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Thread: Road runners; how slow is slow ?

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    Default Road runners; how slow is slow ?


    It says "can't fish 'em wrong as long as you fish 'em slow" . How slow is slow ? Do you just reel it straight in or pump the rod tip alittle ? Any advice to get the most out of these ? -Thanks

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    CrappiePappy is offline Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Exclamation Actually, Kyron4 ......

    Quote Originally Posted by kyron4
    It says "can't fish 'em wrong as long as you fish 'em slow" . How slow is slow ? Do you just reel it straight in or pump the rod tip alittle ? Any advice to get the most out of these ? -Thanks
    I think you CAN fish them TOO slow .... if you aren't reeling them in fast enough to make the blade spin !! For most all of the 30+ years, that I've been throwing RR's, a straight cast and retrieve method has worked for me.
    You can fish them too fast, though ... and it's easy to tell, when you do. The RR will come in laying on its side, or nearly so, especially with the smaller versions (1/32oz).
    If the RR is upright, and the blade is spinning, then you're reeling it at the right speed IMHO. There's a small window of retrieve speed, between too slow and fast enough to make them turn on their side. Your reel's retrieve speed ratio, and how fast you crank the handle, determine how fast they will go. Best you can do, to determine if your RR is "upright and blade is spinning", is to cast out a short distance - in water clear enough to see the RR - and then just experiment

    Will you catch fish on a RR, that's being reeled in too slow to make the blade spin ... probably. But, then you're really just fishing with a "jig" (that just happens to have a blade tucked under its body) :p I think you'll do much better with one, if you determine the retrieve speed that makes the RR's blade spin, but doesn't turn on its side.

    I don't add any "jiggles or jerks", when RR slinging .... with, maybe the exception of a quick little jerk once the RR starts sinking in the water. And, the only reason I do this, is to shake the blade loose and start it spinning. Occasionally, the blade may get tangled or tucked into the RR body (from the cast, splashdown, or when sinking). That little jerk usually frees the blade.

    I've "always" got a RR on at least one rod I have with me. I can't even tell you the number of Crappie I've caught on them. And I've also caught many other species on them, too. I like 'em in 1/32 & 1/16oz ... solid pink, solid chartreuse, and Peacock (teal body/char tail) ... marabou type.
    --note: Peacock has been discontinued (per Blakemore) - solid pink isn't offered any longer, either ... or, at least, I can't find them. I got Oregon Slabman to make me some up .... and he did a great job, too !!

    ......... luck2ya ... cp

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    Slow is what slow does. ;You can fish them too slow-especially over brush. But like crappiepappy says, you want the blade to at least spin, otherwise better just using a jig.
    My favorite has been the chartruese belly. Was at Walmart here two months ago and they had the ones with the belly on sale...those only. Asked a guy working in sporting goods why and he told me they were being discontinued..at least in that particular Walmart.
    I like to slow retrieve them where I know where brush is and then barely twitch my rod tip just as the rr hits the cover, thus raising the roadrunner, then lowering my rod, keeping the line tight and if there are crappie present they will nail it as it drops!
    the trick to catch that finnicky speck....
    gently set the hook just before the peck

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    Thanks for the great info. guys !!

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    (Peacock has been discontinued (per Blakemore) - solid pink isn't offered any longer, either ... or, at least, I can't find them. I got Oregon Slabman to make me some up .... and he did a great job, too !! )

    Crappiepappy have you tried the electric chicken RR? It has a pink head ,chartreuse body,pink marabou tail.......

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    I get one from BPS and I think it is called a weedless stump runner. They are very hard to get hung up. This time of year I run them so slow they bump the bottom and drop through brush. I reel straight in ver slow. It is more of a combo jig/road runner lure. I don't care if the blades spin or not this time of year. If you bump enough things on the way in, the blades will spin at least some of the time.

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    Mr.Crappie is offline Trophy King II * Crappie.com Supporter * Member Sponsor
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    I have been fishing Roadrunners for over 30 years, creeks,ponds,lake,rivers and barditches. Where ever the crappie are i'm pitching,casting, vetical jigging,trolling and even fished them under a float. I mainly pitch and vertical jig a roadrunner and shoot dock thats where it's really effective. when you can put that Wally wiggle on them from time to time just alittle twitch of the rod tip during the retreive. The only lure i have use in 20+ years. Maribou, Bubble Bellys, Crappie Thunders a great vertical and pitch bait. Curly Tails for trolling or casting. When ya'll get a chance check out the new Pro Series Heads by Blakemore designed by yours truely. Good Luck Fishing the slower you fish'm the more you lose Just Kiddin..... I really don't even want the Blade to spin just a flash and noise maker lot's of vibration with the new Hammered Gold Willow leaf.

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    RoadRunners are one of the best Crappie lures of all time, period. I fish them all the time while moving around points in search of suspended Crappie. The biggest Crappie that ended up in my live well last year was from a RR dangleing straight down around 8' deep. I saw the hit and had my 6 year old daughter grab the pole. I was in the middle of tying on another RR. She fought it like an old pro. Flat out made 4 men and a boy all drop there jaws at the same time when I grabbed hold of it and took it out of the net.
    If the Crappie are hitting hard, then a faster retrieve will be just fine. If the bite is lite, slow it down to almost no movement. Either way, you'll eventually catch a couple. It's a "To each his own" type of use.
    Reaper, Where Fish come to Fry

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    Exclamation Hey Litebite ....

    (Peacock has been discontinued (per Blakemore) - solid pink isn't offered any longer, either ... or, at least, I can't find them. I got Oregon Slabman to make me some up .... and he did a great job, too !! )
    Quote Originally Posted by litebite
    Crappiepappy have you tried the electric chicken RR? It has a pink head ,chartreuse body,pink marabou tail.......
    No, Litebite ... I haven't. I do have some Elec Chicken Panfish Assassins, that I could put on my RR heads, though. Elec Chicken looks very much like a sunfish fry .... and I think the Bass like it more than the Crappie I've thrown it at :D
    I have done well on a Bubblegum/Chartreuse tube, though.

    I've got so many "new" baits (or colors) to try this year, it's gonna be hard to give them all a fair chance of tricking a Crappie into thinking it's something they just "gotta taste" ... LOL!! .............. cp

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