present themselves.

We advise, as a general rule that much like the rest of your ice fishing equipment, if you intend to use Reel Weeds in sub-zero conditions to keep them in a warm of place as possible before and after submersing. By following this instruction Reel Weeds will perform at the highest potential.

Q: How do I go about using Reel Weeds for docks, boat lifts, etc.?

A: Please see our instruction page for easy installation tips and procedures.