Pulling Cranks on a Budget

[hercload]

I would like to try pulling crankbaits next year and would like some advice on gear. Currently, I fish out of a 15’ Jon with a 9.9 4-stroke. I don’t have the funds for an I-pilot setup at the moment. Is there a trick to keeping a certain speed with a cable controlled trolling motor or the outboard? Also, I don’t want to buy a bunch of new reels, can I use a bait caster? Any info appreciated.


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[StantheMan2567]

You already have a great little boat to pull cranks with. I have a 16ft John with a 20hp 4 stroke and at lowest speed (idle) it purrs all day pulling cranks about 1.8mph. Mine also has a lever that sort of locks the steering, making my hands available for tending rods. I also use my bait casting and spinning bass rods, medium to medium heavy action with 10lb line to pull said cranks. The only investment I made was cranks of course, and the base plates to move my rod holders from my glass boat to my metal boat. I use Spyderlok rod holders for multi purpose fishing techniques, spider rigging, long lining and crank bait pulling from both boats. Grab a few cranks, start with two rods and go cover some water. Look for surface bait balls and pull away. Good luck.


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[Crestliner08]

Not sure how many rods you are allowed by law there, but you might want to consider an inexpensive (<$150.00) transom mount TM (40# thrust is plenty) and rig it on the side of your boat for side pulling. This allows you a wider spread, whether with cranks or jigs and with the size boat you have, a series 24 deep cycle battery will move you around that way for better than 5 hours steady.

We are doing this very thing out of an older (heavier) Tracker Panfish 16, pulling 2 rods each for a wide spread of presentations. Works pretty well for us:

[Atimm693]

I would like to try pulling crankbaits next year and would like some advice on gear. Currently, I fish out of a 15’ Jon with a 9.9 4-stroke. I don’t have the funds for an I-pilot setup at the moment. Is there a trick to keeping a certain speed with a cable controlled trolling motor or the outboard? Also, I don’t want to buy a bunch of new reels, can I use a bait caster? Any info appreciated.


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That 9.9 should chug along just fine at a nice trolling speed.

I suggest using rods that you already own and going with metered braid to get started. I have used metered Fireline and like it, ~10 bucks a spool on ebay.

Bait casters will do fine, as will spinning reels. If you want to run lead core you will need a dedicated line counter, the diameter is very large and you can not fit very much of it on a standard reel.

As for setup, the best way to do it with equal length rods is two off the sides perpendicular to the boat and two straight back over the transom. Of course you'll need to check local laws, 4 rods may not be legal in your state.

Personally I prefer a small trolling motor on the transom of smaller boats. Quiet, easy speed control, and it doesn't burn gas.

[crp4570]

All great advice from above posts. Check yard sale for crankbaits. If budget allows check out depth pro metered color line. When filling reel spools, fill first half with cheap bulk line as filler and then top off with the metered braid. Use the search engine but I remember a post with pics of a device that can be attached to a cable foot petal that allowed foot free trolling. Maybe someone with a better memory can help out. When you get everything set and ready to go, give me a pm.

[skeetbum]

Having the TM locked in straight ahead and set on a certain speed can be a big help. Look up an addition to it called a troll rite which goes on the shaft where the two parts meet. Then you can steer by the outboard and tend rods. I would buy a few cranks and use the rods you have before diving in too deep

[hercload]

Thanks for the helpful post fellas! Does anybody have any pics of how they mounted their rod holders?


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[CrappiePappy]

Thanks for the helpful post fellas! Does anybody have any pics of how they mounted their rod holders?


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Not that it will help much, considering the difference in the bow of a jon boat & my boat, but this is my setup for Pushing jigs/cranks :



But, to a previous question about baitcast reels : notice that 3 of the 4 rods I have out have baitcast reels (low profile w/thumbars). A recent purchase of two 13' collapsible rods w/linecounter reels will be taking the places of the pictured 10' spinning rod/reel & the 6' baitcast outfit, for future Pushing of jigs/cranks. The two black handled rods are 14' BnM rods.

[crappie curt]

you can get some fairly inexpensive crank baits ($1.20 - $1.89 for C55's) at wlure.com , quantities and colors are a little limited at times but they will catch fish , another alternative to the pro metered line would take permanent black and red markers and color line at 50' ( color about a foot or two of the line with the black ) and at 75' with the red and at 100' with the black again . start by putting bait out until 1ST black mark comes out of spool , if you catch put bait back out till 1ST black mark comes out again if not drop it back about another 25 ' to the red mark comes out of spool , if you catch put bait back out till red mark comes out again if not drop it back about another 25 ' to the 2ND black mark comes out of spool . carry your markers with you as the colors will fade and you can reapply marks while running since the colored part of line will be between spool and 1st eye on rod

[Pithon]

Look on amazon for crankbait. I've ordered twice off of there. Got 7 cranks for $10. So far this year they have put more fish in the boat than all the Bandits and Arkie that I have. I was running 6 poles with Bandits on them and 2 with the amazon cranks, and the 2 amazing cranks put double the amount of fish in the boat. Several times. So guess what is on 6 poles now? I did get my first Pico at Crankfest a couple of weeks ago and they are holding their own.

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