Using metered line

[NocEm]

I am interested on opinions or facts on how to most effectively ad accurately use metered line. In my case Power Pro Depth Hunter. I have converted a bunch of Abu Garcia 6500 C3 reels from catfishing rigs to long line crank bait rigs. I have put depth hunter on the reels and am using 8'6" and 7' trolling rods. I have caught fish and love cranking.

My question is exactly how do you use metered line? More importantly where do you stop the line to gauge depth and ensure that your crank is running at the depth you want it to? As soon as it clears the reel? At the rod tip? At the water surface?

So if I need to use 65 feet of line out to get my crank down 8 feet were do I set the line markers?

I have gave a lot of thought to this and am stumped. I am also confident that I am over thinking this. My intent is to be as accurate as possible.

Thanks in advance for the help.



Neil

[Rees Guide]

Its no different from any other line counting method, distance is measured where the line enters the water. been using Depth Hunter for my 3rd season now and absolutely love it, lo profile baitcasters instead of huge linecounters is a huge plus for me as well.

[NocEm]

That makes sense to me and I have used that method.

You say like any other line counting method. I can't wrap my mind around that. With metered line yes, you can see the color where the line enters the water, but would it not be different accuracy wise with a line counter reel depending on what length rod you using? If your using a 16 foot rod would you not be 16 feet off when your reel starts counting? Meaning you are 16 foot longer from surface of water to crank?

[Rees Guide]

You are correct, to me the depth hunter is way more accurate than a linecounter reel. Too, I think we over think it some, its all to make the process repeatable.
When using linecounters I do zero with the bait at the end of the pole so its measured off the tip.
Only drawback to the metered line is in low light conditions but I have gotten pretty good at measuring from the reel, just deducting the length of the rod, do this all the time on the 18 footers.

[CrappiePappy]

If you zero your line at the bait/rod tip, it wouldn't matter how long the rods are .... it's at what angle the rods are, that creates the length of line that you have to add to your overall length of line out.

Case in point: I fished off the back while my two buddies fished off the front, pushing/pulling cranks. They used 14-20ft rods, while I used 7ft rods. They put out 25ft of line to get to the desired depth, while I had to put out 45ft of line to get to the same depth. WHY ?? Because their rods were pointing down towards the water & had very little line length between rod tip & water's surface ... while my rods were pointing UP at about a 45deg angle, making the length of my rod tip to water line about 20ft long (and my underwater line length was then the same 25ft that my buddies lines were). All because of the angle differences in the rods.

... cp

[NocEm]

Rees Guide, CrappiePappy,

Thank you, as that is a very easy way to understand it.

Just so I am clear the most accurate way to measure crank running depth is from surface of water to bait, regardess of angle?

Thanks again!

[CrappiePappy]

Rees Guide, CrappiePappy,

Thank you, as that is a very easy way to understand it.

Just so I am clear the most accurate way to measure crank running depth is from surface of water to bait, regardess of angle?

Thanks again!

Yes .... surface to bait

The "angle" of your rods only dictates how much "added length" of line you have to consider. All the line length above the water just has to be added to the length of line you have below the water, in your overall length of line that's let out. How much line that is will be determined by the angle of the rod vs the added weight &/or diving range of the crankbait.
Most crankers I know are using 2-3oz of weight @ 5' in front of the crankbait (ie: on a 5' leader of mono of a lesser pound test than the main line). Takes less line out to reach the depths you want, but a hung-up crank will usually have to be sacrificed ... because you can't stop your forward motion without taking the chance of hanging more or ALL of them. Our "normal" trolling speed is @ 1.8mph

... cp

["G"]

Yes .... surface to bait

The "angle" of your rods only dictates how much "added length" of line you have to consider. All the line length above the water just has to be added to the length of line you have below the water, in your overall length of line that's let out. How much line that is will be determined by the angle of the rod vs the added weight &/or diving range of the crankbait.
Most crankers I know are using 2-3oz of weight @ 5' in front of the crankbait (ie: on a 5' leader of mono of a lesser pound test than the main line). Takes less line out to reach the depths you want, but a hung-up crank will usually have to be sacrificed ... because you can't stop your forward motion without taking the chance of hanging more or ALL of them. Our "normal" trolling speed is @ 1.8mph

... cp

Useing a weight ahead of your crankbait is pushing not pulling and requires the use of a different depth chart. Here is the chart and instructions for that method. And it is also figured from where the line enters the water

["G"]

Here is the chart for pulling ( no weight used )bandits.

["G"]

And here is the chart for pulling ( no weight used ) Arkie 350s.