Crankbait trolling help

[ccarver80]

Going to be getting into crankbait trolling this year, my buddy told me about the "precision trolling" app and told about the scuba divers and how they measure depths #$%^&> which is insanely accurate!!

My biggest question cuz I don't wanna spend the $100 on the app.... Is there a more broader general guide line?? Like 100' line at @ 1mph gets you x amount of depth??? Like with bottom bouncers they say 1oz for every 10' ...

Second smaller question.. what about a simple clip on line counter?? Or should I buy a actual rod reel trolling combo?

 

[CAH]

Every crankbait is different so a general rule isn't going to work. I run 10# fireline on okuma line counter reels and love the setup. Have fun with your new addiction!

 

[RustyTackleBox]

first off... congratulations on spending your next several paychecks... the only way to get a x amount of line out = y feet down is to use lead core and even then you wont be close but you will be more in the ball park than long lining... spend the money on the tollers bible it's well worth the full package... then go read the other threads on how guys setup their rod/reels and what kind of line to use and not to use

must haves, accurate line counter reels, big rods, lots of cranks, and good line... when learning expect to lose $300-400 in the drink while figuring it out

 

[eyexer]

clip on counters are worthless. Best cheapest way to determine crank depths is find a nice big flat and start trolling them and let line out until you hit bottom. With most deep cranks speed doesn't change the depth enough to worry about. I have pretty much went to 10# braided line for crankin. Run 20# in the late fall when the northerns are really active.

 

[ccarver80]

Yay!! Spend more money!! Just what I love doing hahahaha the only reason I'm getting into this I ended up picking up 30 or so really good cranks at a garage sale for ridiculous cheap!! $20!!! ....(this is why you don't let your wife sell your stuff why your gone out of town) ... I got deep runners ... Wally runners... Rapalas .... some are long with three treble hooks... Some short ... Some jointed..... I should have paid probably $100!!

 

[powerman]

The trolling Bibles are getting harder to find and most want a pretty penny for them. I believe it is the next bite guys that sell individual stickers for each bait. My advice would be to get the line counters and trolling rods, a guy can start with 2. From there I would pick a few baits like a flicker shad 7, flicker minnow 9 & 14. These baits will allow you to cover some water up too approximately 25ft untill you get the hang of it. That was my biggest mistake when I started pulling cranks was shopping at garage sales with a bunch of different baits and not knowing the dive curves for each one. Once you start catching fish you will open your wallet and instead of counting in cash it will be in crankbaits. I don't see a $20 bill, I see 4 cranks!

PS
If you have the chance take someone or go with someone who pulls baits and it will speed up your learning curve.

 

[Marbleyes]

I can't speak about clip on line counters because I've never used them. When I first started trolling cranks (about 300 cranksbaits ago) I bought some cheap Cabelas depthmaster linecounter reels and rods. Think I got the combo for $40-50 a piece. I've since upgraded to some diawa sea lines but the Cabelas ones work just fine. Anyway, make sure you spool your reel correctly as far as the amount of line you put on or your line counter won't be accurate at all if you are using the precision trolling guide. Check YouTube for videos on how to accurately spool your linecounters. This will make a huge difference when referring to a dive chart since it will be as accurate as you can be and put your crank as close to the depth you want as possible. I have two combos set up with 10# Berkeley XT, 2 combos with 10# fire line and 2 lead core. My favorites are the 10# mono Berkeley by far. Have fun. It's a whole different world and can be pretty enjoyable to learn something new and pretty rewarding when you can get dialed in. Also, make sure your cranks are tuned and run true. I can't stress that enough.

 

[Skeeter Guy]

If you're considering getting into cranking and the $100 app is a concern for you, I'd stick to live bait. The app is the tip of the iceberg for expenses when it comes to crankbaits. You can easily tie up a couple grand in crankbaits and look at them and think to yourself "that's it?". Different cranks for different depths, different action same depth, rattles or no rattles, different profiles, etc.
If you are married, tell a close friend that if something bad happens to you to let your wife know not to sell your tackle box full of cranks for what you "told her" you paid for them... Wink Wink

 

[ccarver80]

Thanks for the advice I will play it by ear and see how far I wanna spend lol I'll check cabelas for a combo also

 

[LBrandt]

Flicker shads have a chart on the package they come in. I cut it out and tape to the inside cover of my tackle box for reference.

 

[shorthairsrus]

When I let out a crankbait I let out line until the bait hits bottom then reel up. The base the others on that one

 

[Davy Crockett]

I have very limited experience trolling with cranks but no matter what I am trolling with I try to stay as close to bottom as possible. with cranks though I've noticed others in the boat catching just as many fish while running their cranks a couple feet or even more off bottom.

 

[eyexer]

If your within 5' of the bottom your gonna take fish. In fact in the fall I catch a fair number of fish 20' down suspended off of points in 35' of water.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

For what is worth, I bought 6 okuma 20s and put them on some cabela's e glass 8'0 medium heavy rods in 2003 and they have served me well. I don't fish as much as many but I have never felt the need to upgrade equipment. I think I spent 45-50 bucks per rod and reel combo. I have the trolling bible, in line boards, snap weights, etc... I usually pull reef runners, husy jerks, rouges, long A's and the flicker stuff. Make sure you can go slow early spring and late fall- as slow as 1.0 mph. I'd be willing to take you out on my boat or ride in yours and help get you started.

 

[ejolliffe]

2 tips: when i buy cranks i write the depth info on the bottom of the bait in sharpie (this is just a reference). Second, when walking the shores with the kids, you will easily find 100 or more cranks. Kids love 'hook hunting' as we call it. Most of the time they are still usable. Have fun!

 

[Crankn]

I see power pro makes a segmented line that could save you a few bucks.#$%^&>

 

[Sum1]

Easily find a 100 or more cranks? I need to spend more time walking shorelines.

You could probably do google searches to find the dive curves on more popular baits. Flicker shads I believe all have the dive curves on the package. Rapala used to have a little booklet that had all thier dive curves.
Line counters are a must. Those doo hicky line counters you attach to your rod are a real pain.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

2 tips: when i buy cranks i write the depth info on the bottom of the bait in sharpie (this is just a reference). Second, when walking the shores with the kids, you will easily find 100 or more cranks. Kids love 'hook hunting' as we call it. Most of the time they are still usable. Have fun!

I have often thought about it but since I can never keep a golf ball I find, I figure lures will be the same for me!

 

[powerman]

For what is worth, I bought 6 okuma 20s and put them on some cabela's e glass 8'0 medium heavy rods in 2003 and they have served me well. I don't fish as much as many but I have never felt the need to upgrade equipment. I think I spent 45-50 bucks per rod and reel combo. I have the trolling bible, in line boards, snap weights, etc... I usually pull reef runners, husy jerks, rouges, long A's and the flicker stuff. Make sure you can go slow early spring and late fall- as slow as 1.0 mph. I'd be willing to take you out on my boat or ride in yours and help get you started.

This is awesome! Definitely take him up on his offer. Sometimes cranks can be boring and you will lose confidence in them, stick with it and you will just giggle when the rods buckle over left and right with heathly fish.

 

[remm]

Cast them. Trolling is for beer drinkers, casting is for fishermen. I've got hundreds of cranks that never swim. Pitch jigs and plastics.

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Check that, hundreds is an understatement