Crankbait Rod to pair with a Citica

[Juan Grande]

I just bought a new Citica and I'm looking to buy a crankbait rod to put it on. I want to spend around $100 for the rod and I'm just looking for suggestions. Should I go with a fiberglass rod? What should I look for in terms of action and tip? I will use the rod for crankbait fishing only.

Once I pick the rod out, what line should I spool on the reel? I was thinking trying 12-14 lb floro.

Last year I threw a lot of cranks on a 7' heavy action rod with braid. It's more of a slop/jig rod and I lost a lot of fish, probably because I was ripping the lure out of their mouth when I set the hook.

Thanks in advance...

[Cecil]

They are about $200 (around $150 at sport show) but the Shimano Cumara reaction rods are great crankin rods. They come in many different lengths and powers...

[Craigums]

Look into the Shimano Compre TC4- Id go with Medium power, Moderate fast action. Length is personal preferance but I like a 7 footer. It retails for under $100 and you can find them on sale for $80. You will not regret the decision and you will save lots of $$$ a more expensive rod

[Juan Grande]

Yeah, I like the lifetime guarantee of the Shimano so maybe I'll have to go that route. Thanks guys.

Do most people agree with Craigums that medium action is the way to go?

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I personally like a stiffer rod for cranking and run a graphite 7' Heavy with a Moderate action for deep cranks and probably will pick up a MH moderate for small baits. I HATE when Im cranking a weedline, feel my lure hit a weed, pause, rip, and the weeds dont come off. Wasted cast.

I use 10 lb fluoro for my line and dont have any problems loosing fish on this setup.

Its tough cause you cant really test rods but ask yourself what weight/type of lures you're going to throw most with it. If your asking about deep divers Id recommend at least a MH power.

[Superduty]

I would go with at least 7 feet and a MH moderate action. Every brand of rod is a little different, but most medium moderate rods are to light for my liking when throwing the big deep divers. If you go with shimano, a lot of the glass rods use the same blank. The more expensive ones use lighter components than the less expensive models. Glass rods are just plain heavy compared to todays spendy graphite rods. I think Shimano, Quantum, and even Basspro make some good inexpensive crankbait rods. One of my all time favorite crankbait rods was an old IM6 graphite rod. I had it for years and over time and countless casts/fish catches it "loosened" up and felt more like a glass rod than a graphite rod. Glass is different. You may or may not like it. I personally think the average fisherman will be better off with a low grade graphite or graphit/glass composite. You will feel more bites with graphite but lose some fish. Most guys will feel less bites with glass but land most of them.

[Gekhang]

i like mine med. with moderate action. i got a mojo bass cranking rod if you're interested!

[mww24]

st croix premier crankbait rods are awesome for around 100. they have a few different lengths and actions depending on what your throwing.

[jac714]

I have a St Croix Mojo Bass graphite crankbait rods and really like it, it is a MH Mod action rod adn I seem to lose fewer fish on the hook set. I use braid (832) and with a fast action rod i was ripping the bait out of the fishes mouth.

[apegs]

Last year I bought a shimano cumara rod 7 ft medium with medium fast action. Might be more than your looking to spend but I absolutely love the rod. It will be a rod iown for the restof my life and I feel I will never need to upgrade. Also if you look around you can get deals like at the sports show.

[lookincalifornia]

for under $100, i like to recomend the BPS rods. the crankin' sticks are a nice rod. some guys like to hate on the big box store merch, but it makes for a nice intro to technique specific gear. don't get me wrong, i'd rather have a stable of powells but as my numbers didn't come in last night, BPS it will have to be.

7 med for your 1/4 oz baits(shallow cranks, jurkbaits, even poppers will work well with this rod) for these shallow water baits, i like 10-14 pound mono.

if you are thowing deep cranks 1/2-3/4 oz. baits, i would go up to a 7'6" med heavy. flouro will get you running deeper and give you better feel for bottom bouncing.

[Larson15]

Check out the new Shimano Sellus rods if you want to spend uner 100. They are all technique specific and are offering a crankbait rod thats pretty nice. They retail for 60 bucks. If you want to spend a little more check out the compre like others have stated.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Shimano Compre TC4 cranking rod.. if throwing larger cranks get the 7' MH, if throwing smaller ones, go with the M.

[Juan Grande]

Thanks for all the info guys. I don't usually throw much more than DT10s and I throw a lot of stuff in the 2-6 foot depth range. Probably a 7' medium action rod then?

[Craigums]

For sure hands down go with what deitz and I recommended. I've got the Medium/Mod. Fast Compre TC4 and I throw everything up to DT10's on that thing. If your going DT16's and 20's then you'd probably want to step up to the MH

[cjac]

Good timing....I just took a new Powell Diesel glass crankbait rod out of the shipping tube. Nice rod for sure, 7' mod fast, and rated at a MH, which in Powell terms equates to about a 1/2 power less IMO, so right in between that need for a Med or a MH. Very light rod and it has a good feel in hand.

For $70, I really don't think you can go wrong. TW is the place you can find them at.....

[RumRiverRat]

I gave you my two cents on Saturday.

All I can say is once you go glass you never go back.

I do love my Crucial TC4 though.

I have a Mojo Big Crankster, love this rod for deep cranks. You can fling a 6XD or a DT16 a mile with it. Throwing deep cranks for hours is effortless and not at all tiring with the long rod and moderate action.

I will be buying another crankbait rod this spring, probably a MH Crucial.

[mww24]

I bought the glass mojo rod last year. absolutley hated it. It did cast DT's real far but it just felt so mushy in my hands. I sold and am looking for a composite. Just a different opinion from rumriverrat's to show that what one person loves another may not.

[bASS_BLASTER]

I went opposite and had thorne bros custom me a 7'2" spinning out of a loomis blank, matched with a 2500 spinning reel.