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Deep cranking rods??


champion198elite

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198- I was hoping others would dig into your question.. I dont claim to be the best crank bait angler... Yet I probably own a few thousand dollars in cranks. I use 7'MH TC4 Shimano Crucial Rods for all my cranks. I only change the reel for med and deep cranks. If shimano made a TC4 Rod in a 7'6" I would try it for sure... but I am sold on the TC4 technology...

For me a crank rod has to have a very soft tip to keep the fish buttoned, I also like a very slow action for the same reason, it also keeps me from setting the hook too hard or too early and getting fish hooked better.

Glass rods are awesome, but heavy... which is why I use the TC4.

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Sorry for the tardy reply Deitz....

I am far far far from a bass expert, but I dabble and have a fun time, and a bit of success here and there......

I added a Shimano Compre 7' MH Med Fast crank to my collection this year. I love it! It's a rod that can handle the deeper cranks but still work well with the lighter stuff. I use it for shallow sz 5 Shad Raps even. Great rods! Great action and soft tip as DD mentioned, and I too would like to see a 7'6" or a 7'10" version.

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I think one of the biggest reasons to have a longer rod is the ability to make a longer cast. I run a 7' Glass rod and love it. Cranking is all about covering water and the longer the cast you make, the more water you cover.

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I currently use 7' st.croix glass rods and love'em. I guess if its "not broke dont fix it" should be the way to look at this.

That is a really nice rod. It's perfect for deep cranks. It really shines for those deep "throbbing" cranks. I also use a Loomis crankbait MH 7'er for cranks, but I use the graphite composite more for when I'm cranking in weeds.

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I'm no pro fisherman, but I like to think that all my research on rods / blanks as a rod builder as useful, so take this for what it's worth (maybe not much? smile )

As mentioned above, the length of the rod is primarily for casting distance. Keep in mind that the pro's your watching on TV are fishing some southern resevoirs in summer where the fish are hanging out 20+ feet. They are trying to get maximum depth out of there deep diving baits (20+ baits like DD22's, FFShad's, etc). There also using as light a line as they can get away with. The goal being reach those spots (ledges, etc) where those fish are hanging out.

So as far as length goes, how deep are you wanting to get? Simply put, if you're not reaching that depth, you can go with lighter line, and/or a longer rod. If you can reach the depth you want with a 6'6" or 7' rod and the length of cast you can make, then I see no need in getting a longer rod myself UNLESS, you want to keep the bait down at a deeper depth for a longer period of time (longer cast).

It's also been said above about glass rods being heavy. The more parabolic (slower) action of the glass is preferred on crankbait rods by most because it allows the fish to stay hooked better. With trebles, a stiffer rod tends to rip the smaller hooks out of the mouth of the fish.

Almost every rod company out there has started making a composite rod. That is a glass / fiberglass composite. The goal being that same slow action wanted, but lighter than the glass rods.

I personally use 2 different deep crankers. A St Croix 4C70HM (HM - Heavy Moderate) and a Loomis CB847. These are both the heaviest action composite rods that these companies make. I have tried the MHM (Med Heavy Moderate) St Croix and also have a CB845 Loomis. Both of which are great rods, but not stout enough to rip the bait from the tops of the weeds when needed. I'm fishing on top or around weed clumps when I'm throwing a deep crank, so I need that extra backbone for the ripping.

Hope this helps.

Fluker

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Hiya -

I am one of the ones that uses a long rod for deep cranks. My big cranking rod (for stuff like DT-16s, DD22s and Poes 400s) is 7'11". It's a moderate action, heavy power, with a very soft tip and a lot of power in the butt. Part of the reason for the length is casting distance, as several have mentioned. But it also has a lot to do with fighting fish I think. The soft tip helps keep you from losing as many fish on cranks, which have such small hooks a lot of the time. Longer, softer rods are just a lot more forgiving fighting fish.

One cranking rod that's fairly new but well worth looking at is the composite rod from Fenwick. It's kind of a neat deal - it has a glass core and tip section, but the lower half of the blank is wrapped in graphite to give it a lot more backbone and speed in the lower end of the load range. Thorne Bros made muskie rods like this 20 years ago, and they were pretty effective.

Oh - you asked about line. I generally use 12# Triple Fish Fluoro, but about this time of year I will start to use braid on occasion, just to help rip through the deep coontail. Glass rods are definitely a plus with braid.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

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RK mentioned something that I did leave out. He is absolutely 100% correct in that a longer rod helps with fighting the fish. I use this same mentality with my drop shot rod which is 7'11" and a ML action. Allows more "give" in the rod to help fight fish on 7LB test.

