1st try pulling cranks with pontoon....

[Kevmc]

Pulled some cranks with the pontoon (21ft/60hp-4 merc).
Idle speed was right at 1.8
Pulled for about 3 hrs, 1 nice crappie caught, 2 more lost at boat......
Bass, sauger, yellows.....

lost 3 cranks , need to buy more...and some trolling rods.....and...

Pretty relaxing way to fish!!

[M R Dux]

and.......a long handle net like an EGO reach.

[hdhntr]

You sound like you are rigged up like me Kev. I have lowes 21 foot with 60 hp merc 4 stroke with a 55 lb TM. just got it in february and on water month ago and started fishing or more accurately my son who lives 5 minutes away is. have done pulling cranks last summer on friends boat for first time and did well, going to do this soon on my rig. seems very fast are you just using the merc or do you have TM as well?

It is a very relaxing way to fish and looking forward to it. Slab showed us his way of longlining in FL this february so going to do that with his rigs as well. Going to be drift fishing as well, try them all and figure out which works best for me.

[Speck Beck]

I pull cranks last year with a pontoon and had the best time ever crappie fishing. I have 50hp Merc that idles 2 to 2.3 in low wind and caught a lot of big crappie at that speed. I'm going to pull a 5 gal bucket with holes around the sides to see if that will slow me down to 1.6 to 1.9 mph. I have a bass boat rig for crappie but prefer the pontoon just don't like pulling long distance.

Mike

[crp4570]

Your motto will always be "I need to buy more cranks". Lol.

[Potatoe]

When you pulling cranks are you pulling straight behind the boat or to the sides

[binfordw]

Did you lose cranks on structure then?

Knock on wood, I've lost 1 so far this year. It was my fault too, I was cleaning up a bad tangle/snag and cut what line I thought I had the crank in the boat for. It was not that line lol. Probably would have got it back otherwise.

I've been a little surprised at how well the cranks bounce off junk.

[Kevmc]

You sound like you are rigged up like me Kev. I have lowes 21 foot with 60 hp merc 4 stroke with a 55 lb TM. just got it in february and on water month ago and started fishing or more accurately my son who lives 5 minutes away is. have done pulling cranks last summer on friends boat for first time and did well, going to do this soon on my rig. seems very fast are you just using the merc or do you have TM as well?

It is a very relaxing way to fish and looking forward to it. Slab showed us his way of longlining in FL this february so going to do that with his rigs as well. Going to be drift fishing as well, try them all and figure out which works best for me.

"seems very fast" ??
Has a 55# TM that came with boat, boat is new to me this spring.
I was trolling with the Merc. 60 idling....

[Kevmc]

When you pulling cranks are you pulling straight behind the boat or to the sides

Only had 2 rods out, straight behind.
Have 6 side planner boards, but haven't tried them yet...

[Kevmc]

Did you lose cranks on structure then?

Knock on wood, I've lost 1 so far this year. It was my fault too, I was cleaning up a bad tangle/snag and cut what line I thought I had the crank in the boat for. It was not that line lol. Probably would have got it back otherwise.

I've been a little surprised at how well the cranks bounce off junk.

Too much line out...?// Hung on shallow side of drop.