"structure on a string" SOS

[Maximo990]

i dunno just a thought, maybe they could say putting un-natural non-indeginous plastic non biodegradible substance in the water to attract game. If it gets loose it will be at the bottome of the lake forever (it is plastic)

I have a question though, how do you keep a big fish from getting tangled in it. I have a hard time keeping fish from getting in my tranducer sometimes, especially nice ones.

[hoggs222]

I haven't used mine yet, but I am guessing that you are NOT supposed to use it in the same hole that you're fishing in. Scatter some out a little ways away from the holes that you are fishing in. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

[Matt Johnson]

I won't fish out of the same hole I put the SOS in, I'll punch a new hole close by and work that one instead. You don't need to punch a hole a foot away either, it can be a few feet, that will work just fine...

[waleye wiz]

I just joined this forum but visited it quite often for about a year and a half. Found this subject to be interesting so I tried it tonight, fished for one hour with out the sos caught three fish two perch and one gill put the sos in the same hole that I was fishing 30 min. later caught 13 inch slab 3 gills over 8 inches and numerous perch. Not bad for first time trying.I have been fishing this area on off for 2 weeks. It has been hot but slowed 4 days ago. I'm fishing 6' bay mud bottom not much structure to speak of. I'm going to play with this idea a little more

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Welcome Aboard Waleye wiz:

Your insight should be very valuable…

I’m glad to hear of a somewhat successful report.

I’m still on the fence on this one. I’m known with my buddies that

I buy the first gimmick out there every year. So I’m hanging out there until

I see a few more reports.

Again Welcome Aboard…

[carverfshrmn]

Is there only one style? Or are there otheres, if so, which seems best? Also, what about a place patteren?

[island guy]

I know some local guys around here that have been doing this for years. They use pine and other natural branches from a tree tied to a oblong rock with twine and drop it down. They always remove their structure after using. I've never tried it but they swear it works.

[CrappieJohn]

waleye wiz.....

Welcome to FishingMinnesota.com.

Thanks for the up-date. The backwaters are always of interest to me and anything that will up the ante in that area is always good news.

Again, welcome and don't make yourself scarce!

[dk]

How do these things work with your locator? I would think that your locator would be picking the SOS up and make it tough to mark fish coming in.

[Lake Alice]

If anyone does has done a DIY on one of these could they post details/. It doesn't seem too complex but there are always better ways to build a mousetrap. I am going to make a few for sure.

[Note from admin: There is alreay a DIY in the equipment expert information forum. Please use that for DIY banter. This thread is for the effectiveness of artificial structure rather than building it.]

[Tyler Holm]

dk,

The beauty of these SOS plants is that you don't need to put them right next to your holes. Even if they are 4-5+ feet away, they will be effective. I'd recommend putting them along the outside of your shak just out of reach of your flasher cone. Circling your shak or a half moon in front is my preferred method.

If you get them too close to you flasher, they certainly will show up. If you have one that is showing up on your flasher, that would be a good candidate to suspend a few feet. Just lift it up foot by foot until it’s out of the view of the flasher.

[Good Time Ranger]

If I am understanding this right and you had the 5 pack would you drill 5 different holes around your shack and place one in each hole? Or am I misunderstanding how to place the SOS. Thanks

[tightlines]

Exactly..

[carverfshrmn]

Does anyone have an estimate how long it takes the fish to move in on these set ups? Also I see there is a scent acc. you can order with this, has anyone tried that out?

[CrappieJohn]

Panfish are acutely aware of their immediate surroundings and will notice something of this nature very quickly. We all know how "snoopy" they can be too, so I think their reaction would be pretty quick IF they are in an area to begin with.

I'll let this play out for a while to see what comes of it. Flashers and cameras were all trumped up in their infancy as being the cure-all to fishing...they do show you fish but they certainly are no guaranttee that the fish will hit. And too, I want to see if we will see some reprecussions from the state. My biggest concern is tangling. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have fished crappies in thirty feet of water and had them foul lines fifty feet away when they get thru taking out line on a run or two....seems to me that the stuff would be kind of ineffectual at that distance and still be a menace any closer. I just have to see more before I get too hepped up on this.

[Rick]

I agree with most of what you speculate on Tom. I can say at around 14' of water with the weeds spread out about 4'-5' away from the fishing holes no one had a tangle using the LaDredge SOS with those big Red Lake crappies.

It is certainly possible and even likely it will occur though. At 50 feet away a person would need to be sleeping for a fish to tangle in weeds that far away.

I also don't believe they are as much attractors as they are fish holders. I believe they hold fish that would normally just cruise through.

I wouldn't just throw my weeds down and hope they attract fish

I would find an area that fish use which doesn't have weeds already on it and use them to hold fish.

Again, I would like to hear more form those who use them this year under many differant conditions.

The truest test is having a set of weeds down to fish and another set of holes without weeds to fish. Then switching the weeds around to get a truer sense of how they work.

A good angler is going to do much better with the LaDredge outdoors SOS than a poor angler.

The SOS do not make you a better angler. I truly believe they just hold fish using an area longer.

I could be wrong though as I have only one time out on URL to provide evidence of that.

[The Chemist]

Due to financial constraints I figured I would try and make some my self. I was able to buy 6ft strands of artificial plants for $3 ea. I figure that when I am done I should be able to have a final cost of about $10 a piece. Which would include using 3 strands attached to a lid and a pail to store them in. Then I can use the pail as a marker. Might work but wont know until I try. Hopefully it starts to cool back down next week when I can get out.