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Old 08-15-12, 09:37 PM   #1
Tavery5
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Default Deep Crankbaits

I enjoy using deep crankbaits, but every year it seems that I run into the same issue. How to get the baits deeper. I use several different baits, DD22, SPRO LJ DD, Bomber BD7, Poes to name a few, but nothing seems to reach much more than about 16-18 ft deep.

I use a long rod with FC line, get good casting distance and catch a fair amount of fish using this technique, but I am always wondering would my catch rate go up if I could get another 3-4 foot of depth out of my cranks.


Any advice?
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Old 08-15-12, 09:50 PM   #2
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You could try adding lead tape to your treble shanks, or even C-rigging your cranks. Just a thought. I'd rather use downriggers, but I know you're not into that. Trolling a stick bait at 80 feet is just insane.
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Old 08-15-12, 10:09 PM   #3
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Gonna try some of the lead wire on the hook shanks, may have to try the C-Rig idea as well, wonder what length of leader a guy would want to start with.
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Old 08-15-12, 10:14 PM   #4
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Going up a size for the front hook will gain you a little bit but not enough to do what it sounds like you are looking for. You can drill a hole in the front part of the belly on your crankbait just big enough to squeeze a BB through. Shove a few BB's through the hole and then epoxy another BB into the hole to make it water tight. I can't say how much deeper this will get you but it's a trick that I have heard of several people doing. Also have you thought of strolling your crankbaits? Essentially you just make a really long cast and then with your spool free, use your trolling motor to pull off the rest of your line. Then once you reach the end of the line, engage your spool and retrieve your crankbait. I think it was Jeremy Starks who claimed that he was getting a Strike King 6XD to 30-40 feet deep doing this during an Elite tournament.
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Old 08-15-12, 10:31 PM   #5
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I was thinking of long line trolling. Fishing for walleye on lake Erie many years ago, we were able to get down quite a ways by long line trolling.
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Old 08-15-12, 10:34 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01 View Post
Going up a size for the front hook will gain you a little bit but not enough to do what it sounds like you are looking for. You can drill a hole in the front part of the belly on your crankbait just big enough to squeeze a BB through. Shove a few BB's through the hole and then epoxy another BB into the hole to make it water tight. I can't say how much deeper this will get you but it's a trick that I have heard of several people doing. Also have you thought of strolling your crankbaits? Essentially you just make a really long cast and then with your spool free, use your trolling motor to pull off the rest of your line. Then once you reach the end of the line, engage your spool and retrieve your crankbait. I think it was Jeremy Starks who claimed that he was getting a Strike King 6XD to 30-40 feet deep doing this during an Elite tournament.
Kevin and I talked about strolling, we fish a lot of pits and it would be tuff if there were any other boats around, but seems like it would be a good option on a bigger body of water. I read a post about adding weight to cranks recently, they were taking the older wooden baits and drilling a cavity to add lead to, said the wood baits worked best because you didn't have to worry about it leaking. There was also a lot of talk about shaving the bills of baits to get deeper.
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Old 08-15-12, 10:35 PM   #7
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The "strolling" and "long lining" techniques were used by a lot of guys during the Douglas Lake Elite Series event this year. Like Kory said, guys claimed to consistently hit 30'+. You're only limited to how much line your reel will hold. You could always try the kneel and reel retrieve to get a few added feet too.

ABT Lures released a bait this year that is supposed to be a slow sinking deep diver. It's called the X2 Countdown Crankbait. They say you can make a long cast, let the bait sink down and then begin your retrieve. There aren't any reviews but I think the bait is pretty new.
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/ABT_L...ge-ABTXCC.html
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Old 08-15-12, 10:39 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jrob78 View Post
The "strolling" and "long lining" techniques were used by a lot of guys during the Douglas Lake Elite Series event this year. Like Kory said, guys claimed to consistently hit 30'+. You're only limited to how much line your reel will hold. You could always try the kneel and reel retrieve to get a few added feet too.

