Crankbait Specific Rod.. What Am I Doing Wrong?

[plural_of_fant]

So I went along with the advice of wanting a moderate action rod for cranking. I bought such a rod in the 150 price point. I mostly throw smaller bodied cranks. SK 3xd, bandit 200 and 300s. Since I've started using this rod I feel that I'm actually missing fish. The thing is so flimsy that I don't feel as I am getting a good hook set. I have had numerous fish in the past few weeks come right to the top and spit the crank. Which this is exactly what I thought this type of rod action was supposed to prevent. I can feel when a fish gets on the crank, I sweep set to the side as much as I can. I have seen some guys (read on tv shows) actually take a step or two back during the sweep set. This I can't add in due to the fact I'm in a jon boat and not on the front deck of a bass rig. Any thoughts or advice that could keep a few more fish buttoned up?

[TNBassin']

Which rod do you have? Is it a MH?

[Sam]

Do you feel the bait's vibrations when you are using the crankbait rod? You should feel the crankbait vibrating on every retrieve.

 

Are your line test and bait size within the rod's specifications stamped on it? I am sure they are correct.

 

Are you using mono or fluorocarbon line? Some pros like mono as it has extra stretch which you need for treble hooks. More and more pros are going to fluorocarbon for cranking these days.

 

ANY SLACK IN THE LINE WILL ALLOW THE BASS TO THROW THE TREBLE HOOK BAIT.  Join the club. Happens to all of us. Drives me crazy. And you do not realize you are giving the bass any slack at all.

 

Setting the hook with a sweeping motion is correct. Keep tension on the line at all times. Put rod tip in water to stop bass from jumping.

 

NEVER POINT ROD TIP AT THE BASS AS THIS WILL CAUSE THE FISH TO POP YOUR LINE. KEEP ROD TIP IN THE AIR.

 

Some bass will gobble up a crankbait. Others will slap at it. Depends on what the bass wants to do. If they slap at it and don't inhale the bait you have a greater chance of losing the fish without doing anything.

 

Just remember that a crankbait or topwater treble hook bait acts like a pendulum and it will rock back and forth and dislodge itself without you doing anything wrong. This is why you keep pressure on the fish so that the hooks stay put and the bass cannot work it loose.

 

Keep on fishing with that cranking stick and you will do great. You will not land them all but as time progresses you will do better and better.

 

Have fun. Crankbait fishing is great.

[ww2farmer]

What kind of line are you using? If your using a really whippy rod, and strechy line like mono, you might not be getting the hooks into them, especially on the end of a long cast.

[ColdSVT]

what sam said...when I first started using cranks on a regular basis I had some of the same problems as you OP

I learned to be more gentle and keep my tip down with constant pressure on the fish. not alot but enough if thst makes sense

[plural_of_fant]

The rod is a 6'8" shimano cruicial medium.. *** says it is med-fast but the actual stamp on the rod says moderate. The rod says its rated for 8-15lb test.. I am using 10#lb test Triplefish camo escent. It is a monofilament but not nylon. I had thoughts about perhaps too much stretch in combination with the whippy rod. I've never used a pure fluorocarbon but had some thoughts about trying it out. I am ok with losing the occasional fish that is not quite taking it or just slapping at it.. But the other day there was two fish in particular that I KNOW they had it choked until they got up enough for their first jump. When you can see that bass come up and there is no crank visible and then just see its mouth open up and the crank come flying is a bit discouraging. I am starting to think that I should have went with the shimano cruicial medium heavy. The only reason I really didn't was because 7' rods are difficult for me to transport with my vehicle and I didn't want to break a tip on a 160 dollar rod.

[TNBassin']

I have the 7'MH mod-fast Crucial and I have yet to lose a fish on. Probably just jinxed myself, but yeah. I use #10 Yo Zuri hybrid. It has a little stretch but not much.

[ColdSVT]

oh and I use a lews laser crankbait rod. 7ft medium with 12# seaguar flouro

[plural_of_fant]

Thanks for all the quick replies guys.. I really appreciate the help.. Man I love cranks... I have a hard time putting them down and fishing slow with plastics anymore..

