Pushing crank baits, ever done it?

[TapOut64]

I remember reading an article somewhere that talked about adding a heavy sinker (2,3, 4oz) to your line to keep your crank baits down as you worked it from the front of the boat. I was thinking of trying this with Bandit 300's. I want to work the channel and keep the cranks 20'-25' down. According to my Bandit dive curve chart I'd have to let out 200' of line to get the 300 down to 18.5' which is it's maximum depth. I figured it'd be easier to just use a heavy sinker off the front so I can work deeper depths. Anyone out there ever try this?

[drill instructor]

Midwest Crappie has a show showing crankbait trolling with Bandits on Sardis in MS. Very good show, tons of info on cranbait trolling. I tried it on my lake with not much success but it was fun to try something totally new to me. I trolled them off the side, and downlined some with 1oz sinkers. Caught a few but mostly white perch.

[J White]

I'm still tinkering with it off and on - don't feel like I've really ever got a
handle on it though. Got a set of rods fixed for it, but don't try it very often. Probably one of the most frustrating styles of fishing
I've ever tried to figure out.

I sometimes use a 1 ounce snap-weight
20' ahead of a Bandit, it will get you about 1/3 deeper than normal, this
is still out the side or back.

[krappiekrazy]

I did it back last year around the 4th of July. Worked ok. Pulled 4 out the back and pushed 4 out the front. I used a 2 ounce weight with a 6ft. leader. I was pushing 4 and talking to J White but he didn`t know it. Give it a try when the water heats up.

[yikess]

I wonder what size line and at what speed they calculated the max diving depth?

I weight cranks all the time when I'm pushing them off the front to go deeper than 18ft or to slow down my presentation. I tried 3 oz weight once but liked the 1 oz better.:D

[rockmike]

When I'm using my heavy(5oz) weights, I'll run a crankbait on my outside poles sometimes. They may outproduce the other rigs at times.

[TapOut64]

I wonder what size line and at what speed they calculated the max diving depth?

They used 10lb test and if you read their articles they state that the only thing speed does is get the crank bait down to it's max depth quicker. They claim that if you go slower it will just take longer for the crank bait to reach it's maximum depth. I know I've read quite a few threads where guys were saying they use speed to control their crank bait depth so this all leaves me a bit confused.

It's a common misconception that trolling speed influences a crankbait's diving depth. It does not! Within the ranges of normal use, crankbaits will dive to the same depths regardless of lure speed. The exception of course are lures that are out of tune and not running properly.