Crankin Set-up

[Memphisballer]

I am looking to get a crankin set up. I have been reading around doing some research and my head is starting to hurt.

What I would like to know is:

What length/action rod you prefer?

What reel/gear ratio do you prefer?

What type of line you use?

Thanks in advance!

[Nine Miler]

Rod:

Length: 7' at least- This is a constant in my opinion.

Reel:

Your preference is fine in gear ratios.  Most will want a more powerful reel such as a 5, 4 or even 3 to 1 for deep cranking due to fatigue- but again, its whatever you prefer.

I am going to divide cranks into 4 categories:

Shallow: Medium power, moderate action

Line: 10-14 lb. Mono of your choice.

Medium: Medium to medium heavy power depending on size of the bait, moderate to slow action, (graphite or fiberglass depending on preference)

Line: 10-14 lb. mono or copolymer of your choice.

Deep: Medium heavy power, slow action (fiberglass)

Line: 10-14 lb. Fluorocarbon of your choice.

Lipless: Medium to medium heavy power, fast to extra fast action- for ripping through weeds and grass etc. 

Line: Whatever you prefer, I like copolymer or braid in some situations.

[Red]

Currently I am using a 7' Medium Light with a Revo S-L spooled with 10lb CXX.  That said, I never throw large deep divers, the ML is rated to 5/8 lures.

[Memphisballer]

Thanks for the info guys.

I am currently using a 6'6" Medium action with a 6:3 1 with 10# mono. I use this for smaller cranks.

I don't have a dedicated crankin set up for my deep diving such as 6XD, etc.

[Nine Miler]

Info on Power vs. Action

I threw this in because you mentioned a [ftp]medium action[/ftp] rod.  Power is rated Ultra-light, Light, Med-light, Medium, Med-Heavy, Heavy, X-Heavy etc.

Action is rated parabolic or slow or moderate, moderate fast, fast, x-fast etc.

Action and power varies with manufacturer, and rod line -there is no industry standard really. Too many possibilities for taper formulas and materials I guess.

Quick background:

Power is rated for line break strength (important when fighting fish) and lure weight (important when casting). Action is how that power is distributed.

Rods have three functions: Casting, strike detection, and fighting fish.

Softer actions tend to cast further, and often more accurately, loading more rod and being a bit slower on the response making aiming corrections somewhat less critical. Because they load more rod they can also absorb fishes fight more smoothly. I'm not a big proponent of this last as a useful advantage, however I wouldn't want to try to fight a fish on a non-bending oak dowel LOL.

Stiffer actions (faster) provide a faster response time in hook setting. All other factors being equal stiffer also tends to offer more potential sensitivity for detection.

You can really learn to adapt almost any rod, but some techniques/lure types work better with faster or slower actions. Jigs tend to require faster actions for sensitivity and quick response time, as fish may take jigs softly and don't tend to hold them very long before they spit them. This can be true for heavily weighted soft plastics too.

Soft plastics may be fished the same way as jigs but bass tend to hold them longer. You can use a fast rod just fine, but many people (myself included) like a softer tip to allow me to "weigh the line" -that is lift a bit to feel whether that extra weight is alive, or just a weed. This is most effective/important with lighter weighted plastics, like shaky and drop-shotting.

Again, there's no industry standard. There are fast rods with a rapid tapered tip that may be pretty "noodly" up front. I have a Shimano Clarus 66 M F that has some backbone, but a wimpy little tip LOL. It appears to have been designed to throw very light lures accurately with that tip, but is rated a medium and has the power for that. I think they tried to design too much lure weight latitude into that rod. When I hook a fish with it (I used mostly it for finesse plastics), the tip folds up instantly --outta the picture-- and I feel like I'm fighting the fish with a 5 foot broomstick. When I pop on a jerkbait, the tip folds! When I swim a jig I may detect a light take too slowly, and miss em. Don't like that. If I wanted to fish a 1/16 oz jig that tip is appropriate for, I'd be using a L power rod. I replaced it with another M F rod this spring, which I like much better.

Stuff to chew on.

[lynyrdsky1]

Im using a 7 foot medium action fiberglass rod Skeet Reese Rod

and a 5:4:1 BPS extreme reel

[SoFlaBassAddict]

My primary cranking rod is a 7'6" M Crankin Stick.  5.2:1 Pro Qualifier.  Handles just about anything I cast.  It can be a workout on deep divers, but it can handle it.  Otherwise, it is fine for everything I usually throw.

