Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo + Best Crankbait for Creek

This will be a 2-part post, since I recently deleted a website and I'm currently moving and combining content amid multiple blogs and whatnot...

Part 1: Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo

This is an interesting little gadget for the lazy fisherman; ha! This automatic fishing reel supposed to be great for bank fishing or if you are fishing from a boat, kayak, dock, ice or even a jug. After you bait this thing up, tie it around a tree or anchor it to whatever surrounds you and go on with your business. Hey, who said fishing required you to actually do the fishing? LOL! The automatic reel supposed to hold the fish after it is hooked. I think it even reels the fish in several feet, going by some of the reviews. Speaking of that, this little device surprisingly had good reviews. I assumed it was some cheap automatic fishing reel (some people call it a "Fishing Yo-Yo"), but since it costs over 30 dollars, maybe not.

It was amusing to read some of its other uses, too, such as: it can be used as a clothesline, duck decoy retriever, small animal snare, and so on. This may be a good addition to your camping supplies, bait/tackle boxes, survival kits and whatnot. Plus, it might be a great gift idea if you have a lot of hard-to-shop-for redneck friends; ha! Oh, one of the reviews mentioned that you may need to bring some extra rope, if you have to secure this item around a limb or tree. Anyway, I thought I'd share this cool product today; cheers!

Update (1-20-2018): After nearly 3 years had passed since I wrote this Yo-Yo Automatic Fishing Reel post, I finally purchased it.  I must say, the price has come way down since then! I bought 6 Mechanical Fisher's Yo Yo Fishing Reels - Package of 1/2 Dozen - Yo-Yo Fish Trap (FLAT TRIGGER MODEL) for the current price of $15.52 plus tax on Amazon (link included below)! They would be great for fishing while occupied, etc. Plus, I thought it would go great with my survival/outdoor supplies, as well.


The updated product description is as follows: Very Sensitive Flat Trigger Mechanism

Stainless Steel (Rust Proof) Spring & Galvanized Steel Frame

Pre-Spooled with 9-12' of 60# Test Nylon Line

Adjustable Spring Tension

Made In The USA

6 Mechanical [Automatic] Fisher Reels and 1 instruction booklet, neatly packaged in a single padded envelope. These are the best [automatic] reels on the market. The Stainless Steel Spring is the best choice for Fisherman, Preppers, Survivalists and Hunters. They're very easy to use. Simply attach to the object of your choice, bait the hook, set depth and trigger, then wait. The Mechanical Fisher does the rest. It sets the hook and retrieves the fish! Kind of like a mouse trap for Fish, but these do not kill the fish! ---End of description.

Update (11-6-2021) #2 - Well, 4 years has nearly passed since I first bought this Yo-Yo fishing thing, and I still haven't even taken the damn things out of the package yet. Well, with that being said, I still can't fully review the functionality of this product yet, but I guess the reassurance of having additional survival gear has been its primary function as of now. --- End of Update #2


At any rate, this sounds like a cheap investment for outdoor supplies, to say the least...

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

  "Click Here for the Automatic Fishing Reel via Amazon"

Image Credit: Fair Use - Product Image - Amazon.com - This image (Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo) is found in various catalogs and websites.

---End of Part 1

Part 2: The Best Crankbait for Creek Fishing

This is more or less an opinion post, even though I have tried and tested this particular crankbait along with many others while creek fishing, for several years. I must say, the water conditions, weather, time of year, etc., can all affect what works best, but overall, I found one type of fishing lure that worked the best in the creeks I fished in…

Of course, live bait is hard to beat, but we are talking about artificial lures at the moment. Crankbaits are very versatile and come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and types; they are an excellent alternative to other artificial lures like plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and so on.

Anyway, the bait of choice is . . . The Rebel brand, medium-sized crawfish crankbait. You can get a small and large version as well, but I had the best luck with the one in the middle. Even though I haven’t went fishing in a few years, I used to roam up and down various streams, creeks, etc., with nothing but a stringer, a couple extra hooks, sinkers and swivels (in case I got hung up and had to resort to live bait), along with my awesome Rebel brand crawfish crankbait. Yes, occasionally I’d lose these things, as crankbaits have the extra hooks, which makes it easier to get hung around big rocks, weeds, etc. Hell, I’ve even lost one up in a tree one time while casting out (don’t ask how I managed to do this). I always preferred to bring a full tackle box, a pellet gun in case I seen an unfriendly snake, and be settled in one or two good fishing spots at the creek, but sometimes it is fun to change it up and walk up or downstream and fish while pretending to be a pro – especially if you find a good creek that has a lot of walking room on a rocky bank on one side or the other.

When it comes to using this crawfish crankbait, it is basically trial and error. You’ll find a rhythm and technique that works best for you, the more you use it. I’ve caught a many smallmouth bass and several largemouth bass while using this lure, but this bait is especially effective for those pesky little Rock Bass, also known as Red-eye Bass, Rock Perch, and Google-eye. Rock Bass are technically not a bass, but they look like one and put up a great fight for their size. They have big red eyes and can rapidly change colors from light green to a very dark color to help match their surroundings (a chameleon-like trait). Red-eye bass love rocky and cave-like areas (hence the name), and it is always pleasant to see one jolt out of their little underwater cave to pounce on your crawfish crankbait. Oh, they make for some pretty good meals, as well… Here is a picture of a nice, plump one, below:

Well, I suppose I could start telling random fishing tales or how I caught my biggest smallmouth bass ever, using a bread ball on a big hook, but I figure that I will spare y’all my short-lived success stories while creek fishing; ha-ha! However, if anybody wants to talk about what their favorite crankbait is or what artificial bait has worked best for you while fishing in creeks and/or small-to-large streams (along with anything else related to fishing), feel free to drop it down in the comment field below. Dang, after writing this short post, I’m now in the mood for a big fish fry. Hmmm…

Now, it is time to find the creeks & streams:

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

"Click Here for Crankbaits via Amazon"

---End of Part 2

---End of Post "Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo + Best Crankbait for Creek"