[Crappiebasser]

I feel the same way about my 7' MM rod. I bought it for the same baits as you but it was too flimsy. I actually hit myself in the back with a 3Xd when I first got it. I still use it for small shad raps. I use a MH for all cranks under 1/2 oz now.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Make sure your hooks are sharp too. Not all moderate action rods are whippy either. You can try braid to offset it if need be.

[BobP]

I'd try fluorocarbon and if that's still too stretchy, then try braid with a leader.  It's all a system:  reel, rod, line, hooks, and technique.  If you need more hooking power, there are ways to get it rather than with a stiffer rod.  I'd look at every other component before changing the rod, provided it cast well and adequately transmitted the feel of the crankbait during the retrieve.

[jherm87]

I feel like I had a better hookup ratio when I was throwing cranks with my mediun fast *** then I have with my crankbait specific rod. I had 3 fish spit the hook tonight. I thought I was done fishing cranks for the night and boom hit this one.

20130613_214544-1 by bigkidsone, on Flickr

Keep on cranking, I don't think you can let them take much drag with the treble baits. I could be wrong though. I had zero hookup issues with the topwater though

[WRB]

TripleFish is a nylon copolymer for it's worth

Step 1 is getting strikes and you are doing that.

Step 2 is putting the bass in the boat, you are not doing that consistantly.

Without changing anything lets start with the reel drag setting;'set it at 3 1/2 lbs, use a scale with the line going through the guides, takes 2 people. Try this: when you feel the bass strike, reel faster and load the rod up, take your thumb off the reel spool and sweep the rod back firmly while continuing to reel. Keep the pressure on the bass and don't give it any slack line. When the bass is near the boat slow down and trust your reel drag.

Good luck.

Tom

PS; sharpen those treble hooks!

[TNBassin']

Thanks for all the quick replies guys.. I really appreciate the help.. Man I love cranks... I have a hard time putting them down and fishing slow with plastics anymore..

This is me. I've turned into a "power fisherman" as KVD calls it. I love fishing cranks, so much so that I'm kicking myself for not getting Chronarch 201e5 when BPS had their 6 pay deal going. I have a really hard time fishing plastics and jigs now, and I have to really force myself to slow down.

[livetofish28]

I fish all of my cranks on one of two rods, a St Croix mojo bass in 7'8 MH moderate action for any thing with a considerable lip on it and a BPS PQ rod in 6'8 MH fast action I use it for square bills and smaller cranks. I throw braid on both of those rods I believe that by using braid its easier to keep constant pressure on the fish.

[plural_of_fant]

Thanks everyone.. I have quite a few things to keep in mind and try out now.

[JunkYard814]

If you're using a slower gear reel, really make sure you are picking up all the slack before the hookset. I know with my deep cranking reel, sometimes when the fish hit, they swim directly toward the boat. I could feel something was different and when I'd set the hook, there was too much slack and I'd either miss the hookset or get a poor one. 

[BigMoneyGrip]

Fant, I was having the same type trouble as you. I was using mono with a Skeet crank bait rod, which in itself is super flimsy. I thing that combination has too much give. I switched to braid with a leader and that fixed my problem. With the braid, I can feel everything that my crank is doing. I feel the rods has enough flex to keep the fish buttoned up with the braid.

[Teal]

I with WRB (Tom), on this one. The first thing I thought of was drag settings. It is often over looked but is extremely important. Keep your hooks sharp. I am not a fan of the stock hooks on the Strike King Cranks...get some premium gammys,vmcs, or Mustads and swap them out.

Id try these things bbefore, id start swappin out rods or line. Triple fish is a good line, a buddy of mine uses TF exclusively and uses the exact line for cranks...and he is known as a cranker....so my guess is the line and rod should be fine.... good luck, keep fishing and keep fine tuning your mechanics, and the small things...

[smalljaw67]

The one thing that is very important when using moderate rods for cranks is to make sure the hooks are sharp, this is the one problem with soft action rods but to tell you the truth once you get used to it you'll miss far fewer fish. I know it sounds strange but it is actually good that the fish are spitting it, it means the rod is doing its job and by that I mean it isn't pulling the hooks out like a fast action rod would. Sharp hooks will really help and you can go with braid and a leader or you can go up a size in the line you are using, you made a wise decision and once you figure out how to get the hooks home you'll begin to like the moderate rod.