The best crankbait rod requires a much different rod action than most other rods to perform at their potential. So if you take crankbait fishing seriously, you must equip yourself with the best crankbait you can.
The best crankbait rods will have a lot of bends, especially at the tip. This makes the most significant difference between crankbait rods and other bass rods you would use for most baits. The amount of bend a rod has at the tip measures how much action the rod has.
Some of the best crankbait rods for the money are 13 Fishing Defy Black Rods. They come in either 7′-0″ or 7′-9″ and with either heavy or medium-heavy power. 13 Fishing Defy Black Rods are designed perfectly for throwing shallow to mid-diving crankbaits.
Rod Action vs. Power
Most bass lures are best fished with a fast or extra-fast action tip. Crankbaits perform best with a slow or moderate-fast action tip. This measure of speed is just how long the tip goes from being bent to being straight. The stiffer the tip is, the faster it will get straight.
The other quality of a fishing rod next to action is how much power it has. Many people confuse action and power as the same, but they are not. Action is the bend at the tip, and power refers to how much “backbone” the rod has, or “pulling power.”
The powers of rods are measured in increments of light, medium, medium-heavy, and heavy. The best crankbait rods have a medium-heavy power. The medium-heavy power combined with the moderate action gives the rod a parabolic bend. Meaning the entire rod bends throughout the length of the rod, like a rainbow
Why Does a Crankbait Need A Special Rod?
Crankbaits need this much rod bend to give them the flexibility to wobble from side to side freely. These slower tips also help keep the bait from getting hung up when deflecting off objects underwater.
Besides performance, the softer power and action allow the bass to grab the crankbait immediately without feeling tension or resistance. A bass opening its mouth to engulf a lure creates a sucking movement like a vacuum.
An excellent crankbait rod will allow a bass to suck in a crankbait without feeling the line pulling. This allows for a solid hookset.
Best Crankbait Rod Brands
Different rod brands have different levels of flexibility, so if you use a particular rod brand, you should try their crankbait rod before testing others.
Most rod manufacturers produce a custom crankbait style rod, and if you are comfortable with their other rods, you’ll likely cast their cranking stick like you’ve been fishing with it for years.
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