Crankin

Today was the very best day I've had pulling crank baits. This morning I'd set out to introduce a fellow crappie.com member how to pull cranks and by the end of the day he had become a pro. By the end of the day Mr Clicker was spanking me. We drove to Lake Malone started fishing around 8:30. Down rods at 6' and 8', long rods back 45' and 55'. Averaged 10" and best was 13". Kept one that was bleeding that went 9 1/2". Oh that every trip would be as sweet. Attachment 269323Attachment 269324Attachment 269325Attachment 269326Attachment 269327

That's a good day.

I want to try this, what does down rod 6 and 8 mean

Told you so. Your ol' bud Brad wouldn't listen.

Down rods are straight under the boat with heavy weight to keep them pretty close to straight up and down. I use 5 oz weights. His 6 and 8 figures are how deep he set the weight. No idea where he picked that up?
Let me add I run a 3-4 foot leader with snap swivel at each end attached to the eye on the 5 oz weight to the crankbait. I use shallow runners on my droppers (minnow baits, rattletraps, shallow runners like 220 Arkies or 100 Bandits.
Flicker shads?

thanks for info

Congrats. That a fine cooler shot.

Had a blast, considered it a great day. Love long lining jigs in the spring, so suspected that pulling cranks might also be fun... Yes Mrdux, flicker shad- and they were hot! May have to get a few more of them. I think slabseeker is a believer in em... Just recently added a 2nd trolling motor to my boat, to be able to go fast enough to pull cranks and maintain speed through out day. Will post pics of setup later, in case it might help someone else.

Doug the reason I set the down rods at 6' and 8' was due to the location of the thermocline being at 10' to 12'. Cranks ran deeper than the weight so we were right in em. Most of our fish came on down rods.

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Originally Posted by slabseeker1

Doug the reason I set the down rods at 6' and 8' was due to the location of the thermocline being at 10' to 12'. Cranks ran deeper than the weight so we were right in em. Most of our fish came on down rods.

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That's why we crappie fishermen have to be willing to think outside the box and adapt. I choose to run baits that don't run much, if any, deeper than my weights. I have days we may not catch most on the droppers but recently we caught the largest crappie, sauger, and LMB on one bait I painted and ran on a short (3") leader.

Russ, you have no idea how many times I have to explain a thermocline, what it is and how it effects fish, and how to set my 2D up to see it. Almost seems old school to some.

Thanks to a Bernard Williams article on MCC website a few years ago about "painting bills and cranks" most all of my cranks are wearing extra paint.Just about the only ones untouched are the new ones.It is surprising what a suttle little difference can make.

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Originally Posted by Snagged again

Thanks to a Bernard Williams article on MCC website a few years ago about "painting bills and cranks" most all of my cranks are wearing extra paint.Just about the only ones untouched are the new ones.It is surprising what a suttle little difference can make.

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By the end of the day ole HitTheClicka had one flicker shad that was as near to bring the fish up as a stick of dynamite. He was crushing my ego with the suttleness of his lure.

nice catch. looks like a great day. thanks for the info on rigging

Thanks for sharing the info. More good stuff.

What kind of speeds are you trolling for crappie? White bass fishing back in the day, we would just put the boat in gear pulling Bayou Boogies and kill them. I assume that would be a little fast for the crappies? I have read speed, can really be key, along with depth, color, etc... thanks again.

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Originally Posted by Crapnute

What kind of speeds are you trolling for crappie? .

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I believe, generally speaking, that crank trolling speeds are between 1.5mph & 2mph.

I do know that when I've been in other boats & using cranks for Crappie, the normal speed was 1.8mph ... BUT, that was when using 2oz weights ahead of the cranks. I, personally, have trolled at 0.7-1.0mph while using jigs & cranks and only having 1/2oz of weight on the line ... and still caught Crappie.
So, I'm not so sure there's a magic speed ... but, the depth of the fish is the primary factor, and the speed/weight/lure size/lure type/line distance/etc. is used to accomplish getting the bait to that depth range.

I am going to give it a shot. Thanks for the advice CP.

Thanks pappy. Kinda covered in grand kids at the moment.