DD Crankbait false advertisement?

It doesn’t matter what rod, reel or line I use I can’t get a crankbait even close to what it says on the packaging. I can get close long lining but I hate that [censored]. Does everyone else have this problem or should I just C Rig it, that’s about the only way I can see to get it to advertised depth.

10 pound line and the ability to make a 80+ yard cast and you can get most to depth. It's a beating.

Is your casting distance below average for any reason? I only ask because that is the only variable that is making it possible for you. I have never had any trouble getting big cranks down to advertised depths. I use long rods made for slinging deep cranks, keep my reels in good condition and have good quality12# flouro as the line.

I was always told lighter FC will get you maximum depth. Tough for me to throw light line on something like a 6xd or bigger...at least at my home lake 🤷‍♂️

ive never done it....and probably wouldnt just because of confidence....but ive heard of people throwing on a teardrop style sinker on the front split ring to weight it more, and have also heard about people putting a worm weight on the baits like its a texas rig, and even like it was a carolina/mojo rig pegged. I even talked to someone that claims to throw a carolina rigged squarbill deeper....not sure how much value im putting on that story tho! I didnt see any pics...and no pics=lies in 2021 LOL

I’m with you Hula. I run light line and can cast further than most but rarely get close to advertised depths.

80 yards lmao your dreaming

You do not think a 1 oz crank bait can be casted 240 feet in the air?

Long rod, light line, and bomb it down wind!

Also make sure it’s running straight or you’ll never get that depth.

The only crankbait to me that gets down to the posted depth are the Spro’s deep diving cranks. I will throw the 25’ in that depth and hit bottom. It might not stay there very long but it does reach it.

Haven’t measured but I can cast one out to where you’d have to give your Lab hand signals to fetch it. I can reach the shallower depths as advertised but anything deeper than 18’ I can’t seem to get to. Also I’m not getting on my knees and sticking an 8’ rod as far down as possible to get there. Really not a big deal I was just wondering what everyone else’s experience was, I don’t have any fishin buddies to ask, they refuse to throw em.

Its hard, if not impossible to get some baits to reach the advertised depth. The bait has to be tuned right, and even then I don't always get it down there but even if the tune is off just a hair it can equal a foot or two of depth. I won't use below 12lb line and 15 on the 8xd or bigger. I would rather step up the crankbait size than worry about breaking off on a big fish or limb

Maybe its my advanced age but these large deep diving cranks wear me out. I throw them on a 7'6" rod down wind and retrieve them with my rod pointed directly at the lure but after a few casts I have to switch to something else.

I kind of view dives-to-depth like I do mpg ratings--you can hit those numbers when you meet the checklist of criteria and when the stars align, but you're usually going to underperform in comparison to manufacturer ratings.

I’m gonna try some SPROS.

You gotta sling them a ways, even then they are only at max depth a little while. I always figure about 4 or 5 feet less than advertised for the deep ones

My brother read an article probably 20 years ago in bassmaster magazine, the whole article was about Carolina rigging small square bills. We fished in 15-25’ of water the following day, and that’s all he would throw. He smoked my you know what!!! I don’t know if it was because it was different or what, but I had a 12-20’ diving crank on in the same color he was using and he wore me out. We were in 6 mile on the bend for reference.

Bomber 9A is the closest I've had get to anything over 15+ feet standing up

One advantage to bass fishing with livescope, you can see how deep your cranks are really getting.

oh yea. kneel and reel!!! Keep that tip down. That rod tip angle works wonders for keeping baits coming through cover....figure it can help get an extra few inches or more on depth.



So maybe there was some truth to that story i heard about c rigging squarebills! LOL

Gerald swindle posted a video soaking deep diving DTs before his last tourney. according to a dude in the comment section....Gman was waterlogging the DTs. Guy in the comments said it gets baits deeper, deeper quicker, keeps them down and also gets them to suspend.

Not sure if you wanna try that....another thing lke the others ive mentioned i havent done...and probably wouldnt just due to confidence.

I have found that I can cast an 8XD and 10XD a lot farther when using Dobyns DC805Cb Glass rod than with a shorter rod.

Having a good reel with a larger capacity spool in it will get it out there farther as well.

I have c rigged deep divers for yrs. now, use a 1/2 or 3/4 oz. swim jig instead of a worm weight.
rig the jig about 3' above the diver, I normally just tie it with a bolen knot leaving a decent size loop so the jig hangs a little, have also just used a palomar for the jig.

it works

The key to throwing a deep diving crankbait for a longer time is using a slower ratio reel. When I am throwing any crankbait deeper than 20', I am using my 4.9-1 reel.
If you try to throw them reels faster than 7.1-1 reels you will get wore out fast, plus you properly are not going to reach the maximum depth because you have already reeled it close enough to the boat that you have started your upswing on the lures track.

I learned that lesson at Baccarac last February 😬
Had a 7.1.1 and DD 22, had to switch to a scrounger about every 25 casts
Did this for 4 straight gays

Yes a crankbait on a C-rig works. I have a buddy who used to make great balsa baits. He had lips made with the hook tie on the bottom on the ones he rigged with

This. Even if it is slight, running off to the right or left will cut a lot of depth out of your deep diving crankbait.

what happens south of border should stay south of the border


happy pride month

8 foot rod, 12# line, abu garcia winch 5.1:1. People go too big on line and that kills the depth a bait can go, have to remember a crankbait rod does a lot of the work when fighting a fish as long as you can control the surge a biggun can make at the boat, you can get them in on light line. My biggest is a 9-6 on a crankbait for reference. My partner caught a 10-6 with same set up (same day, same school of fish) fishing over brush in 15+ foot of water. We were running the baits into the brush piles to get bit

beat me to it.

8ft rod, 10-12lb line and a long cast is about as good as you can do. I normally wont throw less than 15lb on the lakes i fish just due to trees and other [censored] in the areas i like to fish. The manns 30+ is my go to if im trying to hit 18ft+

Are you throwing a 10XD on 10# line? I haven’t tried that, scares the sheet out of me.

I usually throw them on 15 lb as the lighter lines are scary around all the brush.

The correct 8ft rod combined with thin fluorocarbon. I like sunline due to smaller diameter than most.

Jobucko, try dropping down to a 5.4 or even 5.1 reel ratio, it makes a huge difference. I've got every kind of forearm and elbow issue known to man from years of sports abuse, but I can fish them all with those really slow ratio reels, literally night and day

I am thinking there should be a long casting competition to decide this. YouTube shows a surf caster throwing 313-325 yards as the world record in competition (seems there is a competition for this). Rod approaching 20' long. He lets it fly and around 1 minute later it lands.

80 yard cast with a 6XD, standing flat footed on the goal line of a football field and throw it to the 20 yard line. I don't think I can throw a crankbait 80 yards. You would have to cast and just stand there for 20 seconds or so just watching line peel off your reel. I don't remember making a cast and counting to 20 before the lure hits the water. It could be done, but not by me.

I use the kneel n reel method which helps but still don't reach the advertised range. I use 12 lb flouro. Jobucko is correct that doing that for any length of time will wear you out.