Crankbait rod

[Smithvillesteve]

Hope all you boys had a great Thanksgiving. Every year i get myself a Christmas present. Hey, i deserve it! This year I'm looking for a new crankbait rod. I would also like to throw the occassional chatterbait or spinnerbait with it. But primarily a crankbait. My son in law fishes quite a bit down in Texas and he has the St Croix glass 7' 4" Med Hvy. He loves it. TW is out of stock until Dec 21 but thats ok. It sells for 149 dollars which is right around as high as I would go. Any suggestions from you boys? I've always appeciated any input you boys have given me on gear!! Thanks. 

[Dutch]

I don’t use that heavy for cranks.  I use the same rods that I do for shaky, 7.5’ medium with 12# fluorocarbon line. 

[rps]

I am more inclined to agree with Dutch about the rod action. Especially since you are fishing clearer water with lighter lines. Further, I see no advantage to glass. Graphite blanks can be made to virtually any profile - speed, taper, and strength.

On a side note you can build your own for $150. All you need are a phone book, a teacup, a popsicle stick, and a single edge razor blade. Mud Hole will sell you the blank, handle, guides, thread, and thread epoxy.

 

[Dutch]

14 minutes ago, rps said:

I am more inclined to agree with Dutch about the rod action. Especially since you are fishing clearer water with lighter lines. Further, I see no advantage to glass. Graphite blanks can be made to virtually any profile - speed, taper, and strength.

On a side note you can build your own for $150. All you need are a phone book, a teacup, a popsicle stick, and a single edge razor blade. Mud Hole will sell you the blank, handle, guides, thread, and thread epoxy.

 

Add $100 and my rod guy Dale might build you one.

[Carl W]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of glass versus graphite?

[fowlthing]

Temple for rods, the professional series are 100$ and I really like them. 

https://smile.amazon.com/pc-Fuji-Guides-Professional-Casting/dp/B01KYG364Q/ref=sr_1_14?crid=QR5QBMW4DDKS&keywords=temple+fork+rod&qid=1638152768&sprefix=templefork+%2Caps%2C248&sr=8-14

 

Or go to the templefork site.

[Zulu]

I am no fishing rod expert. I probably have the same rod your son in law has and it is my favorite as well. I use it with any moving baits (spinners, crank, chatter, etc.). I believe I gifted myself this rod a few years ago. 🎁 

[fshndoug]

get yourself 2 rods. I like to  use a 7' 3' inch Boyd Duckett medium heavy for both Chatter baits, swim jigs and spinner baits. You will love it

 

[rps]

2 hours ago, Carl W said:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of glass versus graphite?

They came back in fashion about a decade ago because they have an innate slower response/reaction time than the graphite rods on the market, at the time, had. "Everyone" was fishing Fast and Extra Fast actions with cranks and setting the hook hard and fast. They missed bites as a result. Two things can help change this. Fish a Mod Fast action, which actually throws a wart better, and/or reel down fast until you feel the fish solid and lean back into him. @Bill Babler deceased tournament partner (name escapes me) tried to teach the patient approach. Most people, including me, do not have the instinct to do the latter so they want a tool that does it for them.

[Champ188]

Crank baits vary widely in weight and resistance when retrieved, so ... in keeping with your $150 budget, I'm not going to suggest two rods. Instead, I'm going to presume that you'll be tossing something in the middle weight range, like a Wiggle Wart or Strike King XD3. 

My favorite midsize cranking rod by far is the Denali Kovert series 7-2 MH Crankbait model. It has a moderate tip action (a bit limber) for making long casts and helping absorb the pressure of a bite so you don't pull the bait away from a fish, but it also has enough backbone to handle a large fish. I pair mine with a Lew's BB1 reel (6.4:1), which is not a $400 team reel but neither is it a bargain bin model. It's very important that your crank bait reel is capable of casting a long way, as the farther you can throw it, the longer it will stay in the "strike zone" during the retrieve. I love the old P-Line CXX mono in 10-lb test for cranking. It's plenty tough while also being small enough in diameter to allow for those all-important long casts. 

Denali Rods - Kovert Winn - Bass