# Strike King 10XD: the crankbait that reaches 7 metres with no added weight > How to cast and retrieve an extreme-depth 10XD, why it is so tiring, and when it reaches fish nothing else can. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-10xd/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-26 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Strike King - Model : 10XD - Type : Extreme-depth crankbait - Target species : Zander, Bass - Size : 11.4 cm - Weight : around 56 g - Running depth : 6.5 to 7.5 m depending on line and casting distance - Retrieve speed : slow to medium, constant - Action : wide low-frequency roll, heavy resistance on the retrieve - Rigging : straight to 0.25-0.30 mm fluorocarbon, long cranking rod - Colors : natural and silver tones down deep, chartreuse in stained water Past five metres, lure fishing almost always swings over to soft plastics: jig head, drop shot, vertical. That works, but it is slow, and above all **everyone does the same thing**. The fish in those zones see shads go past all year and nothing else. The 10XD offers an alternative very few people use: a crankbait that reaches seven metres with no added weight at all, and produces down there a signal those fish have never encountered. ## What that depth costs you Let us be clear: this is the most physical lure in the whole repertoire. **The lip is enormous.** It is what creates the dive, and it is what generates considerable resistance on the retrieve. An hour with a 10XD is more tiring than a day of soft plastics. **The lure weighs 56 g.** Casting it demands a suitable rod and a wide, committed stroke. This is not a lure you hang off an all-round setup. **Every cast takes time.** Cast long, let it get down, retrieve slowly over the whole length: reckon on two to three times more time per cast than with a standard crankbait. In exchange, you are fishing a layer almost nobody touches with this kind of signal. ## Actually reaching 7 metres Three conditions, all of them necessary. **A very long cast.** The crankbait reaches its maximum depth halfway through its run. A twenty-metre cast never gives it time to get down — you will be fishing at four metres while believing you are at seven. **Thin line.** Fluorocarbon in 0.25 mm lets it run markedly deeper than 0.40 mm, which brakes it purely by its resistance in the water. This is the single most effective adjustment. **Rod tip in the water.** Point the rod down, tip submerged 20 to 30 cm through the retrieve. You easily gain 50 cm of depth compared with a rod held high. > On the water: on a crankbait this size, bottom contact does not feel like a sharp knock but like a progressive loading followed by a jolt. If you never feel anything through the whole retrieve, the bottom is too deep — move onto shallower ground instead of persisting. ## The retrieve 1. **Cast as far as you can.** 2. **Reel steadily** through the first few turns to drive the lure down. 3. **Tip submerged**, slow constant retrieve. 4. **Change nothing on contact.** Let the lure deflect and right itself. 5. **Optional**: a one to two second pause after a solid knock, during which the lure rises slightly. ## Where to use it - **Large reservoirs and dammed lakes**, on the drop-offs and the deep points. - **Deep gravel pits**, along the slopes. - **Summer and autumn**, when the fish are holding low. - **Lake zander**, on flats between 5 and 7 m — still a rare approach in Europe and very productive. It is obviously pointless over anything shallower than five metres: the lure would plough the bottom without ever working properly. In that situation a [5XD](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-5xd/) or a [6XD](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-6xd/) are the right calls. ## Tackle, and it is specific - **A long cranking rod**, 2.20 to 2.40 m, parabolic and powerful. The length helps the cast and absorbs the resistance. - **A low-ratio casting reel**, 5.1:1 or 5.4:1. A high ratio makes the retrieve exhausting and too fast. - **Fluorocarbon 0.25 to 0.30 mm.** Thinner than you would think necessary for a 56 g lure — that is the price of depth. A rod that is too short or too stiff makes this lure painful to use and sheds fish that hit it on the move. Our [guide to lure fishing for zander](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-sandre-leurre-debutant/) covers how to read deep structure. And if you are not sure whether a spot justifies this kind of approach, [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) analyses a photo and answers. ## Key takeaways - Seven metres with no added weight, at the cost of real resistance and real fatigue. - Very long cast, thin 0.25 mm line, submerged tip: the three conditions for reaching the stated depth. - Contact reads as a progressive loading, not a sharp knock. - Pointless over less than five metres of water — take a 5XD or a 6XD. - A 2.20 to 2.40 m rod and a low-ratio reel are not optional. ## FAQ ### Does the 10XD really reach 7 metres? Yes, on three conditions together: a very long cast, thin fluorocarbon of 0.25 to 0.30 mm, and the rod tip submerged through the retrieve. With a short cast or thick line you will top out around four metres. ### Why is this lure so tiring? Its very large lip creates the dive but also considerable resistance on the retrieve, and the lure weighs 56 g. An hour with a 10XD is harder work than a whole day of soft plastics. ### What rod does it need? A long cranking rod of 2.20 to 2.40 m, parabolic and powerful: the length helps the cast and absorbs the resistance. A short or stiff rod makes the lure painful to use and sheds fish. ### What depth of bottom suits it? From five metres, ideally between six and seven. Shallower than that the lure ploughs the bottom without working properly: a 5XD or a 6XD are then the right choices. ### How do I recognise bottom contact? By a progressive loading followed by a jolt, not by the sharp knock of a standard crankbait. If you feel nothing at all through the whole retrieve, the bottom is too deep for the lure. ### Does it work on zander? Yes, and it is still an uncommon approach in France. Over lake flats and drop-offs between 5 and 7 m it offers a signal that zander, used to soft plastics, almost never encounter. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.