Crank Bait rod

[Gardiner14]

I have been looking at quite a few crank bait rods and all seem different. I always thought with a cranking rod you wanted a very slow action to not pull the bait but let the bait work but i have seen a couple crank rods that have fast and x-fast action. What do some of you use or reccomend, faster action or slower.

I was looking at the Quantum Kevin VanDam Signature Series Crankbait Rods, does any one have any experience with this rod?

[Deitz Dittrich]

This is going to depend a lot on the cover you are fishing.. Open water I prefer as slow an action I can get.. if throwing weed edges, then you need the faster action to clear the lure when(not if) you get hung up.. I have about 6 cranking rods.. 2 are week cranking rods.. 4 are open water..

[KickNBass]

I agree with Dietz here. The proto-typical crankbait rod that the pros use, have that slow action that you seem to be looking for but so many lakes in MN are weedy where I prefer a stiffer rod to clean the weeds off. I use the St. Croix Tournament Magnum Cranker for that. Thinking about adding that KVD rod or the Mojo Big Crankster for the cleaner spots I fish.

[RK]

Hiya -

I'm kind of a weirdo when it comes to cranking rods I think, so keep that in mind as you read this but...

I'm really coming back to glass again for a lot of my cranking, even for cranking around weeds. I can get away with a more powerful rod with glass I think, because the material is so much more forgiving, and you can't beat glass for keeping fish hooked. Some of the glass rods available now are very responsive - close to graphite - while still retaining some of the glass properties like measured give and slightly slower recovery speed. So you can have a faster action blank for fishing through weeds and still have the forgiveness of glass. I think the KVD composite blanks might be the best of both worlds, although I haven't fished one personally.

I think the line choice has a lot to do with it too - sometimes as much as rod material or speed frankly. Low stretch copoly vs. mono might make the whole package behave completely differently, for example - to say nothing of mono or copoly vs. braid.

The only cranking rod I have personally that's on the faster side is a 6'9" rod I use for shallow diving cranks around docks, etc. Other than that, the rods I use for cranking are a mod-fast med-heavy glass rod, and a med power graphite rod with a very parabolic action.

[delmuts]

I agree with RK in that the type of line you use makes a big difference. My feelings are that you first have to think about where/how you will be fishing; what properties do you want in your line and how you will be using it. Then start looking at rods. I was/am looking for a rod that would be used for more open water, and deep cranks. I don't do a lot of cranking,(working at doing more) but wanted more of a softer/forgiving rod since i use braid. Looked at a 7' MHVY crankin stick( i have an older 6' 6" M that has stood up well for me), but the reviews lately are not so good for them. Being cheap i bought a 7' MHVY ugly stick to play with. I have a 7'M graphite that i use for shallow,around weeds, or when fishing cranks around rocks and wing dams. Plan to try flouro one one set up this year too. Lots of options!

[mww24]

I have a few St croix premier glass crankbait rods. I love them and the price is fair.I'm looking to get that new mojo glass big crankster before the season starts to help throw the deep divers.

[prov1900]

I was looking at the Quantum Kevin VanDam Signature Series Crankbait Rods, does any one have any experience with this rod?

Yeah, I do, after watching the Classic coverage this last weekend (over and over on DVR)..., I want one too!! Ugly rod, but it must be a good one

[Gardiner14]

Ya, its deffintaly not the best looking rod and it seems all of quantum's rods are kinds ugly. Thats what got me looking at that rod too, the Classic on ESPN. Every time i watch it i always see something i have to have or buy.

[RK]

Function over form...

I know a couple guys that love their Quantum cranking rods. I started using a Powell glass rod at the tail end of the season last year and love it, but the glass/graphite composite intrigues me, especially for rattle baits where you're snapping them through the weeds. Price point is about the same.

Quantum is really kind of coming back from the dead with their rods. The Tour Editions are pretty nice for the money, and the Smoke series seems solid too. I had a 7' Quantum Tour spinnerbait rod years ago that I freaking loved, but a shattered it (I think I just wore it out). Might have to give them another look...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[bemidjibasser]

The "green" Team Daiwa S series crankin' rods were a composite blank as well. I have a 6'6" one that I rebuilt spiraling the guides and still use it to throw traps on. I wish it was a bout a foot longer though... Maybe I will have to rebuild it again and add an extension to it... Great, just talked myself into another rod building project...

[hydrashack]

I have a 7-4 MH and a 7 MH KVD Tour Cranking rods. They are really nice for the price compared to others. You can cast them a country mile. They are light compared to some of the old glass rods. I also have a few Falcon Cara parabolic rods that are nice and light, but for deep crankin those KVD Rods are the ticket.

[Wayne Ek]

RK, if you go to one of the sites like C-list and look for Quantum Tour rods, then look for the older version which is 10 years old and has a brown colored blank. Was one of the first editions designed for braided lines. Look for the Tour Edition braid rod... it will have all dark colored guides with the exception of the tip, which is gold. That will replace the shattered on. Sounds like a lot of searching but they are out there. Ok, back to the original topic.

[slipperybob]

Any rod is a crank bait rod to me, even that Ugly Stick. LOL's. I do like how the softer crankbait rods are able to get more casting distance for me.