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Congats on the win maj!! I have reading the info and gearing my boat up for pulling all winter too, but I guess you are the "mythbuster" about waiting for warm water before you start pulling. Please give as many details as you can to someone trying to learn.
Just start on page one of this thread and read cause it covers about everything possible when pullin cranks.
Please let me rephrase. Since everything I have been reading has been about summer pattern pulling cranks. I was asking about the winning pattern and some of the differences in pulling cranks this early in the year, i.e., boat speed, 200's or 300's, shallow water ledges and flats or deep water.
It's all about experimentation. I have been boloed more times than I can count, and, I know I kinda pushed the season for pulling cranks last Sat. However, I'll give you what I was doing: fishing all over the lake, trying different methods and techniques. Winning pattern in a lot of luck, mixed with some research. 300's, 1.5.
FINAALLLY! Done reading the whole Thread! And I must say,,I am hooked,,and going to contribute to the national economy! I am 61,,and since early 70's,,trolled for everything imaginable,,all my life,,from Canada, to Lake Mich,,Lake Erie,,Atlantic,,Gulf,,you name it for every fish imaginable,,and love long lining jigs for crappie,,but never have trolled cranks,,and I have 3 boxes of them from bassin days,,that most will work,,however,,just ordered 30 bandits,,3 DX20 reels,,one trolling BM rod, as I have a few to begin with,,even tho we are expecting 3 inches of snow tomorrow nite..after next weekend,,and I have been longlining already here in Indiana,,will take this up asap as the entire thread is absolutely awesome,,keep this thing going..I mean it,,its worth it,, I do have one question for Maj. Are you using braided line now? Did you switch? What make of line? Thanks to all for the bits of wisdom,,and keep it up.
Thanks cevans. Yes I switched from 10lb mono to 30lb Power Pro High Vis Yellow. It's supposed to be able to straighten the hooks out on your bait if you get hung up. Unfortunately, my first hang-up straighted the snap swivel instead, so I changed those out for the Norman Speed Clips, haven't fished with them yet but I think they will hold.
and you are all changing your hooks? To red Number 6's? to single or back to trebles?
Have change out most of mine to red.
Yes, I have always changed to the red #6, glad some Bandits and some other brands come with red hooks now. Maybe the're reading this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by cevans
wow,,going to have to buy a bunch of red hooks,,as I have 3 flats of Bagley Balsa B's in every imaginable color and size from Bass fishin tourney days,,innumerable other crankbaits,,a flat box of nothing but rapala's and every crank bait they have made, storms, heddons,hot-n-tots, rat-l-traps,,you name it, not to mention the walleye hard baits I have as well..lol, Think I will start with the 25-30 bandits I have ordered as soon as they get here,,and do the change over with them first. I am definitely not crank bait poor. I know with time,,I will downsize this a bunch..lol thanks for the replys,
Cevans, you can get some Bandits with red hooks already on from the factory, they are what they are calling their "Crappie" baits. There's a special section at BPS in the jigs isle of them.
I did,,,ordered about 20 for my first order,,of the exotic colors and colors I didn't already have,,,I have over 130 cranks same size and will run same depths as Bandits,,,and will start changing out the hooks on them,,starting with the back hooks,,I am crank bait poor,,lmao,,by the way,,in 48 degree water up here,,I have already been catch keeper crappie long lining tube jigs injected with crappie nibbles using a bait pump filled with crappie nibbles,,very cold muddy waters from rains,,some of our smaller res's are as much as 35ft above summer pool we have had so much rain in Indiana,,last nite,,2 inches of snow,,so I know our water temp has fallen from low to mid 50's back in the 40's. Have to get the ice fishing clothing back out.
Just got 11 bandits, 3 - DX 15's, changed hooks on 48 crankbaits similar to the 200 and 300 series bandits, lined the reels with gold hi vis mono,,will change over to gold 30# braid after a few outings of crankin, ordered one 10' PST from monks, (I have 2 other trolling rods) should be here this weekend..have another 16 bandits, and lure retriever coming from BPS which should be here this Sat. now all I need is a bigger boat..lmao,,as I fish out of a 14ft jon with a 9.8 on it for lakes here in Indiana, and its really all I need. You guys and this thread is super addictive as I have now read the whole thing 2 times now! I love it! Keep it going. will let you know how I do in Indiana,,and have posts in Indiana and will spark their interests up here. The one thing we have going for us in our resiviours,,is for the past number of years,,the DNR has also been stocking walleyes in the reses,,so we get a plus cranking for crappies or vise versa. thanks for this thread..thanks Maj.
You're welcome cevans. Sounds like you're off to a serious start. I wish you well and keep us posted on your crank pulling trips.
My eyes are bleeding and my head is about to Explode. Great thread, keep it going. Learned alot in the past 6 hrs it took me to read this whole thing.
Your wallet will "implode" when you get into it.Quote:
Originally Posted by JFair
Just to throw a wrench into your awesome thread...I have one more way for you to contribute to the economy.
If you use 15dx like I do, you can buy 100 yards of 18 pound lead core and put 5 colors on one reel and put 5 colors on the other. That means for about 13 dollars you can fill two reels. The lead core will also sink the bandits 5 feet per color plus the full bandit depth.
For example: #300 bandit will sink up to 14 feet with one color of lead core let out. 19 feet with two. 24 feet with three. 29 feet with four.
No weights needed. And if you set your drag right you can make up for the no stretch on the fish. For a leader I use red 4/15 power pro and join the two lines with a Palomar Knot
Once you use lead core you will never go back. The colors make it simple and you won't need 200 feet of line to get your baits down.
