I am a plastics and jig fisherman. I have started really learning and enjoying crank bait fishing lately, I realized that the majority of the 40+ rods I have built in the past have a fast action or extra fast action and are graphite and geared for plastics and jigs.
What I would like is some suggestions on specific blanks with a more moderate action for crank baits? From the small crank baits to the larger one. Any suggestions?
Well again i would recommend a NFC blank, their Delta Hybrid Zentron CB705 its a composite its a medium heavy moderate action, these are made for the exact application your looking for and with the great sale they are running on them now they can not be beat. i have built several they are a great blank for this application
There are many many options. The new NFC All Purpose Fast Glass Freshwater Rod feels good but I haven't fished a build yet. The Rainshadow Judge series is a graphite/glass blend is another one of my favorite crankbait rods. The Rodgeek s-glass is a good full glass blank also.
For the money the Delta Hybrid Zentrons are tough to beat. I've built both the 705 and 706, 705 is one of my CB and topwater rods and the 706 I use for bigger cranks, chatterbaits, little bullshads and sometimes a swim jig.
Another really good option for CBs is a 3 or 4 power popping blank since they have a more moderate action. The Libertys are nice from GetBit for like $40-$50
Rainshadow Judge. Graphite in the butt and glass in the tip. It's a nice blank.
The NFC blanks mentioned are built on a much higher quality glass, than the Rainshadows. I haven't tried all of the All Purpose Fast Glass blanks, but the one I did use was stiffer and more powerful than I anticipated, much more like a saltwater style rating than a freshwater rating. Still it is a dandy blank/rod.
I will 2 nd on the Rain shadow Judge. I have built two rods with this blank and both customers were very happy
Could look into the hook and hackle company. Got some nice blanks plus some great sales.
I ordered a couple of the Delta/Zentron hybrids to try from the last sale. I almost threw a couple of the fast glass blanks on the order to try also but haven’t heard much about them yet so skipped it. It will take me forever
to build the blanks I already have.
Keeping it simple, the fast glass blanks are a high modulus S glass that instead of being a woven material, it is layed out linearly down the blank like carbon blanks. Calling it S glass doesn't describe the material any better than carbon discribes what other blanks are made of. Linear fibers are the fibers that resist bending and makes your rod light and powerful. Anything put at any other angle no matter the material is to give hoop stregth to keep the rod from ovalizing and failing under load, the downside is that it's modulus is dramatically reduced by placing it at an angle, the steeper the angle the more modulus drop. So the scrimless designs that have come out lately decrease weight, dramatically increase stiffness to power ratios to the point where the new Fast Glass rods remind you much more of a standard 33 mil modulus rod than the glass rods of old, no matter the previous material you used before.
There is a video NFC did many years ago when they first came out with the Delta, can't remember the length, 7 ft, or better, the blank weighed one oz. and they pick up an 8 lb gallon jug of water with it, with some blank to spare, later they have one where they damn near tie a Edge Delta kokanee rod in a knot, well past 180 degrees.
....what he said. I know mine is amazedly light and sensitive- I throw traps and chatterbaits with mineOriginally Posted by Spoonplugger1
Lamiglas offers the XL844H ... might want to look at it as well.
I settled on trying two of the CB705 for $50.00 each and free shipping. It will be an interesting build and hopefully a good couple of crankbait rods. I really appreciate all the suggestions. I found it interesting that no one mentioned the St. Croix glass blanks.
Third post ... they mentioned Rod Geeks.
You are correct. I over looked it,
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