Pulling Cranks 101

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by slydog1227

Well.......it's a darn good thread though. Just sayin. ;)

---

Thanks Sly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

WB, went to Academy this afternoon, they didn't have the Pro Staff Trollers, the 10# stren origional gold, or the red snaps that DD mentioned. Is there an on-line site that carries everything??

I did buy a few Bandit 300's and even a few 200's. Just trying to jump start the economy.:D

---

Surplus City in Clinton has (4) 12's, (3) 14's, (4) 16's. Not that I noticed;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by slydog1227

Well.......it's a darn good thread though. Just sayin. ;)

---

Sly, I'm just trying to learn from this "pulling cranks 101", thread. I appreciate all the responses from folks on this forum who have tried to help and to fine-tune many of the responses. I'm still re-reading this thread daily, trying to pick up something that I've missed. I can't buy all the equipment and other gear that folks have suggested but I'm working on it. I have made a list of the most popular responses. I've even called manufacturers for conformation of some reports of their equipment. Truth be known, I'm probably trying to do too much too fast.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheBear

Surplus City in Clinton has (4) 12's, (3) 14's, (4) 16's. Not that I noticed;)

---

Bear, I don't know if I can handle anything over a 12'er.:eek:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

Bear, I don't know if I can handle anything over a 12'er.:eek:

---

ummm.... you may have become wide open for a barrage of one liners.

The 12 foot pro staff trolling rods at Surplus City are 49 dollars and some change. I'm gone for a bit now!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheBear

ummm.... you may have become wide open for a barrage of one liners.

The 12 foot pro staff trolling rods at Surplus City are 49 dollars and some change. I'm gone for a bit now!

---

Bear, who wouldn't be happy with 12'??:D:D:D:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

Bear, who wouldn't be happy with 12'??:D:D:D:D

---

Its not how deep you fish, its how you wiggle your worm.

Maj check out monkscrappie.com he is a member here and usually has a good price on pro staff troller

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheBear

Its not how deep you fish, its how you wiggle your worm.

---

Some female singer puts it right, "I need a slow hand".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by creekslick

Maj check out monkscrappie.com he is a member here and usually has a good price on pro staff troller

---

Thanks creek. I will.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

Thanks creek. I will.

---

those are great prices at monk's. with shipping you can get 4 from monks for the price of 3 local. think I may have found here I'm getting mine. Thanks creek

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

Bear, I don't know if I can handle anything over a 12'er.:eek:

---

Maj remember you are not going to be holding these rods so a 14'er is not bad. My 73 year old Mom fished with me some and she can use one.

Great thread Maj. Been following it from the start as I also have never intentionally pulled any crank baits.

Question for all you experienced folks. I have a pontoon with an 8ft. beam. Any recommendations on the spread? Is wider better, or is a narrower set easier to turn? I usually have someone with me so I am thinking 6 to 8 rods. I have 20 driftmasters onboard and can set them pretty much wherever needed. Should I try them all off the stern, or stagger them off the sides and the stern? She's 28 feet, so turning real tight is not possible. Any advise????

boatstall

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by boatstall

Great thread Maj. Been following it from the start as I also have never intentionally pulled any crank baits.

Question for all you experienced folks. I have a pontoon with an 8ft. beam. Any recommendations on the spread? Is wider better, or is a narrower set easier to turn? I usually have someone with me so I am thinking 6 to 8 rods. I have 20 driftmasters onboard and can set them pretty much wherever needed. Should I try them all off the stern, or stagger them off the sides and the stern? She's 28 feet, so turning real tight is not possible. Any advise????

boatstall

---

I use a 20' toon to pull with. I do not have a bench in the back so I have my rod holders on each side behind the console. I have my bimini top forward enough that is does not interfere with rod tips when landing a fish. Have your
longest rod toward the front and shortest toward the back. Run the least amunt of line on the front rod and the most on back rod. Do not try to turn sharp.

It'll save ya when it's 95 degrees and the sun beating down on ya, won;t it Creek?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DonDon

It'll save ya when it's 95 degrees and the sun beating down on ya, won;t it Creek?

