Mh/f rod for crankbaits

[Armando Arbella]

I have a st croix mojo bass mh/f rod and was wondering if I can use it for square bills and lipless cranks?

[fishballer06]

Absolutely!

[ib_of_the_damned]

I definitely would! I don't really care for Moderate/Moderate Fast action for cranks. I have done just fine with fast action rods for those. But the fast action rod that I use has a softer tip than most (Phenix Maxim).  

[WIGuide]

Yes you can. I prefer a fast action rod for lipless as I fish them around grass a lot and the moderate action rods don't seem to rip them out of the grass nearly as well as a fast action rod. One thing I do when using a fast action rod with any treble hook lure is to loosen the drag. It helps to play the fish a lot better, and you'll loose less fish that way. 

[Brett's_daddy]

Not trying to steal the thread from OP but I'm sort of in the same boat...would a 6'6" MH/F Lightning Rod Shock be suitable for crankbaits?

[Armando Arbella]

Thank you

[Poolshark]

You can throw them on that rod. You CAN throw them on many different rods.  But personally my landing ratio is MUCH better with a glass or mod action graphite rod. 

Nothing pains me more than to hook into a big bass on a square bill and watch it shake the trebles off. I've seen it too many times and it is exactly why I acquired a setup more suited to throw them. 

[fishnkamp]

Some love the faster tipped rods like ib_of_the_damned mentioned. However the rod he mentions is really a mof/fast not the typical fast tipped rod.  Try you St Croix, I find them a little slower than they say anyway.

[Armando Arbella]

3 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

Some love the faster tipped rods like ib_of_the_damned mentioned. However the rod he mentions is really a mof/fast not the typical fast tipped rod.  Try you St Croix, I find them a little slower than they say anyway.

all I use is St croix thank you 

[fishnkamp]

I tell you what else that rod may do well and that is to fish swimjigs in like 3/8 or 1/2 with a paddle tail swimbait or 5 inch grub body.  I love throwing the Dirty jigs swimjigs and a Keitech swimbait or a kalin 5 inch Lunker grub.  Reaction Innovations Skinny Dippers and a belly weighted Gamakatsu swimbait hook should be another bait in your arsenal.

 

They have a cool deadly flutter when you swim them and kill it  then twitch and swim it again. I use these in water as deep as 6 or 8 foot.  In deeper water I put the Skinny Dippers on a Picasso fish head style swimbait jighead. I fish these baits rigged this way as deep as 30 feet for clear water smallies.  I like the 3/8 and 1/2 ounce jigheads. If you have not used these baits try them on that rod.  My favorite Dipper colors are sungil, houdini and white trash.  In some clearer lakes I also use blue pearl.

[ib_of_the_damned]

38 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

Some love the faster tipped rods like ib_of_the_damned mentioned. However the rod he mentions is really a mof/fast not the typical fast tipped rod.  Try you St Croix, I find them a little slower than they say anyway.

I've got the 6'10" MH/F Phenix Maxim. It is a softer tip, but I don't think its a mod-fast. It's labelled as fast, but in my experience Phenix have softer tips than most. I would say its probably between a fast and a mod-fast. But in any case I really like the rod, it launches a 1/4oz RES a good distance!

[IndianaFinesse]

A more moderate action rod is preferred for cranks to keep from ripping the treble hooks out of there mouth, which can also be accomplished by a loose drag and stretchy mono or flouro.  So yes, it will work fine especially if you keep the drag loose and use stretchy line.

[BassThumb]

It'll work fine. Compared to a moderate-action cranking rod, you'll miss a few strikes and lose a few fish due to the hooks ripping out, but the difference won't be that big of a deal.

 

If it turns out you really enjoy tossing crankbaits, a move to a designed crankbait rod wouldn't be a bad idea. Millions of bass have been caught over the years on fast-action rods. A crankbait rod isn't a necessity, it's a luxury that's fun to fish with and slightly more effective.

[flyingmonkie]

Put some 12# Big Game on there and go to town!

[Stephen Selph]

10 hours ago, Brett's_daddy said:

Not trying to steal the thread from OP but I'm sort of in the same boat...would a 6'6" MH/F Lightning Rod Shock be suitable for crankbaits?

Check out my thread from yesterday, the consensus is yes! Wish me luck!

 

[Poolshark]

The rod you mentioned is one of my favorite rods but I can tell you from personal experience that it will cast and retrieve a squarebill crankbait nicely, but I lost way to many nice fish on it to consider it a good rod for throwing anything with a treble hook. 

Other hand, I think a solid composite rod will land a much better ratio. 

Just my experience.... 

[Armando Arbella]

Thanks to everyone who commented much appreciated I ended up buying a st croix avid x 7ft moderate

[ww2farmer]

On 4/20/2017 at 2:35 PM, Armando Arbella said:

I have a st croix mojo bass mh/f rod and was wondering if I can use it for square bills and lipless cranks?

Sure can!! In fact if the cover your cranking is grass, it is a BETTER choice than a moderate action cranking rod.

 

6 hours ago, Armando Arbella said:

Thanks to everyone who commented much appreciated I ended up buying a st croix avid x 7ft moderate

That's also a fine choice for a great all-purpose casting rod. But if you find it lacking around grass, you already have the fast action rod in your arsenal, and can just use that.