ABT Lures released a bait this year that is supposed to be a slow sinking deep diver. It's called the X2 Countdown Crankbait. They say you can make a long cast, let the bait sink down and then begin your retrieve. There aren't any reviews but I think the bait is pretty new.
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/ABT_Lures_X2_Countdown_Crankbait/descpage-ABTXCC.html

Think I will add a couple of those to the cart next order, I like the Purple/Chartruese and the Rootbeer colors.
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Old 08-15-12, 10:44 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavery5 View Post
Think I will add a couple of those to the cart next order, I like the Purple/Chartruese and the Rootbeer colors.
Those colors do look nice. Hopefully the baits will work as advertised.
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Old 08-15-12, 11:50 PM   #10
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My secret Santa sent me some 3/4 oz Luhr-Jennsen Hot Lips cranks last December, which claim to reach 18-24 feet out of the box. I'm trying to re-locate a website or post that talked about modifying the lip on them to get even more depth out of them.....seems like a guy said he heated the bills a little and bent them, but I'm not sure which part of the bill he bent which way. I'll post back if I find it.
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Old 08-16-12, 11:20 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavery5 View Post
another 3-4 foot of depth out of my cranks.


Any advice?
8lb Magnathin and loooong casts?
or
Dancin Eel?
or
The strollin deal?
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Old 08-16-12, 01:17 PM   #12
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Lead wire wrapped around the hook shanks will help. Rather than a "C-rig" set up with the typical sliding barrel weight, swivel, etc. you could also add a rubber core sinker ahead of the crankbait. Easy to adjust distance from crank and if you change baits and tie directly to the lure, your "leader" won't get shorter each time you change lures. They come in various sizes so you can try different weights or change weights easlily when needed.
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Old 08-16-12, 03:51 PM   #13
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I remember Dogmatic posting this awhile back....Ive been meaning to order a few...Sort of a small down rigger attachment adding the weight of your choice...Could be a solid option along with C-rigging...Cover all depths!

http://www.redirig.com/r175.aspx
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Old 08-16-12, 05:17 PM   #14
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Actually drilling and adding weight seems to do better than adding a weight strip to the bill or thinning.Even plastic ones if large enough had a shad rap #13 I did
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Old 08-16-12, 06:04 PM   #15
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A second for the carolina rig. I used it and it works. It will probably be better than lure modifications or treble adjustments and other things short of trolling/using a downrigger.
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Old 08-18-12, 11:13 AM   #16
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Rather than start a whole new thread and since this question is closely related. I've just started throwing really deep diving crankbaits and was wondering how to tell if they're slightly out of tune. I have no problems seeing when shallow baits are out of whack but watching a 20+ ft plug struggle to come to hand they all seem to be going ever which a way that last few yards.
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Old 08-21-12, 08:02 PM   #17
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This is the way I tell if running true. Make a longcast with the deep diver. Point the rod tip at the point of entry on the water of the crankbait. Start cranking back and if line comes back to you straight at rod tip bait is running true. Also you should be able to feel crank working.
I hope this is right, have been doing this for years. This is the way Rick Clunn does his or so he said at a seminar some years back.
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Old 08-23-12, 07:17 AM   #18
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If ya find a crank that isn't running true, didn't you hit the jackpot, and got one of those "hunting" or "searching" baits? As far as getting deeper, I use zoom suspend-a-dots on my stick baits, jerk/slash ect., wouldn't they work on DD cranks?
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Old 08-23-12, 10:01 AM   #19
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Jrob78, I picked up a couple of the ABT lures, they have some new colors for 2013 that I liked real well. Can't wait to see how they fish.
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Old 08-23-12, 01:56 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavery5 View Post
Jrob78, I picked up a couple of the ABT lures, they have some new colors for 2013 that I liked real well. Can't wait to see how they fish.
That's awesome T! I hope they work out well for you. Let us know your impressions after you get to use them for awhile.
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Old 08-27-12, 08:26 PM   #21
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Got the Crankbaits today, all I can say is that if they catch fish as good as they look, we will be in business.

Hope to get a chance to use them this weekend.
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Old 08-28-12, 01:36 PM   #22
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Can heavy lipless crankbaits be used in place of deep diving crankbaits?
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Old 08-28-12, 05:10 PM   #23
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Yes not quite same action as no bill to stir up silt just a nose,and takes a fairly heavy one to go down or sit an wait like as in countdown.Ive got an old bayou boogie that goes deep on its own hard to keep it up.
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Old 09-03-12, 05:58 PM   #24
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Just reading carolina-rig-01's post about bb's..... why not drill the hole, fill up with sand, and re-plug. Never done it, but why not try it. It will either work or be disasterous!!!....lol
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