Crankbait lines

Ok. I have 4 new Shakespeare line counters size 15. They will hold a lot of and I know you need a full spool for them to be accurate. I was thinking of using 10 to 12 pound monofilament as filler line and then about 100 yards give me roughly 330 feet of higher-quality line. But I don't know what brand of line to use for either. I don't have a lot of money to use on this project so I would love some comments or suggestions on what brands and sizes you more experienced crankers use.
I had thought of using some Berkeley 12 pound test filler line that I found about 1200 yards for 7.99 @Bass Pro Shops.
I have seen 10 lb recommended for the final line. I don't anticipate fishing much other than open water. Not many brush tops in other words.

Any and all suggestions appreciated


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not a hi dollar line but i use 10# viscous. never had any problems so far, but i mostly fish flats in the coe's and don't hang up much..good luck, ws

I used the cheapest mono I could find for filler, 15lb from Wal-Mart. Then I use PowerPro 30lb braid for pulling cranks. I have a friend who bought the cheapest braid he could find on line, made in China, but it works and it was a whole lot cheaper.

I use 20 pound of the cheapest walmart has, fill full, pull 100 ft or so off. Cut it off and spool on 150 ft of power pro braid 30 lb. I found some power pro red on sale at academy for 9.98 a spool for 150 yards. 2 spools was more than enough to fill 5 reels. You don't need anymore than 150 ft. We fishing for crappie. Even if you hung a big cat or something your backing is plenty strong to hold anything your going to catch.

You will notice that the spool is marked in increments, I fill with cheap 25/30# junk line and finish with 20# braid now. You wind up with 200/250' of braid, reverse after 3/4yrs, and go again. I learned from the same question.

Why braid? To try and be able to save/retrieve the hung baits?


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Jim...Its kinda like Fords and Chevys......some like braid....some like mono. I use 10 lb. High vis yellow mono myself.

They don't have to be accurate, just the same. I put 500' on all of mine and roll on.....

I use the "offshore angler" 12 lbs from bass pro.. I got a big spool for $12 and have filled at least 8 cranking reels and all of my spider rig reels with it.. Have had 1 break off in 2 months using it and I don't believe dat was a crappie


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Originally Posted by feelay

They don't have to be accurate, just the same. I put 500' on all of mine and roll on.....

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I respectfully disagree. They have to be accurate or you're just pulling crankbaits and praying for the best.

I suggest using 10 pound mono or braid with no larger diameter than 6 pound test. Reason.. Is there's more proven information/dive curves for 100's of different baits with those 2 lines than anything else.

I suggest buying you a trollers bible or get the precision trolling app on your phone, purchase the baits that you use and it's will blow your mind how accurate they are. Those guys have spend countless hours getting the data for that book/app. Look at precision trolling on YouTube and it'll show you how they gather information.

But, keep in mind, every boat does pull slightly different and.. Keep in mind that line length only counts for line in the water.

I pull with my rods horizontal/level. That's where everything is dead in accurate for me. When doing so if I see fish at 8' deep I can refer to precision trolling data to put my baits where I want them to be Insted of under the fish. After doing it so many times.. It's memorized now. I'm 100% confident.

But with all that said, it's accurate up to 14 feet deep give or take a little. After that the curve plays out and is in accurate for the baits I use, bandits, bombers, flicker shad, bad shad, Johnson CB shad,etc. I personally have never been able to hit a 16' bottom with the deepest diving baits I use without having to add weight.

I made some spacers instead of using filler line. Also, I use 40# braid, has the diameter of 10# mono and matches the charts better. I may go to some extremes sometime, but right now all my reels are calibrated. 100 ft is 100 ft. I know if and when I break off, they will be off. Won't get off very much for a while tho.

Cheapest line you can find for filler. I just ordered braided line on EBay...made in China but cheap. Gonna spool the last 100 yds or so with the braid. I'm trying hi vis yellow in 20/6. Will be first time for braid for me. Gonna try it.