---

"Wouldn't leave home without it." A little shade makes all the difference when BIG RED is beating down on you.:D

Now, let me see, I got a 12' pole, some 10# stren, a #300 bandit, a swivel about 50' from the bandit, and a 1oz slip sinker above the swivel with a bead between them, and then about another 50-75' of line out, pulling 1.7mph. Somebody help me out, it that about what you are saying?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by E-Z Poleholder

Now, let me see, I got a 12' pole, some 10# stren, a #300 bandit, a swivel about 50' from the bandit, and a 1oz slip sinker above the swivel with a bead between them, and then about another 50-75' of line out, pulling 1.7mph. Somebody help me out, it that about what you are saying?

---

Nope, I'm curious how you are going to reel that configuration in?:eek:

Me and you both, how is the weight attached?? Will the swivel go thru the end eye of the pole??

E z. I think you got the line from the swivel to the bait too long. Just guessing but think wb said that section should be ten feet or so.

I usually run mine anywhere from a short of 2' above the bait to a max of about 5'. Anything longer and it's a cluster to get a fish off.

Maj - You can find stren gold in pony spools in some tackle shops, but I think the only bulk size in gold is the service spools - like 5K feet. In the $35 range.

Can't help ya on red swivels. I tie direct to the bandit. Had problems with action on some swivels.

Rods - Monk is good folk. Real good folk. So is Grizzly. Give 'em both some business and you'll be happy with both. Pretty sure Monk must hand deliver everything by himself everyday. The boy ships quick. Grizzly too for that matter.

Wannabe...

Looks like the MAJ's thread is gonna set a all time record for pages and responses dont it WB?

I wondered how you get the fish off.. I must have read the 5' and saw 50', my mind must work like that sometime, or I need to go ahead and get those new glasses. Am I close with the rest of it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by E-Z Poleholder

I wondered how you get the fish off.. I must have read the 5' and saw 50', my mind must work like that sometime, or I need to go ahead and get those new glasses. Am I close with the rest of it?

---

Thats what happens when you weld a lot. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by satdoc1

Looks like the MAJ's thread is gonna set a all time record for pages and responses dont it WB?

---

This thread is a record breaker. :D I have learned a lot from it too.

I think you've about got it EZ. Except, I would not use a swivel small enough to go through the eye. Run the risk of punching out the insert when you do that.

Storage with weights is a problem though, especially with heavy weights. For cranks, say with 2 oz weight on a 2 to 5 leader, what I do is to let enough line out to wrap the weight around the handle below the reel 2 or three times, then wrap the remaining leader around the handle. Most lines will take a crinkle or curly que set when you take them off again, but that's not really a problem with cranks no matter how much memory you have. For the loose line above the reel, I hold it about mid pole and spin the rod while holding the line.

Wannabe...

Guys I think we are try to make this harder than it is. When I started pulling I was using some 6' med spinning rod and would cast a crankbait as far behind the boat as I could and troll. You don't have to have line counter reels, 20' rods, planer boards, 20 lbs of sinkers, or 100 Bandits. Just start out with some of the equipment that you already have and make sure you like pulling before you invest a small fortune. Pulling crankbaits is not for everybody.

Shhh Creek. You're hosing up my Economic Stimulous plan.

But you are right. I started with milk crate and pvc holders and bass rods and some cranks I robbed from my Bass stuff.

Wannabe...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by creekslick

Guys I think we are try to make this harder than it is. When I started pulling I was using some 6' med spinning rod and would cast a crankbait as far behind the boat as I could and troll. You don't have to have line counter reels, 20' rods, planer boards, 20 lbs of sinkers, or 100 Bandits. Just start out with some of the equipment that you already have and make sure you like pulling before you invest a small fortune. Pulling crankbaits is not for everybody.

---

Thanks for the toon tips Creek. I think I'm going to start practicing next time its slow catching, which probably will be this next trip after all the rain we're about to get. I've got a ton of old crank baits that won't matter if they disappear. Maybe I can get a feel for how stiff rods need to be and how to stagger, turn, and untangle. Sort of a shake down run prior to prime pulling time.

