There is no question that when fishing deep diving crankbaits experts agree there are subtle differences that can make all the difference whether you look or land fish. These little things can mean more bites, more good hook-ups and potentially bigger fish.

 

Choosing the right rod and reel combo is critical when cranking and the Revo Winch rates at the top of the heap when it comes to gear ratio, durability, casting distance and power. The 5.4 to 1 gear ratio is perfectly matched for big crankbaits. Baits like the Spro Little John DD, the Norman DD22, the Strike King 6XD, the 700 Series Bandit  and the Bomber Fat Free Shad are deep divers that tend to have a lot of resistance drag, wide wobbles when fished slowly and can wear out reels that are not made for the pounding cranks offer. They can easily wear out anglers too.  The Revo Winch is perfectly matched for these big wobblers with an oversized handle, lightweight design and durability. A comfortable pricepoint of around $199.00 makes it managable for most anglers.

 

The Abu Garcia Revo Winch was designed to provide smooth cranking power and brute strength in a single package. The two main ingredients for the Winch's power and strength are the gear ratio and the extra tough duragear brass gears. The Winch is built to withstand the worst and toughest elements Mother Nature can dish out. The X-Craftic Alloy frame and side plates provide outer corrosion resistance while the HPCR Bearings provide internal movement protection. This is one smooth reel and when cranking smoothness means better feel and the reel has to serve as an extention to the angler. The X-Craftic Drag system provides over 24 pounds of drag. The deeper spool of the Winch allows for more line and longer casts combined with 10- to 12-pound Seaguar or Berkley Professional Grade Fluorocarbon. The Revo Winch is ideal for deep water reaction bait applications such as deep crankbaits, but is also versatile enough for 1/2- to 1-ounce spinnerbaits and swimbaits.

 

The Revo Winch meets the demands of anglers looking for cranking power and strength.

 

We tested the Revo Winch on two rods -- the Falcon HD, 6 1/2-foot medium-heavy power and the St.Croix Legend Xtreme medium-heavy, 7-foot rod. We like compositie graphite rods for cranking that provide more backbone and feel that both of the aforementioned rods teamed with the Winch allow for better feel and more power than fiberglass composites some anglers prefer. We believe fiberglass blends have less feel and more hang ups are the result. There are positives to fiberglass but overall we like the Falcon and St. Croix premier rods for this application. One caution when using a stiffer rod: don't try to horse the fish; let the reel and the rod do the work. Pulling too hard can pull the hooks out of the bass.

 

Fluorocarbon is a must for cranking. Great sensitivity, providing better contact with both the fish and the bottom, truer hook ups when bit, durability and less stretch make it our choice for cranking. 

 

Long casts are critical. We have found the Revo Winch and a medium-heavy rod allow the bait to load up, and they can be cast a country mile. Using a slow retrieve at depth, allowing the rod and reel to work in concert and having a true-running bait are all essential elements for fishing points, ledges and drops. 

 

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