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Thread: MTL and Trolling Crank Baits

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    Default MTL and Trolling Crank Baits


    I've been wanting to troll crank baits at MTL, but i'm not sure where or how to start. How deep to troll? how much line do i let out? how do i rig the set up? what kinds of areas do i look for to troll? I usually fish the lick creek area and have done fairly good here jigging the timber, but i thought it would be a nice change of pace to try trolling crank baits. Do most people troll crank baits with the motor or trolling motor? any help on this would be great. By the way i fished MTL last night and caught 30 shorts but really no keepers. First time this year with no keepers.

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    I have never fished MTL but I can give some general info on crank baiting. First, I run Bandits almost exclusively. Here is a good post with depth charts for Bandits. http://www.crappie.com/crappie/archi...pth-chart.html
    You can also try pushing the crankbaits. I use a 3 or 4 ounce egg sinker on the main line. Below that, I tie on a swivel the about a 3 to 5 foot leader to the other end of the swivel to the crankbait. You can pull them this way right beside the boat and be able to make tight turns without getting tangled.
    I've also been experimenting with planer boards but thats a different story.
    As far as how deep to fish, run your cranks about a foot above the depth that you are marking the majority of the fish.
    I generally use my big motor with a trolling plate. I try to keep the speed between 1.5 and 2.1 mph. Trolling motors work real well for this also if you have enough batteries to keep going all day.
    Good luck.


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    Thanks, Chris! Most helpful.

    Is it feasible to push cranks with the planer boards, or would that just generate good footage for America's Funniest Home Videos? Seems like a 3-4oz weight might change the way the board acts in the water?! But then again, running 35' of line out behind a planer board in order to get the crank down to 8' or 9' can be difficult as well?

    I saw Bender posted something about three-way swivels in more of a "drop shot" configuration with the weight on the bottom...AND had two cranks per line. That sure seems like you gotta know what you're doing to pull that off? I tried it with just one lure and had it tangled around the weight line plenty of times!


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    thanks for the info speckhunter. i cant wait to get out and try it and i will definately let everyone know how i do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by speckhunter View Post
    I have never fished MTL but I can give some general info on crank baiting. First, I run Bandits almost exclusively. Here is a good post with depth charts for Bandits. http://www.crappie.com/crappie/archi...pth-chart.html
    You can also try pushing the crankbaits. I use a 3 or 4 ounce egg sinker on the main line. Below that, I tie on a swivel the about a 3 to 5 foot leader to the other end of the swivel to the crankbait. You can pull them this way right beside the boat and be able to make tight turns without getting tangled.
    I've also been experimenting with planer boards but thats a different story.
    As far as how deep to fish, run your cranks about a foot above the depth that you are marking the majority of the fish.
    I generally use my big motor with a trolling plate. I try to keep the speed between 1.5 and 2.1 mph. Trolling motors work real well for this also if you have enough batteries to keep going all day.I would think it would be worth it this is what you want to do.
    If I would try trolling hands down I would find every stump.
    Good luck.
    This is very good imfo spec.If you are that interested in trolling mtl you could hook up with Fish'n podna he is a guide out of Cannon Dam all he does is troll.If I would try trolling mtl I would find every stump.
    Last edited by DEADEYE; 07-14-2009 at 06:36 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joedog View Post
    Thanks, Chris! Most helpful.

    But then again, running 35' of line out behind a planer board in order to get the crank down to 8' or 9' can be difficult as well?

    !
    Its not really that bad Joe. We were running anywhere from 25 to 55 feet of line behind planers at Sardis this past Saturday. You just have to unhook the planer when it gets to the boat then keep reeling. We picked up about 60% of our fish on the 4 planers. We had 3 poles long lining and 3 down rods with weights as described above. The down rods and long lines produced about equally as well.


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    When I troll I use #4 and #5 shad raps,snap weights and planer boards. I let out about 25-30' of line attach a 1 1/4 oz snap weigh and then 25' of line then the board this puts the lure down about 12-15' and I try to go between 1.3-1.8 mph on my gps. I do the same thing with out a board on a third rod at the back of the boat which I call my down rod. I have a 8hp yamaha 4 stroke I use for trolling. I just made a new rod holder for the back of my boat for slow trolling jigs or what ever. Look for my post NEW ROD HOLDER I will be putting up.

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