Cranks behind bottom bouncers

[Jarnotski]

I started using crawler harnesses behind bottom bouncers a lot last year and had great success. Wondering if anyone pulls crank baits behind bottom bouncers ever? If so, what type of cranks? Thanks.

[gregg52]

i'll be interested to read the posts here on this

i ve tried with no sucess maybe i can learn something here

[goose89]

do it alot on the river /pool 4. Actually more 3 way rigs than BBs, but same principle. I've heard of it being done on lake, but you'd need to use shallow sticks or keep em riding high to prevent cranks diving into the bottom (which is can be good too).

Any true BB / crankers reviews??

[RiverFish]

I use the this combo here(WI) on the Flowages(dark stained water) to cover water in mid to late summer. I use the lightest BB I can get by with, usually 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce. I use a 5-8 foot leader off the BB, I don't think it really matters in catch rate. I use short lipped floating crank baits, this past summer the hot crank was a J-11 floating rapala. I usually drag these BB in 10-20 feet of water, both up and down current.

The process is easy enough, I can use up to three rods at a time, but I prefer to use just 2.

I also use the BB for trolling spinner rigs as well, same process.

I also catch a lot of Smallmouth bass with this combo as well.

[fishinfey8]

When I was little, we had a cabin on a sw MN prairie "bowl" type lake. When it was really windy, we would drift using this set up. Always ran a original floating rapala behind the bottom bouncer on about a 3ft. snell. Remember to use very shallow running, floating crankbaits so your not snagging up all the time. Caught plenty of fish using this system. I still use the bottom bouncer original floater combo during a quick drift, but for trolling or on rivers you can't beat a 3-way or leadcore IMO.

[gregg52]

i would think drifting you would be going fast enough to get

action out of the crank bait ??

[gregg52]

i would think drifting you would be going fast enough to get

action out of the crank bait ??

[tacklejunkie]

I agree with the floating raps, also. That's what I have used when I used to troll body baits behind bouncers. They will dive a bit when trolled behind a bouncer but not too bad.

[fishinfey8]

Original raps, husky jerks, jointed raps all can be trolled or drifted very slowly (less than 1mph) while still giving off a little action. Drift-fishing with BB's and these type of cranks can be deadly because of the jerk-pause action given by the waves. If you use floating raps, when the pause happens (when the boat goes into the trough of a wave) the rap will rise a bit often triggering a strike.

[PerchJerker]

I've pulled cranks behind bottom bouncers a bit. I usually do it with 3-way rigs but you can do it with bottom bouncers too.

As noted, it pretty much needs to be a shallow running stick bait type of crankbait. Anything with a bill on it will dive and dig into the bottom --- usually not the best presentation.

[g_anoka]

I have used flat raps, I think,on 3-way rigs, never tried using a BB.

[Mr.Seaguar]

I pull all kinds of crankbaits behind BBs. Yes they dig into bottom if you set them too deep. No matter what method you use, too deep is too deep. I fish a lot of Shadraps, I use deep ones mostly. I cant say I hang much in rocks but I do in wood, I hate woody areas. One of my favorite lakes has a long shoreline with woody cover that holds walleyes. All you do with cranks there is decorate the trees, spinners make it thru much better.

I use 2oz BB on the lure I want in front. Then I put a lighter BB on the back lure. You have to have a deeper diving lure in front of a shallower diving one. I often put a deep shadrap in front and a floating minnow in back. I usually have 1 1/2oz BB in back. Its still far behind the front lure because of the different crank. I wont say they never tangle, because everything tangles sometimes, but its no more often then anything else. Good Luck

[tgruenke]

Just bought a trolling rod and a few bb. Want to try it on the holcombe flowage this year. Stained water lot's of depth changes.

[Northlander]

I would 3 way over a BB but I have used a BB at times. I usually use a shallow diver or a small diver. I agree with what others have said.

I like a good Med to med/heavy rod in the 7'6" - 8'6" range and a good baitcaster or linecounter with some 15# Power Pro on it.

[solbes]

This is one of the 2 or 3 new presentations I want to try this upcoming walleye season. I bought a bunch of old beat up Rapala original floaters and repainted/refinished them. I've got F7's, F9's, F11's, and F13's. I'm thinking of trying the F9's on opener after I tire of casting to shore and jigging with minnow.

Which size seems to work best for people? I was going to tie a 5' leader with 15lb Berkly 100% Fluoro, seem appropriate? 2 oz BB in 12-20 FOW will be the plan.