Thread: what crank baits to buy

hey fellas..i was wanting to try trolling for suspended specs with crankbaits this summer and wanted to know if anyone had any ideas on which ones work the best....brand,colors, size etc...thanks...tj

Pstone can help you. He's over in the MS board

Originally Posted by gasper_goul

hey fellas..i was wanting to try trolling for suspended specs with crankbaits this summer and wanted to know if anyone had any ideas on which ones work the best....brand,colors, size etc...thanks...tj

Bandit 300s Mistake,Blue splatter Back,any Shad color,Pink,Baby Bass.

Just about any deep-diving crankbait will work, but Bandits seem to be the most popular. You can also try the different models of Bandits. I will send you a PM with the depth charts for 100s, 200s, and 300s Bandits.

Be sure to check out these two Midwest Crappie videos on Crankbait trolling by Kent Driscoll on Sardis. They will really help steepen the learning curve for your first trip.

2009 - Video Directory Page (Do Not Delete)

2009 - Video Directory Page (Do Not Delete)

or you can just make CEB take you like I am going to do!:D:D

I use the Bandit 300's and sometimes mix in a 200. I've caught them on wiggle warts and others and even caught one on a 9" tail dancer deep when trolling for Walleye, but for me the 300's have by far done the best. My advice is to spool up some strong line and invest in a lure knocker. I guarantee it will save you money on replacing hung-up baits. Trolling cranks have produced a lot of nice fish for me and also I have found places with high concentration's of fish I would never have found otherwise.

thanks guys...my blood is pumpin' after getting such good info and watching the videos ceb put me onto...one more question...do you think the depth counter reels are important or do you guys play it by ear til you get bit?

Originally Posted by gasper_goul

thanks guys...my blood is pumpin' after getting such good info and watching the videos ceb put me onto...one more question...do you think the depth counter reels are important or do you guys play it by ear til you get bit?

The line counter reels would definately help you be more consistent on how far back your baits are running but I have to agree with castandblast... start with what you already have and go from there!
Blake

You can catch fish with the equipment you have like CastandBlast stated. When I started I used med. spinning tackle, and would cast as far as I could behind the boat. After I saw that I was going to like pulling cranks, I bought line counter reels and put them on my spider rigging rods. Now thanks to some low life scums I am replacing everything. I posed this link on the main board for a storage box for cranks that I bought at Bass Pro.

Bass Pro Shops XPS Double Sided Tangle-Free Crankbait Organizer

My advice is to start with what equipment you already have. Try it and if you find you really like it and it's productive in the waters you fish then you can always upgrade. I started with my bass rods jammed into whatever crack I could find to hold them and started trolling. Worked out fine and I caught quite a few fish. Now I have 10' and 12' rods, lc reels, rod holder, and a gps to track my speed because it makes everything much easier.....The truth is I went fishing with creekslick and got spoiled, went home and started upgrading...:D