Using Braided Line with Crank Baits and Spinner Baits, Jerk Baits?

[AndyFender]

I was under the assumption that it made more sense of using fluro line while fishing with crank baits and spinner baits? The reason being is that fluro sinks thus given the bait a better presentation, where as Braided line floats?

[Baron49]

There are lots of different thoughts on using different lines.  Fluoro has been the latest "hot" line for all kinds of fishing including crankbaits due to the increased sensitivity and the fact that is sinks. 

To answer your question on using braided line for crankbaits I like using 30 lb Power Pro when cranking big deep divers like DD 22's.  The line has a diameter equivalent to 8 lb test mono and because of the no stretch feature I know exactly what the lure is doing through out the entire cast plus I do get a little more depth out of these baits with the thin diameter line.  There are a lot of rocks and weeds in the lakes I fish, the braided line helps cut through the weeds and helps me keep in contact with the rocky bottoms.  With a little practice you can tell the kind of bottom you are on and learn the difference between a fish engulfing your lure and it bouncing off rocks or wood.  The key is to use a long 7' 6'' flexible rod to absorb the initial shock of a strike, but one with a stout enough butt section to control and land a heavy fish.

Another crankbait I use year round with braided line is a Rattletrap or lipless crankbait.  I start using these baits while in Florida in February and fish them through out the year right into the Fall here in New York.  Cranking these in the cooler water over the tops of newly growing weed beds is very productive.  For this I use 50 lb Power Pro (12 lb test mono equivalent) on a 7'3" MH rod and a fast retrieve Revo SXHS reel.  The reason for the heavy braid line is simple.  These are usually big female bass that are either heading in to spawn or have spawned.  These heavy fish will grab the bait and head right into the depths of the thick weeds.  You need the heavy line and rods to get them up and keep them out of the thick cover.

On jerk baits I am not a big fan of them, they wear me out in a hurry.  My tournament partner however will throw them all day long if the fish are biting.  His preference is 30 lb Power Pro on spinning tackle.  He uses all kinds of jerk baits and some have large deep diving bills.  With the braided line he can control the bait with the traditional jerk jerk pause even through weeds and cover, but can feel the slightest strike.  Have fished with him for many years and have seen him caught some monster bass using braided line to control both the bait and the fish.

I don't throw a lot of spinnerbaits, but do throw blade/jig baits like chatterbaits.  My personal favorites are BooYah Boogie baits because the narrow head design comes through weeds nicely and the blade banging off the narrow head is a great attractor along with the wide flashing blade.  The key here again is fishing in the weeds.  Using 50 lb Power Pro I can rip the bait to clear it of weeds and many times this triggers the strike and the first thing the fish does is dive right into the thick cover.  The braid makes it a lot easier to get the fish up and out. 

These are just the opinions of an old fisherman that slowly made the conversion to braid a number of years ago and found it to be a very good line once you learn its limitations and advantages.  Today I use more braid then any other line.

[AndyFender]

Baron,

Thank you for the well thought our answer 

I have two bait casters that I am going to spool with braid, I was going to go with 20lb and 30lb. The 30 I am thinking would be good for Jerk, Cranks, Spinner baits, while the 20lb would be good for plastics, creature baits. What do you thing of that set up?

[Baron49]

From personal experience 30 lb test braid, being the diameter of 8 lb mono, is just about as small a diameter line as most people can cast and use on a baitcaster effectively.  Personally I use 30 lb Power Pro for big crank baits, smaller 3.5 to 5 inch soft swimbaits, plastic worms, soft stick baits, etc.  50 lb Power Pro (size of 12 lb test mono) for spinner baits, chatterbaits, rattletraps, large hard swimbaits, buzz frogs, jig and pig, big worms, and Carolina rigging .  For heavy cover applications 65 lb Power pro (size of 17 lb test mono) these applications include floating frogs, punching heavy cover, matted weeds, and flipping.

A good rule of thumb to remember when thinking of using braided line is to buy the diameter of braid that is similar or close to the size mono you were using.  IE: using 8 lb test mono for worm fishing, then 30 lb braid would be a perfect match with it's similar diameter.  The reason being is braid is not indestructible and even 50 lb or 65 lb braided line can be cut or abrased by sharp rocks, zebra mussels, thick weeds, and toothy critters as easily as mono.

[AndyFender]

Baron,

Do you use a leader with any of your braid set ups?

