Does a squarebill/lipless combo rod exist?

[FryDog62]

Wondering if there is a casting rod that will work well to throw both a 3/8 oz squarebill as well as a 1/2 oz lipless crankbait? 
 

For a squarebill it obviously helps to have a moderate action, and a lipless too - but when ripping a lipless through vegetation, a fast action is sometimes preferred - altho some moderates might work... so that's what I'm looking for. 
 

Do I need 2 rods or is there one that would do both well? I’ve been looking in the $150-250 range and here’s what I’ve found as possibilities so far:

 

•Daiwa Rebellion 7 foot Medium-glass. Although a medium its rated 3/16 up to 1 oz. Could it rip a 1/2 oz lipless around some weeds? I’m sure that rod would be great with a squarebill. 
 

•Dobyns 705cb graphite, I have the 685cb for jerkbaits and it’s a heckuva rod and keeps pinned to those light trebles. Does it have the backbone to rip a 1/2 oz lipless through weeds?

 

•Megabass Levante 7’5” EMTF. Reengineered with a more forgiving mid-section for trebles. I would think it would handle the 1/2 oz lipless, but not sure about smaller/lighter cranks.

 

Any thoughts/experience with these rods pulling double duty? Or other rods that work well with both squarebills and lipless? 

[Eric 26]

I’ve used and still my favorite for 1/2 oz. lipless, a bps carbonlite 2.0 med. power fast action for both. Costs $120.00 1/4-5/8 oz weight range.

[MN Fisher]

Lipless and squarebills I like tossing on my Fury 703C - YMMV.

[BrianMDTX]

45 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Dobyns 705cb graphite, I have the 685cb for jerkbaits and it’s a heckuva rod. 

I’ll let you know, as I just bought one and haven’t had the chance to try it yet. Paired it with a Daiwa Tatula 100H. 

[Deephaven]

I had Thorne Bros build me a rod for just that...right at the top end of your price point, but you could surely cheapen the guides/handle and lower the price.

[FryDog62]

51 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

I’ll let you know, as I just bought one and haven’t had the chance to try it yet. Paired it with a Daiwa Tatula 100H. 

I have used the 685cb for squarebills in tighter areas where accuracy is important... and in terms of action and keeping fish pinned it is excellent.  Thinking the 705cb would be great too, but better with longer casts. Let me know what you think once you've tested it out. I'm going to guess its also very good with squarebills, but does it have the right action and backbone to at least occasionally rip a 1/2 oz lipless through light/moderate weeds? Too moderate of a tip can be frustrating in my opinion to keep the hooks clean..

41 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

I had Thorne Bros build me a rod for just that...right at the top end of your price point, but you could surely cheapen the guides/handle and lower the price.

Ideally I'd go custom to try to get that just right action.  But, I have a credit at an online retailer and would like to use it up if poss...  I don't crank that often, so I need something good for both purposes, but not super high-end either.. 

[BrianMDTX]

22 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Thinking the 705cb would be great too, but better with longer casts. Let me know what you think once you've tested it out. I'm going to guess its also very good with squarebills, but does it have the right action and backbone to at least occasionally rip a 1/2 oz lipless through light/moderate weeds? Too moderate of a tip can be frustrating in my opinion to keep the hooks clean..

It rained its patoot off here yesterday and the ponds are overflowing. Might be a while before I find out. ?

[Deephaven]

37 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Ideally I'd go custom to try to get that just right action.  But, I have a credit at an online retailer and would like to use it up if poss...  I don't crank that often, so I need something good for both purposes, but not super high-end either.. 

Out of all stores in town it is where I would stop in to feel rods.  They are usually good on pricing as well and always discount reels with rod purchases.  Selection is great, they actually all fish, and their rod building puts even normal high end builds to shame.  I've replaced all my rods except my heavy cranking rod with theirs.  I don't crank that often either so I bought a used Quantum KVD for $40 for the bigger stuff.  Obviously for this one with the credit you should do something else, but just wanted to clarify my recommendation.

[FryDog62]

14 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Out of all stores in town it is where I would stop in to feel rods.  They are usually good on pricing as well and always discount reels with rod purchases.  Selection is great, they actually all fish, and their rod building puts even normal high end builds to shame.  I've replaced all my rods except my heavy cranking rod with theirs.  I don't crank that often either so I bought a used Quantum KVD for $40 for the bigger stuff.  Obviously for this one with the credit you should do something else, but just wanted to clarify my recommendation.

Yes, Thorne is very good... was just there yesterday as they are repairing one of those fragile AGS guides on a rod for me. I also had a chance to fondle the above mentioned Daiwa Rebellion rod. That rod has promise, wish they allowed "test drives" lol...

[Choporoz]

Late last season I decided to try to answer same dilemma with a new Cashion Elite 7'3" MH Crankbait rod.  It is my first Cashion and I'd only handled a friend's....had never fished with one.   I admit that I am still getting used to the carbon fiber handle...and may still winn-wrap it.  But as for action and power, it is exactly what I wanted.  Feels like it weighs half of what my Mojo glass rod weighs.  It handles 1/2 oz lipless perfectly....and even though on the rated low end, it casts 3/8 oz cranks great. I have thrown 1/4 oz LC Mini on it just fine, as well.

[Deleted account]

Yes. IMNSHO, a composite or glass cranking rod is not what you want for square bills and lipless. Most rods labeled MH Fast will in fact have a Fast/Mod action and will work well, particularly around grass. I don't use the same rod for square bills and lipless, because I prefer a shorter rod for square bills, but It is certainly doable.