I'll also add (like RK) that I have started using 10# fluro on my cranking rods this year vs. 10 lb mono. Actually I think it might have been discussion with RK on here that made me change. I didn't buy in to it at first, but the fact that the line sinks, and give better feel made me make the change and try it. So far I'm happy. Not that I can get away with 10LB (so far) because usually the only thing I'm getting hung up in is grass, so I can get it out with our breaking. The slower action rod helps me play bigger fish on the light line withour breaking.

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Quote:
I'll also add (like RK) that I have started using 10# fluro on my cranking rods this year vs. 10 lb mono.

RK mentioned the Triple Fish Fluoro......I just picked up a couple 200yd spools of 10# TF fluoro for $8 each at GM. I can afford to experiment a bit at that price!

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I just have to chime in.

I use a 5' H musky rod, 14lb fireline and a Spoonplug. I let the line out once and I can cover hundreds of yards by just putting the motor in gear. AS for the fish pulling the hook loose, I don't know what you guys are talking about. SET YOUR DRAG!!! I hear this and read about it all the time but I never see it happen. If the fish is just barely hook it may come loose. I too sometimes use a solid glass rod 5' long. I also like a 10' steelhead rod but that is so I can throw small stuff. It has not one thing to do with a fish throwing the hook.

You guys should call this Bass tournament form, not just "Bass".

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Muddog- I hope you really dont feel that way.. We try not to be the "tournament" forum. We can however learn quite a bit from tournament anglers. OR at least thats my opinion.

Truth is, you can fish with whatever makes you happy. I have said many times in these forums.. What works for me, may or may not work for you.. If a 5' heavy muskie rod works great for you, then so be it. I will not try to talk you out of it.

again, I'm really sorry if you feel this has become a "tournament forum", that is not its intent! But it is the tournament anglers who are on the water the most or so it seems and have a chance to try different things to see what at least works best for them... And we have RK, whome I dont think fishes many tournaments at all, but still has a WEALTH of knowledge.

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Well put Dietz. Of all the forums on this site, I've gained more helpfull hints and recommendations that have paid off on the water (in terms of success) than all others combined. Thanks to you Dietz and others like RK for all the great info and keep it comming!!

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Quote:
But it is the tournament anglers who are on the water the most or so it seems

That depends on what lake your on.

Just look at this form and is how many thing in it don't conform to tournament rules. Or try to sell you a brand of fishing equipment. It is like one big advertisement. I'm not kidding!

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Muddog, I believe Deitz was being "in general" with that comment. Sure a non tourney guy living on or near a lake might get out on that lake more than a tourney guy, but "in general", the tourney guys are spending more time on the water in a given year.

So are you sponsored by Berkley? You mentioned you use Fireline in your post, so just wondering. My point being that even though brand names are used by many folks, it doesn't mean we're trying to sell that product over another. Sure there might be guys with sponsors here (I know there are), but I'll bet none of them are gettign paid massive royalties. They do it at that level because they LIKE the product and BELIEVE in it. Since that is the case, they'd probably mention that brand whether they where sponsored by that company or not.

I'd LOVE to have St Croix and Loomis sending me free stuff all the time. Shikari was my favorite blank to build on before they got bought out. I like my Shimano and Pflueger reels. I don't have any Abu Revo's, but I've used them and would recommend them to anyone. Sheesh, I'm all over the board. I don't buy any of it because someone said that x Brand is the best. I have no reason to sell one brand over the, but I will state exactly what I use, brand and all, to help out anyone looking for an opinion.

Ok, not gonna take this post off topic any further.

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Thanks for the kind words zep and BPA..

Muddog- I guess I dont see it that way, but I also can admit(as a tournament angler) that I may have my eyes closed to it, I dont do it with intention. However, like Fluker points out, you might be viewing some non-commercial posts as commercial. Just because someone mentions a product, doesnt mean that their intent was to make it commercial. I do have sponsors, but I only choose ones that I 100% believe in. If someone asks about a product I know about and help represent, I will tell them about it.

I'm sure seeing that you brought this up that this bothers you, I'm sorry, as I am probably the largest offender. I hope you accept my apology.

As for the sponsor link at the bottom of each of our prostaffs... those are FishingMinnesota sponsors, not our own. This web page eats up a TON of bandwith and costs a TON to run each month. Without them, there would be no FM.

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Hey Muddog -

A couple thoughts...

- Very cool on the spoonplugging. You may be tied into them already, but there's still a very diehard community of spoonpluggers out there. It does work to this day. I bet I still have a box of them somewhere, and I've caught everything from walleyes to lakers on them. For the rest of you, if you've never read Buck Perry's "Spoonplugging: Your Guide to Lunker Catches" you should. It was revolutionary in its time, and the basics in there are the bedrock of modern day structure fishing. (Then read Bill Binkleman's "Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers." Finesse fishing before it was cool...). I know one rather famous muskie angler who caught his first 100 muskies on Spoonplugs...

