Question for crankers using braid

Up until now I had not considered using a braid line on my Okumas for trolling cranks. I have always used 10 pound hi-vis mono tied to a snap swivel on the bait. I have nightmares of breaking rods trying to pull a Bandit lose when the braid won't break like mono. Last year I probably ended up losing about 50 crankbaits, one day lost a dozen on one KY Lake ledge that was not accurately marked on the Navionics Premium chart. Just bought a version2 LakeMaster card for my 898. Maybe that will help that situation.

How do you attach the braid to the crank? If a swivel, what size?

What brands and size braid works best for you? Do you use hi-vis and does it fade fast like I have seen some do?

How do you go about pulling a hung bait loose? Do you thumb the spool till something gives? I used Spiderwire and Fireline when it 1st came out for bass fishing and got some really nasty cuts from it. Ended up carrying a 6 inch piece of broom handle to wrap and pull hang-ups loose.

Do you ever get a bait that comes loose fly back at the boat or your head?

I don't purposely target snags. I try to run just off the breakline and target suspended fish near the drop. Inevitably, I'm going to cut a point or ledge that has stumps or man-made structure and hang up. I'm just trying to justify the additional cost of the braid vs the cost of lost cranks. I've looked into the titanium split-rings that pull away and leave the hook hung up but they aren't inexpensive by any means. They seem to work but I worry about lost fish also.

my opinion on braid for trolling. You will tear the hook out of a lot of fish because the line don't stretch. You might also break a rod tip. I do use braid when I am jigging because you can feel the thump better. I do use about a two ft. leader of fluorocarbon. Do what you may just my opinion. Good fishing!

i use 30 lb power pro

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mrdux

Up until now I had not considered using a braid line on my Okumas for trolling cranks. I have always used 10 pound hi-vis mono tied to a snap swivel on the bait. I have nightmares of breaking rods trying to pull a Bandit lose when the braid won't break like mono. Last year I probably ended up losing about 50 crankbaits, one day lost a dozen on one KY Lake ledge that was not accurately marked on the Navionics Premium chart. Just bought a version2 LakeMaster card for my 898. Maybe that will help that situation.

How do you attach the braid to the crank? If a swivel, what size? barrel swivel,not sure of the size,

What brands and size braid works best for you? Do you use hi-vis and does it fade fast like I have seen some do?30 lb power pro is all i have used,it fades in a year or two,some people say u can use a marker to bring the color back

How do you go about pulling a hung bait loose? Do you thumb the spool till something gives? I used Spiderwire and Fireline when it 1st came out for bass fishing and got some really nasty cuts from it. Ended up carrying a 6 inch piece of broom handle to wrap and pull hang-ups loose.grab rod and thumb spool and hold line tight against pole with the tip pointed back towards the hangup and it will usually pull loose,have had a few break off and float up after a breakoff

Do you ever get a bait that comes loose fly back at the boat or your head?yes

I don't purposely target snags. I try to run just off the breakline and target suspended fish near the drop. Inevitably, I'm going to cut a point or ledge that has stumps or man-made structure and hang up. I'm just trying to justify the additional cost of the braid vs the cost of lost cranks. I've looked into the titanium split-rings that pull away and leave the hook hung up but they aren't inexpensive by any means. They seem to work but I worry about lost fish also.

---

Don't use anything but braid. Use 20/4 Cajun red because it was cheap. That's why you have a drag on your reel. Set it where it will pull off when you hang a snag or get a lot of pull from a fish. Don't know I have ever pulled one out of a fishes mouth. Most are hooked so deep you have a hard time getting hooks out. Use medium action rods. Have never broken a tip. Yes it will all fade after awhile. Order you a big spool from China off eBay. Lot cheaper and works fine for pulling. Get a couple different colors, makes it easier to untangle.

I've used braid and mono, both work well. set the drag and you'll be fine. for freeing up snags, I bought a telescopic lure retriever. more or less a wire corkscrew on the end of a pole. it paid for itself on the first trip out. kind of a pain to use but you will get most of your cranks back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cray

Don't use anything but braid.

---

Me too! And I don't use a clip or even some fluorocarbon for a leader.

Braid is so thin, and has no memory, so I tie a 12 turn Uni direct to my small crankbait. It shakes like crazy with the thin line.

Braid is very strong, so you have to hold your rod tip straight or it will break.

I like Power Pro and NanoFil the best.

I use 30# power pro in Hi=viz yellow, it does fade some after time but still very visible. To attach the crank I use a duo lock snap red in color. To free a snag keep the rod straight with the line grab the spool and pray,it comes loose most times. Good luck Doug.

With a lure retriever u have to stop, eight pulling poles and four pushing poles u stop and u have a mess.thats the reason i use braid thirty pound, so u can pull the baits loose and never stop.when i started out cranking i used a lure retriever, but ended up going on a guided fishing trip pulling cranks and thats where i found out its better off not to stop for a hang up

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by blueball

With a lure retriever u have to stop, eight pulling poles and four pushing poles u stop and u have a mess.thats the reason i use braid thirty pound, so u can pull the baits loose and never stop.when i started out cranking i used a lure retriever, but ended up going on a guided fishing trip pulling cranks and thats where i found out its better off not to stop for a hang up

---

The only time I stop is when I have a limit or when my batteries die. The rest of the time it's 1.7mph. I can have up to 10 rods out at one time and I'd rather lose one bait than tangle up 10.

I agree