bigbassdave

Typically, you will get all kinds of answers here about how you get what you pay for and recommendations for $200 plus rods. I have several Loomis crankbait rods, a Powell, a St. Croix, a David Fritts early 90s e-glass Cranking rod, and a custom Phenix rod. I can honestly say that I caught as many (or more) bass on a $39 Bass Pro Crankin Stik back in the 1990s before I realized how you get what you pay for. I caught my biggest stringer ever ont eh David Fritts rod. That said, there can be a huge difference in the weight of these various rods which translates to comfort--and some would say---sensitivity. When I mentioned all of this to my "old school" fishing partner, he told me I should just lift some f****ing weights! That early-90s David Fritts rod is a BEAST. I'm not saying you shouldn't spend the money---I did---but the main reason for me was the quest for a lighter rod that would give me the same results as my $39 Crankin Stik. The graphite rods ARE more sensitive and I still haven't made up my mind on whether or not I prefer these to an all-glass or composite rod. I believe the Cranking Stik is either S-Glass or a fiberglass/graphite composite. Anyway, to answer you question: "for cranking where the hit is hard to miss, will an expensive rod give me a discernible advantage over an average rod?" I say NO, as far as hooking and landing a fish. Yes, as far as comfort. Based on the single Powell rod that I own, I can say it was by far the highest quality rod I've ever purchased for the money---i.e., best bang for the buck.

ChrisAW, what kind of knot do you use to tie on your fluoro leader? I have tried varying leader lengths, but a 20 or 25lb leader makes a big knot and I sometimes have problems with the knot catching.

Nothing wrong with that setup if you're fishing open water.

I don't know how you could be breaking 65lb braid without breaking off your rod tip. Could the knot be slipping? I use a double-palomar knot(two wraps through the eye) to insure against the knot slipping. If you're breaking off 25lb flouro--then you need to think about: (1) using a different type of knot(many posts on this subject) (2)using a rod with a bit more give to it; (3) loosening your drag slightly so it will slip a bit on hookset; (4) not setting the hook so hard. It's all a tradeoff. I'm a big guy and I set the hook much harder than necessary for braid. My problem was bending hooks... but heavier hooks mean bigger, torn holes in the bass' mouth---opportunity to lose a big one. Backing off the drag slightly is fine in some situations but I often fish thick timber--that's an undesired handicap. I do use heavy rods with a bit more tip than I would with mono. I'm trying to teach myself to use a more controlled hookset... Start with the knot....good luck!

The main problem you may have is casting distance if you're throwing really light poppers. It has a very fast action for a crankbait rod so it may not load up very well with a light bait. I wanted to be able to throw LuckyCraft RC 0.5 crankbaits with it but it doesn't really have enough tip to throw a bait that light with any distance. I do throw a lot of bandit 100s and RC 1.5s on it though, and it works well with baits that size. It's a great all around rod for the money.

Which model? I have a 684cb and it's very versatile. It will pitch a light jig or t-rig quite nicely....i use mine a lot for flukes. Not sure about topwater---buzzbaits, yes. Don't know about walking or popping baits---I don't fish those much anymore. Others may prefer a fast action.

Tight quarters, yes. Heavy cover, no. This is a fun rod to cast lighter baits with but you may have difficulty controlling a heavier fish if you're fishing in cover. Finding a rod that will throw light crankbaits and perform well in heavy cover is a difficult task. I've been using a Powell 684CB for that purpose. This is a very fast action for a crankbait rod. It won't handle the lightest crankbaits as easily as the CBR783 but it's a good compromise and it has a lot more backbone.

I don't understand your thinking. You love your Falcons. You've got at least one rod (Avid) that goes for $180+(Tackle Warehouse). If you're considering spending that much, why not a Falcon Cara. I should also point out that you can get the original Powell Max casting rod for $139. I That's probably your best deal right there.

Depends on your style of fishing a t-rig. The Pro Grass is a BEAST. I've been using mine for pitching 10 and 12 inch worms into standing timber and brush piles and I love it for that purpose. It has a very nice action for pitching larger baits. I will say that I'm 6-5 and 240 so it might not be as comfortable for others as it is for me.

This topic is as old as the existence of superlines themselves but I've yet to see any compelling, "objective" study that has offered any solid evidence regarding the visibility of braid to fish, and whether or not it's really an issue. All we have is anecdotes. So, I feel compelled to offer mine. About 15 years ago I sat next to my best friend in a two-man boat while we slowly structure fished a very rocky levee with identical red shad power worms. My buddy had his texas rigged on monofilament and I was trying out some new hi-vis yellow braid (forget the brand) with my own texas rig. Over a 45 minute period, my buddy boated 7 or 8 bass of varying sizes. I don't recall any lunkers, but there were some nice bass. Finally, I dug into my bag and pulled out a backup reel loaded with tan (or maybe olive) braid which I proceeded to camo further with a dark green marker. I caught a nice bass on the spot on the very first cast using the new rig. I proceeded to catch fish for the next 30 minutes or so until it starting getting dark, thoroughly out-fishing my buddy. What I concluded from this all of this is that on that particular day, at that particular spot, those particular bass could see my high-vis yellow line and it affected their willingness to bite. I cannot say with any certainty that this behavior occurs on other lakes or other situations because I have never experienced such an obvious difference in results using two different types of line. The water was not crystal clear, but was lightly stained--probably 2-4 foot visibility. I have continued to experimented with coloring my braid and/or using flouro leaders for many years since and have often caught bass without doing either--although I never tried hi-vis yellow again without some kind of alteration. The only thing I can say at this point is that it probably doesn't hurt anything to camo the end of your line with a marker---I prefer a dark olive, or a "red-mud" hue of some kind--and....if I was a tournament fisherman, in it for the money, I would be inclined to use the flouro leader in any slow-fishing situation in clear, well-lit water. I don't think it matters one way or the other if you're pitching jigs at stumps in muddy water--even high-vis yellow.

I have no complaint with the performance but the kistler crankbait rod was vastly heavier than I expected--5.5 oz. If I'd known it was going to be that heavy, I could've bought a BPS crankin stick. I ended up buying a St. Croix composite---which I highly recommend for the money---and have finally given in to the lighter graphite loomis models...

Powell 684 CB. Very fast action for a crankbait rod - can easily pitch light jig and t-rigs. Great all-around length and all-around action.

go with your instincts - this is a great rod - i have an earlier generation without the split grip but i've turned heads on bass up to 8 pounds using the rod with 30-pound braid - it's a pitching machine

Falcon Cara Peacock 6-9.....I'm not kidding. May seem unorthodox but I use mine for 1oz+ spinnerbaits, frogs, and some swimbaits--it's a beast, and lighter in the hands than you would expect-pretty well-balanced.

I'm looking for a shallow crankbait rod with a bit more backbone than my CBR783. I was wondering if the Powell would fit the bill. Anyone have experience with both of these rods? Dave