Crankbaits in NC

I am trying to expand my crappie techniques and want to know if pushing/pulling cranks in Central NC is worth the effort? I typically fish Jordan and Harris and do not see many pushing or pulling crankbaits. Anyone have any pointers or information if this is worth the investment. I have quite a few crankbaits around, but need line counter reels and a few different rod selections to stagger lengths. Crankbaits for crappie looks fun, but I see mostly white crappie being caught on this method way more than black crappie.

If it isn't worth it, outside of fishing at night under the lights, what works on June-August crappie? I have always struggled to get fish in the boat during the day, during the summer.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Need to talk to cwright on here. He I the big crankbait man. I know a lot of people will say it's not worth the time and money but I know he will say different. How about line counters, rods and a slew of crankbaits don't go very often but I do enjoy it when I do go it is a lot of fun. And honestly I don't even know if I've ever caught a white crappie pulling crankbaits but that's just me. Catfish like to eat them as well so that some other species that you will be catching when pulling cranks. I have found that if the crankbait has a lot of pink in it catfish tend to not bite them as much. Just my 2 cents!!

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Charles caught this nice crappie on Jordan last summer on a crank bait. We were pulling a combination of jigs and cranks. The crankbait was definitely the big fish of he day.

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When you pull jigs and cranks, how do you handle both? Run cranks on the outside or inside and run jigs on the other? That would be intriguing as well. But on Jordan for example, is it worth it or is it always hit or miss with it?


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Summer fishin depends on water clarity a lot, the clearer it is the more the fish are gonna relate to cover, but on harris and jordan it’s usually got enough color to it that early and late in the day when there feeding you can get enough to stink the pan trolling, if all I fished were those two lakes I’d stick with plastics

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Originally Posted by gobbler

Summer fishin depends on water clarity a lot, the clearer it is the more the fish are gonna relate to cover, but on harris and jordan it’s usually got enough color to it that early and late in the day when there feeding you can get enough to stink the pan trolling, if all I fished were those two lakes I’d stick with plastics

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Not the only lakes I fish, but both are 20-25 minutes from me and spend the most time there. I would like to fish Badin and Tillery more, just not much experience there. I have catfished there, but not much on crappie.


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Outside rods with plastics and inside rods were cranks.

I pull on a pontoon with big motor. I pull 2 cranks in the middle and 2 jigs on outside. . Jigs I rig 1oz. Worm weight then a swivel with about 3 ft leader back to 2 1/2 jig. Speed is 1.6 to 2.2 I don't catch a lot of small fish but some good size. Tight line

I love crankbaits! I don’t mix cranks and jigs because of difference in speeds. I pull jigs 1 mph and cranks 1.6 or 1.7. I use to use same rods but now have 5 baitcaster combos just for cranks with 20 lb braid so I don’t lose many. Catch both white and black but which lake is critical. Hardly ever have any luck on tillery. High rock is best lake around here for cranks. Catch some on badin and tuckertown but usually go to the rock. About this time of year I put up my jigs and pull cranks the rest of the summer. Won’t catch as many as on jigs but they will be nice. If you want to go one day to see what it is all about, I am not working right now so just give me a shout. I am an educator so done for the year. Pm if you want a hands on lesson. Lol.

You can also push the crankbaits in the front and pull the jigs in the back, you can troll slower this way for the jig presentation and still keep the crankbaits in the strikezone. Use 2- 4 oz weights to get the bait down.

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Originally Posted by quikcarl61

You can also push the crankbaits in the front and pull the jigs in the back, you can troll slower this way for the jig presentation and still keep the crankbaits in the strikezone. Use 2- 4 oz weights to get the bait down.

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I have certainly considered this as well. I have four rod holders and hopefully I can do this and still catch fish, also while trying something new. How many rods do you run out front? I am thinking about picking up 4 SCR T model rods or 4 BnM PST's, both in 14's. Thoughts?

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Originally Posted by quikcarl61

You can also push the crankbaits in the front and pull the jigs in the back, you can troll slower this way for the jig presentation and still keep the crankbaits in the strikezone. Use 2- 4 oz weights to get the bait down.

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That’s what I do i push them off the front with a 2 oz weight


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What rods are you using to push crank baits and what weight?


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Crappie maxx 12’’ I use a 2oz trolling weight with a 2’ leader. The 2oz weight will keep the bait in the strike zone


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