Crank Bait Combo

[pastorbass]

I'm mainly a soft plastics kind of guy, but I'm tired of having a tackle box full of crank baits and never using them. So I am wanting to put together a good crank bait combo. What is the best reel and what kind of gear ratio is the best for cranking, what about length and action of the rod. Any help is appreciated!

Blessed Fishin!
jeremy

[artcarney_agr]

I generally use a spinning rod for a lot of my crankbaits, especially in the spring when the smaller cranks produce better. I'll use a 6'6" medium action spinning rod with a Pflueger Trion GX-7. I can use the 6'6" to get small shallow cranks to work around the brush better as well. Also, this set up makes you fight the fish more, and also be a little more gentle so you don't pull the hooks out the fish's mouth.

For bigger cranks you can't go wrong with a Bass Pro Shops Crankin' Stick. Bass Pro even has a Rick Clunn cranking stick if you want to pay a little more, but you get what you pay for. I've used a Lew's Speed Spool reel with a lot of success, they really cast a good long ways and also have the gears to get a DD22 down rather quickly.

Another good inexpensive rod I've used is the Berkely Bionix crankbait rod that you can get at Wal-Mart. It has a very forgiving tip and has a great all around feel to it. It's a really great value for what you pay!

One of the most important things to remember with crankbaits is to always consider line diameter. The larger the diameter, the more resistance there is in the water and the shallower the bait will run. I typically use 8 lb. line diameter with my DD22's to get the maximum depth. If I'm working cranks around grass, I'll up the line diameter to get the bait to run just above the grass - usually a 17 or 20lb diameter.

Good luck!

[bassbuddy]

I really like the david fritts combo for 129.98 at bass pro, go with the 7'ft for deep divers and 6.6'ft for shallow divers, I like the 5.2:1gear ratio on the reel it helps to slow down and not as tiresome on the deep divers, spool with 10'lb test mono, I think you will like this combo.



Rick

[artcarney_agr]

Hey bassbuddy,

Is it just me or does the David Fritts combo look a lot like a Lew's??? I feel like they tried to pattern it.......there is also a saltwater model exactly like the David Fritts one that I bought on sale at Bass Pro that works just as well, the Inshore Extreme! Both cast a mile!

[pastorbass]

Thanks for the help fellers

[Tim_T]

Hey bassbuddy,

Is it just me or does the David Fritts combo look a lot like a Lew's??? I feel like they tried to pattern it.......there is also a saltwater model exactly like the David Fritts one that I bought on sale at Bass Pro that works just as well, the Inshore Extreme! Both cast a mile!

Art, if I am not mistaken (and it wouldn't be the first time) Fritts started out using Lews and his crankbaits were all Poes. That may be why the design is similar.

[artcarney_agr]

That's right! That's exactly why I still buy a Lew's every now and then. They were good back in the day and still are today! I would guess Fritts changed up his gear for obvious sponsorship reasons.......but I would bet he's still got a Lew's stashed away somewhere - probably with a Poes tied on.....

[bassbuddy]

Hey bassbuddy,

Is it just me or does the David Fritts combo look a lot like a Lew's??? I feel like they tried to pattern it.......there is also a saltwater model exactly like the David Fritts one that I bought on sale at Bass Pro that works just as well, the Inshore Extreme! Both cast a mile!

Hey art

I thout the same thing, it could be made by lew's but not sure and they do cast a mile.

Rick

[Devils Horse]

7' Lew's crankin' stick with a Lews BB1ng reel. Neither of which is made anymore, but you can find them if you beat the bushes a bit. I also like the cheap fiberglass cranking rods. I've got a $25 fiberglass rod from Cabelas that my buddies say is the ugliest thing they ever saw, but it works great.

The BB1ng's slow retrieve rate helps slow me down, because after cranking an hour or 2, I find myself reeling too fast. Plus the 4:1 retreive rate makes it a winch, winding a DD22 won't wear you out.