Thread: Pulling cranks!

Originally Posted by cox

Getting into pulling crank baits was wondering what lb test line y'all use??


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I see a lot of people using line counter reels, spooled with 30lb test braid ... then a 5' leader of 6lb test mono. I believe those people are usually "pushing" cranks (ie - using trolling weights at the main line/leader connection). Some even use weights when "pulling", too, but mainly for the angler in the back seat (while the angler in the front is pushing cranks).

Straight "pulling" (ie - longline trolling with cranks) is usually done without trolling weights, and generally 10lb test line is used. Now, that may be personal choice on the pound test used, or it may be because most crankbait diving depth charts are measured using 10lb test line (or line with an equivalent diameter of 10lb test mono).

I prefer to "push" (jig or cranks) as it gives me greater control & maneuverability, since I don't have nearly 100ft of line out just to get to the desired depth.

With braid you go by diameter. Most pulling charts are based on 10 lb diameter line, either mono or braid. I use a 10 lb diameter braid that has approximately 40 lb test. While crappie doesn't require this heavy line the stumps, brush, drums, catfish, bass, and stake beds built strong enough to have been used on Normandy beach does require it.

I have tried braid and am currently using 10 lb suffix. I prefer the braid until it gets tangled up, then it can be a real mess. The next time I change line I expect to go with 40 lb braid. You might want to start with mono until you are sure you want to keep pulling cranks. It can be a little expensive. Unless you start losing cranks at a high rate.

Don

Not speaking for mrdux but he pulls with 12 lb big game trilene. Switched from 10 pound and gets more cranks back from the bottom of ole Ky Lake. I have switched this year to the twelve pound and I get more cranks back. I know people who use braid but don't for the life of me see how something doesn't break when they snag em up!!! I guide doing this and go thru so much line I couldn't justify the cost. If we get lines hung together, which happens alot with up to six people on my pontoon who are usually new at pulling, I just cut and retie....easier than undoing giant bowls of :spaghetti:. I use the Okuma Magda 15's for line counting AND they hold 300+ yds of line.

Trilene Big Game 12 pound Solar Collector green. Like Rich said, I will pull 2X more baits loose with 12 than I did with 10. I rarely worry about getting maximum depth on a crankbait so the 12 doesn't hurt me there either.

I recently paid almost $150 for a 1500 yard spool of Power Pro Depth Hunter 40/10 braid and I'm scared to death to put it on rods that clients will be using. I would lose sleep over going thru a spool of that 2X per year due to tangled rat's nests. I can harp at clients until I'm blue in the face but the vast majority don't understand how important it is to keep a close eye on the rod tip to gauge bait action. One crank running bad can tangle enough gear that will take me 20 minutes to clear out.

I recently had an 83 year old grandfather pulling cranks with me. He hooked a drum about 15 pounds with 80 feet of line out. I knew it was either a drum or catfish and I told him he needed to get it to the boat as quickly as possible to keep from tangling everything up.He said he wanted to enjoy the fight then tire it out so it wouldn't break his line. 5 minutes later I was cutting 7 crankbaits apart. If that had been braid I would have lost 2-300 yards of line. With the mono I probably lost 40 yards of line and was back to fishing much quicker.

Braid line is to flimsy for me, almost impossible to untangle, very hard to tie a knot in the wind. I use 10# mono.

I guess one of the biggest differences is that I stop and retrieve a hung lure and so far this year I haven't lost many. In years previous I lost a lot in fact I felt like I had stock in the Bandit company. I am pretty sure the guides don't stop to retrieve a lure. It is a choice to be sure but I have the time to try and when I use braid I put on leather gloves and bring in what ever I hung or straiten the hooks. I have lost 4 or 5 lures this year and 3 were to Gar. I am also the only one in the boat so I normally am able to keep tangles to a minimum.

Don

My boat never stops. Hang-up? Break it off or pull it loose. Clients are paying me for the maximum amount of fishing time so I keep distractions to a minimum.

Words from somebody who learned the hard way............................when you do get baits tangled up with mono, it is 100% advisable to cut the cranks off the tangled lines as they come to the boat. It is 10X faster to retie baits on after untangling lines than it is trying to get lines untangled with baits on them. I keep small side wire nipper pliers within reach and snit the knots off as soon as I can get my hands on the bait. I do that when I have a large fish hooked in the net also. catfish can be almost impossible to get unhooked when you are dealing with an excited client with a rod in their hands. I snip it off and retie.