Get you some good cutters for that braid so it will cut clean, got a pair just for cutting braid and they work great.

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Originally Posted by Dee F

I respectfully disagree. They have to be accurate or you're just pulling crankbaits and praying for the best.

I suggest using 10 pound mono or braid with no larger diameter than 6 pound test. Reason.. Is there's more proven information/dive curves for 100's of different baits with those 2 lines than anything else.

I suggest buying you a trollers bible or get the precision trolling app on your phone, purchase the baits that you use and it's will blow your mind how accurate they are. Those guys have spend countless hours getting the data for that book/app. Look at precision trolling on YouTube and it'll show you how they gather information.

But, keep in mind, every boat does pull slightly different and.. Keep in mind that line length only counts for line in the water.

I pull with my rods horizontal/level. That's where everything is dead in accurate for me. When doing so if I see fish at 8' deep I can refer to precision trolling data to put my baits where I want them to be Insted of under the fish. After doing it so many times.. It's memorized now. I'm 100% confident.

But with all that said, it's accurate up to 14 feet deep give or take a little. After that the curve plays out and is in accurate for the baits I use, bandits, bombers, flicker shad, bad shad, Johnson CB shad,etc. I personally have never been able to hit a 16' bottom with the deepest diving baits I use without having to add weight.

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Blah, blah, blah.... Write a book on trolling theory. The difference in a full spool and half full spool is negligible. I don't fish from a keyboard. In the real world, all my reels are set up the same. I let out line to my general target depth, staggering all lines by several feet. I get bit, I replicate what that one is doing, fine tuning as the day goes on. I have a laminated TROLLERS BIBLE card for reference, the app also. I appreciate you trying to educate me, but I "respectfully" say pfffffft. [emoji6]
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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Get you some good cutters for that braid so it will cut clean, got a pair just for cutting braid and they work great.

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Kids blunt scissors at Walmart work great. 1.50 a pair.

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Originally Posted by feelay

Blah, blah, blah.... Write a book on trolling theory. The difference in a full spool and half full spool is negligible. I don't fish from a keyboard. In the real world, all my reels are set up the same. I let out line to my general target depth, staggering all lines by several feet. I get bit, I replicate what that one is doing, fine tuning as the day goes on. I have a laminated TROLLERS BIBLE card for reference, the app also. I appreciate you trying to educate me, but I "respectfully" say pfffffft. [emoji6]
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BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

I WAS WAITING FOR IT!!!!!!![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Feelay..you are definitely dialed in..Time on the water is what it is about

[QUOTE=feelay;3242877]Blah, blah, blah.... Write a book on trolling theory. The difference in a full spool and half full spool is negligible. I don't fish from a keyboard. In the real world, all my reels are set up the same. I let out line to my general target depth, staggering all lines by several feet. I get bit, I replicate what that one is doing, fine tuning as the day goes on. I have a laminated TROLLERS BIBLE card for reference, the app also. I appreciate you trying to educate me, but I "respectfully" say pfffffft. [emoji6]



First of all.. We're all internet fishing... Everyone on this site is.. That's what it's here for. To talk fishing, opinions, advice,share stories, pics, etc. Post count determines who does the most internet fishing here!
.The difference between a half spool and full spool don't matter on line counter reels???Lol. I've heard it all. sounds like you need some educating!
And this comment coming from a person that is hired as a guide to take people fishing?? They might as well spend their time at a casino because you're gambling..... Period. I hope you have got the gambling out of the way days before their paid trip and have your stuff dialed in so they can start catching fish when they get there.
In the summer time, when most pull crankbaits, In the time you're spending gambling, you could be marking fish, and then be100% dead on, on how to put your baits on the fish, Insted of spending the time pulling and matching the lucky reel. Think about this.. While you're pulling and matching.. Others are already catching..
You can use that laminated dive card to fan you clients.. Because that's what it's gonna be good for with inaccurate reels. Half filled spool reel gonna show you having way more line out than you actually have. You're gonna look at a dive card and in reality be way shallower than you think you are. Doing it your way.. You're using your reel as a reference point. Not to say you don't catch fish.. But someone that has taken the time to calibrate, learn their depths and get "educated" WILL be wearing you out while you're spending the time hunting that perfect reference point on your uncalibrated line counter reels. I know this first hand... I was the guy doing the same thing years ago.. I quit "my ways" and started over doing it the most accurate way I found.