[TexasRigDanning]

I throw my lipless and squarebills on the same rod, I used to throw liplesses on a fast action and felt i needed a moderate cranking rod and ive been very pleased with it- powell endurance 725cb (the non glass one). 
 

granted i hardly ever throw Square bills and all the ones i have in my box are lc 1.5 which are 1/2oz, but the rod suits both of them well. 

[FryDog62]

9 minutes ago, TexasRigDanning said:

I throw my lipless and squarebills on the same rod, I used to throw liplesses on a fast action and felt i needed a moderate cranking rod and ive been very pleased with it- powell endurance 725cb (the non glass one). 
 

granted i hardly ever throw Square bills and all the ones i have in my box are lc 1.5 which are 1/2oz, but the rod suits both of them well. 

That looks really close to what I think I need... I just wish the online retailer where I have the credit carried Powell rods.. 

[Fishes in trees]

I generally carry two or three or 4 rods for throwing square bills & lipless cranks & chatter baits.  That is because I often follow up one presentation with a different one.  For instance I often throw a lipless crank in 2 to 4 feet of water, but lets say the wind blows me off my line a little bit and all of a sudden I'm looking at 4 to 6 feet of water.    I'll reach down and pick up my Timber Tiger DC4 or DC5, and throw that and it is easy to do because I'm already rigged. Or I might pick up a different square bill that's already rigged.  The Timber Tiger is my favorite, but I ain't married to it.   In a different scenario, I'll give a few casts to the lipless crank and then switch to maybe a chatter bait.  In either case they're already rigged & ready to go.

 

If I absolutely , positively had to go with just one rod for lipless cranks/squarebills I'd use my Falcon Bucco Trap Caster.  For me this rod works GREAT for lipless cranks and ok for square bills and other hard baits.   Another thing - I throw my lipless cranks on 17 or 20 lb mono - or maybe some co-poly, and most of my square bill tossing is with similar lines.  90% of the time I'm throwing a half ounce lipless crank and a similar amount of time I'm throwing the same weight square bill - mainly because I like the distance I get.

 

If for some reason I had to go lighter, I'd use a rod with more flex and a softer tip.  Well, anyway, that's my reasoning on the subject.

 

Oh - to answer the question "Does a square bill/lipless crank combo rod exist?"   My answer is yeah - probably - maybe.

[FryDog62]

40 minutes ago, Fishes in trees said:

Oh - to answer the question "Does a square bill/lipless crank combo rod exist?"   My answer is yeah - probably - maybe.

That's kinda where I'm at too - there's probably something out there I hadn't thought of... (yet)

[the reel ess]

nm

[li_bass_hunter]

7 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Lipless and squarebills I like tossing on my Fury 703C - YMMV.

What he said. It has the perfect tip for ripping a trap through grass or fishing a square bill around cover 

[FryDog62]

24 minutes ago, li_bass_hunter said:

What he said. It has the perfect tip for ripping a trap through grass or fishing a square bill around cover 

Interesting in that I sent an email to Gary Dobyns earlier today and as usual he responded almost right away. He recommended either a 705cb or 733c. The 703c I’m assuming would be same as the 733c just 3 inches shorter... but the same kind of action that might work well for both applications.  Thx guys - 

5 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

Yes. IMNSHO, a composite or glass cranking rod is not what you want for square bills and lipless. Most rods labeled MH Fast will in fact have a Fast/Mod action and will work well, particularly around grass. I don't use the same rod for square bills and lipless, because I prefer a shorter rod for square bills, but It is certainly doable.

I tend to agree and steer away from glass for a lot of reasons... however the Daiwa Rebellion 7’0” Medium-Glass is unique in that it is also listed as a Fast action. Not too many glass rods are.  Might be effective rippin’ lipless around weeds and also have enough parabolic to keep fish pinned. Wish I could test drive one! 

[Deleted account]

45 minutes ago, li_bass_hunter said:

What he said. It has the perfect tip for ripping a trap through grass or fishing a square bill around cover 

Are ya'll fishing it with braid? I find it a tad slow for ripping out of grass with mono. I really like bumping bottom with Bandit 200s and 300s and working mid sized spinnerbaits though

 

[MN Fisher]

33 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Are ya'll fishing it with braid? I find it a tad slow for ripping out of grass with mono. I really like bumping bottom with Bandit 200s and 300s and working mid sized spinnerbaits though

 

12# AbrazX

[jbrew73]

The previous generation Falcon Bucoo Micro Trapcaster is the best rod at any price that I have used for square bill and lipless crank baits.  I would assume the current equivalent in the low rider or bucoo sr would be just as good. 

[FishTank]

Out of the budget listed above..... G. Loomis IMX 903 CBR.  It is a moderate fast but strong enough through the middle to pull lipless baits through grass .  The long length can toss a 1/2oz lipless a long way and the soft tip can flick a 3/8oz square bill easily.  The only down side is that its slightly more sensitive than I like a crankbait rod to be but otherwise a solid rod.  Also, it works well for chatterbaits as well. 

[Junger]

Maybe a Loomis 843MBR? I have the GLX 844C and while it's listed as a heavy, it's more like a MH power rod. I'm thinking going down the 843 may be what you're looking for. The MBR action seems just up your alley though.

[li_bass_hunter]

2 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

Are ya'll fishing it with braid? I find it a tad slow for ripping out of grass with mono. I really like bumping bottom with Bandit 200s and 300s and working mid sized spinnerbaits though

 

I fish braid but have used 12-15lb mono too

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I recommend the same rod for these but for different reasons. 7’ medium power mod fast action graphite (maybe composite). The ModF action helps rip the traps from weeds and steer the square bill around and through cover. Casts both well accurately and distance.  Step up to MH for heavier baits and cover.