Need Opionions: Fishing lipless crankbaits

[A-Rob]

Just wondering as I'm rigging up for the upcoming season. I wanted to know what line you guys would fish if you were throwing a lipless crank bait over top of moderately heavy grass, about 6 to 9 feet deep water.

I want to mow that lawn with enough line strength that I can get a nice largemouth out of the fairly heavy weeds just under my lure.

Thanks everyone!

[Skinnyh2ofishin]

without knowing what kind of grass you're fishing over I'd say 12-15lb should be sufficient. 

I usually use 10-12 for most of my cranking, unless I'm ripping lipless cranks through hydrilla, when I'll use 15lb in mono, or 30lb in braid.  Since the general idea is just to tick the top of the vegetation, it doesn't require much heavier line than normal, but in the case of thick hydrilla or other stout vegetation, I like the extra incase I hit a clump that wants to keep my bait.

[Big Bass Chaser]

I currently throw my lipless cranks on 15lb flourocarbon , however I'm thinking I prefer 10lb for casting distance.  I've never had a problem with ripping them out of weeds, in fact I often like to dip them into the weeds and rip them out to elicit strikes.  I've only ever snagged them on wood, however I don't have heavy weeds in my lakes.

[simplejoe]

I use 17 pound flourocarbon.

[NOVA Angler]

12lb Flouro has always worked well for me in those situations.  I'm more likely to rip the hooks out of their mouth before the line ever breaks.

[RoLo]

I've become partial to a Spro Aruku Shad on MH spinning tackle spooled with 30-lb Fireline braid.

A medium-heavy graphite rod with braided line is the wrong combination for good hook-sets,

but the bass in Florida haven't figured that out yet ;D

Roger

[roadwarrior]

I've become partial to a Spro Aruku Shad on MH spinning tackle spooled with 30-lb Fireline braid.

A medium-heavy graphite rod with braided line is the wrong combination for good hook-sets,

but the bass in Florida haven't figured that out yet

Excellent!

Definitely the "wrong" set-up, but it kinda goes back

to: "All your fishing can be done with one rig.

Three are all you really need."

8-)

[midnighthrasher]

I used a MH med/fast tc4 crucial with 12lb yo zuri hybrid.

[L a r r y]

I've thrown lipless cranks on a medium action rod with 12lb mono and have not had one single problem with hook sets, or even pulling them out of hydrilla if they decide to nose dive down into it.  This has worked for me, and I'm sticking to my story   

[MALTESE FALCON]

I use 12 lb Trilene XL, on a 7' Med/Fast rod. It's been a good combination for me. The past two seasons I've fished lipless crankbaits more than ever, with fantastic results.

I fish very clear water with alot of weeds, and these are the baits that produce for me.

1-XCalibur Xr50 in Pearl Melon, or Blue Chrome/Orange.

2-Rattlin Rapala in Chrome Blue, or Red Crawdad.

3-Red Eye Shad in East Texas Special, or Sexy Shad.

Falcon

[senko_77]

Braid.  I throw 50lb Power Pro.  I like using a medium heavy to heavy rod too.  Switch the front hook of your lipless crankbait to a #1 treble and take the back one off.  You won't have to worry about losing big fish and that big hook usually won't tear out.

Randall taught me this trick and it has bagged me some giant fish that would have most likely come off had I been using a regular setup.  I know 50lb braid and a heavy rod sounds "out of the norm" but who defines what the norm is. 

Good luck bro   ;D

[RoLo]

I've become partial to a Spro Aruku Shad on MH spinning tackle spooled with 30-lb Fireline braid.

A medium-heavy graphite rod with braided line is the wrong combination for good hook-sets,

but the bass in Florida haven't figured that out yet

Excellent!

Definitely the "wrong" set-up, but it kinda goes back

to: "All your fishing can be done with one rig.

Three are all you really need."

8-)

I'll drink to that

Better to be a master of one trade, than mediocre at all trades.

Roger

[simplejoe]

Switch the front hook of your lipless crankbait to a #1 treble and take the back one off. You won't have to worry about losing big fish and that big hook usually won't tear out.

;D

Great Advice. Thanks 

[whoopbazz]

I have found that lipless cranks get thrown by the fish much easier than billed cranks. So, I always throw them on a nice spongey fiberglass crankbait rod.

