I bought two kvd quantum crankbait rods for really cheap. They're 7ftm 1/4-3/8  and 7ft 9 1/4-38.  I was throwing a 3/8th oz wiggle wart on the 7ftm rod w/ 12fluor and a revo winch. The bait kept running sideways and flipping over. It also wouldnt dig into the water and dive down. Is this rod just awful and too powerful or do I need to tune the bait ?  The same kept happening with some strike king baits I was throwing.

sounds like the baits need tuned to me.  some baits will run just fine at slow speeds, but once you start speeding up, that's where they start going wonky.

Hummmm... Double check you're line.. Making sure it's threaded right.. Check all ur guides inserts ... It almost just sounds like you're becoming fouled in some manner... If it was just the one bait.. Yea it's outta tune,but multiple baits?... Yea that's hard to figure.. Check you're reels line guide too.. Have you changed hook size? Using a swivel? Double check everything..

Yeah somethig with your setup is messed up. I've fished a ton of strike king crankbaits and they are all pretty well tuned out of the pack.

Op states it's a winch... So I didn't suspect a over speed problem... I assume it is possible, however.

Let us know.. I am really curious now!

Hummmm... Double check you're line.. Making sure it's threaded right.. Check all ur guides inserts ... It almost just sounds like you're becoming fouled in some manner... If it was just the one bait.. Yea it's outta tune,but multiple baits?... Yea that's hard to figure.. Check you're reels line guide too.. Have you changed hook size? Using a swivel? Double check everything..

I took the wiggle wart off of the winch and put it on my diawa tatula and it still was messed up. I dont know what is going on but it is annoying the hell out of me. 

Have you got other cranks you can try? Put on a dt 10 ... I am about ready to destroy that wiggle wart for ya!

I feel you're frustration.. I still don't believe it's a rod problem.. And now with a different reel same thing... How about the 7'9" ? Is it good?

Change the split ring on the line tie. Some baits do exactly what you described if they have a circle instead of an oval or vise versa.

Sounds like a bait problem. If the line is moving and pulling the bait towards you, You should be able to use a broom stick and it'll still dive right. 

If you tied direct to the split ring on the Wart (or any other crankbait) and it does the same thing on 2 rods - it's definitely the bait!  Like WIGuide said, the rod and reel are only taking up line.  It's up to the crankbait to run straight.  It's worth noting that on the early Storm Wiggle Warts, the same iffy build quality that made some of them hunters made just as many un-tunable worthless hunks of plastic.  They were notoriously difficult to tune.  Can't speak for the Strike Kings as I don't use them.  But most crankbaits can be tuned to run straight unless there is a manufacturing defect.  Sounds like you need to take needle nose pliers along next time out and tune those baits.

Your bait is either way, way outta tune or is defective and unstable.  I have to ask, does the bait run true at very slow speeds and only become unstable as faster retrieve rates?  If so you may have a hunting Wiggle Wart on your hands and that something that is fairly desirable to many Ozark anglers.

Your bait is either way, way outta tune or is defective and unstable.  I have to ask, does the bait run true at very slow speeds and only become unstable as faster retrieve rates?  If so you may have a hunting Wiggle Wart on your hands and that something that is fairly desirable to many Ozark anglers.

... Ill test it out. Ive got a feeling it does. The issue is that I need a ten mile cast to get it down. It also runs way right so i need to bend it.

Have you got other cranks you can try? Put on a dt 10 ... I am about ready to destroy that wiggle wart for ya!

I feel you're frustration.. I still don't believe it's a rod problem.. And now with a different reel same thing... How about the 7'9" ? Is it good?

 

Your bait is either way, way outta tune or is defective and unstable.  I have to ask, does the bait run true at very slow speeds and only become unstable as faster retrieve rates?  If so you may have a hunting Wiggle Wart on your hands and that something that is fairly desirable to many Ozark anglers.

 

Picture doesn't do this fish justice. ( also the uploader shrunk the picture down)  4+lber on that wiggle wart that was running crazy. Got it to run straight by slow rolling it. 

 

 

Sure if its only the wiggle wart , but op states it is also strike king baits running wacky...that's kinda odd... Throw in 2 new crankbait rods and you can see where I was going...

Nice catch! .. On the wart...

Sure if its only the wiggle wart , but op states it is also strike king baits running wacky...that's kinda odd... Throw in 2 new crankbait rods and you can see where I was going...

Nice catch! .. On the wart...

my new dobyns gets here tomorrow at 3pm. Its going for 62 degrees to 12degrees and 5inches of snow over night lol may not make it out tomorrow. 

On 3/11/2014 at 11:58 AM, Alonerankin2 said:

Sure if its only the wiggle wart , but op states it is also strike king baits running wacky...that's kinda odd... Throw in 2 new crankbait rods and you can see where I was going...

Nice catch! .. On the wart...

 

A lot of cranks will hunt.  All of them potentially if you adhere to the hunting theorem, meaning that a bait will hunt as a result of instability caused by a defect in it's weight placement or body material.  I had a Rebel shallow Wee R that would hunt like crazy.

 

Hunting baits caused by defects that slipped through QC means that even cheap baits are likely to hunt.