Crankin Reels

[TNtransplant08]

I was wondering what your favorite reels for tossing crankbaits?

I know ideally, the gear ratio should be around the 5.3, 5.4 range, but could I get away with the more common 6.3, 6.4 ratios? I haven't been seeing too many "low profile" reels with the lower ratios and can cast a good distance.

[Travis C.]

Great question man, I was actually wondering this myself. I will be looking forward to seeing what all everyone uses.

There seem to be a mixed bag of responses on this. A lot will say it depends on if you are throwin big cranks all day or just in parts. If all day a lower gear with light line won't wear you out as bad but the draw back is with the long casts you need to make so that your bait gets down correctly. A lower gear will make it tough to pick up the slack knocked in the line by a fish.

Currently, I just changed my deep cranking rod to a 5 and my shallow-med rod is a little higher at 6:1. Also, I changed my line on the deep rod to a small dia 10lb to help it get down deeper.

[tkwalker]

Reel Ratios are like picking golf clubs ... what are you going to do with it ?? ... You need a full aresonal of weapons ... which also includes the rods ... Spinner baits ... Top water .... cranks ...etc ... There is no one rod/reel combo ... It is like ladies shoes !! ... LOL !! <'TK>< :p

[jokerwld]

For big crankbaits like the 6XD series I throw a 5.2 on a 7 and half foot rod. I originally threw them with a 6.3 and it wore me out. For smaller 200-300 series bandit I will throw with a faster reel but that's because I don't feel like re-tying to my slower reel. However IMO the slower reels will be better for any crankbait. Ive never had alot of luck burning crankbaits fast. Most hits I get on smaller crankbaits with the faster reel is on the first few turns of the handle or the pause if I hit cover.

[TNtransplant08]

Could you just simply slow the speed you're winding your 6.3-6.4 reel down, so it closer matches the lower gears?

[jokerwld]

you could but I often find I forget to slow down if the the fish are either hitting good and I get excited or they are not hitting and its a tournament and I get in a hurry. so for me personally its just easier to goto a slower reel. plus I have enough rods and reels to keep one or two with slower reels for crankbaits only. I compare it to trolling for stripers ,crappie smallmouth or whatever you always read its a constant speed when trolling. With a slower reel its easier to keep that speed than it is to remember to slow down and keep the same cadence with a fast reel. But again it all come down to your personal preference. I have one fishing partner that refuse to throw any rod over 6.5 ft (his preference) me I don't throw many rods less than 7 if I can help it.

[Travis C.]

I am with you on the 7ft and up rods. But also I am starting to keep several rods with different line sizes so that I can grab another rod changing the depth of a lure instead of searching for another lure that runs shallower or deeper if it is producing.

Here is an example with using Norman Deep Little N and making the same length cast every time…
* 7.5 feet deep on 17 lb. line,
* 9 feet deep on 14 lb. line,
* 10.5 feet deep on 12 lb. line,
* 12 feet deep on 10 lb. line,
* 13.5 feet deep on 8 lb. line,
* and nearly 15 feet deep on 6 lb. line

[Cornbread]

I have started usiing 7' med action spinning with fireline and a fluroleader as the line diameter is smaller and baits seem to have better action, not to mention you can make longer casts if needed.

[Reel Tune]

Crank'in set-up's

Curado E5 7'6" Med Act Falcon Bucoo 10lb PLine Halo (10-17')
Curado E7 7' Med Act Quantum Smoke PT 12lb Pline Halo (3-10')

I don't usually crank over 15' the drag seems to turn the kayak a lot unless I'm anchored working a point, or trolling a ledge, or old creek, or river bed.

Jeremy

[whrizob]

ok guys, as most of you know, i consider myself a finesse fisherman. i take pride in getting a fish to bite, even when he is not hungry. with that said, i power fish 75% of the time. and as some may know, i love to throw crankbaits.! i spend more time cranking, then any other method out there. here is what i have learned and put together. first off, i want to start out by saying that i go a little overboard on my rod and reels for cranking. i believe that there is a rod, reel, and even line for every type of fishing. i have 6 crankbait rods that i use all the time. i will explain what they are all for and what reels and line i use. one is lipless crankbait rod, 2 are small to med crankbaits, 2 are for med to large crankbaits, and the other is for deep cranks.