[Lawguy513]

Conventional wisdom says avoid braid for these applications.  I typically use mono, especially for crankbaits, because the stretch in the line can be a good thing, so that you do not snatch the bait out of the fish's mouth.  I use braid on all of my flipping and pitching rods when going to heavy cover.  I tried braid for spinner baits and cranks, and just was not happy.  Fun thing about fishing is that everyone has a different take, so try it all, and see what you think.  Good luck!

[Bassinkorea]

I have completely stopped using braided line for any lure with treble hooks as I was ripping the hooks out of the fish during the fight.

I will use braid for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and anything else with single hooks.

[Baron49]

Baron,

Do you use a leader with any of your braid set ups?

I rarely use a leader, but when I do it is a 4 to 6 foot section of fluoro.  About the only time I find the need for a leader is around rocks or docks that are covered with zebra mussels when fishing a jig and pig.  Have experimented with a fluoro leader when using braid on deep diving crankbaits when fishing deep weeds, but did not find it helped. 

[Baron49]

I have completely stopped using braided line for any lure with treble hooks as I was ripping the hooks out of the fish during the fight.

Had the same problem, especially with rattle traps, until I changed to a longer more limber rod.  Now rarely lose one due to it ripping out.  Same thing for fishing deep divers in and around deep weeds, started using a softer action 7'6'' cranking rod with 30 lb braid and can rip through the weeds, but rarely rip the bait out of a fishes mouth.

I should clarify that normally I use P-line Flouroclear co-poly for most diving crankbaits when not fishing in and around thick or deep weeds.

[fisherdad]

I love using braid with a rattle trap,  you get such great feedback on what it's doing down there.

I use braid mostly for frog/jig/pitchin - 50lb

and I just switch to 10lb on my spinning rod and I really like it. It can be tough to see sometimes because it's so thin, but I just love the sensitivity and how it handles on a spinning reel. I use it for anything lite... weightless flukes, wacky rigs, t-rigs, small top waters, xrap shad... beetlespins and little jigs if I want to catch crappie and bluegills

[LAFisherman]

I love using braid with a rattle trap,  you get such great feedback on what it's doing down there.

I use braid mostly for frog/jig/pitchin - 50lb

and I just switch to 10lb on my spinning rod and I really like it. It can be tough to see sometimes because it's so thin, but I just love the sensitivity and how it handles on a spinning reel. I use it for anything lite... weightless flukes, wacky rigs, t-rigs, small top waters, xrap shad... beetlespins and little jigs if I want to catch crappie and bluegills

I've normally used braid for frogs only, but I have been trying out 50# on different stuff and finding it successful.  I completely agree with you on the 10# braid on a spinning rod.  My father in law uses nothing but the 10# on his spinning rods and we catch bass on senkos worms and anything else we tie on.  I'm becoming a big believer in the 10# braid and the versatility of braid.

[Lawguy513]

I just bought a new reel for my spinner bait/frog pole.  I an going to try 50lb Suffix braid on it.  I have used Suffix braid before and found it easy to cast.  However, my cranking rod is too stiff for braid.  Looks like I need to buy another rod 

[fisherdad]

I've normally used braid for frogs only, but I have been trying out 50# on different stuff and finding it successful.  I completely agree with you on the 10# braid on a spinning rod.  My father in law uses nothing but the 10# on his spinning rods and we catch bass on senkos worms and anything else we tie on.  I'm becoming a big believer in the 10# braid and the versatility of braid.

I switched because I just couldnt find any line that would behave itself after sitting on the reel for awhile. the 10# is so nice and limp and casts really nice.

I used to use braid on everything for everything, but I do have one rod with flouro that I use for cranks, swimbaits and swimjigs... or if I'm throwing big plastics like a 10" worm or brushhogs and lizards. or c-rigs

[Nomad]

The reason being is braid is not indestructible and even 50 lb or 65 lb braided line can be cut or abrased by sharp rocks, zebra mussels, thick weeds, and toothy critters as easily as mono.

Yeah, I found that out the hard way.  I had on some 30-pound power pro which I mistakenly thought was pretty abrasion resistant.  I mainly fish from shore on a river that has lots of big/sharp rocks in the water and recently lost two decent fish, back to back when I got them close to shore and they went into the rocks and cut my line.  I do love using braid though - but, when switching from a rod that has mono to one with braid or the other way around, I have to remind myself when it comes to hooksets.

[DBrooke]

I use Power Pro for everything. My Curado's both have 30# and my spinning reels all have 15#. No leaders, 80% of the time I'm in clear water. And I still hook into some decent sized fish.