Advice for Trolling Cranks

Went today. Only caught three, but one was a monster, just shy of 16 inches.

Good job. Almost a 16 incher sounds great to me. Sometimes with cranks you just catch quality and not quantity.

Now Deedoe don't tell all our secrets! lol

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Originally Posted by TN Fisher

Richard,

Im sure you will get several opinions but here is what I do.

Bandit 200 & 300 trolling at 1.6 to 2.0 mph. Line counting reels work best or I just measure out 100 yds. and wrap a rubber band around my line on my spinning reels. I use medium/heavy rods. I ussually run 2 rods off the front and 4 out the back.

I like colors in Pink, blue/silver, one called the "Mistake", Chartruse and Mad Cow. I also often change out the factory hooks to red hooks. Can prove it helps but in my mind it does.

Chart below gives you some idea of the depths.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...uick-20ref.jpg

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is the chart for pulling out back of boat , or pushing?

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Originally Posted by TN. WATERSHED

is the chart for pulling out back of boat , or pushing?

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That chart is for Pulling cranks......you can pull from front....back.....or sides......pulling is when you do not use weights.....you control depth by length of line out at 1.6 to 1.8 mph.....that chart is also for 10 lb. Mono line

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Originally Posted by "G"

That chart is for Pulling cranks......you can pull from front....back.....or sides......pulling is when you do not use weights.....you control depth by length of line out at 1.6 to 1.8 mph.....that chart is also for 10 lb. Mono line

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thanks G, I am trying to learn to pull them out of the back of boat.

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Originally Posted by "G"

That chart is for Pulling cranks......you can pull from front....back.....or sides......pulling is when you do not use weights.....you control depth by length of line out at 1.6 to 1.8 mph.....that chart is also for 10 lb. Mono line

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I see speeds posted here a lot faster that what I usually troll crank baits. The fastest I ever troll is 1.6 mph. The slowest is 1.2 mph, because that is as slow as I can go and still get the crank baits to "swim". Most days I troll from 1.2 to 1.4 mph, and I usually catch crappie at those speeds. I also stop/start from time to time and find that will trigger a strike. You can get a similar effect by pulling the line back through the rod guides a foot or two and then letting go.

I've had a lot of trouble with lines fouling. I assume because some cranks aren't pulling true. When I run them beside the boat, they look to run true, but 100 feet back, when two lines get together I don't even realize it until I pull them up and have a spaghetti mess... and had obviously been wasting a lot of water. What can I do to help that situation?

Arkie 350 series crankbaits will run true out of the box. And I use different rod lengths to keep four feet of separation between lines. Make your turns wide and sweeping.

Also , dont forget to check out Power Pros Depth Hunter braided line. It has different colors on the spool, each is 25ft with a white mark every 5fy . I use it insted of line counter reels, the 10/40 pulls the same as 10lb mono, it saves alot of cranks that get hung up.