Most often my deep cranking setup is a 7'3-7'6 mh rod, sometimes a heavy, with a 6 speed gear ratio reel. My line is 30# braid with a 10 or 15# fluorocarbon leader. I am oftentimes dissatisfied with the achieved depth I obtain with deep running crankbaits on long casts. My question to all y'alls (I'm really not very southern) is this : do you get deeper depths if spooled with straight fluorocarbon, even though giving up casting distance vs. using braid to leader?

Straight Fluoro will get deeper for sure. If you want to use braid and leader while still getting just as deep, pick a different lure, but that tends to mean a bigger bill and more work on the retrieve.