RODS
by Chuck Bailey
A golfer would not use a putter to drive a ball down the fairway, nor use a driver to putt with. While a variety of clubs are utilized, each has a specific application in mind. Likewise, fishing rods are designed for specific tasks – and no one rod with work efficiently in all situations. However, choosing the right rod from the endless variety of offerings can be overwhelming for the beginner angler. But not if one learns something about the specific requirements of ‘cranking’.
Crankbaits are generally fished differently than soft plastics; 1) cranks are fished faster, 2) they are usually heavier, 3) they are cast and retrieved more often during a certain time period, and 4) the crank displaces more water during the retrieve (and therefore, over a long day of whipping up the water, the water resistance of cranks can be harder on the shoulders, arms, hands, and back.) Choosing the right rod is essential if crankbait fishing is to be successful as well as comfortable.
Two important characteristics should be taken into consideration when choosing a crank bait rod:
1) The size, weight, and depth of the crankbait being thrown,
2) The type of structure or cover being fished.
The wrong crank on the wrong rod, thrown in the wrong place will not provide a positive nor successful experience on the water. A larger and heavy deep-diving crankbait should not be thrown on a light action, short, whippy rod or you’ll end up with a treble hook in your shoulder or head. And throwing a lighter, 1 inch, balsa minnow bait on a stiff rod will not allow you to get enough “load” built up in the cast to reach a target at even a moderate distance – and this can be frustrating!
Certain presentations require specific rods, especially in terms of length. If you are fishing docks or shoreline structure, stumps, etc.., you will not get the casting accuracy you need with a 7 foot long handled rod – there’s no room to maneuver it like you would a shorter 5 ½ foot pistol grip. But in open water that same shorter rod will leave you worn out, and always falling short of the distance you need to cover a large flat or reach the depth a deep diver is designed for. Let’s break these considerations down in more detail.
CASTING RODS VERSES SPINNING RODS
Less experienced fisherman often assume that “beginners” use spinning rods and “pros” use casting rods. This assumption is based on the fact that baitcasting undoubtedly requires more skill, (due to the design of casting reels whose spools may continue to spin long after the lure has landed – causing the dreaded “bird’s nest” or “professional override”). Learning to thumb the spool or adjust the magnetic tension brakes takes practice and experience. Parents tend to start their kids off with spinning reels because it is easier to learn. Why? Because the line is peeled or pulled off by the weight and forward movement of lure alone, and when it stops, so does the line stop from coming off. Less stress and tangles.
But caution: this tendency to relate rod choice with the “skill level” of the angler has been outdated by advances in reel technology and the tendency of successful western anglers, (creators of finesse fishing), to put spinning reels back into the hands of professionals. It’s true; most professionals, (especially bass anglers), use and prefer casting rods - probably because it was what they were brought up using. But no one has to apologize any longer for utilizing spinning gear in today’s modern angling culture.
Many pros feel they have more accuracy and distance control with baitcasting setups because their thumb is utilized as a brake – enhancing pin-point placement around structure. But in open water, where casting accuracy is not as important as distance, the spinning rod works efficiently - and even excels in windy conditions . (Throwing into the wind is a primary cause of bird nests with casting setups. Why? Because the lure slows up quickly because of wind resistance, but the line spool does not – hence the line frustratingly accumulates loosely around the spool).
Technological improvements are slowly reducing the advantages of one over the other. Baitcasting reels are developing ways to reduce override – decreasing the difficulty beginners have in casting them. For a long time, the pros preferred the lower gear ratios of bait casting reels that allowed them to winch large fish out of heavy cover. But spinning gear is now available with a variety of gear ratios and is catching up in terms of the “muscling” capabilities that are necessary to convince trophy fish to come to the boat.
Besides, we’re not flipping jigs into the heaviest brush piles, we’re casting crankbaits outside and around cover, pad fields, stumps, and out on flats – low gear ratios aren’t as necessary or even preferred in some instances – especially when speed reeling! And try casting light balsa baits into the wind and see if spinning doesn’t have an advantage when fishing in blustery weather. Today’s savvy pros carry both kinds of rods in their arsenals because of changing conditions. Both baitcasting and spinning rods are legitimate tools for throwing crankbaits.
