Glass/Composite Rod purchase

[SnaggedAgain]

So i'm looking for a little advice after doing some research on here, learned a lot but still need a little nudge one way or another from somebody with more experience. I started throwing crankbaits last year, had my best season for bigger bass and it was a ton of fun, even got my 11 year old his biggest bass with one. I was doing this on a graphite 7'MF rod and want to get a more crank specific rod cause most advice leans towards glass or composite and if it is going to help me land more fish i'm usually for it. I have been throwing mainly SPRO Little John 50's/MD 50's, Fat Papa SB 55's and Rapala BX Brat's. Narrowed it down to the St Croix Legend Tournament Bass Finesse Glass Cranker, Finesse Carbon Cranker and the Carbon Cranker. I think that any of these would likely fit the lures i'm throwing but I am just not sure really which would be more ideal. Leaning towards the Finesse glass but would like to hear opinions from those more knowledgeable. Last thing, would this rod also be suited to throwing small paddletails(fat impact 3.3's/3.8's) and smaller whopper ploppers? What other types of lures can I expect to use on it? Read some guys mentioning them useful for chatterbaits but I'm thinking these models would be underpowered? Thanks guys. 

[casts_by_fly]

glass and glass composite vs graphite in a cranking rod is a lot of personal preference.  For me, if I want a slower action I don't see any need to go glass and instead will go to a straight graphite rod with a slower action.  It is more sensitive and lighter while giving better responsiveness during casting.  Again, that's personal preference.

 

For other lures, any treble hooked bait in the right weight range will be a decent option.  Ploppers will be a good choice.  I don't know those rods specifically to say about chatterbaits, but some weidos like a really soft rod for chatterbaits (I've fished a MH Mod and it works.  I can see why some like it.  I will stick to other rods).  Paddletails would be fine too.  Again, not my preference but I've fished small paddletails on a MedMod rod before and its just fine.

[Fishingmickey]

I have three different glass crank bait rods. I like two of them a lot. The Shimano Curado glass and the Doybns Champion glass are both very good crank bait rods IMHO. They cast very well with mid RK55 to semi large 5 & 6XD sized baits. they still have enough backbone to feel like you got a good hook set and handle large fish too. The third rod is a Chatterbound and it is a notch less sensitive then the other two.

FM 

[A-Jay]

This might shed some light on the subject ~

A-Jay

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, VaBucknuts said:

So i'm looking for a little advice after doing some research on here, learned a lot but still need a little nudge one way or another from somebody with more experience. I started throwing crankbaits last year, had my best season for bigger bass and it was a ton of fun, even got my 11 year old his biggest bass with one. I was doing this on a graphite 7'MF rod and want to get a more crank specific rod cause most advice leans towards glass or composite and if it is going to help me land more fish i'm usually for it. I have been throwing mainly SPRO Little John 50's/MD 50's, Fat Papa SB 55's and Rapala BX Brat's. Narrowed it down to the St Croix Legend Tournament Bass Finesse Glass Cranker, Finesse Carbon Cranker and the Carbon Cranker. I think that any of these would likely fit the lures i'm throwing but I am just not sure really which would be more ideal. Leaning towards the Finesse glass but would like to hear opinions from those more knowledgeable. Last thing, would this rod also be suited to throwing small paddletails(fat impact 3.3's/3.8's) and smaller whopper ploppers? What other types of lures can I expect to use on it? Read some guys mentioning them useful for chatterbaits but I'm thinking these models would be underpowered? Thanks guys. 

 

The cranks you list are not what most cranking specific rods are designed for, I would opt for something different for those, and yes, the rod you are considering would be a tad underpowered for chatters and other large single hook baits, but the deciding factor should be what works for you.

[Darth-Baiter]

i played with some Daiwa Rebellions that were pretty light and seem fantastic.  i remember one that was 7-3 maybe that would be pretty good for my kayak life.  

[webertime]

You picked the brand I'd go with.  However I would go that high end with those Itty bitty cranks and just getting into a cranking rod. A medium moderate MOJO would work just fine.

[SnaggedAgain]

Alright, thanks everyone for the input. I guess i'm attempting to go overkill for the smaller cranks that i've been using. I just read another good thread about the same thing pretty much and it seems that a cranking rod is more beneficial for baits that run a little deeper? I have been getting by using what I had but was curious if a dedicated crank rod would benefit me in any way. I guess any ol rod with a moderate type action would be decent or I just continue with what I have. 

[msgf91]

I had this problem when I bought my first crankbait rod. I only threw small bombers and bandits. But I ordered a diesel glass MH. The rod was nice looking but I couldn't cast my baits or feel the cadence on the retrieve. I ended up selling it lol 

[Deleted account]

10 minutes ago, msgf91 said:

I had this problem when I bought my first crankbait rod. I only threw small bombers and bandits. But I ordered a diesel glass MH. The rod was nice looking but I couldn't cast my baits or feel the cadence on the retrieve. I ended up selling it lol 

 

Yup, square bills and mid running smaller cranks is not what "cranking" refers to. We call buying the wrong stuff from "doing your research" the slam your stem syndrome in cycling, I should be mad, but it makes me much cash in fits and sales.

