When it comes to targeting crappie in clear water, several key ingredients make crankbait trolling work.
One popular setup is to pull crankbaits on rods that stagger along each side of the boat. To separate the baits, graduate the rods in length, starting with an 8-foot rod nearest the transom, and then move forward to a 10-footer and finally a 12-foot rod nearest the front.
Pairing the crankbaiting rods with line-counter reels will allow the crankbaiter to precisely measures the distance each lure is trolled behind the boat. In this scenario, the 8-foot rod has the longest line — anywhere from 40 to 60 feet.
The distance out decreases as the rod length increases; this way the crank baits stay separated.
Line choices range from the 6- to 8-pound-test, using clear line for clear water with no obstructions.
Trolling is also accomplished with an electric trolling motor, as the noise from a larger outboard engine will spook fish.
The depth of presentation of the crankbaits is a coordination of variables including the amount of line out, working depth of the crankbait and boat speed. Boat speed ranges between 1 mph and 2.5 mph. Such precise graduations in speed require the uses of a GPS-enabled electronics system that will measure speed to the 10th mile per hour.
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