D
Good info BigD, thanks. I'll have to try some of that line.
Sounds like it would help if you don't want to run a bunch of line out but I like having as much line out as I can so the boat/motor don't spook the fish.
sounds like you need 10 hands!
thanks, great info.
Has anyone had good success with the Wordens Fatfish for pulling?
this is for all you Mississippi boys and the Maj.....I slammed crappies on Patoka Res. in southern Indiana yesterday for 3 hrs in the rain, 62 degree water until the severe lightning ran me off..we are only allowed 3 rods in Indiana,,had triples 3 times and numerous doubles,,nice crappies for this time of the year here as ours don't get as big as yours, largest was 13.5 in 14-26ft of water off a long point as they are staging to spawn when the temp gets right..had a blast,, this is definitely going to be a fun year crankin,,going again tomorrow if these dang lightning and thunder quits,,,I don't mind getting wet,,even rigged a umbrella we have had so much friggin rain,,more than 10inches for the month, more in some places..on vacation to fish this weekend,, and fishing everyday in the rain...I kept 12 that were 11 to 13.5..but caught about 60 in that 3 hr run. Its just starting up here..if the weather would cooperate alittle.
Hit them again,,and slamed them this time in Indiana with crankbaits,,went out to a new arm of lake,,as we are now 1 ft from serious flooding over emergency spillways of our dams in Indiana,,but caught 22 crappies with cranks,,question??? Can you take the line counter reels apart if they get line behind the spools with our problems? not that I have had to yet,but 2 times now,,got line behind reels and had to cut it to pull it out,,on the DX 20s... Are they a pain to take apart? Thanks
Great question.. have done the same thing..Where you at on this MAJ???Quote:
Originally Posted by cevans
I have taken my 15's apart to get line out....one side is more difficult that the other. I have found though that if you hold your thumb on the spool any and everytime when you hit the release lever then ease up on thumb pressure to let the line out you will not get line behind the side plates.....its when you just hit the lever and get a overrun situation that you get the line under the sideplates or behind the spool.
And too, I don't put quite as much line on mine as they tell you and this has virtually eliminated my line behind the spool problem, but do what G says too and it's on to fishing, not cussing.
Yes you can take them apart, however you must be careful because there is a gear that will fall free and must be put back in exactly the right place. If you have problems let me know and I'll take one apart on here and put it back step by step with pictures. BTW, do NOT try to force the line out, that spool is plastic and even mono will saw right through it (yes, I ruined one this way).
thanks,,I know yu have had worse storms than us down south,,hope everybody is ok and making it fine. I have caught about 90 keepers this week in the rain, storms, high wind, on vacation, and released twice that I know, cranking,,this rocks,,and thanks to all for educating me. This is the greatest thread I have ever read and learned from.. In the Indiana forum,,I think I have lit a fire under a bunch of fishermen up here that are now starting to crank bait fish crappies,,it sure is addictive..once again,,hope everybody in the south is weathering the weather.
cevans the weather here has been terrible... Storm after storm, inch after inch of rain.. Hope yall are fairing well..Just started pulling cranks in late '09 and only because of these guys.. Last year I caught 2 giants on a old bass crank that was so big, we threw it out (just to see)..Them Crappie will eat thtem cranks alive!!
Now I have so many crappies in the freezer,,that I am gong to have to go to a 12" size limit here in Indiana pulling cranks,,as I have caught so many 11 to 14 inchers,,this style of fishing absolutely rocks,,other than the fact I have spent about 300 on crankbaits so far,,lol,,and reels,,and rods,,,then burnt a trolling motor up last week so bought a bigger one of those too,,Thanks guys for all the wonderful info,,cause it sure works here in Indiana too as I am having a blast,,takes me about 4 hrs to limit out on 25 keepers. Now I know after the spawn,,it will get alittle tougher or should,,just have to go deeper and search alittle. Thanks again.
I live and fish mainly in NC. My home lake has a very good poulation of black crappie and a few white crappie. I have been reading a lot on trolling crankbaits. My question is, is this a good summertime tatic for trolling for crappie with a population of mainly black crappie?
Black or white it still works.
Thank you for your reply. I have been long lineing jigs from feb to June for about ten years with great results. Got bored with fishing over brush piles in the summer. Trolling got me spoiled.
Robert, summertime is the BEST time for pulling cranks.
Thanks for the reply. Never pulled cranks before. Theres a lot of good information on this site. I mainly see white crappie being caught on cranks. We have a few white crappie in my home lake mainly black crappie. My younger sister did catch a white crappie a few years back that was 3lbs and 11 oz. Thanks for your help.
New to the game and read this post up and down. Lots of good stuff. Now onto my question. From what i gather you are long lining off the sides of the boat with various length rods for separation (4 ft being the preference). My boat is not set up well to fish off the sides so I have two t-bars on the rear set at 30% angles. with 4 rods on each. I get the 4 ft separation by angeling the rods at 30 degree increments. My poles are 11,9, 6.5, & 5.5. I like this set up because I get 8 lines in the water and I can convert to spider rigging with little effort. I have not gotten any tangles yet :-). Does anyone else run this type of set up? What am I missing since I can't run lines off the side?
Thanks in advance.
You'll be ok, lots of guys pull off the back of their boat. It's really dictated by your boat set-up. You really will need an i-pilot if you fish alone.
I-Pilot ... CHECK. Never fish again without one.
As Sat said it works on either...Works so well on White Crappie because its easy to troll the flats where they follow the shad schools..You might have to pulll over the brushtops to get those Black Crappie..They are a more structure oriented fishQuote:
Originally Posted by Robert