Crankbait Rods

[hunter7711]

I'm sure that somewhere on the Crankbait 101 post the answer to my question is answered. Never planed on pulling cranks, but got a taste of it this weekend. My question. I have 2 11' and 2 12' Sam Heaton Jig rods. Does anyone use these for this? Can I use these for this purpose? I hate to buy new rods for something I might do only a couple of times a year. What is the difference in these and what I should have? I have a couple of other rods I think I could use for pushing.

[majflyboy]

I don't know about those specific rods but I do know it is very important to get good line separation and an 11' and 12' rod won't do it. I recommend 4' separation using pairs of 8, 12, and 16' BnM Pro Trollers, just MHO. If you don't get good separation, you will spend all day untangling lines and probably turn you off to pulling altogether.

["G"]

What Maj said on the separation. I use B'n"M Pro Trollers for pulling cranks. I have some Sam Heatons but they have real sensitive tip sections on them and may not be suitable...I have never tried them pulling cranks so I don't know..

[ready2fish]

B'n"M Pro Trollers work great for pulling cranks

[hunter7711]

I know what works great, and thanks for the replies. I want to know if what I have will work, or should I just bite the bullet and buy a few?

[SteveJ]

Gary when you were up I think Scott uses 14, 11, and 8 foot rods for pulling, I know when I'm up front thats what I use. I'm sure 4' separation would be better but the 3' seems to work pretty good except for when there is a fish on then as you saw it can get hairy. The longest rod you were using was a 14' pro troller, maybe Scott will see this and remember the length the other 2 pull rods were. Those 12' push rods with the 3 oz weights sure were fun huh?

["G"]

Gary....Just try your Sam Heatons and see how they do....they may work well if you can place them in holders in a way to give you some separation. Maybe one out each side and two out the back or something.

[SteveJ]

Gary, just talked to Scott on the phone and he said you were using 14',12' and 9' so you only had 2' of separation. I really believe 3' would be the least I would want to fish with when fishing 3 to a side like we were doing. Now if you are going to set up your boat to pull 2 off each side just use 2 of the SH and 2 of your most limber bass rods to my way of thinking seeing how you won't be pulling too much down in the lower Pearl. Just my $.02

[hunter7711]

I probably won't be pullin at all unless I come up there with my boat. Just want to be prepared. Looks like I have what you guys need for long line'n. I'm going to take them to the river just to see how they work.

[ScottV]

The two shortest poles we were using were Sam Heatons. They are 9 ft rods. Then you had a 12 ft Wally Marshall Tightline Special and then a 14 ft B&M trolling rod. The longer Sam Heatons may be a little too limber, but that's just a guess. Grizzley Jigs would be a good place to order rods if you get some.