Pulling cranks in river current?

[Thunderchicken]

Does it matter weather or not you pull cranks into the current or with it? I assume you need to pull faster when going with the current so the plug pulls down into the water.

Thanks

[mww24]

i would think going with current you'd have to real fast as all to keep tight line. dont fish rivers much so i dont know. just my thought. when i do fish them i usually cast toward shore and reel sideways to the current

[hanson]

Yeah... you have to pull faster than the current downstream or your crank will just be drifting with the current. Opposite going upstream as the current alone will impart movement on the crank.

Another thing to consider is how fish use current to their advantage. Fish will typically orient facing upstream to scoop up food moving towards them but a bait coming upstream from behind and past them often will trigger a quick reaction strike.

[Jim Hudson]

you got it figured out.. Thats why you see a lot of reports of 1.2MPH upstream and 3.0MPH downstream.. But, like all trolling, you have to find that sweet spot of fish locale and bait speed.

But, most times on rivers, shad style baits in that 1.2 to 1.5 MPH upstream is where I start.. and 2.0 to 2.5 down stream.. Depending on current, etc.

[JIM C]

Another thing to remember when targeting a specific depth or the bottom, you will have to let out more line when trolling upstream to reach your target depth than when you are trolling downstream, due to effect of the current on the line.

Jim Carroll NPA #13

[Thunderchicken]

Thanks guys!

Was also wondering if I was to use lead core instead of mono would the up stream, down stream length of line difference be there? I'm thinking so due to the lead core line being thicker in diameter causing more drag in water causing it to lift. Am I wrong??

[JIM C]

Yes, and it would likely be a greater difference too, depending on the current. Leadcore is relatively thick and it has a lot of resistance or lift in the water when trolling upstream. When trolling fast or in heavier current you will probably have to let out more line trolling leadcore line to reach the bottom than you would if you were running a thin superline like FireLine. Downstream, the current will push on the leadcore taking the lure deeper.

Jim Carroll NPAA #13

[sutter]

I monitor my speed on the river by simply holding the rod and feeling the action of the lure. That will tell you if you are going fast enough/too fast. Using fireline or a braided line with a stiff rod and a loose drag will help you feel what is going on. I like using a hard diving bait and short line it.

In my years of fishing the river, I haven't seen any difference in the likelihood of strikes with current vs against. Fish in the river seem to bite what comes close to them.

Motor trouble has limited me to about 1.5 hours of river trolling so far this year, but one white Storm thundercrank has produced a sucker, a northern, a white bass and two 24" walleyes.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Fish are usally faceing up river. So cast upstream.

[sutter]

trolled the mississippi on Sunday. All the fish hit while trolling with the current. I still think it is a 50/50 deal, but Sunday it was 0/100. Go figure.

[Thunderchicken]

Well guys I was out to Platte this weekend for a tournament and while pre fishing over some trees in 65 foot of water, the tips at 25 ft. down we pulled cranks for about 8 hrs. We try'd both lead core and snap weights and both worked real well. We caught 5 fish over 20 inches that went back in that day. Also like Sutter said it really didn't matter which way we went we still caught some fish. Ended up finishing 3rd in the 50 boat tourny Sat. with cranks over the trees. Thanks again guys!!