Pulling Cranks 101

Series 300 (300)

Color: D09 Awesome Pink 2

3D04 Trans Tenn Shad (3D04) 2

343CM Brown Splatter Back Matte (343CM) 2

316 Pearl/Blue Back (316) 2

3D25 Copper Tiger (3D25) 2

3D22 Sour Apple (3D22) 2

AHHHHH the insanity 12 cranks just ordered, 50 bucks so not bad at all

Wbe, you are a man after my own heart. Anybody who knows about black, no snaps, and 10# line has got to be catching fish.

Not really Pops, but I just sent a text to the Bes and that's what they told to post. :)

Wannabe...

Hey DonDon did you buy them direct from Bandit? I see they have some of those colors on a special price of $2.99 each just be careful cause they ain't all 300 series

and ALL were 300's. I WAS going to wait and get some in a few weeks but I'll be darned if I could help myself. LOL Really need to pick up a couple solid Black one's though for those overcast days

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Originally Posted by Wannabe...

The Mistake has a white belly..........who was it that said about the top being for the fisherman and the bottom for the fish?..........can't remember now.


Wannabe...

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My "Mistakes" don't have a white belly. They have a chartruse (sp) belly with orange down the middle. Pissed off cow on the other hand, has a white belly with an orange stripe down the middle.

Either way, get your wallet out because you definitely want multiples of the best colors.

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Originally Posted by Slabologist

I built those myself

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I was afraid of that but I had to ask:) Good looking setup

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Originally Posted by majflyboy

OK, I can see lots of comments here and there on this subject, but haven't found a discussion that starts with 1-Here's a lake, you will need one of these, You get the picture. I need to know what type rod, reel, line, bait, rigging, drift sock, and anything else I didn't list. Not asking for your honey holes just the basics. Thanks for any help. And, this is DonDon's fault!!:D

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EXCELLENT thread Major!! Thanks for asking! I need all the help I can get!

My setup is basically the same as Slabo's cept i use 2 14' 2 12' and 2 8' BnM Prostaff trolling rods with Okuma 15 line counters out the side. Awsome pink, spring craw chart, rootbeer chart, and black with silver glitter are my favorites. Dont forget the Salad Bar.

wb.........mistake = no white belly. lol.

major, what hp is your gas motor, I was thinking you had like a 25 or 35 if so you probably wont need a drift sock or any buckets.

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Originally Posted by duckhunter

wb.........mistake = no white belly. lol.

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Yep mistake no white

2 of the ones you got for me, the 16 footers

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Originally Posted by biggerjigger

My setup is basically the same as Slabo's cept i use 2 14' 2 12' and 2 8' BnM Prostaff trolling rods with Okuma 15 line counters out the side. Awsome pink, spring craw chart, rootbeer chart, and black with silver glitter are my favorites. Dont forget the Salad Bar.

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I troll off the rear of a 20' pontoon that I reworked just to pull cranks. I use 2-20' 2-14' 2-8' off the sides and can add 2 more 8' off the back. All have Okuma 15 line counters reel with 30# power pro braid. All the rods are BnM Prostaff trollers.

Mistake = No White Belly.......that's on account of ya'll not having the right connections. I knows people.

Got some Mad Cow with a pink belly too. I'm speshul. Ya'll aint.

Wannabe...

Well aren't you special.

All you gotta do is go right down the assembly line and kiss everyone of them Bandit Employees right on da mouf. Most will get PO'd about it, but if you get lucky, there will be one or two that will take a spark to you.

Yep, Frank and George have been sending me sheshul colors ever since.

Wannabe...

would love you. Heard alot about him from the other folks at the factory. He's a BIG fella:p

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Originally Posted by DonDon

2 of the ones you got for me, the 16 footers

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naw I aint got no 16 footers

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Originally Posted by biggerjigger

major, what hup is your gas motor, I was thinking you had like a 25 or 35 if so you probably wont need a drift sock or any buckets.

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You are right bigger 25hp.

Don't know about your boat maj but I have a 15 42 duracraft and I idled with my 25 merc last year and pulled cranks 1 time and caught crappie, twice has many little green carp but we also caught a good mess of crappie. That was labor day weekend. I am looking forward to pulling more cranks this summer, have already started my crankbait collection. By the way does anyone have treble hooks wear down while pulling? My Uncle done this all last year before I found this site. He is the one who started me. He gave me a bait and I tied it on, after missing several fish I inspected the back hook and and it was word down nearly to the barb! He knew this of course and he had a good laugh. Mean ole uncle.

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Originally Posted by biggerjigger

major, what hp is your gas motor, I was thinking you had like a 25 or 35 if so you probably wont need a drift sock or any buckets.

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Originally Posted by Wannabe...

"Thanks for all your replies and help. Hasen't this seemed to have been a pleasant thread....no name calling.....no poo flinging....just good information. I wonder who is missing."

Hey now bub, call your shots. :)

I didn't see anything to disagree with above, but no discussion of the baits to use.

If you want to start out on the cheap and build from there, here's the 4 colors of Bandit 300s I'd start with

1) Black or Black Sparkle

2) Mistake

3) Awesome Pink

4) Red - Texas Craw is a good one.