#1 is my lipless crankbait rod and reel combo. i use a 7ft medium action medium fast tip rod for this technique. i do not like a glass rod. i like the composite rods bc i can "rip" the crankbait out of the grass. i use a 5:4 gear ratio reel. i like to keep my lipless just on the top of the cover i am fishing. the slow gear ratio makes sure i dont reel it up to fast. my line is a 12lb pline copolomer, flouracarbon coated. i have just had really good results out of this line. its not a true flouracarbon, so its still has a strech, but sinks bc it is flouracarbon coated. i like a little strecth in my line for most crankbait rod. helps me from pulling the bait out of the fishes mouth.

#2 is the two small to medium crankbait rods. i use these most of the time. i pretty much through bandit cranks on these rods. they are identical! they are 7ft medium action fast tip. i again use a composite rod for this. i would say if your not experienced in fitting fish on a crankbait, or have trouble keeping fish on, then you might want to go to a glass rod. it will keep you from pulling the bait out as easily. i like a composite rod, but not a cheap one. a good high quality composite rod is key. kistler makes a good one for this technique. another reason i like a composite rod is bc its much lighter than most glass rods. and like i said, i throw these alot. now to the reel. i like a high speed reel for these rods. i use a 6:3! mainly bc im really not worried about getting max depth on these baits. i use these for throwing down banks and near cover. i like the high speed reel bc once i hook up, i can still get them away from cover quicker. again on these reels i like the same 12lb test line p line as mentioned before.

#3 are my two medium to large crankbait rods. the rods are 7ft medium action with fast tip. one is a glass rod and one is a composite rod. i will throw and medium to large cranks on both rods. i like the glass over the composite on the really large profile baits. i feels that the bait itself can cause resistance and pull itself out sometimes. a glass rod will not allow that to happen. but again i use a 6:3 gear ratio reel for this technique. i feel the crankbaits will still get down to where i need them to with the high speed reel. again i use the same pline.

#4 is my deep crankbait rod. by far one of my favorite way to catch bass on deep structure in the summer. my deep crank rod is always a glass rod for me. i like a glass rod bc like i said before, i feel that the bait itself causes resistance and can pull itself out. the glass rod helps with that. i also like the glass rod bc i feel like you really need that flexibility to give the bait the most realistic action. summer fish are usually finicky, and i want it to look as real as possible. now for this technique i use slow gear ratio reel. i like a 5:4. i use this for a couple different reasons. one being it allows my bait to get to its maximum depth. the slower you reel, the more a bait can reach that depth. that slower reel allows this without me having to slow myself down. second, is bc of the pure cranking power you get from a slow reel. its gears are much bigger and stronger than a fast gear ratio reel. this is important bc you are pulling such a big crankbait and then if you add a fish. it will allow you to power the fish up to the surface. this real important. its like using a winch to get them in. now for the line, i use a pure flouracarbon for this technique. i want my baits to get the maximum depth as possible. this line sinks and will allow that. any floating line causes the crankbait to have to pull the line down with it and will not allow it to go as deep.

guys these is the set ups i have came up with and that work best for me. and as you can tell, most of the set ups are the same. i like multiple rods, bc i dont like chaning baits. my small to medium and medium to large are pretty much the same set ups. you can get away with just one rod if you wanted. i would say that if you learn how to play the fish, then any set up will put them in the boat. i know other people have different set ups they use. i know some people use only glass rods for canking. i know some people use just high speed reels for everything and just slow down there retrieve. the way i look at it is use what works for you and will give you the cofidence in landing these fish!

[jaycee]

Will someone please explain the gear ratios to me? The 6.3 I thought war 6.3 turns of the spool to one turn of the handle, etc.

Why would the higher ratio tire you out when you could reel slower than a lower ratio?

[Jim]

Think about a 10 speed bike. Down shift to start or climb hills. You do not travel far with each turn of the pedals. When you are cruising along or going down hill, you can up shift and then you travel forward more with each turn of the pedal.

Remember how hard it was to get going in high gear? It would wear you out.

A big deep diving crankbait is like going up hill. Low gears make it easier. A small worm is like flat land or going down hill. High gears make it easier to reel the line in because there is little resistance from the bait.

