Should I exchange my new deep crank rod already?

[pauldconyers]

Sorry in advance about the length of this but I am a noob to deep cranking and want to give it a go this year. Bought a 5.4 Orra Winch and am LEANING towards 12lb Seaguar Invizx fluero, unless someone can steer me in a better direction as a first time fluero user. Bought some 6XDs and foresaw a few 10XDs in my future. I went with the Lews David Fritts Perfect Crankbait 7'6" rod. A nice blend of glass, reasonably priced and from a well known brand. I am a fan of split grips and even went with their "Palmer" line that helps with wrist and arm fatigue.

 

Yesterday I was looking at a few specs and I saw something alarming. I noticed my new rod gives a lure weight suggestion of 0.5 to 1.25 oz and that a 10XD has a weight of 1.92 oz. I talked to Lews today and they really suggested I not throw a 10XD on this rod and they suggested I look at their 7'11" model but the sheer logistics of carrying a rod like that around is too much for me. Really want to stay around 7'6" or so.

 

 5XD  15'    5/8 oz

 6XD  17'      1 oz 

 8XD  20'    *** oz 

10XD  25'+  1.92 oz

While an 8XD is right at the weight limit for this rod being that there is only a 3 foot deeper depth distance compared to the 6XD (a 10XD, though, has an 8 foot difference) I can't see myself going with 6XDs and 8XDs. It seems like 6XDs and 10XDs would cover things better. I am completely sure I wouldn't throw the 10XD all the time but if I am going to pay to have a dedicated deep crank bait rod I want to actually be able to use any deep crank I would ever want to use, within reason. So does this mean I need to go to a different rod? Based on my above criteria anything specific you would point me towards?

[Bluebasser86]

10XD really is kind of like a big swimbait in that it almost requires a specialized rod just for them. They're such a large bait and create so much drag that even a rod designed for standard deep cranks is going to be too light. IDK where in the KC area you're fishing a 10XD, or maybe you're traveling around I supposed, since a lot of lakes around here are barely 25' deep. I've really found little use for the 8XD locally to be honest. Even guys on Table Rock and LOZ seem to stick to the 6XD as their deepest diving crankbait option. 

[pauldconyers]

7 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

10XD really is kind of like a big swimbait in that it almost requires a specialized rod just for them. They're such a large bait and create so much drag that even a rod designed for standard deep cranks is going to be too light. IDK where in the KC area you're fishing a 10XD, or maybe you're traveling around I supposed, since a lot of lakes around here are barely 25' deep. I've really found little use for the 8XD locally to be honest. Even guys on Table Rock and LOZ seem to stick to the 6XD as their deepest diving crankbait option. 

Mostly stay here in the KC area. Jacomo, BS Lake, Longview, Smithville and such. Being this is the first year I plan on going in with electronics I have to think they all have some 30 foot pockets where fish will go down in when conditions call for it, right?

 

[Bluebasser86]

Never caught a bass that deep in any of those lakes, but maybe because I never fish a 10XD. 

[pauldconyers]

Hmm, well this may change things. I guess in my mind buying a dedicated deep crank bait rod meant that area and type of fishing was "handled or covered" in my mind and then when I came to this realization I was thinking this was a problem. Maybe it isn't and I will never go all the way to a 10XD. Are there rods I should consider that will handle something like a 5XD to a 10XD? I want to figure this out now to where I can still return this one if need be.

[scbassin]

I am no deep diving crank expert But I would not Trade the rod in & take a loss. The depth of your crank bait is going to depend on the length of your cast & the weight of your line plus the angle of the bill on the bait & how hard you can crank it. Knowing the way a bass eyes are located it see upwards.  So if your bait goes above them a bit that is ok. If your bouncing your bait along the bottom the sediment trail & noise will make it look for your bait. Fluoro  is going to make your bait run a little deeper than Mono. I no nothing about the rod  Lews might have been thinking the weight of the bait & the resistance of the water while the bait is coming thru the water would effect the rod tip. I would probley use Fluoro with the 5XD & 8 XD see how that works for you. remember to use speed control to adjust for desired depth & that might cover the water column your looking for. I hope this help some.

