Crank Baits With Braid Question

[Chevydriver2123]

Does anyone out there use crank baits with braid with a leader? Does it still rip the hooks out or is leader enough stretch? Thanks everyone with any insight

[Scott F]

I use braid with no leader and I don't rip the hooks out. I don't use a huge hook set and I don't lock down my drag. It works for me.

[gulfcaptain]

you can still rip them out even with a short top shot.  If you wanted to say use 50yrds and used mono then you might have enough stretch.  But as Scott said, don't use a hard hookset and have your drag light enough to absorb the shock of no stretch.  I fish all braid/topshot on cranks/spinnerbaits, softer rod and lighter drag you should be fine.  And if you used a flouro leader, it wouldn't matter due to the low stretch properties it has.

[Marty]

I use braid with no leader and I don't rip the hooks out. I don't use a huge hook set and I don't lock down my drag. It works for me.

 

Same here.

[bclark7b]

I think it really depends on how you set the hook. I always set the hook hard just out of habit so using braid doesn't work for me as well as mono, but like Marty and Scott said it works for them with a light Hook set.... only way to really find out if its right for you is to try it out...

[A-Jay]

I fish cranks baits both ways -

 

Sometimes braid and leader with a glass rod and other times Mono line and a graphite stick.

 

Both approaches have an equal level of desirable and undesirable qualities.

 

For me, the most important factor determining if a treble hooks holds or not, is less about the rod/reel & line and more about the hook itself.  Some treble hooks seem to work a whole lot better than others.

 

A-Jay

[Crankinstein]

I fished my shallow cranks all of last year with braid/no leader and didn't have any problems. As mentioned above having the drag set and a softer rod go along way in helping to keep those fish buttoned up. Lighter hook sets and always having sharp trebles helps as well. One thing I liked about braid was that it seemed a lot easier to get a bait un-snagged with. The zero stretch usually allowed me to rip the bait free and quality hooks remained sharp and straight. Bouncing a shallow crank off cover is essential and the braid gave me the confidence to throw my bait right up in the rough stuff.

[Hogsticker]

Trebles and braid are just fine with a soft rod and moderate drag. I prefer it. Stiff super fast sticks and braid with trebles will loose ya some fish for sure.

[Raul]

It's all in the drag.

[Oldbritguy]

Yes; I fish crankbaits  a lot in the open channels in very weeded areas, using 50lb braid (to get them back out of the weeds!) with a 6-8  foot leader of 20lb Suffix flouro leader material . I tend to prefer moderate action rods, and I usually dont need to whack them too hard when they strike. Most of them time they seem to hook themselves. I've had no problems with hooks ripping out, and very few get off the hook if I keep the rod up!

 

Good luck. . .

[Arv]

Like others have said, moderate action, don't lock down the drag, and don't try and crush them on the hookset and you'll be fine with straight braid. If you want a leader, you should be a-ok.

[guisingerevan]

I use braid with no leader and I don't rip the hooks out. I don't use a huge hook set and I don't lock down my drag. It works for me.

What braid do you use? I recently bought Sufix 832 30 pound braid for my bb1 and hate it. Just took it off today and I'm looking for some other braid. Thanks

[A-Jay]

What braid do you use? I recently bought Sufix 832 30 pound braid for my bb1 and hate it. Just took it off today and I'm looking for some other braid. Thanks

 

If you could, what was it about the Sufix 832 that you were displeased with ?

 

A-Jay

[Scott F]

I have not heard of many who don't like 832. If you don't like that stuff, there probably isn't a braid that you will like. I use 832 in 20lb on casting gear and 10lb on my spinning gear. What didn't you like about it?

[mjseverson24]

The only time i use braid with a crankbait is lipless cranks, having to rip them through the grass... I use floro or a hybrid line for almost all of my crankbait setups, and all of the rods are glass or composite... My advice would be to do a google search on some of the top crankbait fisherman on the pro circuits... see what these guys use and why... KVD would be a good place to start...

 

Mitch

[guisingerevan]

If you could, what was it about the Sufix 832 that you were displeased with ?

 

A-Jay

 

 

I have not heard of many who don't like 832. If you don't like that stuff, there probably isn't a braid that you will like. I use 832 in 20lb on casting gear and 10lb on my spinning gear. What didn't you like about it?

For braid the line memory on the spool I had was awful. Normally braid has almost no memory (or at least what I normally use). It was extremely loud through my guides (tried it on my Veritas and Vendetta) and overall it didn't cast near as well as other braids I use (Sufix Performance Briad, FX2, Power Pro). Maybe I just got a bad spool but for $20 I would rather just get sunline or power pro. 

[Alpha Male]

I use 30lb braid with no leader. I just want to make sure I'm not losing my baits.

[A-Jay]

For braid the line memory on the spool I had was awful. Normally braid has almost no memory (or at least what I normally use). It was extremely loud through my guides (tried it on my Veritas and Vendetta) and overall it didn't cast near as well as other braids I use (Sufix Performance Briad, FX2, Power Pro). Maybe I just got a bad spool but for $20 I would rather just get sunline or power pro. 

 

Thank you for you input -

 

I'd be very interested to know if & when you find and/or choose a braided line that you like, which one it is and why you like it.

 

A-Jay

[FD.]

I use two crank bait setups.  One with 12 lb mono on a 7' medium rod.  The second one is 30 lb power pro on a 7-9 medium rod.  Sweep sets on both.  I very rarely lose a fish on either set up.

[Hogsticker]

I found 832 to be a little less limp and a little more jumpy than performance braid. It gets better with more use.

[flyfisher]

I have a moderate flex crankbait specific rod and use the 8lb diameter power pro super slick with no leader.  I haven't lost a fish as of yet due to ripping out the hooks lke when i was using a faster action stick.  I feel that the moderate action rod is more key than the line itself but i like the smaller diameter but higher strenght braid as it allows me to get the bait deeper.

[tbone1993]

I've only had a problem with one crankbait setup with 10lb fluorocarbon and I blame the line. I dont think it is necessary to throw crankbaits on braid. If you are worried about losing baits spend $10 and make a lure knocker. 

[jhoffman]

Most of us arent throwing cranks on braid because of the fear of losing a bait. Were doing so so that we can run 20lb strength line with an 8lb diameter to gain depth. I might even go to 10 at some point.

[FD.]

I  use braid when I'm fishing in, around, over and sometimes through hydrilla.

[guisingerevan]

Thank you for you input -

 

I'd be very interested to know if & when you find and/or choose a braided line that you like, which one it is and why you like it.

 

A-Jay

I really enjoy using Sunline FX2 as much as I can, but since the smallest test is 50lb I only use it for flipping, frogging, and a few other applications. It is extremely soft, casts excellently, and I haven't broken off once.