best line for trolling cranks

[The Wicker Man]

With all the choices of line out there I was wondering what you guys would recommend for trolling cranks? ie: test, make, etc.
I fish lakes with alot of rocks and use a baitcasting reel. Also, what kind of leader would you recommend? I know you get better action without a leader but at $8 a lure and fishing Pike filled waters, I want to keep my losses to a minimum.

[James Morris]

I recommend going with Berkley 10lb XT line and a 5->10ft leader of 10lb test fireline. The pike won't bite through the fireline, and the mono will help you fight big fish. Also, pick up a copy of Precision Trolling (by Mark Romanack). This will allow you to precisely place your baits where the fish are in the water column. The next upgrade after that would be to get a set of offshore planer boards and some linecounter reels. Once you're set up with this equipment, you will have the means to be very, very versatile in your approach to spread out 'eyes.

Good luck,

James

[Cangl]

Spider lines and other premiun braids #14 TO #20 lb tests
with mono leaders fo #14 to #30 lb tests us a good snap swivel between mono and braid for rigging and a locking snap lures mono gives some strecth which cuts down on shock and helps set the hook. mono leaders I usaully use are 3 ft to the length of the rod so as to be able to net critters and objects as well by my self.I pefer Fireline #14 TO #20 but the thirty the same price and amount. Hooks will straighten Troll a baitcaster these lines will last forever.

[Chad]

I preferr Fireline 10/4 in smoke for trolling. The reason is I like the sensitivity and being able to see when my plugs are fouled. When they get a leaf on them the wabble stops.

When open water trolling I preferr 10lb xt.

I never use a leader when trolling. I very rarely loose any plugs because the fish are keying in on the bait and hardly ever swallow it.

[bruce]

I agree on the fireline 10/4. I use it all the time on Winnebago for contour trolling the rocks. I do a lot of speed trolling with it and it can't be beat. The only thing that the fireline doesn't do well is that it doesn't like shock. A sharp jerk is an easy way to break it versus a steady pull which makes it almost impossible to break. I also use 7 or 7 1/2 foot medium action level wind rigs and keep the drag fairly soft becuase of the no stretch. Best line on the market for this by a long shot. Good Fishing.

[The Wicker Man]

The reason I don't like fireline for trolling is that I usually fish with 1 or 2 casual fisherman. When I get the line crossed with my partners it is almost impossible to get untangled without cutting it!

[Chad]

Couple of suggestions to avoid tangles or help in untangling. Maybe have one angler use smoke and the other use green.

I have found that it is easier to cut one lure off then to try and untangle. I can have one cut and re tied in 30 seconds.

[Jeepman]

I use 12lb XT, 12lb Excaliber, and 10/4 Fireline Smoke on 7 foot StCroix glass medium rods, on 7'10" GLoomis fast action med power rods, and 7'6" GLoomis Crankbait Rods respectively.

I find myself reaching for and using the 7'6" GLoomis Crankbait Rods with 10/4 Fireline 70% of the time. I like to know that the baits are wobbling (not fouled) and that they are working to catch fish all the time. And, because they working all the time, my catch success with the Fireline is higher than with the other lines especially when fishing near or above weeds and fishing rivers with debris following recent rains. In open water (Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay) I prefer using XT and Excaliber - I enjoy the "fight" more with mono than with Fireline.

[byron]

I like using braided line for trolling for a few reasons:
1. With the lure 150+ feet behind the boat, you can tell if the lure is fouled if the rod tip stops vibrating. Mono cannot do this.
2. At long leads, you get a great hook set.
3. Your lures can get deeper because of the smaller diameter.
I have used spiderwire fusion and powerpro but love the powerpro. Great stuff that works and is fairly inexpensive.

[GORD]

The farther back from the boat you troll, the more problem line stretch becomes. I often long line cranks almost 200. yds behind the boat. Mono in this case is like fishing with an elastic band. Fire line works for me because it has very little stretch. If I've got three lines out, one is a long line, one board out either side. All my fire line is green to keep track of where the lines are, but i do run a 20 yd. leader of smoke. If northerns are around i use a heavier 3 foot piece of smoke fire line as a final leader.