[supreme]

I have several crankin set ups but my go to is the kistler magnesium 7'0 crankin rod with a Revo premeir with 12lbs gamma copoly. I use my 7'0 fenwick HMG (MH) with a accurist PT501 for all my 3/4 oz cranks & spinners

[ChiCityBasser]

I have 2 cranking set ups with one being a spinning setup and the other a casting setup.

My spinning setup is a 6'6" Daiwa Rod (D-Force) Fiberglass M / MF for Shallow and Medium Divers, Catalyst PTI-B20 reel with 6# Cabelas 100% Flourocarbon.

This has been my go to setup for the majority of the year for fishing cranks. I fish from the shore so and most of the lakes and places I get to fish are pretty shallow and the setup works well.

My Casting setup is a Cabelas Prodigy rod PDC705-1 MH / MF 7' rod with a Daiwa Exceler 6.3:1 reel and 14#Yo Zuri Hybrid Ultrasoft. Again this is a shallow to medium diver setup and works well with down to 1/4 oz weights. The line is a bit too heavy for me with the cranks I've been using so gonna drop it down to 10# Cabelas 100% Flourocarbon as well.

The rod was on sale at Cabelas for $60 and is normally $100

[roadwarrior]

Primary rig:

St. Croix Avid AVC70MM/ Shimano Metanium/ #12 Yo-Zuri Hybrid

Deep divers:

Lamiglas SR705R/ CTE200GT/ #12 Hybrid

[Big B]

Denali 7' MH crank bait rod, shimano curado 5:1, 50lb power pro.

[bryand82487]

I fish a CBR 843 paired with a Daiwa SOL for lipless cranks and shallow divers and a CBR 847 paired with a Curado 200E5 for deep divers.  Both are awesome setups especially the CBR 843 setup.  If you ever want to get together and try them out just let me know!

[Memphisballer]

Great info guys. Much appreciated. I think I am ready to make some decisions.

I have been looking at a Shimano Curado 200E5 with a 7'6" BPS Extreme rod.

You think that will get the job done?

[skunked_again]

Denali 7' MH crank bait rod, shimano curado 5:1, 50lb power pro.

really? what is the advantage?

[skunked_again]

Great info guys. Much appreciated. I think I am ready to make some decisions.

I have been looking at a Shimano Curado 200E5 with a 7'6" BPS Extreme rod.

You think that will get the job done?

i would only buy the 200E5 if youll be running deep cranks only.

[Memphisballer]

Great info guys. Much appreciated. I think I am ready to make some decisions.

I have been looking at a Shimano Curado 200E5 with a 7'6" BPS Extreme rod.

You think that will get the job done?

i would only buy the 200E5 if youll be running deep cranks only.

So would you go with the 200E7 or do you have something else in mind?

[iceintheveins]

I would go with a 7', medium action fiberglass rod and a 5:0.1 baitcast reel like a curado.

[Memphisballer]

I would go with a 7', medium action fiberglass rod and a 5:0.1 baitcast reel like a curado.

Why do you prefer that over the 7'6?

[skunked_again]

Great info guys. Much appreciated. I think I am ready to make some decisions.

I have been looking at a Shimano Curado 200E5 with a 7'6" BPS Extreme rod.

You think that will get the job done?

i would only buy the 200E5 if youll be running deep cranks only.

So would you go with the 200E7 or do you have something else in mind?

I personaly would buy a Daiwa Sol for up to 1/2 oz cranks diving to 10'. i find that a 5.0:1 reel makes me crank the handle faster than i like to take up line after a hook-set.

a Shimano Citica or a Revo S wouldnt be the worst idea ever.

[Nine Miler]

Great info guys. Much appreciated. I think I am ready to make some decisions.

I have been looking at a Shimano Curado 200E5 with a 7'6" BPS Extreme rod.

You think that will get the job done?

i would only buy the 200E5 if youll be running deep cranks only.

So would you go with the 200E7 or do you have something else in mind?

I'd go with the Citica. It is a great value. I love my Citicas and Curados. I don't think durability will be an issue with the Citica, there are some lesser materials used vs. the Curado, but the biggest difference you will notice is the handle. The Citica is a 6.4:1, a good all purpose ratio, and you can get 'em for around a hundred bucks if you look.

[hitchhiker]

What length/action rod you prefer?  Mostly longer/softer rods for when there are long casts light cover involved.  Close in/heavy line/heavy cover heavy slower rods.

What reel/gear ratio do you prefer?  Shallow 6:1  deep 12 foot plus  5:1 

What type of line you use?  10-15lb P-line fluoroclear (because I have bulk spools of it)