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.

Toss the leader altogether for deeper running. The thinner the line diameter, the deeper a crankbait will run and the better the action it will have.

Don’t worry too much about the shock absorption effect of a leader - just back your drag off a bit. Unless your leader is 20 feet long, the amount of stretch you get for the purpose is negligible at best.

I have been running 12lb Tatsu for my crankbait fishing. But most of the time I’m fishing Square bills. “and for smallmouth”

You need to adjust your drag accordingly as mentioned above,but I haven’t had any problems with breaking. And the Floro should get you down a little more.

Sinking braids such as YGK G-Soul (also Jigman) incorporate fluorocarbon fiber in the PE weave to increase density and make them sink.

If you combine this with the lower hydrodynamic drag of threadline braid, it will run deeper, quicker than thicker fluorocarbon main line.

5 hours ago, ElGuapo928 said:

Toss the leader altogether for deeper running. The thinner the line diameter, the deeper a crankbait will run and the better the action it will have.

I am with ElGaupo928 on this one. Drop the leader. Not necessary.

One way to get the best of both worlds is to use a thermal fused PE line. It behaves in water very similar to mono and fluoro as far as a cutting through the water and line resistance friction in water, while at same time getting the no-stretch benefits of braid and lack of water retention.

It has its limits, and it has its place. And this might be one of them.

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This part of my comment is about the OP's line choices mentioned in OP:

13 hours ago, Tackleholic said:

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.

I tend to think that your choice of 30lb braid is overkill. Why use a 30lb line with a 10lb or 15lb leader? This is a mismatch.

That 30lb braid is twice the size of 15lb braid. The resistance to it cutting through the water is far greater at 30lb than it is if you used 15lb braid line.

You may get your lures down deeper just by reducing the braid to match your leader?

But you can throw all of this out the window and just go with straight 10lb or 15lb fused line and be done with it.

Now you have a line with no stretch like braid, no leaders to break or be bothered with, and the smallest diameter sleekest line available to get those lures down deeper.

Let us know your solution to this.

Ditch the heavy braid. I can understand running a leader so the braid does not fray on contact with underwater obstructions and rocks. I’d also probably only run about 2ft for a leader doing this.

I use 10 or 12lb Fluorocarbon. I don't see any loss of casting distance when compared to braid. I can chunk a 1/2oz crankbait a mile. As far as depth goes, fluorocarbon gives me the best depth. The lighter you go, the better depth you get.

Another thing to consider is the baits you are using. Some baits dive quick while others take half the cast to reach there maximum depth.

If I am really trying to get deep (17-25' deep), straight braid 20-30lb works best for me. I find that smaller then that the wear and tear of repeated casting will cause the braid to fray and break. You really have to match the size of line to the size of the bait. Throwing a 8XD needs bigger line. 5XD not so much.

FM

Wow, I'm impressed by the input you guys have provided to my question and I'm sure other Forum members are learning from this as well. I will definitely be doing some experimenting, but in the meantime keep those suggestions coming in for the education of us all. One thing I failed to mention about my situation is that my lake is very deep and clear with visibility usually exceeding 20 ft, and it is all rock, no vegetation. Thanks again!