Best MH Crankbait Rod for $100 or less? 2024

I need a decent MH crankbait rod asap but I've only got about $100 to spend. I'm looking for a rod with a medium taper but fairly sensitive. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

J.

I'd probably go with the Shimano Compre.  I have the Vendetta medium 'mod fast' and medium-heavy 'moderate' rods, but they don't have the parobolic flex of a true crankbait stick like the Compre Crankbait or Loomis CBR's I've owned.  The Compre Crankbait series also has the TC4 construction you find on the more expensive Crucial series.  The MH Compre is very comparable to the CBR845....great all around crankbait rod you can throw anything with. 

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

J.

I have a 7' St Croix Premier MHM I use for crankbaits.

It is crisp and sensitive for a $100 rod.

T

I defintely need a rod with a soft tip. I'm using a worm/jig rod to throw spinnerbaits and crankbaits and I have a feeling I'm missing bites.

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I defintely need a rod with a soft tip. I'm using a worm/jig rod to throw spinnerbaits and crankbaits and I have a feeling I'm missing bites.

I wouldn't be so sure. I like a regular rod, usually much stiffer than most to fish both. (Though I rarely ever fish spinnerbaits anymore)

You need a faster stiffer rod to rip free from the tips of weedbed tops. Which is most of the cranking I do up here.

Even when not quite to the weedtops, in open water, a soft rod absorbs any action you try to impart in the lure.

Same reasons I use a 6'6 MH rod for hard jerkbaits when everyone else uses a M rod with a slower action. Not only does it make it more tiring it also reduces the action of the lure.

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Same reasons I use a 6'6 MH rod for hard jerkbaits when everyone else uses a M rod with a slower action. Not only does it make it more tiring it also reduces the action of the lure.

How does the rod limit the action of a crankbait?  There doesn't seem to be any logical reason why this would happen.

To the original poster, I like the BPS crankin sticks.  They're cheap and work well.  Plus when you get them on sale you'll be way under your budget.

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Same reasons I use a 6'6 MH rod for hard jerkbaits when everyone else uses a M rod with a slower action. Not only does it make it more tiring it also reduces the action of the lure.

How does the rod limit the action of a crankbait? There doesn't seem to be any logical reason why this would happen.

To the original poster, I like the BPS crankin sticks. They're cheap and work well. Plus when you get them on sale you'll be way under your budget.

Because when fishing open water there is more to fishing a crankbait than just throwing it out and reeling it in.

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Because when fishing open water there is more to fishing a crankbait than just throwing it out and reeling it in.

Definately true, but I still see no reason why the rod would have any impact of the action of a crankbait.

Like I said in my first post (I thought I did maybe not) the really soft rods absorb any action that YOU try to impart.

Not only do the soft rods dull the action your trying to impart, but by absorbing most of the action are more tiresome.

There may be a point where a softer rod allows more action from the bait than a stiffer rod. When on a strait retrieve. I like to use a small snap on crankbaits though. With all that freedom of movement I can't see the rod having much effect when using a strait retrieve

It's probably more speculation on my part, but the only bites I've been able to get lately (which are few) have been from fish that are crushing my lures. My fishing partner has been getting more bites with identical baits using an Ugly Stick. His Ugly Stick has a super flexible tip which leads me to believe that he's getting more of the subtle type bites. The fish are really tuned in to spinnerbaits and cranks right now and we're honestly just casting and reeling. I am beginning to think that if a bass comes up and tries to inhale my bait and does not succeed because of the stiffness of the tip, he may lose interest because of the dropping water temps here and save his energy for an easier meal. Other than making sure I am in the right areas of the lake throwing the right lures, this seems like the next logical step in figuring out why I'm getting schooled every weekend by my partner, haha! I would definitely go for the Compre because I have three already but I'm also trying to buy the HotMaps Platinum as well. I may go for the Vendetta, I've read some good things about those. At least if I do get a crankbait rod and still have trouble, I'll know it's because the fish hate me. ;D

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I may go for the Vendetta, I've read some good things about those. At least if I do get a crankbait rod and still have trouble, I'll know it's because the fish hate me. ;D

I would pay half that and get a BPS Crankin Stick

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Like I said in my first post (I thought I did maybe not) the really soft rods absorb any action that YOU try to impart.

Not only do the soft rods dull the action your trying to impart, but by absorbing most of the action are more tiresome.

There may be a point where a softer rod allows more action from the bait than a stiffer rod. When on a strait retrieve. I like to use a small snap on crankbaits though. With all that freedom of movement I can't see the rod having much effect when using a strait retrieve

impart..............lol

no really. crankbait retrieve is all about sporadic action on the part of the bait. a rod with less backbone will let the bait bounce and deflect off the bottom and hang in grass, which triggers the strike. the heavier the rod, the more affected the bait will be - less action.

this is just my opinion. id love to read more by other members.

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Like I said in my first post (I thought I did maybe not) the really soft rods absorb any action that YOU try to impart.

Not only do the soft rods dull the action your trying to impart, but by absorbing most of the action are more tiresome.

