Thread: Slow troll

Y'all talk about slow trolling cranks, and I'm wondering how fast slow is. Can ya help a rookie out? Got a box full of cranks to try, need another rod holder to complete the setup and I'll be ready to go. I've been running between .7 and 1.3. Am I in the neighborhood? Appreciate any help. Thanx.

Speed doesnt matter as much as feet of line out. This should help.

speed does not matter much for depth , but it is everything to produce strikes. way more important than color or action.
i like 1.5 to 3.0 gps for crappie and walleye or sauger. a bit faster for bass and 3 to even over 4 for trout and salmon.

Originally Posted by skeetbum

Y'all talk about slow trolling cranks, and I'm wondering how fast slow is. Can ya help a rookie out? Got a box full of cranks to try, need another rod holder to complete the setup and I'll be ready to go. I've been running between .7 and 1.3. Am I in the neighborhood? Appreciate any help. Thanx.

Crappie fishing speed is the most important thing, Depth would be second and color would be third. It depends on what you are running as to what speed you would want to go. I go by GPS Speed. I personally like SPOTS, the 1900 series, if you are running them you will want to go 1.3 to 1.5 any slower they want have the tight wabble Crappie like and faster they tend to go crazy the way they run (start going side ways). If you run the 2 1/2 inch one that you can order blanks and paint you will want to run 1.5 to 1.6. Bandits, I find from 1.5 to 1.7. Trolling Crankbaits this time of the year is a lot different then SlowTrolling (Spider Rigging) where you would normally go under 1 mile an hr. Crappie like a tight little wabble and you got to pull each crankbait different to maximize that wabble to get that strike. I always run the same series of crankbaits for this reason.

Just for comparison's sake, and lets assume we're fishing with the bandits in the pictures above, if you plan on running your cranks say...10' deep, then which series of cranks would you prefer to pull....and what's your reason for that particular series of cranks?!?

Originally Posted by gabowman

Just for comparison's sake, and lets assume we're fishing with the bandits in the pictures above, if you plan on running your cranks say...10' deep, then which series of cranks would you prefer to pull....and what's your reason for that particular series of cranks?!?

I would prefer the 300 because it will be at 10 ft closer to the boat which means less time for him to get off the hook.

I knew I would get some good info If I asked y'all. Thanx, I'll post here with my results soon.

Great input guys...this is what crappie.com is all about! Well, this and Sandy Ridge and Booger's pictures!

What size rod are yall using for this?I have often wondered and wasnt for sure how many rods are yall trolling doing this.

Originally Posted by crappietime

What size rod are yall using for this?I have often wondered and wasnt for sure how many rods are yall trolling doing this.

It depends on how your are going to set up, Plus type boat (Pontoon, Jon, or Bass Boat) as to how many rods you will want to run, naturally you will want to run more than one. I like a combination of down riggers and lead core lines. I have tried them all and for easy of going by myself sometimes I have settled on a 1754 Jon. My wife in the front of the boat runs 3 rods, 10ft straight out(Lead Core), downrigger in the middle, straight out, 6ft rod(5oz weight), and a 6ft angled down the side(Lead Core). She could add another downrigger with a little longer rod without getting in the way or she could put another one on the other side without bothering me at all. For myself in the back I run a 10ft straight out (lead Core)(Note: I like to keep my rod tips within 1 to 1 1/2 of the water, your crankbaits will run better and the wind will not be as much of a factor), I run a downrigger right beside it (5oz weight), then I run one straight out the back (Lead Core) and usually thats all we run for a total of 6 rods. If I am by myself then I will run the three above and two out the other side just like the first two (Lead Core and Downrigger) for a total of 5. For a Pontoon you can mix and match Lead Core and Downriggers run as many as you want, I had an 18ft pontoon and run 6 out the back and 3 out each side up front for a total of 12. When I talk about a 5oz weight most people think of an anchor, but once you have tried it, you will learn to like it real well. We have gone and caught 30 Crappie and 25 will be caught on the Lead Core and then the next time it will be reversed.