Co-Anglers - Crankbaits

[Felix77]

When it comes to fishing crankbaits boaters have the luxury of carry rods with different line sizes for crankbaiting alone.  This allows them to further tune the depth of the lure according to the conditions.  As a co-angler I don't have that luxury so here's what I do.

 

One dedicated rod - 7' Meduim with 12lb Fluorocarbon on my reel.

 

I then carry an assortment of crankbaits which vary in depth up to 15 feet.  (KVD 1.5 - Strike Kind 5XD)

 

This allows me one rod which I can use for all my crankbait needs.

 

How do others handle crankbaits with one rod reel combination?

[Teal]

If you can get yourr hands on some spare spools for your reel that would be good. Spool em up and put a little tape on them and put it in you bag.

If you cant get a spare spool bring a spare reel with a different line size on it. Again just put it in your bag until needed. (Spare reels are a good idea anyway)

Look into snaps. The berkely cross locks are good for me. This will help you can baits fast!

Remember you can only fish on rod at a time anyway!

[LgMouthGambler]

Well, I don't throw cranks too often down here. When I comes to it, say tournament fishing, my everyday combo becomes my crank setup. Basically a Curado50E on a Compare MHF rod with 12# YoZuri. I can sling any crank with it, and have full confidence in the strength of the line.

[bassin is addicting]

i use YoZuri 8lb.  with its diameter it works well for me at all depths and with its higher break point i have not had a problem with breaking.

 

i always use a duo lock snap so i can change crankbaits quick based on where my boater takes us.

[Teal]

Good idea also.. just keep in mind when using faster action rod that giving the fish an extra second and adjusting your drag a little will go a long way to help keep those fish on.

[Felix77]

If you can get yourr hands on some spare spools for your reel that would be good. Spool em up and put a little tape on them and put it in you bag.

If you cant get a spare spool bring a spare reel with a different line size on it. Again just put it in your bag until needed. (Spare reels are a good idea anyway)

Look into snaps. The berkely cross locks are good for me. This will help you can baits fast!

Remember you can only fish on rod at a time anyway!

 

Good idea.  I have been experimenting with several snaps.  Didn't use them last year and it cost me a ton of time.  Definitely will in 2013.

[tbone1993]

How many combos do you bring with you in total? I  bring as many as I can fit and keep them along the passenger seat facing the rear while the boater has his up front.  I suggest having a cranking rod then a spinnerbait rod that can be used for deep diving baits. If anything else have an extra reel spooled up with different line that you can slap on another rod.  The only problem you run into with a 7ft m is when you are trying to run those super deep crank baits. Having that 7ft mh spinnerbait rod can make a big difference. Say you have the 7ft m, 7ft mh, insert flip/pitch/jigging rod here, then a 7ft spinning rod you can cover almost all of your bases.   As a co angler I have accepted the fact that I will need to be able to re tie fairly quickly. 

[bassin is addicting]

as a co-angler i bring 4-5 rigs max.  with 2-3 of them rigged with snaps.

i can even use the snaps with a spinnerbait...thanks to an idea that Sam shared here.   get about a foot of the plastic tubing used as fuel line on lawn mowers and cut a small section to put over the bend in the spinnerbait.  it keeps the snap in place.  i've never had a problem using snaps.   

[Felix77]

How many combos do you bring with you in total? I  bring as many as I can fit and keep them along the passenger seat facing the rear while the boater has his up front.  I suggest having a cranking rod then a spinnerbait rod that can be used for deep diving baits. If anything else have an extra reel spooled

up with different line that you can slap on another rod.  The only problem you run into with a 7ft m is when you are trying to run those super deep crank baits. Having that 7ft mh spinnerbait rod can make a big difference. Say you have the 7ft m, 7ft mh, insert flip/pitch/jigging rod here, then a 7ft spinning rod you can cover almost all of your bases.   As a co angler I have accepted the fact that I will need to be able to re tie fairly quickly. 

 

I carry along 5 setups and no more.  3 baitcasting and 2 spinning.

1)  7' MH BC - 20lb FC.  Used for flipping/pitching, jigs, heavy texas rigged etc.

2)  6'5" MH BC - 15lb FC.  Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, 

3)  7' Medium BC - Crankbaits, light spinners etc.

4)  7'M Spinning - Drop Shot, Wacky, Weightless Texas rigged Senkos

5)  6'5" Spinning MH - Shakey Head stuff

 

I like your suggestions and as you can see some of them I am doing.  (Great minds ...)

 

I am liking the idea of an extra reel spooled and in my bag.  Came up a few times.

 

Thanks

[Felix77]

as a co-angler i bring 4-5 rigs max.  with 2-3 of them rigged with snaps.

i can even use the snaps with a spinnerbait...thanks to an idea that Sam shared here.   get about a foot of the plastic tubing used as fuel line on lawn mowers and cut a small section to put over the bend in the spinnerbait.  it keeps the snap in place.  i've never had a problem using snaps.   

 

That's great to know.  Which snaps do you use?

 

I also learned 2 tricks when using spinnerbaits for our pike tournaments.

 

1 - Use mono line to wrap the tip.  When you put it on a steel leader it wont slide off.

2 - Use the small tubing that comes with most spinnerbait trailers.  Clip a small piece and then put your steel leader on.

 

#2 is like your suggestion and one I discovered too late for last year.  :-)

[bassin is addicting]

#2 sounds the same.  what i found was that the lawn mower tubing was more flexible and a little easier to work with.  plus it has a yellow tint...easy to find if it comes off.  i actually keep them on the spinnerbaits so they are already there.

