Crankbait Rod Question

[ib_of_the_damned]

I am interested in picking up a crankbait rod to widen my arsenal. Currently, I'm using a 6'6" M/F Vendetta and it does the job. I guess what I am trying to ask is there a need to get a crankbait rod if what I have works? I have read that the parabolic bend of a crankbait rod helps to keep the fish on, and with the casting distance of lighter baits. But would a true crankbait rod work for all "crankbaits", ( I use this term loosely to define lipped cranks, lipless traps, and ripbaits)? Thanks for any and all advice/answers in advance.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

One MH/Mod rod should be all you need. I throw all those on a 7 1/2' custom on a Lamiglas glass blank. You can fine tune as much as you want. I like a little faster action for ripping traps thru weeds and for shallow cranks. And then, you say what you have is working so you may not need anything more.

[J Francho]

I'm the wrong guy to ask. I have 5 rods I use for cranking. A 7' MH/Moderate rod should do fine. The St. Croix Avid AVC70MHM is a great choice.

[bigbassctchr101]

I have a 7' Carrotstick cranking rod. I believe its a MH with a moderate action. Its actually one of my stiffest cranking rods. I don't use it for traps, but we don't have anything to "rip" traps thru. (our trap fishing is just on flats and schools and deeper in channels) But this rod has worked for everything from wake baits, to 20ft Spro divers, and its a good spinnerbait rod. While a medium-softer action probably won't rip the hooks out as much, a MH with a parobolic bend will also do the same thing but can be used in more applications as a multi purpose rod.

Some guys crank with a whippy stick and I know some that crank with a flippin stick...its all a matter or preference. There will also be benefits and negatives to everything.

[BassThumb]

I'd recommend a MH/Mod fast cranking stick, too. I've owned numerous medium power cranking sticks that I was unhappy with since I mainly throw cranks in the 1/2 oz+ range. A cranking stick that is too soft is useless for throwing crankbaits around weeds, which is the predominant cover around here, because it doesn't have enough backbone to rip the hooks free when it hangs on weeds. I currently don't have a medium power cranking stick and there are times that I would like one for throwing light poppers and balsa crankbaits, but my MH/MF graphite cranking stick is much more versatile and will handle a wide variety of baits well. I use it for lipless cranks, topwater walkers, large poppers, jerkbaits, squarebills, and diving cranks. I currently have an 1/8 oz buzzbait tied on because the crankbait bite hasn't been good, and it will cast that little buzzer a mile.

The two I've owned that I would recommend are the Loomis 845 that I shouldn't have sold, and the Dobyns 705 graphite that I use now and and really like. These can be picked up used for about $140-150 used.

[ib_of_the_damned]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone! Let me elaborate a little bit more on what I am looking for. A MH/MF seems a little stout to me. I was thinking M/MF because I will be throwing baits in the 3/16oz-3/4oz range. Mainly shallow to medium cranks, traps, rip/jerkbaits, and the occasional Jackall Giron. I was thinking also in the range of 6'6"-7' for the length. I'm open to either a MH/MF or M/MF depending on whether or not it will satisfy the specs that I have provided. Any further advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

[endless]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone! Let me elaborate a little bit more on what I am looking for. A MH/MF seems a little stout to me. I was thinking M/MF because I will be throwing baits in the 3/16oz-3/4oz range. Mainly shallow to medium cranks, traps, rip/jerkbaits, and the occasional Jackall Giron. I was thinking also in the range of 6'6"-7' for the length. I'm open to either a MH/MF or M/MF depending on whether or not it will satisfy the specs that I have provided. Any further advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

If thinking M-MF Maybe call around and see if they have any older Crucial in and clearance priced? I bought a 7' Crucial M-MF I like for $119 a couple of months back. Maybe you can find 1 at a great price still?

[Bluebasser86]

I wouldn't want to use one rod for all of the baits you've listed. I have a different rod for cranks, one for rattlebaits, and one for ripbaits. If I had to pick one for everything it would be a 6' 6" M/M of whatever make rod you like.

