I've heard guys on here say they do not use braid with cranks. I've also heard that you want the smallest diameter line you can get away with to maximize depth and that 10-12lb mono or fluoro works well. I looked at the diameter of 50lb braid and it's the same as 12lb mono. I know it floats where mono will sink but when you have a 6XD or a DD22 tied on it's hard to imagine line bouyance would make a big difference with a bait that size.

So what makes braid a bad choice?

Thanks for any info.

Richard

No stretch in braid. Have to have a limber rod to keep the fish hooked, otherwise you'll pull them off. Stretchy mono lets you use a bit stiffer rod and still keep your fish.

I like braid when the fish are more active - they don't seem to mind it near as much and you'll get alot more crankbaits out of heavy cover.

When the fish are a little more finnicky, you gotta go with something that they see a little less.

That's my way of thinking.

-alton

I'm a mono fan for crankin. Mono floats just like braid, but it stretches...that little bit of give helps with keepin' the fish hooked up, especially if you are using a graphite rod, which I prefer. make sense?

I use it on square bills. I don't do much deep cranking.

Richard, you have a very well trained bass that is also very photogenic.

I have my cranks set up on a 7ft medium Falcon Lowrider. Would that weight of rod be flexible enough to compensate for the no strech of braid or am I still at risk of pulling the hooks?

The crankbait is such a reaction bite, so I wouldn't worry about the visibility of the line. For me, just not comfortable w/ the 'no stretch' of braid. I'm already nervous when I get a good fish hooked on a treble

Flurocarbon sinks, and with a small diameter it just aids in getting those cranks as deep as you can when fishing deep ledges. The smaller the line diameter, the less friction. The more dense the line, the easier it sinks. Also, whatever rod/reel/line combo that gives you the longest cast will kep you in the zone a little longer

I use mono for cranks. Braid has no stretch just like people above stated.

I caught her while fishing by myself. I tried to weight her, measure her and photo her as fast as I could. I put her on my cooler and she laid there just long enough to snap the picture. Once I got my photo I had her back in the water ASAP. I agree with you, very photogenic fish and as round as a football. I thought she might just roll off the cooler.

a lot of times its the difference in hooking a fish inside his mouth with 2 trebles versus hooking 1 barely in its lip with 1 little hook so when he pulls he will pull off. braid allows you to have a faster reaction time mono will delay that and fluoro is faster than mono but still a lot slower than braid.

I guess you could ask why you dont use 10lb mono in a tree its got the same size diameter as about 50lb braid! just sayin!

As long as u throw the crankbaits on a soft action rod u will be fine. When fishing heavy timber or grass I use 20-30lb power pro

I'm getting back to braid in all my rods...BUT, I'm backing the drag way off so it will slip on the hookset. I think using 15 lb braid will give me bookoo more casting distance and the feel from 15 lb braid is incredible.

I disagree. As long as you throw crankbaits on braid in open water with a limber rod, you'll be fine. Try it on Falcon or any other place where there is heavy cover and the rod will not give you the power to turn the fish. You'll get all your crankbaits taken away!