Same deal if you ever drive a manual transmission car. Start in 1st gear and downshift going up hill or when pulling a load. High gear (high gear ratio) for high speed, but you get low torque for pulling.

Saltwater reels for marlin can be 1:1 as you really need the torque to drag one of those monsters in. But you would kill yourself if it was cast and retrieve fishing.

[mperkins122]

My crank'ng reel speed depends on depth. If Im fishing shallow, less than 8 feet, 7.1:1 and if deeper than 9', 5.3:1. And traps are always 7.1:1.

[TNtransplant08]

I am with you on the 7ft and up rods. But also I am starting to keep several rods with different line sizes so that I can grab another rod changing the depth of a lure instead of searching for another lure that runs shallower or deeper if it is producing.


Here is an example with using Norman Deep Little N and making the same length cast every time… * 7.5 feet deep on 17 lb. line,

* 9 feet deep on 14 lb. line,

* 10.5 feet deep on 12 lb. line,

* 12 feet deep on 10 lb. line,

* 13.5 feet deep on 8 lb. line,

* and nearly 15 feet deep on 6 lb. line







Fantastic input guys! You answered a lot of questions I had regarding to reel speed and crankbaits. The reason I was wondering is because alot of people, like myself, can't really afford to have many multiple rods/reels for the many different applications. Yesterday I ended up buying the Abu Garcia Revo STX (6.4 ratio) at BPS with the reel trade in. At some point I'll buy a slower reel, but I felt it was a compromise for the moment, since it is probably a bit more versatile.

Now Travis brought to my attention another question I have. I don't know if this will just open a whole 'nother can of worms. :) Travis, you mentioned that smaller diameters typically mean deeper diving depths. What effects do the different line types have on depth (mono vs fluro vs braid)? Would a 15 lb braid diver deeper than 15 lb fluro because its smaller in diameter? On the other hand would braid be a bad choice because of the low strech and you would just end up yanking the bait out of the fish's mouth? I know this is a seperate question, but for Top water lures like a spook or popper, is mono the best because it floats?

Thanks guys!

[jebtcop]

Thanks guys! I have learned a lot from this thread. I've never paid much attention to gear ratios, rod length etc...I just tie something on and go with it. This is probably why I don't do much deep cranking either. I love to fish crankbaits, but not to any serious depth. Whenever I try a deep crank, it wears me out and I only cast a few times. It's a shame, because I know I likely missed on a lot of fish in the hot summer months. I'll have to pay attention to gear ratio and rod set up and see if that makes deep cranking a viable option for me.

[Travis C.]

Would a 15 lb braid diver deeper than 15 lb fluro because its smaller in diameter? On the other hand would braid be a bad choice because of the low strech and you would just end up yanking the bait out of the fish's mouth? I know this is a seperate question, but for Top water lures like a spook or popper, is mono the best because it floats?
Thanks guys!

Mono better for Topwater and in cases where you want a shallow runner to run even shallower over grass. You can go up in mono line to make a 5ft runner run at say 3ft which isn't much but could be the difference in being in submerged grass or on top.

The difference in mono vs fluro is not as much size as it's density. Fluor is more dense than water so it sinks. Mono is the opposite makes it float.

So, for your question Fluro would be the deepest of all if say all three 15ft cranks are on braid, mono and fluro.

I will post something that may help out a little

[Travis C.]

FLUOROCARBON:

Fluorocarbon is a recent evolution in line – but like all new technological advances it has its niche and it cannot be the answer to all angling needs. Recognizing its unique characteristics and comparing them to the needs of crankbaiting will enable us to determine if and where fluorocarbon can best be utilized.

First, fluorocarbon is denser than water, so it sinks. Secondly, fluorocarbon becomes nearly invisible when submerged in water, (far more so than mono). Thirdly, it does not absorb water so it stays extremely strong, abrasion resistant, and durable. Fourthly, it is not weakened by the ultra-violet light from the sun, so it doesn’t break down as quickly.