Baitcasting and spinning rods enthusiasts will not suffer because of their choice; after all, manufactures will use the same graphite or fiberglass blanks in both versions. If you are on a tight budget and can’t afford but one rod, there is only one way to determine which is best for you – borrow your fishing buddy’s rods and try both styles on for size. Both will catch fish, but one will feel more comfortable and give you more confidence.
ROD LENGTH - CASTING DISTANCE/DEPTH/ACCURACY:
The average freshwater crankbait rod is 6 ½ to 7 feet long. But in some situations shorter and longer lengths can be utilized to give an angler an edge. If an angler is throwing in open water, (such as large gravel or mud flats, or ever huge submerged weed beds), a long rod will provide a longer cast. Longer casts keep the lure in the water longer, covers more territory, and provides a deep-diving crankbait the time it needs to reach and maintain its maximum depth.
Short casts in open water mean 1) the deep diver will not reach its maximum running depth in the shorter retrieval distance, or 2) the crank reaches its maximum depth but immediately has to start rising again as it is arriving back at the boat, (reducing the amount of time spent in it’s maximum depth zone). Longer casts fish a depth zone longer, and therefore more thoroughly. Some anglers use a 7, 7 ½ , or even 8 foot rod for open water fishing.
On the other hand, if fishing accuracy is important, (such as fishing log piles, stump fields, or between flooded timber, under docks, etc..), then a long rod will simply frustrate your efforts. If an angler wants to accurately drop a crankbait in a small hole in the lily pads, the short rods are preferred. Many times when the goal is to land the crank under the branches of an overhanging tree, or under a covered boat dock - there simply isn’t room for a long rod to provide the underhanded toss or flip required. Pin-point accuracy in a small area is an advantage that shorter rods of 5, 5 ½, or 6 foot rods have over their taller relatives.
As we’ll discuss in a moment, it is important to have plenty of “give” in a crankbait rod to as to prevent tiny trebles from pulling out. A long rod allows for “more give” when a strong fish takes a sudden run toward the bottom – enhancing the angler’s chances of landing it. A longer rod also gives the angler more control over the path of the returning crankbait – making it easier to get around stumps, dock pilings, etc. Longer rods also give the angler more leverage to pull a fish away from cover or structure.
If you can’t afford a huge collection of rods, (and most beginning anglers can’t), pick a 6 ½ to 7 foot rod – basing the final choice on whether you will primarily be fishing open water and seeking distance and depth, (7 foot rod), or short casting at objects – desiring accuracy over distance, (6 1/2 foot rod). This compromise will provide you with a good balanced foundation for slinging a variety of cranks.
Generally, the handles on the longer rods will be designed for two handed slinging, whereas, shorter rods will be designed with shorter handles so as to allow more wrist action with just one arm. A longer handle on a shorter rod will simply interfere by colliding with the forearm of the fisherman.
Jerkbaits: Note - this specialty presentation is a short rod application. Once the bait has been reeled to the proper depth, the rod is pointed towards the water, and is snapped downward to achieve its darting motion. Long rods will not give you the freedom to work the bait properly, as you tend to hit the water or side of the boat. A 5 ½ foot rod with a light to medium-light action will work well.
ACTION:
Regardless of whether you are 1) using a baitcasting or spinning rod, or 2) using a longer or shorter rod, there are certain characteristics in terms of rod action that are foundational to crankbait fishing. Generally, a crankbait rod has a good backbone lower down, with plenty of flex in the midsection, and a limber tip; basically a softer overall action. Why is this important?
The length and action of a rod act as a shock absorber when a bass, walleye or other game fish strikes. A stiff or fast reacting rod can actually pull the bait away from a fish before the hook penetrates, or cause it to be lightly hooked in the lip. A softer rod gives the fish more time to swallow the bait and reduces the likelihood of their shaking the hooks loose. Unlike worm fishing, (where an angler uses a stiffer rod to jerk a single hook through a mass of plastic worm - driving it into the fish’s mouth), the fish hitting a crank will most likely hook itself if enough time is permitted to allow the ultra sharp trebles to do their work. A softer rod gives the fish more time to let the crankbait do it’s magic.
