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Have pushed cranks once in the past, but never could get any consistency with my bearing and speed due to my 15 year old cable steered troller. I finally got a Terrova and Im thinking about pushing four cranks out front and pulling two jigs or cranks from each side.
This just had me wondering if some folks produce more fish pulling vs pushing and have abandoned either because of it?
I think it just depends on the day. Some days one works better and some days the other. ScottV has written pretty extensively on this subject and that's pretty much the conclusion I formed on his Experiance. He does both quite a bit on his home lake. If you can run that many poles I'd run both to start and see what fish tell you that day. The good thing about pushing is you have way more control over your baits especially in shallow water.
I sometimes pull and push at the same time. Some days there is no difference in the catch rate...other days one might produce a little bit better than the other and vice versa...not a lot of difference tho. Pushing is really nice in smaller bodies of water because you can make tighter turns and do not have so much line out like you do pulling.
Im ready to be able to fish and move about without holding my foot on that old noisy 43lb motor guide! Im pretty shocked how much more quiet this Terrova is even at full power.
I picked up those bottom bouncers from crawdads tackle G. There was just one loop on the end of them to tie from and they came with a plastic eyelet, but I don't know what the plastic eyelet is used for. The bouncers I have seen used before had bent eyelets on each end. Is it ok the make another eyelet on those and just run a 3 foot leader off the bottom of the new eyelet on the bouncer? Im feeling there may be a technique or trick I don't know about with them. I have seen them on youtube where they float up and down the line and stopped by a bead and a swivel, but would a direct tie off top and bottom be better for pulling cranks?
I dont know about those bottom bouncers. I for pushing use a 3 oz trolling weight and run the crankbait on a leader about 3 ft behind it. I get my weights from ScottV on the MS board.
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Here is a picture of the ones G is talking about. This just shows 2 eyelets but ScottV sells one with a swivel on one end. Most of us use his in 2 or 3 oz. I prefer 2 oz but it's all up to the user and the speed you want to push.
Bullet Weights Trolling Sinkers : FishUSA
I'm sure you could take the bottom bouncer and modify it to work also. When I first started I used big egg sinkers on main line then a bead and tied to a swivel. Use 2-3 ft leader from weight to snap to hook crank. On good thing about pushing is with the bait you can go from a bandit 300 to a small #5 flicker shad and still maintain your preferred depth with out putting out a ton of line.
Thanks Cray. This is exactly what I have in 3oz version. I went ahead and bent an eyelet for the bottom of the wire for the swivel, leader and crankQuote:
Originally Posted by Cray
Attachment 312468
What size swivel snaps should I be using. I have either 12's or 10's, but they seem small
We pull most of the time. Although I have caught some monsters in the little bit I've pushed. My team is made up of little , skinny arms ... so it's harder for them to handle the weighted lures. We are fortunate to crankbait the large , open reservoirs of Mississippi, so turning radius is not a problem. If we fished a lot of cover , and needed a tight turning radius I think pushing would be in order . For now .. my team loves to pull !!!!
I have one suggestion on your eyelet you twisted in. Make sure you don't have a sharp edge not the end of your twist. I have had my leader get around the twist on some I have done and get a fish and it cut leader. If nothing else paint it with fingernail polish to smooth it out. I use a #10 or #8 swivel to tie leader to. I use a # 1 or#2 DuoLoc snap without swivel on other end to attach crank.
Also something else you can do is power troll bladed jigs with plastics at same time pulling cranks that will catch you some extra fish at times. Just replace crank with jig.
It seems with optimal depth and speed setup pulling would be more productive getting away from the boat and troller, but maybe their are other variables Im unaware of.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutchman
It seems logical. We just haven't pushed enough to know . We fish stained water so the fish aren't as spooky . I hear of guys catching fish well , pushing in our area. I would think clear water lakes it would be more of a issue.
my experience alsoQuote:
Originally Posted by Cray
I tried both on my pontoon Sunday. I pulled 2 off each side and pushed 4 off the front. I caught 7 or 8 to one pulling. I am no expert by any means, just one day doing both. I pushed one day last year and caught fish but not sure I caught as many as usually do pulling but, the jury is still out.
I think pushing is better when you have plenty of sun and tighter schools. The pulling may be better when it's cloudy and the schools are scattered and you can make longer runs.
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