[bobbyc]

I agree whopbazz, although a lipless is easier to keep in contact with the grass, a must for me to get strikes.

[zach t]

10lb mono.

[RoLo]

I have found that lipless cranks get thrown by the fish much easier than billed cranks. So, I always throw them on a nice spongey fiberglass crankbait rod.

That is certainly true, but not without some give-and-take.

A spongy rod is also beneficial during an aerial leap,

but the stiffer rod will provide the highest percentage of hook-sets beyond the barb.

Roger

[Chaz Hickcox]

I've become partial to a Spro Aruku Shad on MH spinning tackle spooled with 30-lb Fireline braid.

A medium-heavy graphite rod with braided line is the wrong combination for good hook-sets,

but the bass in Florida haven't figured that out yet

Excellent!

Definitely the "wrong" set-up, but it kinda goes back

to: "All your fishing can be done with one rig.

Three are all you really need."

8-)

  RW I have to absolutely agree!  I have 3 Baitcasters (2 MH With braid and a M with mono) and a M spinning rod.  What else do I need?  Seriously, I throw cranks and lipless all the time on the 2 MH.  "Wrong" by who's standards? 

[A-Rob]

Thanks everyone!

I was thinking of using my MH ~7foot rod with a nice (for me) baitcasting reel, and 12# test Maxima mono.

I figured the 12# was enough, but just wanted to make sure before the first big lunker of the season swims off with my crank!

Let me know if anyone disagrees with my line choice!

[Fishes in trees]

I always have a trap rod rigged and ready in my boat.  Currently I'm using an old Bud Erhardt graphite crankin stick, a calcutta 250 reel (5-1) and the most abrasion resistant 17 or 20 pound line I can find.  My favorite is the 17 pound Iron Silk (discontinued, but I still have 2 filler spools left.

I'm not a big fan of the rattle traps.  I prefer the Berkley Frenzy or a Cordell Spot.  A half ounce bait is all I ever throw.

[bigtimfish]

7' mh vendetta, revo sx, 12lb berkley 100% fluoro. Also 14lb fireline crystal works well.

[roadwarrior]

I've become partial to a Spro Aruku Shad on MH spinning tackle spooled with 30-lb Fireline braid.

A medium-heavy graphite rod with braided line is the wrong combination for good hook-sets,

but the bass in Florida haven't figured that out yet

Excellent!

Definitely the "wrong" set-up, but it kinda goes back

to: "All your fishing can be done with one rig.

Three are all you really need."

8-)

RW I have to absolutely agree! I have 3 Baitcasters (2 MH With braid and a M with mono) and a M spinning rod. What else do I need? Seriously, I throw cranks and lipless all the time on the 2 MH. "Wrong" by who's standards?

That's why I put "wrong" in quotations.

If it works for Roger it will work for you!

-Kent

[A-Rob]

I noticed some people said they'd get away with 10, 12# mono....and others use stuff like 50# braid.

It's funny, I went back and looked at where people were fishing out of, and everyone from the south uses the heavy line and everyone from the north, not so much.

I'm from the north north haha Canada eh, we have some slop, but the heaviest worst stuff, I have pulled out 4# largemouths with 14# test mono and never come close to breaking off. I think my "heavy cover" isn't the same as the south's "heavy cover".

With that said, I think I could get away with that 12# mono.

Thanks everyone! It was cool to see the differences in techniques/equipment that still find success for everyone.

[Chaz Hickcox]

I noticed some people said they'd get away with 10, 12# mono....and others use stuff like 50# braid.

It's funny, I went back and looked at where people were fishing out of, and everyone from the south uses the heavy line and everyone from the north, not so much.

I'm from the north north haha Canada eh, we have some slop, but the heaviest worst stuff, I have pulled out 4# largemouths with 14# test mono and never come close to breaking off. I think my "heavy cover" isn't the same as the south's "heavy cover".

With that said, I think I could get away with that 12# mono.

Thanks everyone! It was cool to see the differences in techniques/equipment that still find success for everyone.

Out west I never went over 10lb mono for visability sake.  I am sure that up north you all have the same issue with super clear water and the fish spooking at the sight of the line.  When I moved out here I lost a lot of tackle and fish because of that.  I had never fished wood like there is out here and my line was getting destroyed by the wood out here so I switched to heavy braid.  Basically, the clearer the water, the lighter the line, the more structure, you need something that will hold up.

[A-Rob]