Going Tomorrow To Get A New Squarebill Rod

[cjam93]

Hey guys so I am going to Bass Pro tomorrow to pick up a new rod. Basically I have around $100 in store credit to spend. I can add some money to it, but I would rather not if there something around that price range that you would reccomend. The rod will be for throwing squarebills, mainly Sebile Bull Cranks or Xcalibur XCS100s. I will pair it up with a 6.3:1 Tatula with 12lb Suffix Elite. I was thinking about adding $50 to it and getting the Tatula 7ft ml cranking rod, but I wanted to see what else was out there in that price range. I also had considered a Duckett Ghost 7ft medium cranking rod. Are there any other ones that you would recommend?

 

edit: I forgot to mention the reason I have $100 in store credit is that I am returning a faulty Carbonlite rod. I have had to many problems with carbonlite rods and have returned 3 now, so I will be staying away from them. Anything else I am open to! Thanks!

[FishTank]

The Shimano Crucial 7' MH Moderate-Fast Crankbait rod is pretty sweet.....

[gulfcaptain]

why don't you get a crankin stick.  I have 2 of them and really like them. Looked at the carbonlights and they didn't impress me although I do like the reels.  And the 2 I have both are 7'6" one M and the other MH.  The M is a bit whippy and honestly would have rather had a heavier action...maybe I should take that one back and exchange it since it is their rod.  The MH though is a great rod and I love it.

[JeziHogg]

LTB Big Cranker, that is all.

 

Edit;

Lol my mistake I didn't read your budget.

[IAY]

I heard a lot of good things about the Tatula, so I highly doubt you will be disappointed with the additional 50 dollars you put in. Best of luck!

[A-Jay]

If this is truly a square bill specific rod and depending on how & where you fish your square bills, the standard moderate action cranking stick may be too soft.

 

If you're throwing these baits into and around cover, looking for things to bounce off of (which is where the bait excels), I'd recommend a medium heavy action rod with a bit faster action than the standard cranker; pick a length that you can cast very accurately - that really matter here.

 

Additionally, you may want to beef up your line class a little so that when the One bass you're secretly hoping to catch actually strikes, you'll be capable of leaning on her enough to get her out of whatever hole, weed patch or log jam she's been hiding in all summer.  Other wise you might get your Lunch handed to you.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[cjam93]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys! I appreciate it!

 

 

If this is truly a square bill specific rod and depending on how & where you fish your square bills, the standard moderate action cranking stick may be too soft.

 

If you're throwing these baits into and around cover, looking for things to bounce off of (which is where the bait excels), I'd recommend a medium heavy action rod with a bit faster action than the standard cranker; pick a length that you can cast very accurately - that really matter here.

 

Additionally, you may want to beef up your line class a little so that when the One bass you're secretly hoping to catch actually strikes, you'll be capable of leaning on her enough to get her out of whatever hole, weed patch or log jam she's been hiding in all summer.  Other wise you might get your Lunch handed to you.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

It will be mostly for squarebills, but I had thought about using spinnerbaits on it as well.  I would say though 80% of the time if not more it would have a squarebill on it. I just took a look at some of the other tatula rods and I see a 7'1 mh cranking as well as the Tatula Class crankbait rod which is 7'2 mh. Would either of those be a good pick then? I have been fishing them on a Carbonlite 6'6 medium fast rod, but I have other cranking rods I throw cranks that are not squarebills on that are 7ft that I am still accurate with so I doubt the extra length would matter very much. 

 

Also how much larger line would you recommend I go to?

[A-Jay]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys! I appreciate it!

 

 

It will be mostly for squarebills, but I had thought about using spinnerbaits on it as well.  I would say though 80% of the time if not more it would have a squarebill on it. I just took a look at some of the other tatula rods and I see a 7'1 mh cranking as well as the Tatula Class crankbait rod which is 7'2 mh. Would either of those be a good pick then? I have been fishing them on a Carbonlite 6'6 medium fast rod, but I have other cranking rods I throw cranks that are not squarebills on that are 7ft that I am still accurate with so I doubt the extra length would matter very much. 

 

Also how much larger line would you recommend I go to?

 

Rod type and action is largely a personal preference - I fish square bills around cover so I prefer 15 - 20 lb line (mono) and a slightly stouter rod.  My other "crank bait" fishing is actually done with a glass rod that has a very moderate action.  I could throw the square bill with it in open water and it would work fine.  However, it's not the rod I'd pick to move fish from cover.  The brand you chose is up to you.