- I'm not a tournament angler, so I do agree with you on the point about bass info being tournament-centric.

But, I think though that you're selling the scope of it short. You point it out in terms of this forum. I think it's an industry-wide problem. A lot of effective ways to catch bass are considered verboten by many anglers because they aren't allowed in tournaments. Trolling is a great example. It isn't allowed in tournaments so most bass anglers never even consider it. But, in some smallmouth tournaments where trolling is allowed, guys have CRUSHED them trolling. Personally I troll (or "stroll") jerkbaits and jigworms for smallies a lot at certain times of year. Been known to troll a Carolina Rig for largemouths too. Not allowed in tournaments, but so what? I ain't fishin' one...and the idea is to catch fish. If trolling's the best way to do that...

Same with equipment. Muskie guys like me use 8 to 9 foot rods all the time these days. Why do you never see 8-1/2 foot bass rods unless someone has one custom made or converts a steelhead rod? Because they are not allowed in tournaments... Why? Because back when Dee Thomas invented flipping (he called it doodlin') on the CA Delta, he was so dominant with his 12 to 15 foot rods his competitors complained to Ray Scott that it was an 'unfair advantage.' (I still am not sure how him being innovative and catching the most fish was unfair...but whatever.) So Thomas and Ray Scott negotiated a new rule limiting rods to 8 feet. And here we are, talking about 7'11" rods rather than 8 foot rods.

Live bait? Good Lord. I tell people I use live bait for bass, and you'd think I was talking about human sacrifices in my back yard or something. I've had guys tell me it's 'unsportsmanlike.' Please... Gill nets - that's unsportsmanlike. I use artificials 98% of the time. But a tough bite is a tough bite, and when the options are catching smallies on live bait or going home and mowing the lawn... Pass the leeches, please. (And if you've never dropped a fathead on a split shot rig down a weedline after a cold front, you don't know how many largemouths you can catch when even finesse plastics are bombing...)

- Mentioning products. I do it all the time. Some of the companies I mention are companies I work with. Some aren't. Most aren't in fact. I talk about what I use, whether or not I'm on their pro staff. I suppose this can come off as commercial, but to me it's also part of just talking fishing. Talking gear is part of the fun, and all of us are looking for a better mousetrap. Take the product info with a grain of salt I suppose, but there's still a lot of good info passed on in conversations about gear all the same.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

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Holy Cow...RK uses live bait. shocked

Just kidding man. There is a ton of useful info in that post as always from one of the historians. I never knew that Dee Thomas was using 12-15 foot rods for flippin and they made an 8' rule. And Rob is right about leeches and smallies, there isn't one I have ever seen that would pass on a leech.

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As you said about the 12-15' rod goes for trolling. If it could be done in tournaments every one would be doing it. I don't think that would have been good for the Ranger Boat Co.

How can a person with over 7000 posts want advice on spinning reels? Talk about using live bait.

Quote:
read Buck Perry's "Spoonplugging: Your Guide to Lunker Catches"

The daddy of structure fishing.

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Just saw this thread for the first time, and I am probably dregging up something that is better laid to rest, but I had to chime in.

Muddog, you can fish however you see fit. If the question had been "What is the best set up for spoonplugging?", then I bet you would have weighed in on that, and you would have not only been right to, but it would have been very generous of you to do so.

For me, that is why I offer my opinion or advice. I think it's pretty clear that I'm a tournament angler and that I'm sponsored. It's also true that I've recommended my sponsor's products at times when people have asked for advice. I am not the type of angler who signs up with anyone who is willing to give me a product or discount. I carefully consider and choose my sponsors based on my experience with their products. That is why I tend to recommend them.

I think it's great that there are so many tournmanet guys on here who are willing t share info and give advice. You'd be hard pressed to find many guys willing to do that at an actual tournament, and I think the fact that not only are people willing to help where they can, but look to do so says a lot about the type of people who post on this forum.

Hopefully people have found the advice that I have offered, as well as all the others who have offered more and better advice than myself, useful. My only hope is that someday when nothing is working someone says "I should try that thing MNBassGuy recommended" and it works! I don't care if they are wearing a shirt printed by OverTime Ink, using a Setyr Rod with a Quantum reel, while getting a refinance at Envision lending, and their car fixed at Abra Auto Body or not! wink

Cheers mate, and good luck with the spoon plugging, I have to try that someday!

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