[Deleted account]

Keep the rod. If you are going to be throwing 10XDs on a regular basis (no one does) then as someone mentioned, you are going to need a dedicated rod for that and other similarly large lures. I use my striped bass rods for that type of lures, and they work great, but I don't do it often, too much work for little fish. 

[LionHeart]

Just to echo what has been said.  Keep the rod.  The 10xd basically needs its it's own dedicated rod, and anything beefy enough will likely be to stout to throw lures like a 5xd.

 

The 10xd is a chore to throw btw.

[pauldconyers]

Well it sounds like I may have to stick with what I've got. But humor me, if I HAD to go with a different rod what would you point me towards? I guess I would say I would want to stay around 7'6" and a max of $100. I would want to be able to throw a 6XD up to a 10XD on it. Would it be all graphite or would I be able to do a glass or composite or some sort?

[FishTank]

I would keep the rod you have and get a separate rod.  At that depth and with that amount of wobble in that crankbait, you probably don't want or need a very sensitive or expensive rod.  You might look at the Okuma TCS rods.  They have 2 models that are able to up to 2oz.  Amazon has them for around $110 or less. I was considering this rod for kind of the same reason as you, swimbaits and deep, heavy cranks and decided that this technique was not for me just yet (big swimbaits that is). 

[npl_texas]

Abu Garcia Veritas Winch 7'11" XH for 10XD's

 

Not going to be great for anything else.

[LionHeart]

20 hours ago, pauldconyers said:

Well it sounds like I may have to stick with what I've got. But humor me, if I HAD to go with a different rod what would you point me towards? I guess I would say I would want to stay around 7'6" and a max of $100. I would want to be able to throw a 6XD up to a 10XD on it. Would it be all graphite or would I be able to do a glass or composite or some sort?

Get a cheap Bass Pro Crankin Stick or something for the 10xd.  If you decide you are man enough to throw a 10xd more than 20 casts per fishing trip(I'm sure not), invest in a more expensive rod.  Thank me later.

[pauldconyers]

If an 8XD weighs one point three (had to spell it out so it didn't get blurred out, geez....) and my rod give a max weight of 1.25 is that OK or is that a line not to be crossed?

[LionHeart]

1 minute ago, pauldconyers said:

If an 8XD weighs one point three (had to spell it out so it didn't get blurred out, geez....) and my rod give a max weight of 1.25 is that OK or is that a line not to be crossed?

Long answer is it depends on the rod.  Some lure ratings are a little inaccurate on the low or high end.  It will be up to you to decide if the lure is too much for your rod.

 

Short answer is dude you will be totally fine.  That amount of difference isn't even worth mentioning.

 

You may even be able to sling a 10xd on it.  That rod is actually pretty beastly.

[mcipinkie]

I throw 10XD's on a flipping stick.  Generally use 30 lb. 832.  Works well.

 

I throw every other sized CB on the old blue W & M Rick Clunn glass rods, but they just won't handle a 10XD. 

 

Your rod won't fall apart or break in your hands (at least hopefully not).  Start with some tenderness and lob the plug until you get the feel.  I can throw the 10XD on the old W & M's and if I'm cranking and want to try a few casts with the big plug, will tie it on, but if I get serious about the 10XD out comes the flipping stick.  7-10 Ardent Denny Brauer heavy.

 

Look up some Phil Marks or Keith Combs videos about the big cranks.  They seem to be the best with them.

[Heartland]

On 1/22/2019 at 10:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

10XD really is kind of like a big swimbait in that it almost requires a specialized rod just for them. They're such a large bait and create so much drag that even a rod designed for standard deep cranks is going to be too light. IDK where in the KC area you're fishing a 10XD, or maybe you're traveling around I supposed, since a lot of lakes around here are barely 25' deep. I've really found little use for the 8XD locally to be honest. Even guys on Table Rock and LOZ seem to stick to the 6XD as their deepest diving crankbait option. 

I find this interesting, I use a FALCON CARA CLC-5-176 Composite Deep Cranker which is only rated to 3/4 of a oz.   I never feel like the 10XD is digging so hard that it overpowers this rod, actually quite the opposite.  The only time I feel a lot of drag from the 10XD is when it begins rising at the end of the retrieve, it feels quite easy to retrieve through the zone with this rod and the Revo Winch.