Disadvantages? First, it is extremely more expensive, (the fluorocarbon material cost four times more than nylon to produce). Secondly, it is stiffer than mono and causes some line twist problems, more so with spinning gear than baitcasting. Thirdly, an angler must be extremely careful in tying knots – if the cords cross or kink they break easily. Note: Some anglers, like David Fritts, feel monofilament lasts longer than fluorocarbon. Other pros disagree, so at this time the jury is still out in terms of line-life expectancy.

Now, let’s apply these unique characteristics to crankbaiting. First, fluorocarbon sinks. This not good for topwater. Why? Because as a submerged line is retrieved, it draws the floating bait downward instead of forward. Topwater baits need floating line.

When it comes to jerkbaits, non-floating line is helpful, as it allows suspending baits to reach their proper depth and stay there.

If you are speed-reeling lip-less cranks above the top of submerged grass fields, you want to keep the lure up, so you don’t want a sinking line. In this presentation, mono is preferred over fluorocarbon.

However, when it comes to deep-diving crankbaits, fluorocarbon line can work well. Because the line sinks, there is less of an arched line like there is with mono when the crankbait is retrieved. Therefore, some cranks will run up to 2 feet deeper with fluorocarbon.

And this no-stretch trait allows an increase in sensitivity, and quicker hooksets. Subtle bites in deep water are hard to feel, so fluorocarbon gives an angler an edge.

(Remember, however, that early bite detection and quick hooksets can often pull the crankbait out of the fish’s mouth before it can be swallowed deep enough to ensure hook penetration. So you might want to use a softer action rod, a looser drag, and an intentional time delay in the hookset – even allowing the fish to set the hook itself as it turns. If a hookset is used, make it a slow sweeping hookset, rather than a “cross their eyes” lightening hookset. If your reflexes are too fast and you continue to lose too many fish on the strike, you may have to go back to mono).

When topwater fishing, many pros believe that line stretch of monofilament allows these baits to pop, blurp, and spit without moving the bait too far. An angler wants to advance the topwater lure while producing plenty of action, but keeping the crankbait in the strike zone as long as possible. A non-stretch line does not allow the bait to bounce back after creating commotion on the surface. This is another reason fluorocarbon and braid is not a good candidate for topwater.

As to fluorocarbon’s “invisibility” under water; it’s not a noticeable advantage when reeling in most crankbaits, as the fish don’t have as much time to notice line details.

Why? Because they are having to focus completely on what appears to be an escaping food source. The crankbait’s speed means the fish has only a brief time to determine if it is edible or not before it is out of striking range. The line attached to the crankbait would have to be glowing to distract the fish from the crankbait. (Obviously soft plastics, moved slowly, is where clear fluorocarbon shines. But fast-moving reflex-evoking cranks don’t need any more line invisibility than mono already provides).

The exception might be a slower presentation in clear water; like a shallow-running jerkbait that is reeled to its depth, then snapped forward, (jerked), and left to suspend. (With much more time to observe the bait, the fish might be distracted by external elements like dark or opaque line. In clear water you want to reduce the number of unnatural warning signs that might spook the fish).

But remember, many professional anglers want some stretch in their jerkbait lines, and aren’t willing to trade the elasticity of mono for the sink-ability and invisibility of fluorocarbon. You may have to experiment to determine which of these characteristics are more important to your style of fishing, especially with jerkbaits.

And finally, fluorocarbon line is stronger than monofilament of the same diameter. Obviously fluorocarbon’s abrasion resistance, and tough durability are an advantage around heavy cover; anglers lose less crankbaits (and fish) with stronger lines. The question to ask is “How much of your cranking is done around heavy cover?” Open water crankbait fishermen may not feel the extra cost of fluorocarbon justifies its use. Heavy cover fishermen may disagree.

[Travis C.]

BRAIDS:

http://crankbaitcentral.com/Images/Braided-Lines.jpg

Woven Braids are thinner, provide less water resistance, and therefore take cranks and suspending baits deeper. With this significantly smaller diameter, smaller reels hold more line. As mentioned earlier, thinner lines cast further. A 10-pound version may have the diameter of 2-pound monofilament. Braid also is non-stretch, and hooksets are better at long distances, making it popular with trollers who often set out a lot of line when using crankbaits. While more expensive, braid also lasts and lasts – unlike mono which wears out quickly.

