Best shallow to medium diving crankbait rod?

[Ian Parish]

I want a good rod for anything from square-bills to 5xds. I would like a relatively light rod i have 3 browning silaflexes but those are pretty heavy and i think they have too much flex for my liking. Ive got a orra winch which cast pretty good and i like the handles on it. I just need a good rod any suggestions? I want it to be less than 150. 

[DaveT63]

If you don't mind a used one, the St Croix Avid or Avid X 7' MHM rod pops up from time to time for less than that, and if you are patient, you can find a G Loomis CBR843C for that or less.  I love mine for what you want to use it for.

[Spankey]

My two favorite crankbait rods I own are St. Croix Premier Crankbait Rods. PC66MM and PC70MM Moderate actions. They have a bit slower tip and I like that. I have a couple of Cabelas branded spin rods one a ML and one medium that are Mod. fast and I like them also.

 

Rods are to each their own. What I like you might not. I like the feel of my Premier rods more than the SC Legend Series for pitching crankbait I throw (1/4 oz. to 7/16 oz.).

 

You have to go to a shop that has a lot of rods and get one you like the feel and action of. Even than it will behave differently on the water but you'll ahead. It would be hard to convince me of any rod unless I could touch it and see it. I respect the posts of many of the guys on here. You'll get a good idea of stuff to look at. But look at it before you order it. Just my opinion.  

[Turkey sandwich]

I actually don't see the same benefits (most of the time) in spending a ton of money on a medium or shallow crankbait rod versus say a jig or drop shot rod.  For me, with moving baits like crankbaits, either slow graphite or glass is cool because I rely on it more for casting distance and keeping trebles pinned than feeling every individual piece of rock, log, or tire sitting on the bottom - the crankbait itself does that for you.  For me, I just want it light enough to not wear me out/cause my arm to go numb and with enough backbone to get a decent initial hookset.  

 

I don't particularly love foam grips, but I have a Veritas that I actually really like and it's probably the least expensive rod in my rotation.  

 

Now, cranking deep is a slightly different conversation, for me. 

[junyer357]

I have a  7' med-mod blue ethos rod from acadamy i am extremely pleased with, especially for $59. Very light but good backbone and casts and loads well. Its my main cranking rod i use now til its time to get deep. 

[tander]

For the price, $79, it is hard to beat the Lew's David Fritts cranking rod.

[Bluebasser86]

6 hours ago, junyer357 said:

I have a  7' med-mod blue ethos rod from acadamy i am extremely pleased with, especially for $59. Very light but good backbone and casts and loads well. Its my main cranking rod i use now til its time to get deep. 

I have one of these as well and it's a good cranking stick for shallow to mid range baits, a 5XD is going to be pushing it though.

 

I also have a 7' MH Quantum KVD cranking rod that handles squarebills and can get it done with those little bit deeper running baits as well. It looks huge, but it's actually plenty light to crank with all day. 

[kschultz76]

21 hours ago, DaveT63 said:

If you don't mind a used one, the St Croix Avid or Avid X 7' MHM rod pops up from time to time for less than that, and if you are patient, you can find a G Loomis CBR843C for that or less.  I love mine for what you want to use it for.

Personally squarebills and 5xds are two different rod and probably line pairings for me. But if I had to use just one rod due to budget constraints I'd agree with the St Croix MHM around 7', Avid would be the sweet spot. I think they make this action in the Premier as well a bit more affordable. Another one I love for an all around great treble hook moving bait rod is the Kistler KLX Crank, Rip, Twitch line in MH power, choose the length you like best. I have a 6'9" for target casting in tighter quarters but use it in other settings as well. 

[Bigchunk]

I like the crucials and dobyns champions, because that's what I own. 

[Dan_the_fisher]

Personally if I was you I'd hunt down two $75 rods because those are totally different applications in my mind. (Like possibly the 6'10 and 7'5" Powell dieselcranking rods on sale for $69 on tackle warehouse)

[Columbia Craw]

Dobyns Fury 705CB.  Like the other models mentioned, it will push the upper limits but will work for a single rod application. 

[smalljaw67]

I also believe that a square bill and 5XD need different rods. That said, I'd look into a MH power with a mod-fast action, something in say a 7'4" length. The 7'4" length is a little bit longer than what I'd use with a square bill but will work with the 5XD just fine and the MH power is perfect for both. The mod-fast action favors the square bill more but for having one rod for a bait that typically runs 5' or less and another than runs 15' is going to a compromise. For my preference a square bill rod runs from 6'8" to 7'3" and is a MH power with a mod-fast action, while the deep diving baits that run less than 20' deep go from 7' to 7'10" and are MH power with moderate actions.

