Looking for a good 7'0" medium moderate cranking rod priced between $150 to $250. I don't crank a lot but I would probably do more if I could find a comfortable CB rod.
Thanks!
Looking for a good 7'0" medium moderate cranking rod priced between $150 to $250. I don't crank a lot but I would probably do more if I could find a comfortable CB rod.
Thanks!
Do you have a preference between glass, composite, graphite? Moderate can mean a lot of things, as I'm sure you know, but especially between different construction materials.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
I was just looking on Sportsman's Warehouse and saw some Dobyns Fury rods that should do the job. That wasn't what I was looking for, but they were $120. I may end up with a 2nd Denali Attax 7'MH to use for swim jigs. I use the one I already have for shakyheads, but I think it'd work fine for swim jigs. I'm pretty sure that Denali makes a 7' M in the Attax line now, plus their other lines. Not bad rods at all. If you look on their website, it says what lure type a rod is intended for, but TW doesn't do that.
Like DrewFlu says, I don't like a glass rod...I have one, a St. Croix. Really numb! I also have a Denali J2 7'M crankbait rod that I use & love for spinnerbaits. I can feel that "electric shock" sensation when I get a bite, just like a worm bite. Not with the glass St. Croix rod. I want to feel that...I guess I'm just a sensitive kinda guy.
Last edited by Walkabout7781; 08-02-2021 at 04:06 PM.
Don't bother me, I'm screwing for virginity.
I killed a 12-pack just to watch it die.
I know everyone posting here hates BPS and loves $200 rods, but I'd get a BPS Crankin' Stick.
I have a boat load of them and they are fine rods, especially at $80. I throw cranks, chatter baits, buzz baits, swim jigs and spinner baits on them. If I could get a real short one (6'0), I'd throw top waters on them also. An excellent all round pull bait rod.
If you are going to crank a lot, and make it your main pattern, you can always spend more money later.
BPS Cranking Sticks are good for a fair price as are St. Croix Premier Crankbait Rods (if you can find them). Higher end, the St. Croix glass crankbait rods (Legend, I believe) are very nice.
Basscat Eyra
Mercury 250 ProXS
Composite or graphite is what I'm looking for.
Thanks!
Alx Hustler- The more I use this rod the more it really amazes me
Loads up on the cast and it just keeps fished pinned
2 models from Irod
Stone cold squarebill rod if you like a shorter cranking rod
6’9” great tip and light 149.99
Gabes rip rap special 7ft great rod for smaller and medium cranks
Have caught a ton of dt-4 and dt-6 fish on this rod also 149.99
Im sure there are many other options out there but these work for me
Good luck in your search
If you can find one, the old St Croix Pro Glass 7'-0' Medium is an amazing crank bait rod. I've used several other cranking rods that buddies have as well as a couple others I have had and none even come close. Most of the other glass or composite crank rods I have tried tend to feel really muddy, the old Pro Glass transmits everything almost like a higher end graphite rod, but has the parabolic bend needed for running cranks. I actually rebuilt mine last year with Fuji micro guides and it came to life even more than with the original guides. I should mention I run 20 or 30 lb braid for all of my cranking setups so line transmission doesn't factor as it is the same across the board.
Some of the others I have tried, Dobyns Champ XP CB Glass, Abu Veritas Glass, Shimano Crucial Composite, G Loomis E6X, and 3 or 4 customs. The only thing on the market that I have found that comes close in feel off the rack (haven't actually casted this one) is the St Croix Legend Glass Crankbait rods, the 7'-2" medium is closest I could find, but at 259 it ain't cheap entry.
Love my st croix avid(not X). Crank bait rod is one that I feel doesn’t need to be high dollar or real sensitive. Also use a dc764rm
2011 Ranger z521/2023 250ProXS
Falcon Bucoo Trapcaster is a pretty good one.