The original guy that opened this topic ask a question about line. I'm only gonna give a man advice on the right way that is proven to be right... The easiest way to do something correctly. Something that I am willing to back up. I trying to save them from the trails and errors that I went through and you're obviously going through now. Sure.. You're catching fish you're way.. But on those days when you don't catch a fish, do you know for sure if you were under them, or they werent as aggressive and you were to far above them.... Or do you just say.. They just ain't biting today??
I used your comment on the first post because line counter accuracy does matter and I don't want to lead someone to believe it doesn't. There's a reasons they are designed to count line accurately when calibrated. If someone buys them.. They should use them 100% to the reels capability. If you not gonna do that... You should save some dollars and just buy regular reels and used marked line.


I read all this and I gathered even more of an idea.. EZ, I think, posted he uses 40# braid that's the equivalent diameter to 10lb mono?? That opened up an idea for me.. I used to pull 10# mono because Of depth accuracy. I changed to braid because of durability.... But now that he's made me think... I may try this.. Why?? Because I can achieve the same accurate depths with a stronger line.. Then if I break off.. I will break at the snap swivel that I use.. Insted of breaking off line and having to recalibrate a reel. Might save me time.
Thanks for that info EZ

You a long winded dude, ain't ya? Lol
You worry about you, I'll worry about me. It ain't rocket science. Peace out


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by feelay

Blah, blah, blah.... Write a book on trolling theory. The difference in a full spool and half full spool is negligible. I don't fish from a keyboard. In the real world, all my reels are set up the same. I let out line to my general target depth, staggering all lines by several feet. I get bit, I replicate what that one is doing, fine tuning as the day goes on. I have a laminated TROLLERS BIBLE card for reference, the app also. I appreciate you trying to educate me, but I "respectfully" say pfffffft. [emoji6]
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Nice fish!

Got four of the same reels crappiejim, I run 6# HI Viz mono.. I spooled them up with 800ft each (half full). I love 6# mono because of less resistance and can get them deeper, but I don't like the fact it's easily frayed or compromised by knicks, lost two today due to break offs. Pulling cranks is tough of line, may be why so many like the braid. All said, I will be going to a stronger line. And mine seem to be accurate with half spool, or at least the fish don't know no different. I tend to keep my own info and data, but mostly, I just wing it and go fish... Lol

For you guys using mono to backfill and topping with braid, how are you mending your mono to braid? Any certain knot? I've always been leary of mending line.. but would to know the proper way it's done for future reference.

Double Uniknot has always worked good for me.

What cray said, had a hang up the other day and actually got down to the mono before it came loose, knot held fine

So for you guys using properly calibrated reels and say you hang up and break off how bad does it mess with the calibration? Seems like it would be a headache keeping them reels calibrated

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Originally Posted by tigerinfielder3

So for you guys using properly calibrated reels and say you hang up and break off how bad does it mess with the calibration? Seems like it would be a headache keeping them reels calibrated

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On my reels if I break off about 40' of line it'll throw my counter off making it show about 8 more feet than is actually out. You fix this on the water by doing this. When you break off reel the line in....when the end of the line gets to the rod, look and see what the number is on.. That's how much you lost. Most of the time my swivel will give before my line breaks.

But breaking off doesn't happen that often for me.. I try to pay attention to my electronics and if I go across a brush pile I'll reel in my baits enough to pull them across the top of it Insted of into it.
I fish Barnett mostly... You learn real quick how important it is to know how deep a crankbait is. You can lose 6 in about 5 seconds if you're too deep, but you want to be as close as possible because that's where the fish are!!
Corp lakes are a lot more slick bottom and forgiving than Barnett