[Turkey sandwich]

Another point I haven't seen mentioned has to do with gear ratios and reel speed.  I like a reasonably fast retrieve for shallow running baits because it gets them down fast and I can make a commotion on the bottom.  Fishing deep diving crankbaits on a reel 6.4 or above, to me, is work.  It may not be too bad up to 10-12' running baits, but after that, it becomes work for me and my fishing tends to suffer.  Nerve damage might make me more sensitive than most, but I can't see fishing a DT16, BD8, or something like a 10XD being pleasant for anyone with a 7.1:1 reel. 

[Chrisran99]

i have a Duckett Ghost that I have slowly came to love for my shallow cranks and squarebills. I started out fishing a Cardiff 100 on it and felt it was to  light for these baits. But, after switching to a low profile 6.4 it's a rig I can cast all day and really bombs the light cranks a long way. I did swap out the tip for a titanium after a lot for reviewer were reporting grooves from on the stainless ones. I switch to a heavier rod for anything that dives deeper than 8-10 feet. I'm sure there are better rods but I have a medium 7' BPS cranking stick that works and won't break the bank if you catch it on sale.

[DP82]

On 1/31/2017 at 6:10 PM, Turkey sandwich said:

I actually don't see the same benefits (most of the time) in spending a ton of money on a medium or shallow crankbait rod versus say a jig or drop shot rod.  For me, with moving baits like crankbaits, either slow graphite or glass is cool because I rely on it more for casting distance and keeping trebles pinned than feeling every individual piece of rock, log, or tire sitting on the bottom - the crankbait itself does that for you.  For me, I just want it light enough to not wear me out/cause my arm to go numb and with enough backbone to get a decent initial hookset.  

 

I don't particularly love foam grips, but I have a Veritas that I actually really like and it's probably the least expensive rod in my rotation.  

 

Now, cranking deep is a slightly different conversation, for me. 

Your veritas glass/graphite mix? Think that's the rod lake fork guy said he likes

[Turkey sandwich]

7 hours ago, DP82 said:

Your veritas glass/graphite mix? Think that's the rod lake fork guy said he likes

 I have a generation 1 7'M winch and a gen 2 7'6 MH Winch.

[ChrisD46]

For what it's worth - Bobby Lane uses a Abu Garcia Veritas 7' M/F with Big Game #15 lb. (or #15 lb. FC as conditions / line stretch needs dictate) ... The key take away here is pros cashing big checks don't always feel the need to buy a $$$ cranking rod . *Save your money for bottom contact / dragging applications where you want and need the increased sensitivity .

[bbass16]

Saw a post that you had (3) browning silaflex crank bait rod, want to know if you still have them & if you would like to sell them

 

thank you

bbass16

[kayaking_kev]

I would also say those would be two different rods.

 

Maybe a Dobyns Colt 703c for squarebills or a used Fury 703c if you can find one for around $75.

All of the Dobyns Colt Series rods have 15% Glass in them, so they make good moving bait rods.

 

Then for the 5xd, I would look into the 13 Defy Black Crankbait rod, or something that handles heavier lures that's within your budget.

[Deleted account]

On 2/1/2017 at 8:44 AM, kschultz76 said:

Personally squarebills and 5xds are two different rod and probably line pairings for me. But if I had to use just one rod due to budget constraints I'd agree with the St Croix MHM around 7', Avid would be the sweet spot. I think they make this action in the Premier as well a bit more affordable. Another one I love for an all around great treble hook moving bait rod is the Kistler KLX Crank, Rip, Twitch line in MH power, choose the length you like best. I have a 6'9" for target casting in tighter quarters but use it in other settings as well. 

What he said. 

For me 2 different rods. Square bills I fish on a shorter non-cranking specific rod. A 5xd and similar baits are cranked with  a long moderate MH rod.

[newyorktoiowa57]

IMO a dobyns 703 in the fury or colt lines is a great all around rod for trebles up to 1/2 ounce.  No experience with the 705cb.

 

In the shimano line, the 7'0'' Medium glass rod in the SLX or intenza lines will be great. 

[dj1975232]

13 hours ago, kayaking_kev said:

I would also say those would be two different rods.

 

Maybe a Dobyns Colt 703c for squarebills or a used Fury 703c if you can find one for around $75.

All of the Dobyns Colt Series rods have 15% Glass in them, so they make good moving bait rods.

 

Then for the 5xd, I would look into the 13 Defy Black Crankbait rod, or something that handles heavier lures that's within your budget.

I ended up doing this for a similar application. I have the Fury 703c for multiple presentations and grabbed a Colt 703c for square bills and shallow cranks.  It is softer than the Fury and has been great in that role for $80. 

[Matt_3479]

I absolutely love my imx pro 845 cbr. Lipless, squarebills it’s fantastic and has no problem handling some bigger baits! Great parabolic bend but loads of power 

[NathanDLTH]

It’s not made anymore but my Powell Inferno 7ft med-mod fast is great for shallow to medium depth. Best 100bucks I’ve spent on a rod.