Considering all these unique characteristics, one might be puzzled to discover that many crankbait anglers don’t use it, preferring mono in most situations. Remember, crankbaits generally work best with flexible rods and line that stretches – giving the fish more opportunity to consume the crankbait. Therefore many anglers pass on using braid when casting cranks believing that it reduces their catch ratios.

However, some anglers are willing to give up the stretch of mono for the sensitivity of braid, especially when throwing or trolling deep-divers. As long as they loosen their reel’s drag and use more flexible rods (to increase the shock absorbence during vicious strikes), they feel the extra sensitivity is worth it. Rather than setting the hook, they continue to reel at normal speeds and let the fish hook themselves.

If an angler is using a down-rigger or using planner boards while trolling, the braided line is an advantage because of the no-stretch characteristic. Generally the fisherman has a lot of line out and it’s easier to make up for the distance factor. Mono stretches too much and hooksets are harder.

Another place where braid works is when casting lipless cranks over submerged weeds beds. The no-stretch characteristic allows an angler to rip the bait out of snagged weeds quicker and easier. Sometimes bass fishermen prefer braid if they are fishing for bass in super heavy cover or stump fields. They may use a heavy braided line in the 65lb class or better to make sure they can pull the fish out of the heavy stuff. Braid also slices through lily pads when a large fish is hooked rather than getting bogged down.

However, braided line has its disadvantages too. Braid tends to pull hooks out of fish’s mouths because it has little or no give. Many will also bemoan the fact that braid tends to be flat and “digs” or “slices” into the rest of the line on the spool of a baitcaster when it is being wound during a retrieve. This makes smooth casting difficult because when the spinning line jams, everything stops, and the lure will often come snapping back at the angler.

But over time, technology is slowly improving braid by making it rounder and by adding supplemental ingredients in its composition that help eliminate the line digging/jamming problem in baitcasters. Spinning reels work well with braid, especially since the woven line doesn’t have “memory” like mono does. This allows braid to come off the spinning spool better than monofilament, even after sitting unused for months.

In clear water, it is important to remember that braids are thinner than mono, but they're opaque, creating a dark silhouette. Still, at the faster speeds that most crankbaits are retrieved – braid shouldn’t present a problem as the fish has very little time to study the situation. In most cases the speed will elicit a reaction bite.

Having explored the unique traits of braid, most anglers still believe mono works best for most crankbait applications. This is especially true with jerkbaits and topwaters where you want some stretch in your line, (a trait of monofilament). With those same examples, many believe you get better action with mono than with braid. Braid can be excellent in some situations, but should you find yourself losing too many fish because the hooks on your hard bait pulled out due to a lack of “give”, go back to mono.

[Travis C.]

MONOFILAMENT:

For several decades clear monofilament line has ruled. And if we can be so bold – it still works wonderfully for the average weekend angler! Even tournament professionals like David Fritts use 10 pound monofilament for 90% of his crankbait fishing! (He does tend to use lower stretch mono designed specifically for cranking).

Why? Monofilament casts well, is relatively inexpensive, and is the standard by which all other lines are compared. It does have one characteristic, a certain amount of built-in stretch that can be a disadvantage in some fishing situations. Cranking, however, isn’t one of them. In our discussion on RODS, we discussed that it is an advantage to use a slower reacting rod, (some preferring fiberglass over super sensitive graphite), in order to allow the fish more time to consume the crankbait. Too much sensitivity caused many fishermen to prematurely rip the bait away from the fish before it could be swallowed deep enough to ensure hook penetration. Many pros believe the newer braids and fluorocarbon lines with no stretch simply compound the problem.

Monofilament’s natural stretch tends to give fish more time with the crankbait before the angler sets the hook.

[Travis C.]

CASTING DISTANCE:

Generally, longer casts cause crankbaits to reach and run further at their maximum depth. (This isn’t as dramatic with shallow runners as it is with deep divers). Why? When Ron Linder was a part of the Infisherman magazine staff, he pointed out that deep cranking required long casts. Why? Because approximately 2/3’s of the retrieve is used up in just getting a deep diver down, and then back up. If it takes 1/3 the length of a retrieve just to get the bait down to it’s maximum DEPTH, and 1/3 to bring it back up to the boat, the bait runs at its maximum depth only 1/3 of the cast. Conclusion: With deep divers, a short cast barely allows a deep diving crankbait to reach its full depth before it has to start its way back up to the boat.