 

A-Jay

[cjam93]

Rod type and action is largely a personal preference - I fish square bills around cover so I prefer 15 - 20 lb line (mono) and a slightly stouter rod.  My other "crank bait" fishing is actually done with a glass rod that has a very moderate action.  I could throw the square bill with it in open water and it would work fine.  However, it's not the rod I'd pick to move fish from cover.  The brand you chose is up to you.

 

A-Jay

 

Sounds good thank you! I have thrown cranks for a while, but I am just now starting to use squarebills so I wasnt really sure what to look for in a rod. Thanks again!

[smalljaw67]

Too bad it is bass pro shops, you have the right amount for a Fenwick HMG 7'2" M-MF but it is a heavy medium rated 3/8oz to 1oz. The rod is perfect for square bills and lipless cranks, well at least for me it is because I tend to use the larger ones most of the time.

[cjam93]

Hey guys incase anyone else is interested, I ended up picking up the 7'1 mh cranking tatula rod and tried it out today. I really do not like it. I love the Tatula rods, but the rod is so stiff that I literally felt like I was cranking deep divers while fishing a squarebill. Im going to go back on Tuesday and return it for the 7ft ML cranking rod. 

[FlipSide]

Just a thought, but a ML might not be a stout enough rod.

[Fishes in trees]

Throwing square bills on 12 lb test is asking for it, unless you are throwing ones that weigh less than a quarter ounce and even then, be careful where you throw them.  I prefer 20, maybe 17 for the abrasion resistance factor.  I read somewhere that Berkley was bring back Iron Silk line.  I'm aware that many people didn't like that line.  It was originally marketed as a jigging line.  I prefer using fluorocarbon for jig/soft plastic fishing.  I found  20 lb Iron Silk to be the best square bill/rattle trap/spinner bait line I've ever used.  If I'm throwing square bills, that is my line of choice.  20 lb Suffix is a relatively close second.

 

This post started out about rods, didn't it.  Sorry I got off topic.  Anyway I find that most rods marketed as cranking rods have too much tip to be good square bill rods.  I think a good place to start is rods that are marketed as spinner bait rods.   I want a little bit of tip, but not a lot.

 

Currently I'm using a BPS Extreme  ETR74MT.  It was originally marketed as a Woo Davis pitching stick, but in my opinion, it is a little light for pitching - too much tip.  But if you are throwing square bills, I find that it has the right amount of tip for me.

 

The nature of throwing square bills is that they will "work" on a variety of rod lengths & actions.  How they work best for you is a matter of experimentation.  Right now, the BPS Extreme mentioned earlier works best for me.

 

Last year I tried an experiment using a Fenwick AETOS, 7'4" Med, with a similar action to the BPS Extreme.  I liked it because it was lighter, and I liked the handle better and then I broke it doing something stupid after I got a square bill stuck.  That is when I decided that I didn't need to be throwing square bills on a $180 dollar rod (list)

 

Good luck finding a square bill rod that you really like.  It took me several tries and several seasons and several hundred dollars to find one that I was more or less happy with.

[Tim Kelly]

The St Croix mojo glass 6 10 or 7 4 are worth a look.

[A-Jay]

Throwing square bills on 12 lb test is asking for it, unless you are throwing ones that weigh less than a quarter ounce and even then, be careful where you throw them.  I prefer 20, maybe 17 for the abrasion resistance factor.  I read somewhere that Berkley was bring back Iron Silk line.  I'm aware that many people didn't like that line.  It was originally marketed as a jigging line.  I prefer using fluorocarbon for jig/soft plastic fishing.  I found  20 lb Iron Silk to be the best square bill/rattle trap/spinner bait line I've ever used.  If I'm throwing square bills, that is my line of choice.  20 lb Suffix is a relatively close second.

 

This post started out about rods, didn't it.  Sorry I got off topic.  Anyway I find that most rods marketed as cranking rods have too much tip to be good square bill rods.  I think a good place to start is rods that are marketed as spinner bait rods.   I want a little bit of tip, but not a lot.

 

Currently I'm using a BPS Extreme  ETR74MT.  It was originally marketed as a Woo Davis pitching stick, but in my opinion, it is a little light for pitching - too much tip.  But if you are throwing square bills, I find that it has the right amount of tip for me.