[BassThumb]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone! Let me elaborate a little bit more on what I am looking for. A MH/MF seems a little stout to me. I was thinking M/MF because I will be throwing baits in the 3/16oz-3/4oz range. Mainly shallow to medium cranks, traps, rip/jerkbaits, and the occasional Jackall Giron. I was thinking also in the range of 6'6"-7' for the length. I'm open to either a MH/MF or M/MF depending on whether or not it will satisfy the specs that I have provided. Any further advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

"3/16oz-3/4oz range. Mainly shallow to medium cranks, traps, rip/jerkbaits, and the occasional Jackall Giron."

That's a pretty wide range of weights for a cranking stick. A MH power would suit your needs as an all-purpose cranking stick much better than a M power. You might be surprised how light some of the baits are that can be tossed with ease with a MH cranking stick if you loosen up your reel. The two rods I mentioned earlier feel much lighter than what you would expect from a "medium-heavy" rod. Just retrieving a 3/4 rattlebait, 5/8 oz shallow crankbait, or Jackal Giron will overpower and put a major bend in a medium power cranking stick. The baits and weights you listed sound just like what I would list, and a medium power just didn't work for me as all-purpose rod, and I went thru a few.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

One advantage of a MH power is getting fish out of cover. If you're fishing open water you can get away with a Med power but why limit yourself? Sounds like you're looking for something a little more multi purpose.

[J Francho]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone! Let me elaborate a little bit more on what I am looking for. A MH/MF seems a little stout to me. I was thinking M/MF because I will be throwing baits in the 3/16oz-3/4oz range. Mainly shallow to medium cranks, traps, rip/jerkbaits, and the occasional Jackall Giron. I was thinking also in the range of 6'6"-7' for the length. I'm open to either a MH/MF or M/MF depending on whether or not it will satisfy the specs that I have provided. Any further advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

Between the rods I have, a MH/mod will suit you better than a medium.

[piscicidal]

I agree with most of the sentiment here. It's difficult to find one rod to do all the cranking. I have two crankbaits rods...both 7'6". One MH/moderate and the other M/Moderate. If I had to choose one, I would choose the MH/Moderate. The MH can do most anything the M power rod can (some sacrifice on casting distance on small baits). The same cannot be said vise-versa.

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

I've limited myself to 3 rods for crankbaits and I've been pretty satisfied.

6'6" MH Fast Carrot Stix - Lipless and Square-Bills: I like a stiffer rod to rip lipless through the weeds and to pound the rocks with the squarebills with 17# mono.

6'9" M Parabolic Carrot Stix - Topwater and Medium Divers to 12 ft: I can throw 1/4 - 5/8oz pretty good with 10-12# flouro.

7'6" MH BPS Crankin' - Deep Divers 12-20 ft. This rod can handle 3/4 - 1oz SK and Bombers with 12# flouro.

[BassHole5]

The only reason I believe in a slower reacting rod is because when the fish sees the boat and shoots in the other direction a fast action may rip the bait out but it's because I have experimented with different actions and I know what I like so just try out different things.

PS I don't not like a "crankbait" rod (slower reacting tip) for lipless cranks bc most of the time I'm using them I'm ripping then from grass and stuff so in this situation I prefer a fast action

[ib_of_the_damned]

I understand what all of you are saying, and I really take your advice to heart. I may have figured out what I am looking for, I retract what I have stated before about throwing rip/jerkbaits, traps, and the Giron with this rod. I will use my MH/F Vendetta for the Giron and my M/F Vendetta for the traps. So with those lures out of the equation, I will be throwing lipped cranks in the 3/16-1/2oz range, mainly in the 1/4oz range. I throw a lot of shallow divers and squarebills because the lake I fish is pretty shallow. As far as a particular rod that I have been looking at, it is a 7' M/MF Abu Garcia Vengeance(New for 2012). And for reel, I was thinking of picking up a Citica. I'm on a budget and I'm pretty sure I can swing that combo. What do you guys think of the choice I made?