Phenix X10 would be my pick for a medium powered stick. It handles small cranks up to around a Wiggle Wart or DT-10 well. If you're going to be fishing around a lot of grass, other heavy cover, and/or don't routinely throw baits smaller than say a 1.5 squarebill, you could opt for an X11. Either way, these are right in the middle of your budget, and simply awesome composite sticks--crazy lightweight, perfect tip for casting, great action for working a bait and keeping fish buttoned, and really sensitive.
Note that the factory-provided ratings for Phenix rods in general are...optimistic? They'll generally fish a full power lighter than rated based on how most companies give power ratings, and the X series composites are no exception.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Same rod I use. I prefer the Avid with full cork (not the X). The Medium is great for shallow runners, and perfect for squarebill. Super sensitive.Originally Posted by 1BADAIR
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
+1 on the Avid...couldn't be happier
2012 Stratos 189 VLO/150 Mercury Pro XS/MinnKota Terrova
You may have to go used, however the GLoomis CBR 845 is a gem...the 843, is more akin to a ML power IMO.
DrewFlu33 you were spot on! I just fished with my new Phenix 10 this morning and it is exactly what I was looking for. I really hate to be ignorant but can you explain again the difference between the 10 and 11?
dragon1 I actually do have a G Loomis CBR 845 that I used for larger crankbaits. Love it!
Thanks to all that responded to my original post!
Awesome! Glad you like it!
The X11 is just a heavier powered rod, think of it as a traditional MH, maybe MH+ power. Going through the X series: The X9 is the lightest, think ML; the X10 and X12 are the next step up in power with the only difference between the two being the length at 7'0" and 7'6" respectively; the X11, X13, and X14 are the next step up in power coming in at 7'0", 7'6", and 7'11" respectively. They actually make an X15 and X16 as well that are yet another step up in power, but they're marketed as swimbait rods and come in at 8'0" and 8'6" respectively.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing Drew - I have thought about having a custom built with the X10 or X11 blank to replace my Shikari SHX PP 703.5 popping blank/custom George Roth rod that I sold years ago...hmmmm.
They're pretty incredible sticks. The light weight and sensitivity combined with the action they're able to get out of a glass/graphite composite is a little hard for me to wrap my mind around, but they've done it nonetheless. Other companies (Powell, for example) have matched them in terms of weight and sensitivity in their composite rods, but their actions tend a little too fast in doing so in my opinion (though this makes Powell composite rods absolutely perfect for single hook moving baits, I think). Other companies get the action right (Rod Geeks/St. Croix, for example), but they end up heavy and/or numb feeling (Rod Geeks/St. Croix lands in the heavier category there). What's maybe even more impressive is just how long that X series has been around. It clearly still holds up!
The only downfalls I've personally found there are the ratings being inaccurate, and the little bit of gap I feel they've left between the X10/X12 and the X11/X13/X14. The former is pretty easy to get around by just adjusting expectations like we do for most Phenix rods, but the latter isn't quite as easy. It's more noticeable in the gap between the 7 footers, X10 and X11, and I think shows itself in applications like fishing heavy cover with a 1.5 squarebill where you'd probably like something with a touch less power than the X11 for an ideal amount of casting control, while the X10 doesn't quite have the ass to it most would like for fishing heavy cover. Even then, I'm really splitting hairs. I've been able to get around it by loosening up the brakes on my reel when throwing lighter baits and just using the heavier powered version of the rod in those instances. To illustrate how much that's probably splitting hairs, I've actually thrown little flatside balsas on the X13 (equivalent in power to the X11) when my X10 was predisposed with other patterns they were on, and though that wasn't really very easy, in comparison it's really easy to cast a 1.5 squarebill on it. I'm also probably more sensitive to the cover thing than most because where I fish that often means grass where you need a lot of power to get the bait through.
My X10 gets a TON of work in lighter cover shallower cranking as well as in jerkbaiting and topwater stuff.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
I'm sure George has found a replacement for the SHX's...I've been using the Thrashers a lot for that application, the BSC803 and 804 essentially are a popping blank. Give him a call, he's still building.
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