 

i use Danielson duo lock snaps i get from TW

and BPS brand also

[tbone1993]

I carry along 5 setups and no more.  3 baitcasting and 2 spinning.

1)  7' MH BC - 20lb FC.  Used for flipping/pitching, jigs, heavy texas rigged etc.

2)  6'5" MH BC - 15lb FC.  Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, 

3)  7' Medium BC - Crankbaits, light spinners etc.

4)  7'M Spinning - Drop Shot, Wacky, Weightless Texas rigged Senkos

5)  6'5" Spinning MH - Shakey Head stuff

 

I like your suggestions and as you can see some of them I am doing.  (Great minds ...)

 

I am liking the idea of an extra reel spooled and in my bag.  Came up a few times.

 

Thanks

I like to go with a m to ml for a shakey head so if anything the 65 mh can be used for weighted texas rigs or even to throw topwaters on.  Before I had a ton of setups i used to do everything on a spinning rod.  Also thing about topwaters if they are not in your arsenal yet, I assume they get thrown on the 65 mh bc right? 

[Fishes in trees]

When I was co-angling I would bring a bunch of rods & reels with me and not make the final decision on what to take until after the tournament meeting and I'd talked with my draw boater.  I'm in Missouri and so different lakes would factor into that decision as well.  Truman - generally dingy water I would take a more power fishing approach.  Table Rock, Stockton, Bull Shoals, I'd probably go more finesse.  Lake Ozarks, who knows, at any given time lots of different approaches might work.  The only thing to be sure of at Lake of the Ozarks was that at some point in the day you would probably be fishing around docks.  Same thing with Grand Lake in Oklahoma.

 

Back to the point of your post, as a co-angler, carrying 2 or 3 cranking combos isn't necessarily a bad idea, just depends.  I've done it.  The particular situation was that one pattern that might work was deep cranks on points and another pattern that might work was shallow and semi-shallow docks toward the end of coves.  One pattern calls for a deep diver and the other for a square bill of some sort.

 

As a co-angler, make your own decisions based on the particular situation.  I always felt that if I could manage 5 rods, I could manage 7.  After that point, unnecessary clutter happened.

[gripnrip]

I carry along 5 setups and no more.  3 baitcasting and 2 spinning.

1)  7' MH BC - 20lb FC.  Used for flipping/pitching, jigs, heavy texas rigged etc.

2)  6'5" MH BC - 15lb FC.  Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, 

3)  7' Medium BC - Crankbaits, light spinners etc.

4)  7'M Spinning - Drop Shot, Wacky, Weightless Texas rigged Senkos

5)  6'5" Spinning MH - Shakey Head stuff

 

I like your suggestions and as you can see some of them I am doing.  (Great minds ...)

 

I am liking the idea of an extra reel spooled and in my bag.  Came up a few times.

 

Thanks

I like that set up as well.  Being a co-angler, we have to cast around a 250hp elephant!   So shorter stout rods are a plus.  My only exception is when the deep crank bite is on I'll bring a 7'6" MH glass rod to use.

[Mike L]

I bring 6-7 allmost allways

 

1] 7'6" MH /F BC Flippin rod - 20# floro

2] 7' 2" MH/F BC Jig rod - 50# braid

3] 7' 3" MH/F BC Spinner/chatter bait - 15# floro

4] 7 0" MH F BC Weighted Soft plastics - 15# floro

5] 7' 0" H /F BC Frog and some top water - 30# braid

6] 6' 6" M/F BCsmall crank and sq bill - 10# mono / Always use Norman Speed Clips

7] 6'6" MH'F Spinning Wacky, weightless plastics

 

Mike

[Bluebasser86]

When I fished as a co angler I usually carried the same 5 rods

6' 8" M/F spinning rod

6' 6" M/F casting

7' M/F casting

7' MH/M casting (cranking rod)

7' 6" MH/F casting

 

I can cover almost any fishing situation with these set ups. Talk to your boater about what he plans to do and bring extra rods to the tournament so it he is on a bite that you need a different rod you'll have it with you.

[jerzeeD]

6' 6" M/MF Fenwick HMG spooled with 12 lb. P-line flouro clear. Great all around rod for lipless cranks and divers up to 15' in 3/8-3/4 ounce sizes.

[Felix77]

I like to go with a m to ml for a shakey head so if anything the 65 mh can be used for weighted texas rigs or even to throw topwaters on.  Before I had a ton of setups i used to do everything on a spinning rod.  Also thing about topwaters if they are not in your arsenal yet, I assume they get thrown on the 65 mh bc right? 

 

I actually have a 65 M which I have also tried for Shakey Head stuff.  I find I can do it comfortably with either and the MH I can use for a lot more in my opinion.  As for topwater I do use the 65MH BC.  I am experimenting this spring with a 6M to see if I can manage the spooks better that way.

[papajoe222]

The other thing I've done is carry an extra reel or two if your bag has the room.  I started doing this in case of a nasty back-lash on one of my primary rods and found it usefull in this situation.  Unlike a lot of replies, I retie every time I change baits. This ensures me that I have no nicks in the line above the knot and that knot is sound.  I also check the line every few casts, especially when fishing rocks or shell beds, and after every fish. 

Not loosing a fish in a tournament is more important to me than the few minutes of fishing time I may loose by doing this, but that's just my way of thinking.

[rangerboy]

i dont know if this will be any help, but i used to see what was tied up in front of the boat, and choose my favorite rod and reel, choose my bait, and lay out a couple options in case. quick snaps helped, but my grandpa would tell me there is no excuse for not tying a new knot when moneys on the line