BassFishing_DecJan2022 Dec 2021 - Jan 2022 | Page 77

and bulk , too . It gives bass leverage during head shakes and leaps .
Fiberglass returned to the rod-making scene in recent years to address these issues . The duller “ feel ” and slower responsiveness of glass allows the fish
Josh Bertrand more time to mouth the bait . Fashioned into a rod with moderate action ( or “ parabolic bend ”), glass facilitates long casts and cushions the impact of runs and jumps .
“ I call it ‘ moderate ’ action , but it ’ s really
‘ moderate-moderate ’ action – slower than a regular moderate ,” Poe explains . “ The rod tip will bend almost a full guide further down toward the handle , which gives you better reaction time to not pull the hooks into cover .” not bulky like a fiberglass rod ,” he says .
“ Crankbait fishing is different for everyone ,” says Brown , who has developed crankbait rod lines on both ends of the spectrum for MLF pros Mark Rose and Kevin VanDam , among others . VanDam likes the forgiveness of glass ( IM8 graphite / glass composite ) in the crankbait rods in his Lew ’ s KVD series .
“ I like an all graphite cranking rod – no glass at all ,” counters Rose , whose
Kevin VanDam
PHOTO BY PHOENIX MOORE
Josh Bertrand
Crankbaits range in depth , action and size to compound the challenge of tackle selection . There ’ s a big difference between cranking shallow squarebills and long-billed bottom-digging baits in depths of 20 to 25 feet or more .
A shorter rod favors casting accuracy near shallow cover , notes Poe . Softer , slower rods with “ moderate ” action , such as the rods in the Abu Garcia IKE Delay series , can keep an angler from burying a squarebill into logs , stumps and brush .
PHOTOS BY GARRICK DIXON
Deep-diving crankbaits call for different tools .
Josh Bertrand opts for a 7-11 heavy power rod in the Abu Garcia Veritas Winch Crankbait series .
“ It ’ s a composite rod with enough backbone and the perfect tip so that you can launch a long cast with all your body weight ,” he says . “ Yet when the fish is hooked , it ’ s parabolic .”
Experience drives his preferences . He says graphite crankbait rods have cost him too many fish . The fiberglass / graphite mix in the Winch series offers the advantages of both glass and graphite . “ It fishes light , more like graphite …
7-11 , moderate-fast , medium-heavy crankbait designs come in both the Team Lew ’ s Ledge Series and Team Lew ’ s Signature Series . “ I want to feel that crankbait , to know if I have a leaf on the bait or if I hooked a mussel deep . If that bait is not working right , I won ’ t catch a fish .”
Different strokes for different folks , in other words . While there are subtleties to every approach for selecting the right rod and pairing it with the right technique , there are reasons for each selection – all the more reason to study up before making your next rod purchase .
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