Those are the 4 basic hughes everthing else is just a variation of the above. Then you'll want to have some more colors....lots more colors.....and dont' forget about the 200s when they're up shallow....then you've got Wally Marshals when they want a snack, Norman DLNs for the big fish bite and don't forget about swimbaits if you find some mean fish..............well, you see where this leads right?

Here's a link I pilfered from Jeepster - prolly the cheapest non sale Price I've seen. Bandit Series 300 Crankbait

Only thing from above I'll add is that I prefer no snap above the bait and just use a quick figure 8 knot instead. I've had trouble with the baits not running true with additional hardward. Also 10# mono works best for me (may not on Ross Barnett) and I like the hi-vis lines. The higher and visier the better.

My best speed seems to be 1.7 or 1.8 mph.

Wannabe...

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Thanks for your input wb.

Don't do that Maj.....you're making me all nervous being nice to me. Gives me the heebie jeebies. LOL.

Wannabe...

I can see you guys are going to make me spend a lot of money this year!!! I can't wait to try it out.

My only experience trolling for crappie was with my grandfather 30 years ago in his pontoon boat.

I see references to "the Big 3" when talking about these rules and methods. Is Arkabutla too shallow to use similar methods compared to the others?

I need a mentor--my head is going to hurt trying to pack all of this info into my puny little brain.

dandy

I don't recall this being said but you will also need a good gps so you can set your trolling speed.

I use a handheld Garmin Rino130 it works great.

Donnie, you can pull cranks at 'butla. It's just not as productive as the other lakes , but then, that is the case for every other technique there as well. You don't catch many on 'butla usually, but what you do catch is QUALITY!

Ross Barnett but I THINK it's an early summer pattern. Somewhere between the pawn and when the thermocline sets up. Just know I was catching them the first few trips pretty good, then POOF, they were gone as the thermocline set up. To much cover in Ross Barnett to pull in many places

Dandy, I make an excellent role model......I'm just saying.

Don't listen to Slab on the Rhino. Go ahead and order 2 H'bird 1197s an Interlink and a 2010 Navionics Platinum chip. It'll save you a bunch of horse trading later. :)

Wannabe...

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Originally Posted by majflyboy

Creek, if you vouch for these folks I'll order 4 of those tomorrow. That's $15.00 lower than any I've seen. Thanks.

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I ordered four from this place and had no problems whatsoever, they are regularly 24.99 here, don't have to wait for a sale.

Okuma Magda Pro Line Counter MA-15DX Northwoods Wholesale Outlet

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Originally Posted by feelay

Donnie, you can pull cranks at 'butla. It's just not as productive as the other lakes , but then, that is the case for every other technique there as well. You don't catch many on 'butla usually, but what you do catch is QUALITY!

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I do better pushing cranks at 'butla. Best day there last summer was in July pushing cranks...best 7 fish weighed 15 lb 10 oz. Also do better at 1.1 to 1.4 mph there.

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Originally Posted by wish4fish

Don't know about your boat maj but I have a 15 42 duracraft and I idled with my 25 merc last year and pulled cranks 1 time and caught crappie, twice has many little green carp but we also caught a good mess of crappie. That was labor day weekend. I am looking forward to pulling more cranks this summer, have already started my crankbait collection. By the way does anyone have treble hooks wear down while pulling? My Uncle done this all last year before I found this site. He is the one who started me. He gave me a bait and I tied it on, after missing several fish I inspected the back hook and and it was word down nearly to the barb! He knew this of course and he had a good laugh. Mean ole uncle.

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Thanks wish4. Got a 16' tracker with a 25hp Mariner. I think I'll be OK without the socks of buckets.

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Originally Posted by duckkiller

Its always DonDon and WB's fault!

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Well, he's the one been braggin bout this crank bait pulling. So he gets the credit for my intrest.:D:D

Question for the Slabologist? How ya getting along with the Okuma line counter reels? I have 10 DepthMasters and have had good luck with them but am tired of packing something thier size around. Not to mention the cost of spooling on new line 2 or 3 times a year.

DD, you might want to check your order. I did not see the pink 300 for 2.99

when I copied and pasted it I missed where it said series 300. Had me scared cause I don't need no 100's . Sure Maj, blame it on DonDon, I'm used to it. I blame it on darn near everyone on here. They got to showing pics and then we had camp. I was hooked for sure. DARN that CREEK, he was wearing them out.

if it makes you feel better I just ordered 14 of them

I just went to the site that WB said he pilfired but the 300 are 3.99. What happened to the 2.99 price. Did I go the wrong site?

Maj go to bandit's site under specials

Bandit Lures
at 2.99. Just have to be careful when you order to pretty much only get 300's, they run deeper. I do have a few 200's for the rez though. you need them at times there. I'm going to TRY and pull some over by Pelahatchie bay this spring during and just after the spawn a few times. Just have to see how it's gonna work. I'll have to use 200's where I'm gonna pull, waters only 12 foot deep and I want the bandits back aways from the boat

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Originally Posted by DonDon

when I copied and pasted it I missed where it said series 300. Had me scared cause I don't need no 100's . Sure Maj, blame it on DonDon, I'm used to it. I blame it on darn near everyone on here. They got to showing pics and then we had camp. I was hooked for sure. DARN that CREEK, he was wearing them out.

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Don we really did not catch those fish pulling cranks pstone and I had out a net. We told you that to get you to spend some of that moldy money you had.:D:D:D