Spinning Rod for Crankbaits

[William21]

Considering a graphite spinning rod for crankbaits.  I've narrowed down to Fencwick Tech Elite or Lew's Custom Speedstick or Lew's BLack Speed stick Magnum2.  Thoughts, preferences, reason, etc to chose one or the other.

Edited March 7, 2020 by William21
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[Brett's_daddy]

Falcon also makes one, they have a Bucoo SR spinning crankbait rod.

 

[papajoe222]

I really can't offer anything concerning rods, but I do recommend a reel with faster than 5.2:1 gearing. Something like a Pflueger Supreme, or President with 6.2 gearing will retrieve 28in.-30in. of line per turn vs. 22in. for most standard spinning reels.  That is, unless you plan on just throwing square bills.

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I really can't offer anything concerning rods, but I do recommend a reel with faster than 5.2:1 gearing. Something like a Pflueger Supreme, or President with 6.2 gearing will retrieve 28in.-30in. of line per turn vs. 22in. for most standard spinning reels.  That is, unless you plan on just throwing square bills.

Actually, any of the Pfluegers in size 35 or 40 will pull 28+ IPT, even the Trion which IS a 5.2. I'll be using a Trion-35 for shallow cranks and lipless - 28.1 IPT

[BTSyndrome]

I have multiple cranking rods in the 7' Bucoo paired with  Pflueger President reels. I would say the Bucoo's feel one action less than what they are described as. So I just use a reg. Medium for spinning rod on cranks.

[William21]

1 hour ago, papajoe222 said:

I really can't offer anything concerning rods, but I do recommend a reel with faster than 5.2:1 gearing. Something like a Pflueger Supreme, or President with 6.2 gearing will retrieve 28in.-30in. of line per turn vs. 22in. for most standard spinning reels.  That is, unless you plan on just throwing square bills.

Abu Garcia Revo SX20 33 IPT

Daiwa Fuego is 32 IPT (5.3:1)

Stradic CI4+ 35 IPT

 

 

[Hower08]

I will sometimes throw small cranks or really light cranks on my Fenwick elite tech walleye rod it's 6'6 med fast and it does very well for small square bills and shad raps 

[Fishes in trees]

I think that some cranks respond better being thrown on spinning gear.  I carry a spinning crank rig in my fishing truck, don't pull it out often.   I think length is important in a spinning crank rod - extra length equals extra distance, for the most part.  I want a quarter to a third of the top part of the rod to be kinda tippy & flexible - this seems to help in distance.  From the handle, 2/3 or so of the rod needs to have some to alot of backbone.   There are times when you need to lean on fish when throwing cranks and good backbone on the rod is important.

 

8 -9- maybe 10 years ago, when Cabelas was closing out all their Kistler products, I got a spinning rod in the Argon series ( the blue ones ) which meets the specs I need.  It is 6'11' and Kistler wrote MH finesse jig rod on the blank.  I've never tried this rod for throwing shakey head, although it would probably work ok, but it works pretty good as a crank bait for me.   For line, I have a fairly large, 5 something gear ratio reel.    I've experimented with various 20 lb braids, currently I think I'm using 14 lb Fireline - don't remember.  I love this rod for throwing Wiggle Warts and other similar size diving cranks.   If I'm throwing half ounce Timber Tigers, DC13 or DC 16 or other heavier cranks.  into & around trees & bushes, I've got a different rig for that.  I have tried using my spinning crank rig and throwing larger deep divers , like a Norman DD22, trying to scrape bottom in 20' of water.  Not alot of success.  I chalk that up to my inability to recognize good 20' shelves, rather than anything in particular being wrong with the rig.

 

I can attest that in the spring time, during BFL tournament conditions on Lake Ozark, Grand Lake, Table Rock & Bull Shoals lake, that rig accounted for 40 or 50 fish during various tournament days.  I blame my boater that all those fish were in the  13.5" to 14.5".   I'm pretty sur that should there have been any 15" + fish in the neighborhood they would have bit.

[William21]

Thanks for the input and recommendations.  I pulled the trigger for Lew's TP-1 Black Speed Stick 7' 2" MH, Mod-Fast. The two year warranty was the deciding factor.

[new2BC4bass]

What little I have read on the TP-1 Black has all been good, very good.  Let us know how you like it.  I have never used a Lew's rod.  I picked up a Mark Rose Ledge casting rod last winter (at $70-$75 below regular price).  Just put a reel on it a few weeks ago in preparation for this coming season.  Have high hopes for it.  Lew's seldom gets mentioned (with the exception of the TP-1), but I have read several posts lately where the authors felt Lew's makes some very good rod's for the money.  Looks like we both are hoping that is true.