A-Jay

There was a time where I fished my spinnerbaits at night on braid with a mono leader. However, I was setting the hook way too fast and not letting the fish get the bait, missing many strikes. Switching to a softer rod helped a little but once I went back to a mono main line, my hook up ratio went up substantially. Now when I "Feel" the fish getting the bait, I just keep reeling until it feel the weight of the bass, then I set up on her. And since the line is hidden by the cover of darkness, I can bump up the test (18-20lb) which definitely reduced the stretch. On the other side of this concept, adding a nylon line leader to braid when making a presentation into very heavy weeds, slop or grass is counter productive, at least for me. Here straight braid gets the nod ~ Frogs, Jigs, Texas Rigged anything & Punching rigs. A-Jay

A-Jay

Hello Jeff and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Gear ratio does play a role here but the thing that will be working against you is simply the spinning reels design itself. Just not the right tool. You can certainly try it - and using cranks with a spinner down to 8-10 feet may be OK. But I do believe that asking that gear - regardless of line choice, to consistently work a crankbait down to 20 ft is going to be a chore you'll get tired of quickly. As for the line - there are many opinions - I'll say that yes, a thin braid on a spinning reel would probably be you best option. It will allow for a long cast (which you'll need to get max depth) and the thinner diameter can equate to depth. All That said, instead of fighting your gear (which is what you'll inevitably be doing) I'd encourage you to select baits & techniques that you'll be able to work correctly at that depth with the tackle you have. You'll have far more confidence in a proper presentation. A heavy spinner bait - a swimbait on a jig head and the already mentioned Scrounger are all excellent choices. Good Luck A-Jay

I'd agree that a higher quality reel performs better than an entry level product. These reels do routinely offer consistent & repeatable performance which can be a big help when learning to use the equipment correctly. So theoretically this should help a "beginner, but often times it does not. Perhaps think of it like learning to drive - You could certainly learn on a Bentley but most do not. What does really help speed up the revolving spool usage learning curve, is instead of having a high quality reel, which may not be necessary ~ having high quality instruction is hard to replace. It's extra challenging to teach ourselves something with out it. A-Jay

Perhaps a picture could help diagnose the situation a little better. As for the TM's depth - usually at least 12 inches under the surface for decent steerage - and a little more if possible for even better results. A-Jay

Fantastic Bass ~ ! PB's are Always a Blast. Please allow me to be the first to Welcome you into the 11 lb. Club ~ Congrats btw - when you catch a bass that big you've automatically earned the right to long arm, short arm or even Gumby arm it - and I don't even really know what that last one is . . . . A-Jay

Check out the Freedom Tackle's Hydra Hybrid Jig, the Stealth Hybrid Jig & the Hydra Ultra Light Series Hybrid Jigs http://www.freedomlures.com/stealth.html They have completely changed & improved my ability to present a swimbait in, especially in cover.

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ There are many aspects of this site that make it very special and super useful for bass anglers. Besides having a membership base that is second to none, there is a giant articles section here that is chock full of every thing bass. I hope you'll take advantage of this totally FREE information as it will easily answer ALL of the questions you've asked here in your very first post and a whole lot more. A-Jay

Will this set up work? It may depend on your definition of work. Seems you know enough about the technique to realize that fishing a bait that offers above average reeling resistance is often done on casting gear and for good reason. I believe that you'll find out what I mean about an hour or so into your first serious deep cranking outing. So will it work - Yes. About the same as presenting any lure with somewhat mismatched equipment. A-Jay

Very Soon - . . . And yes the anticipating is KILLING ME . . . A-Jay

I'll be on the water in one very soon. I'll let you know what I think about your concerns. Your mileage may vary. Good luck on your test ride. A-Jay

Congrats on your first Waldo Chris ~ And I was wondering the same thing ? A-Jay

OK ~ I'll start an "Everything Night Fishing Thread" in a bit But we both know who the Night Bassing Rock Star is & it's not me. Once it's up I'd certainly appreciate some of your incite. A-Jay

Nice Boat ! Congrats HAVE THAT MOTOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICED FOR STORAGE before you leave. Stay Safe A-Jay

How about 154 packs of Bobber stops ? A-Jay

Yup - the 12ft double stick show is about as good as it gets. I have the tilt brackets as well - offers the ultimate in versatility. A-Jay

Nice Bass - but that's a Pretty Bad Pic Congrats on the PB A-Jay

Interesting how quickly the tone of this thread changed. Started out innocent enough and then hung a hard right. I have not ever fished a Keitech bait. They have never been available to me here locally. SK always is. A-Jay

X2 ~ Yup and that's because one fishes a T-Rig with the rod - not the reel. A-Jay

A-Jay

Nope ~ Can't help you there You're the only one who has ever dropped anything off a boat into the water and lost it. A-Jay

Fortunately for both of us the Bass Resource Articles Section has plenty of solid information on all things Bass including angling at night. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/night_bass_fishing_tips.html The bottom of that page (linked) there are more night bassing articles as well. A-Jay

Saluting those who serve, Past & Present. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Nice bass. So you guys saw & held that fish but you're having difficulty determining it's size ? Imagine how we feel. These items are very helpful with that. A-Jay