Soft rods also allow cranks to "bounce" or “deflect” off of hard objects such as stumps and rocks. If you are getting snagged on underwater debris too often, your rod may be too stiff. When you pound or crash a lure into an object, you increase the chance of it snagging.
The only exception to this, is fishing around weed beds. A stiffer rod is often necessary to snap the treble hooks free when they foul in the weeds. Too soft of a rod will keep the crank bogged down in the green stuff, flexing too much to snap or tear the crankbait free.
If the hooks on a crankbait are sharp but the angler keeps losing fish, chances are his rod is too stiff. Rod flexibility works to prevent the weight of the crankbait from being tossed, and the hooks being ripped loose during a fish’s “power surge”. This leads us to one of the most hotly debated topics in crankbait rod selection (concerning the materials used in their construction): fiberglass verse graphite!
FIBERGLASS VERSES GRAPHITE
If the pros can’t agree on the topic of “rod blank material”, how is a beginner to decide? Well, let’s listen to the arguments on both sides and maybe it will become easier to make a decision when it comes to selecting a crankbait rod.
A few decades ago, the vast majority of fishing rods were made of fiberglass. But then graphite rods came on the scene and began to dominate the field because of the tremendous sensitivity they provided anglers. Every bump, collision, or change in the lure’s vibration was transferred to the angler’s fingertips and this greatly increased their ability to sense soft pickups, increasing hooksets before a fish could spit it back out. Graphite also allowed for smaller diameters and was lighter; hence it could be cast all day long without wearing out the angler’s arms.
It looked like the evolution of graphite rods would send fiberglass rods the way of the dinosaur. And with most fishing presentations, graphite dominance has become a reality. But it wasn’t long after the graphite revolution that some pros began to notice that they were missing more fish than normal when throwing crankbaits.
David Fritts, George Cochran, Jay Yelas, Mike Iaconelli, and Rick Clunn and other professional bass fishermen began to realize that quite often the fish would not strike the lure but simply inhale it. However, the sensitive graphite telegraphed this subtle change and the pro instantly set the hook. Essentially they were ripping the bait away from the fish before it could be swallowed deep enough to ensure hook penetration. Their solution? Go back to softer, more flexible fiberglass rods. True, they sacrificed some sensitivity, but it gave the fish more time to consume the crankbait. The increased catch ratios were deemed far more important that using modern graphite in every situation.
Once this conclusion was printed in the fishing magazines, fiberglass rods became the rage again for throwing crankbaits, and everyone understood this was due to the desire to allow a slower reaction time between bite and hookset. But with time, comes change. And this simplified explanation is being challenged by many today. Why?
Fishing pros weren’t born exceptional – they developed their skills over time. Extreme sensitivity and lightening hooksets were cultivated over time. Naturally, the pros can run circles around the average weekend angler in terms of their “reaction times” to striking fish. It makes sense then, that fiberglass rods will help pro’s slow down their instinctive and immediate “hookset” impulse.
Most anglers, however, are not professionals and do not have such lightening fast reflex skills. Reaction times are slower. Just because the pros react too quickly, doesn’t mean the majority will. Hence, graphite rods will work just fine for many anglers. And in many cases the more sensitive graphite rod will actually increase the catch ratio of the weekend angler with slower reflexes.
New technological advances also tend to modify “fishing truths”. Today’s rod manufacturers are discovering ways to make the super sensitive graphite more flexible, and flexible fiberglass rods more sensitive. Many of these specialty rods are labeled as a part of their “Cranking Series”. They will usually come in three variations depending on the weight of the crankbait being thrown. If you can only afford one, choose the one in the middle.
Some manufacturers are even combining fiberglass and graphite together in the same rod blanks – declaring the results reflect the best of both worlds.
There is only one way to find out whether fiberglass or graphite will work best for you – try them both on for size. Two anglers will fish the same crankbait differently. Experiment until you find a rod that will give you the greatest advantage when locating, hooking and landing your fish. If you’re striking too soon and loosing fish with a graphite rod, switch to fiberglass. But if you need the extra sensitivity and have slower reflexes than the pros – the graphite will work well. Don’t let anyone tell you which material is best – tailor your choice around your unique style of fishing. Then fish it with confidence!
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