trolling crankbaits with 1oz inlines

Why snap weights for cranks? Is leadcore not an option? Today's leadcore will give you 7ft per color on top of the depth your lure is running anyway. It is much easier to make depth adjustments on the go and dial in the feet needed to get the reaction of the fish.  Snap weights have their place when it comes to crawler harnesses but cranks and snaps are not for me.  

If you are running 2 or 3mph it will not be 50%.

Yep run your leader as long as your rod.  Running 1-3 MPH, you depth will be 50% of the amount of lien you have out.  50' of line will get you down about 25'

run your leaders as long as your rods

I use Off Shore red releases,they have a pin in the jaws of the release that will not allow the snap weight to come off.

Love Tadpole diving weights using stick baits. Easy to use and the dive charts are accurate. Have even used em for deeper suspended crappie on southern lakes. 

I prefer to use snap weights over inlines when I'm pulling cranks . Seems I can control the depth better . When I'm using spinners I normally use inlines unless the waves are very big . Then I would switch over to snap weights to keep the surging down . It really depends on how deep you are fishing . I've pulled both on Erie and Green bay . Snap weights are so much easier to use then inlines (for cranks) . I was just up on Green bay for a week and did a little practicing with inlines and cranks . Ran about 6-8 feet in between the weight and the crank . I run longer trolling rods (9 & 10 footers ) so I had no problem reeling in and netting fish . The problem came on S turns when I would stall the inside boards . The weight would drop and the lip would get full of moss or mud and the lure wouldn't run properly . Stalling the inside boards almost always will trigger bites on the stalled boards or the outside boards that speed up so I am constantly changing speeds and stalling to trigger bites . Over on Erie when I'm trolling deeper water it's not so much of a problem (harder bottom?) . Precision trolling book has depth charts for snap weights but it's more of a general (get you in the area) chart . I've found that time on the water and keeping good notes is better . Inline weights and spinners is generally every 2' of line out brings the spinner down about 1 ' (40' of line out about 20 ' down (AT 1MPH) . Wind picks up or you're going faster you'll need to let more line out to reach that 20' level . Again time on the water and keeping good notes helps me there . I was running 65' out in 30 fow and the spinners would only touch on the S turns . When I would pick those back up off the bottom is when i would get bit . Let the fish tell you what they want . I'm constantly changing speed , weights , line length , blade colors , lures til I get bit then change some more . Time on the water and experimenting makes you a better fisherman . Let us know how you do .

I like inline weights because they help keep crap off your lures.  5 feet is plenty of line.