Questions About Deep Cranking

[Captain Phil]

Now that I have more time on my hands, I am thinking about experimenting with deep cranking this summer.  It's been some years since I did this and I know things have changed.  The water where I want to fish is from 6 to 12 feet deep.   I have a nice 7' 2" rod that I want to use.  Most of my casting reels are 7/1.  Is a 7/1 reel too fast for this?   How about line?   Some videos I have watched say to use 12 pound Flourocarbon, which seems a bit light to me.  I can see that casting distance is important.  How about 30 pound Power Pro?   I would like to hear your thoughts.  Our waters are not clear. Do I need a leader?   I have some old Fat Free Shad lures in a couple of sizes that I used some years back.  Is there anything better?  Thanks for the input.

[Jar11591]

If you want to save yourself a lot of aggravation and get more time with your crankbait actually doing what it’s supposed to, I would use a leader if using braid as a main line. The limpness of the braid will cause the treble hooks of the bait to get wrapped around it during casts.  Cranks are especially bad with this. That’s why I have the rule of no braid with treble hooks. If you use a leader it will prevent that from happening which will result in more time actually spent fishing. 

[Captain Phil]

4 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

If you want to save yourself a lot of aggravation and get more time with your crankbait actually doing what it’s supposed to, I would use a leader if using braid as a main line. The limpness of the braid will cause the treble hooks of the bait to get wrapped around it during casts.  Cranks are especially bad with this. That’s why I have the rule of no braid with treble hooks. If you use a leader it will prevent that from happening which will result in more time actually spent fishing. 

 

Good point.  I have experienced this when using braid with Rattle Traps.  Thanks!

[JediAmoeba]

12# Fluoro and if you want to hit bottom that is 12' throw a lure that will go 16'. You want that thing to slam into the bottom - the fish usually hit when you pause it after hitting bottom.

[softwateronly]

I don't deep crank much but have been getting better results the last 2 years.  I use 30lb power pro and 13lb Sunline Armilo this year and use a 7:1 curado.  I actually like the high speed reel and braid for hard stop and go when I can't grind the bottom.  A larger handle might make it more comfortable for cranking all day though.  

 

scott

[scaleface]

I use the Dredgers on a 7 foot mh rod , 7to 1 gear ratio and 12 lb mono . I can reach the advertised depth with these lures . Plus the Dredgers dont pull  as hard as the Strike Kings .  The 14.5, 17.5 and 20.5 are the ones I use the most .  The 25.5 has caught bass 22 foot down, the deepest I ever caught on a diving bait. I have had the most success with Fire Tiger.

[txchaser]

A couple of things to consider -

1) you may find that that shallow (6-12ft) you don't want the crank grinding the bottom because there's still weed growth there. If that's the case, slowing down a bunch has worked for me for bigger bites.

 

2) I fish a lot of places with heavy weed cover and the idea of 12lb line is terrifying. I started with 20lb tatsu and over time moved most of my rods to 17 lb. With a good knot, un-knicked, sometimes I have to tie it to a cleat to break it at 17lb. Anyway I feel comfy with it when a fish is buried up in the weeds.

 

3) Sometimes the bite is sitting in the weeds casting out deeper and running the crank straight towards the weeds. It's a PITA because most casts end in slop, but I don't think they see it that way much. Jackall Digle 4+ and a 6th Flat 75x have been my best two for this technique. And it's worked for me across multiple bodies of water. I found it by accident, it was in my hand so I threw it behind my buddy and pulled two big fish out of used water. /shrug

 

Anyway all three of these are "wrong" but given my specific lots-of-grass reality they work. 

[Captain Phil]

Thanks for the input.  There is not a lot of deep cranking going on in Florida. However, some seem to have sucess with it.  I have not done a lot of it due mainly to the physical effort involved.  What I have done is troll a deep diving plug.  Covering water, I found some good spots.   A few summers ago I caught a seven pounder this way.   I'm leaning toward braid because my casting distance is so much greater than mono.  This surprised me.    I know where the fish are, I'm not sure I have the stamina required.  It's something I want to try again.

[Darth-Baiter]

6-12 feet is medium depth for me.  i use 12 to 14lb flouro and i do okay.  got my 2nd place PB on a giant Megabass crankbait in the most ridiculous color ever.  it was lime green.

 

the big Strike King crank bait is exhausting to me.  it spins me and my kayak around the it wears out my rod elbow holding the rod.  

[Texas Flood]

My deep crankbait setup is a 6'6" Quantum KVD glass rod with a Shimano 200e5 and #10 Invizx for 14+ feet deep.

 

For 6-12' I usually go with my 6'10" Lews KVD rod with a 6.8 reel and #12 Invizx. Ive never thought to use braid/leader before.

[dgkasper58]

On 5/24/2023 at 8:29 AM, Darth-Baiter said:

6-12 feet is medium depth for me.  i use 12 to 14lb flouro and i do okay.  got my 2nd place PB on a giant Megabass crankbait in the most ridiculous color ever.  it was lime green.

 

the big Strike King crank bait is exhausting to me.  it spins me and my kayak around the it wears out my rod elbow holding the rod.  

Use a reel with lower gear ratio with those.  I switched to a revo winch one year and it helped tremendously.

 

 

[scaleface]

I bought a 5to1 gear ratio reel just for deep cranking . I quit using it . The 7to1 works  fine for me and is more versatile for other uses. Being I dont carry but a half dozen combos , they have to be utility players. 

[Darth-Baiter]

1 hour ago, dgkasper58 said:

Use a reel with lower gear ratio with those.  I switched to a revo winch one year and it helped tremendously.

 

 

i agree.  i use a low ratio Revo as well.  i think its the constant rod undulation of a big crank swinging back and forth that also wears me out.  plus i have to fight constantly to keep  my kayak in position.  a big deep crank moves me. 

[Pogues2300]

I personally use higher gear ratios for everything really and at that depth you will be fine. I use 30lb braid to a 12 lb mono leader usually. I don’t fish rocky lakes or maybe I’d use fluoro, my cranking rods are graphite (imx pros) so I like a little stretch the mono gives. 

[bowhunter63]

I use 12 to 14 mono 7 ft med heavy rod . If the crank  baits wear me out I throw a heavy spinner bait  Sometimes with better results. 

[WRB]

You can get by with your MH bass rods and 7:1 ratio reels with braid for diving crank baits.

Medium heavy moderate action rods cast easier and less stress to treble hook lure from tearing out near the boat.

Braid line you will need to less drag force to keep the trebles from tearing out.

Diving depth is usually over rate by lure mfr’s, deep divers to 12’ is easy to accomplish, Medium divers to 8’-10’ is doable.

Hold the rod tip up high with slower retrieve and lower with faster retrieve changes diving depth a few feet.

12 lb Big Game is a good cranking line, inexpensive and change it as needed. 5.8:1 gearing and 7’+ MHM rods makes cranking diving lures a lot easier.

Tom

 

[Captain Phil]

Thanks for the help.  I'm going to try 30 pound Power Pro with a Fluorocarbon leader and a 7/1 reel.  We'll see how that works and what adjustments I need to make.  The weather is terrible in Florida right now.  As soon as I can get out, I will.

[JediAmoeba]

I use an 8' MH Tatula Elite with a zillion 5.5 crazy cranker. With a long rod I can't remember the last time I lost a fish and you can launch up to 10xd's a looooong ways.

[WRB]

Blade baits like a jackhammer and a Scrounger jig can be worked any depth and nearly weedless may be a better “crank bait” choice in Florida.

Tom