Thanks Maj. Because of this thread I'm ordering 4 of those Okuma line counters. This is all your fault. :D

Great thread Maj.

EZ, in re-reading, there's one thing I missed from you understanding. When I'm running weights - normally 2 ounces, I'm using them to squeeze in extra lines with my set up and I'm running them off the front. I'm limited currently to 4 poles from the sides - mid-ship. When I've got kids I'll run 2 to 4 extra off the front with weights. When I do that, I'm only letting out about 20 ft of line so they're basically running right under the drivers seat. If you let out 50 ft with a 2 ounce weight, you're gonna be running about 20 to 25 ft deep I'm guessing. There might be a time for that, but generally the fish are shallower than that.

Also, with weights, you'll lose more fish than without. That weight gives them leverage so when they shake they can pull the hooks out. More noticeable with larger fish.

Wannabe...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by boatstall

Thanks for the toon tips Creek. I think I'm going to start practicing next time its slow catching, which probably will be this next trip after all the rain we're about to get. I've got a ton of old crank baits that won't matter if they disappear. Maybe I can get a feel for how stiff rods need to be and how to stagger, turn, and untangle. Sort of a shake down run prior to prime pulling time.

Thanks Maj. Because of this thread I'm ordering 4 of those Okuma line counters. This is all your fault. :D

Great thread Maj.

---

Oh goodness!! Can't I still blame it all on Dondon??:D

Thanks guys for all the tips, now that I have spent a butt load of moula.
Thanks too WB for those tips, I loose enough w/o weight, so I'll go small or w/o, but I'm going to give it a try and catch or not, I'll have one jell of a good time way before Hune get here.

Thanks Maj for this thread......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by E-Z Poleholder

Thanks guys for all the tips, now that I have spent a butt load of moula.
Thanks too WB for those tips, I loose enough w/o weight, so I'll go small or w/o, but I'm going to give it a try and catch or not, I'll have one jell of a good time way before Hune get here.

Thanks Maj for this thread......

---

E-Z, check your key pad. I think you have the "j" and the "h" put on backwards.:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

E-Z, check your key pad. I think you have the "j" and the "h" put on backwards.:D

---

Maj...it may be because he was typing during happy hour. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by creekslick

Maj check out monkscrappie.com he is a member here and usually has a good price on pro staff troller

---

Creek, I just ordered two 10'ers from monks. Seem like nice folks, had to phone them to correct my order. No problem.:)

Maj ole Monk is good people. He's about as enthusiastic for crappie fishing as anyone I know and just wait till you see how fast the shipping is using USPS. Darnedest thing I ever saw.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wannabe...

Lord will this thread never end!!!!

Maj, get you some BnM Pro Staff Trollers and be done.

Line - Get you some 10# stren orignal in gold and be done. Tried 'em all. Can't beat it for the price. Can beat it on performance, but not by much.

Weights - It's gonna be a cluster to have a 12' rod with 15' of line behind the weight and be in a 16' boat. But if you do it, let me know, I want to take pics.

Also, keep in mind if you put a weight above a barrel swivel for a stopper, be sure to keep a check on the line at the knot on the top side. The weight can abrade the line over time and occasionally pretty quickly if there's a rough spot from the pour.

---

WB, took your advice ( I did ask now, didn't I) and ordered direct from Stren. Tried many other sites first, bps, acad, griz, monks, Got four spools of 330yds each.:)

Thank you Wannabe for your help and all your good advice on this thread to my origional questions and the additional questions generated by it.:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yikess

Maj ole Monk is good people. He's about as enthusiastic for crappie fishing as anyone I know and just wait till you see how fast the shipping is using USPS. Darnedest thing I ever saw.

---

Thanks yikess, I've got stuff comming from all over.:eek: Poles, line, more cranks.:eek:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by G-3 Fisherman

Maj...it may be because he was typing during happy hour. :D

---

'tiz at my house now G.;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by majflyboy

Thanks yikess, I've got stuff comming from all over.:eek: Poles, line, more cranks.:eek:

---

The one that dies with the most toys wins. :D