Pushing crankbaits

**martyrm** · 07-04-2014, 12:39 AM

They use more line than the 3 oz weights but lot less line than just the crankbait itself. I pull them instead of pushing them. I was running my bandit only at 150 ft to get down around 17 ft. With the tadpoles I only had to run at 45 ft to get to 17 ft down. The tadpole weighs about 1 oz.

**BAMA S** · 07-04-2014, 03:32 AM

Where do you buy these tadpoles?

**martyrm** · 07-04-2014, 04:50 AM

I got mine off Amazon

**Rees Guide** · 07-04-2014, 05:30 AM

I bet at a crawl holding the crank rite off the bottom on a flat them things would be awesome, will drag easier than a weight.

**M R Dux** · 07-04-2014, 07:56 AM

Holy CRAP!! $6 a pop for the tadpoles then $6 a pop for the cranks, I'd have to buy scuba gear and go in after any I hung up.

A buddy and I lost well over a dozen cranks on KY Lake yesterday trying to troll an off-shore ledge in 15 mph wind and 3 foot rollers. My wallet is screaming for mercy. Got to get to painting more of those Chinese baits. Losing Bandits is breaking me.

**Tommy Skarlis** · 07-04-2014, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by Rees Guide

I bet at a crawl holding the crank rite off the bottom on a flat them things would be awesome, will drag easier than a weight.

The Tadpoles are truly awesome Rees! The slower you go - the deeper they get. To avoid losing the whole set-up on a snag - use a lighter leader from the crankbait to the Tadpole and heavier main line from the Tadpole to the Rod/Reel (I use 12 pound Trilene XT Solar on the Reel and my leader is either 10 or 8 pound XT or XL in moss green.)

**Tommy Skarlis** · 07-04-2014, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by BAMA S

Where do you buy these tadpoles?

Site Sponsor Fish USA carries them: Off Shore Tackle Tadpole Diving Weights : FishUSA.com as well as other retailers.

**NickD** · 07-04-2014, 09:30 AM

We used Tadpoles when my Dad and I fished the LOZ Crappie Masters this spring. We found that at .9 mph, it was a 2:1 ratio with a Flicker Shad and a #1 Tadpole. We caught over 50 keepers the day of the tournament, but the water warmed up and didn't find the big fish until too late. We ran them off the back corners as a dead rod and ran them off the planer boards on the outside as well. We used the dead rods to find out what the best depth was, then adjusted the ones behind the boards to match. Heres a link to the dive chart for the #1:
Off Shore Tackle | Official Web Site OR3

**Rees Guide** · 07-04-2014, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Tommy Skarlis

The Tadpoles are truly awesome Rees! The slower you go - the deeper they get. To avoid losing the whole set-up on a snag - use a lighter leader from the crankbait to the Tadpole and heavier main line from the Tadpole to the Rod/Reel (I use 12 pound Trilene XT Solar on the Reel and my leader is either 10 or 8 pound XT or XL in moss green.)

Do you run em off your boards Tommy??? I can see that as a huge plus as to not have 10000 feet of line out.

**Tommy Skarlis** · 07-04-2014, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Do you run em off your boards Tommy??? I can see that as a huge plus as to not have 10000 feet of line out.

Yes we do - in fact we were in the same Ozark's Tourney as Nick was and the "Boarded" Tadpoles seemed to catch more fish-per-rod than the flat lines. I run mostly everything on the back 1/3 of the boat - but I am going to try more "pushing" this summer/fall. I have a Minn Kota EM and feel that if the baits get to the fish before the trolling motor that I may get a few more bites. I'm always amazed at how many more fish can get caught with Boards than with long rods - but I always try to include a flat/long rods as well - I target "deeper" fish with them.

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