Some of the most interesting research on “Casting Distance” is found in a guide entitled “Precision Casting” by Dr. Steven Holt and Mark Romanack. The guide contains precise diving charts for 123 popular crankbaits. They concluded that the average casting distance for anglers, (throwing a 3/8 ounce crankbait on 14 pound mono), was about 70 feet. Their research went on to prove that a given crankbait runs about 25 percent shallower on a 40-foot cast than on a 70-foot cast. And a 100-foot cast allows the crankbait to dive 15 percent deeper than a 70-foot cast.

Now before a novice takes their new baitcasting reel and starts flinging their favorite crankbait with all of their might, they should be aware that it takes advanced skill to be able to cast beyond 70-75 feet. Above-average anglers may be able to reach 100 feet without creating a “bird’s nest” (often described as “a professional over-ride”), but beginners should work up to this slowly.

It’s true, some pros (equipped with long rods and top-end reels filled with light line), are able to zip a bait as far as 125 feet, but only the competitive pressures of tournament fishing would motive an angler to attempt such long distance casting. Weekend anglers with limited casting skills will find little pleasure in spending most of their day picking out “bird nests” in an attempt to get a little more depth from their crankbait. And in reality, 125 foot casts aren’t utilized by pros to increase the running depth. Long casts are primarily thrown to allow the bait to run at maximum depth in the “strike zone” for a longer period of time before they head back up to the boat.

How “casting distance” affects “depth” is first and foremost presented here to prevent an angler from mistakenly making short casts with a deep diver and expecting the crankbait to reach maximum depth.

Light lines allow cranks to be cast further.

[TNtransplant08]

Awesome Travis! That was just fantastic, most useful information. That pretty much explained all the questions I had regarding the different lines. Thank you for taking the time to type and share all that information. You should seriously consider being a writer for Bassmaster Magazine or something along that line :cool: This year I'm really determined to improve my bass fishing skills as I will be purchasing a kayak. I will have the opportunity to venture offshore and visit a wider variety of cover. I've been trying to teach myself to use Google Earth and prescout the shorelines and islands, looking for points, laydowns, and such. I haven't been able to figure out just yet how to incorporate lake topo maps on Earth though. I saw a video at the Bassfishin.com website about it, but being deaf, I couldn't catch how he did it. I've been amazed how much you can tell about the bottom type just by looking at the photos. Its relatively easy to distinguish between mud and rock and such, helping me find edges to fish. My goal is to catch my first 5 pounder this summer. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Again, Thanks for the great info!

[Travis C.]

You should seriously consider being a writer for Bassmaster Magazine or something along that line

Thanks for the kind words. I do write and have a lot of useful info contained in that melon on my shoulders but these particular write ups came from here:

http://crankbaitcentral.com/CrankbaitABCs/Line.html

I have to give credit where due. I am familliar with the techniques involved and all the aspects but may not have been as thorough passing it along on here.

When ever I used a topo map with online maps it was easier to use stationary reference points. It added more leg work but I'd print the area I wanted to see the draw lines through it with a ruler. Draw from road one side to the other, bridge and etc. Things that would be on both maps so you can reference. Once your printed map is draw up you can measure out you places that you are willing to fish or find. After they are marked, using the same ruler and same reference points transfer them over to the topo map. Having a ruler will help as the measurements will be the same on both maps as long as everything is lined up. Now you will have the spots on your topo map and hopefully narrowed down the area you want to fish and can find them. You can even go as far as scouting a small area to mark something you feel pretty confident about how far out it is from the bank and transfer that to the map. Do the math and come up with a distance per mark on the ruler for future spot reference.

Sorry for the long explanation.

Good luck on the 5 lber. I am going to 5 for 5 this year. My fifth year of at least a 5 lber.

I will help you out any I can just shoot me a message or what not. Being in the right place at right time has a lot to do with it.

[Reel Tune]

Some really great info there travis. We have been without power since the storms Thursday night so I have been getting a lot of reading done, and looking over the Tennessee Gazateer.

Jeremy