 

The nature of throwing square bills is that they will "work" on a variety of rod lengths & actions.  How they work best for you is a matter of experimentation.  Right now, the BPS Extreme mentioned earlier works best for me.

 

Last year I tried an experiment using a Fenwick AETOS, 7'4" Med, with a similar action to the BPS Extreme.  I liked it because it was lighter, and I liked the handle better and then I broke it doing something stupid after I got a square bill stuck.  That is when I decided that I didn't need to be throwing square bills on a $180 dollar rod (list)

 

Good luck finding a square bill rod that you really like.  It took me several tries and several seasons and several hundred dollars to find one that I was more or less happy with.

 

x2

 

I went through a few models myself - recently I have been very happy with an older Kistler model rod -   it's a 6'9" Graphite Plus composite stick.  Though a little heavy, it was originally sold as a "Senko" rod.  I prefer mono line 14 - 20 lb and the combination of the materials used in it really gets the job done.  I would have never guessed.

 

A-Jay

[Missourifishin]

The St Croix mojo glass 6 10 or 7 4 are worth a look.

The 6'10" is what I throw squarebills on. I like it a lot.

[DelcoSol]

I throw them on a 7' Shimano Clarus and think it does really well. It's a MHM. They're around $80 new.

[Bass_Fanatic]

If you can find a used Powell square bill rod it will be worth the $! Should be able to get one for $100-120 depending on the seller, but it is a sweet square bill and spinnerbait rod. It's lister as a heavy action, mf tip, but it loads up well and keeps big fish buttoned. I have 3 and will never sell em!

[smalljaw67]

Throwing square bills on 12 lb test is asking for it, unless you are throwing ones that weigh less than a quarter ounce and even then, be careful where you throw them.  I prefer 20, maybe 17 for the abrasion resistance factor.  I read somewhere that Berkley was bring back Iron Silk line.  I'm aware that many people didn't like that line.  It was originally marketed as a jigging line.  I prefer using fluorocarbon for jig/soft plastic fishing.  I found  20 lb Iron Silk to be the best square bill/rattle trap/spinner bait line I've ever used.  If I'm throwing square bills, that is my line of choice.  20 lb Suffix is a relatively close second.

 

This post started out about rods, didn't it.  Sorry I got off topic.  Anyway I find that most rods marketed as cranking rods have too much tip to be good square bill rods.  I think a good place to start is rods that are marketed as spinner bait rods.   I want a little bit of tip, but not a lot.

 

Currently I'm using a BPS Extreme  ETR74MT.  It was originally marketed as a Woo Davis pitching stick, but in my opinion, it is a little light for pitching - too much tip.  But if you are throwing square bills, I find that it has the right amount of tip for me.

 

The nature of throwing square bills is that they will "work" on a variety of rod lengths & actions.  How they work best for you is a matter of experimentation.  Right now, the BPS Extreme mentioned earlier works best for me.

 

Last year I tried an experiment using a Fenwick AETOS, 7'4" Med, with a similar action to the BPS Extreme.  I liked it because it was lighter, and I liked the handle better and then I broke it doing something stupid after I got a square bill stuck.  That is when I decided that I didn't need to be throwing square bills on a $180 dollar rod (list)

 

Good luck finding a square bill rod that you really like.  It took me several tries and several seasons and several hundred dollars to find one that I was more or less happy with.

 

This is spot on!! You want a rod that isn't going to flex heavy when banging a square bill over rock and wood, when you hook up the rod will flex and keep the fish pinned, it works. I just got a 6'6" ML-moderate cranking rod for small shallow cranks for river smallmouth, I'm over 50 fish with not a single fish lost and while I love the rod, I'd never try to use a square bill around cover with it. I'm throwing small jerkbaits and manns baby 1 minus baits that just barely tick the rock, anything more with a very soft rod and you'll have fits. Use the rod for a bit and when you get a good square bill bass you'll understand why the rod needs to be a little on the stiff side and you'll also appreciate it for ripping lipless cranks out of grass with that rod, use it for a bit and you'll end up liking it.

[kikstand454]

I throw them on a 7' Shimano Clarus and think it does really well. It's a MHM. They're around $80 new.

This is what I use only in a 6'6" version. It works great for me.

[livetofish28]

I've been using a 7' m moderate St Croix Avid with 40# braid it casts very well and has the backbone to move figs with the braid. I really like it but It is out of your price range so I might look into a premier.

Tight lines

Andrew