[SnaggedAgain]

8 minutes ago, msgf91 said:

I had this problem when I bought my first crankbait rod. I only threw small bombers and bandits. But I ordered a diesel glass MH. The rod was nice looking but I couldn't cast my baits or feel the cadence on the retrieve. I ended up selling it lol 

Good to know. In my head and trying to digest all the information that's out there I was convinced that it would be a good idea to have one. I don't mind spending the money on my fishing gear if I think it will give me an advantage or if I think I will enjoy it more. It's all fun. In the end I  just want to learn and become a better fisherman. 

[Standard]

4 hours ago, webertime said:

You picked the brand I'd go with.  However I would go that high end with those Itty bitty cranks and just getting into a cranking rod. A medium moderate MOJO would work just fine.

 

I picked up an MM Mojo glass last year and it's becoming my favorite rod.

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, VaBucknuts said:

Good to know. In my head and trying to digest all the information that's out there I was convinced that it would be a good idea to have one. I don't mind spending the money on my fishing gear if I think it will give me an advantage or if I think I will enjoy it more. It's all fun. In the end I  just want to learn and become a better fisherman. 

you’re going to find a lot of information out there because each thing works for someone. The internet is a big place.

 

if what you have works, then use it. If you find it lacking in some way, then see what will fix that. If you just want to try something new, then welcome to the club. 

[SproDD79]

11 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

glass and glass composite vs graphite in a cranking rod is a lot of personal preference.  For me, if I want a slower action I don't see any need to go glass and instead will go to a straight graphite rod with a slower action.  It is more sensitive and lighter while giving better responsiveness during casting.  Again, that's personal preference.

Like casts_by_fly said  a lot of it is based on "personal preference" I have purchased a few different brands of glass and composite rods, I sold every single one of them after giving them multiple weeks/months worth of time on the water with a variety of reel and line combinations. Glass/composite just feels dull to me, I'm with the graphite cranking folks, a good graphite cranking rod just feels right to me.  For the lures you are describing a M action graphite rod should be fine. The Dobyns Sierra series has a slower taper, the M or MH may be worthy of consideration. If you get into the deep cranking, see if you can get out with some guys that have both the graphite deep cranking rods and the glass/composite deep cranking rods, trying them out and getting a feel for them should be able to point you in the right direction. 

[WIGuide]

I'm going to go against the grain of the last few posts about cranking rods not applying to smaller crankbaits, as I feel there's enough of a benefit of using one. I have an older LTB Graphite 7'2" MM that I use for all my 100 size square bills, OG Tiny 4's, DT 6's and 8's, along with the Spro Little John and Little John MD. I can use it for DT 10's and 200-300 size squarebills although not ideal, it'll get you through in a pinch. I didn't lose a ton of fish before switching, but after switching to that rod I believe I lost less than 5 fish the entire season on those smaller crankbaits and I fish them a lot. St. Croix hasn't made it as clear as they should on their listings of what rods have the iAct glass which is a composite rod of glass and graphite, but any of the LTB rods that are listed as "glass" have this construction. The Legend Glass rods (orange rods) are completely linear s glass construction. Personally, for those smaller baits I'd go with the 7'2" MM. If you wanted to get a bit more versatility, then the MH finesse cranker. 

 

The crankbait rod is pretty technique specific as you're not going to be able to use it for a ton else, but the small Whopper Ploppers would probably be ok and if you end up with the finesse cranker, you might be able to throw a walking topwater with them. I don't think either choice will have enough backbone for a bladed jig though. 

[SnaggedAgain]

WIGuide, thanks. I understand that if you get a cranking specific rod it fits a narrow use spectrum, i'm good with that, I have different setups for the other techniques I enjoy, this was just the area that I was "compromising" in. I have been using a 7' MH/F for any chatterbaits I use so I have something for them.  I know it isn't necessary but like I mentioned before I have been thinking about getting one for a while, it should put the odds a little more in my favor, save time not changing out lures on my other setups, should be able to sling it further(couple places I bank fish that have some good looking targets I just can't quite get the lures to currently), that's enough reasons for me. I'm gonna pull the trigger on the finesse glass cranker 7'2"MM. Baitmonkey may have caught another fisherman but that fisherman plans on using that stick to catch more fish. Thanks everyone for the input. ?

[txchaser]

Material: IMO glass/composite is very much a personal preference. I used to like my composite rod a lot, and as time went by would have multiple cranks on and really notice a difference on the all-graphite ones. So the composite doesn't get much love now, feels kind of dead to me. 

Action: Shallow cranks like squarebills with big hooks, picking through cover - over time I've started to prefer a classic MH/F for this. Other than that having a more crankbait specific action is really a difference maker - much more margin for error with smaller hooks, less likely to get thrown, don't need a bunch of backbone to set the hook, etc. 

 

TLDR - Material - your call; Action- Crankbait-specific rod is a definite upgrade. 

 

 

 

 

[WIGuide]

@VaBucknuts I think you're going to like it!