There may be a point where a softer rod allows more action from the bait than a stiffer rod. When on a strait retrieve. I like to use a small snap on crankbaits though. With all that freedom of movement I can't see the rod having much effect when using a strait retrieve

impart..............lol

no really. crankbait retrieve is all about sporadic action on the part of the bait. a rod with less backbone will let the bait bounce and deflect off the bottom and hang in grass, which triggers the strike. the heavier the rod, the more affected the bait will be - less action.

this is just my opinion. id love to read more by other members.

Well that's how I feel about it....Funny or not.

Haven't used one myself but thinking of getting one.

Cabelas Prodigy PDC705-1 7' MH/MF  1/4-1oz

Right at $99.99

I'm hearing some good things about the skeet resse rods from wright & mcgill they sell for $90

7" St Croix Avid mhm, and you won't rip their lips off on the hook set.  my .02

Sanother siteBASSER, I can believe the rod has and effect on action you try to give the bait. If I want to move the bait and have a soft wiggly rod doing it then I'd have to put more effort and movement into it to get the same job done that a stiffer rod could do otherwise. I'd find it easier to make the bait move left or right or pop suddenly on a jerk with a stiffer rod. I fish jerkbaits on medium and medium heavy graphite rods for this reason. I fish all treble hook lures on rods that are not "crankbait rods" at all. I was debating getting a crankbait rod for trebles to keep from tearing the hooks out on a hookset or while fighting the fish but it means I'd have to modify the way I fish the bait too, of which I am unwilling to do so I modified the way I fight them and set hooks instead. Stiffer rods give me more ability to add the desired action to my baits. The only way I'd use a crankbait rod would be for bait action reasons as well (not hook choices), which brings me to my next comment.....

JlScott (original poster), I also can see where having a softer rod on a straight retrieve will allow a bait to have more freedom of movement as well. Even though the line is by far the most flexible element in the chain it's pulled fairly tightly during retrieve due to resistance of the lure to water and also the pull of the reel cranking it in (opposing forces), so it isn't flexing as much. The bait is wobbling back and forth on the end of a tight line and with a rod that will allow for more movement against this resistance then I'd feel that the bait would wobble a bit more as well. That extra little movement of the bait allowed by a softer tipped rod might make the difference in "getting schooled" each weekend. As we have all seen, bass are funny creatures and the smallest most minute detail can make all the difference in the world at times.

Another rod that doesn't get nearly as much press as I feel that it should would be the TD-S (green handle) 6'6" Spinnerbait/Cranking rod.  I had one for about 12 years (until someone liked it more than me) and it was perfect for shallow- mid depth cranking.  I believe they are around 100 now.

Fenwick's HMG is on sale at Cabela's right now for $79.

[ftp]http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=YJZWHDB4LNUXTLAQBBKSCONMCAEFAIWE?id=0017292117019a&type=product&cmCat=froogle&cm_ven=data_feed&cm_cat=froogle&cm_pla=0800301&cm_ite=0017292117019a&_requestid=49171[/ftp]

Bass Pro Shop crankin stick. 

id probably go with the bps too. im thinking about it myself.

have heard really good things about the skeet reese rods and the vendetta... and we all know that the shimanos are good.

im thinking though that i only need a crank rod ( deep cranking) like 3 months out of the year and i dont want to spend 100 bucks for it. im either going to get a bps or something like it. maybe a lightening rod.

you know...jscott... you could just go and buy an uglystick graphite lite for 50 bucks and be done with it....ive got 4 and love them. i use them for saltwater though.

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Sanother siteBASSER, I can believe the rod has and effect on action you try to give the bait. If I want to move the bait and have a soft wiggly rod doing it then I'd have to put more effort and movement into it to get the same job done that a stiffer rod could do otherwise. I'd find it easier to make the bait move left or right or pop suddenly on a jerk with a stiffer rod. I fish jerkbaits on medium and medium heavy graphite rods for this reason. I fish all treble hook lures on rods that are not "crankbait rods" at all. I was debating getting a crankbait rod for trebles to keep from tearing the hooks out on a hookset or while fighting the fish but it means I'd have to modify the way I fish the bait too, of which I am unwilling to do so I modified the way I fight them and set hooks instead. Stiffer rods give me more ability to add the desired action to my baits. The only way I'd use a crankbait rod would be for bait action reasons as well (not hook choices), which brings me to my next comment.....

JlScott (original poster), I also can see where having a softer rod on a straight retrieve will allow a bait to have more freedom of movement as well. Even though the line is by far the most flexible element in the chain it's pulled fairly tightly during retrieve due to resistance of the lure to water and also the pull of the reel cranking it in (opposing forces), so it isn't flexing as much. The bait is wobbling back and forth on the end of a tight line and with a rod that will allow for more movement against this resistance then I'd feel that the bait would wobble a bit more as well. That extra little movement of the bait allowed by a softer tipped rod might make the difference in "getting schooled" each weekend. As we have all seen, bass are funny creatures and the smallest most minute detail can make all the difference in the world at times.

If you put a small snap on to attach your cranks to, that should free them up enough the rod doesn't matter. IMO.

But you hit the nail on the head. Soft rods absorb every thing you try to make the bait do. And since buying into the idea you need a softer rod to fish cranks my catches have suffered and I end up doing more work.

I fish crankbaits less otherwise I would fix the situation.

Jerkbaits on the other hand I'm sticking to my 6'6 MH rods

Thanks for all the good information guys. I appreciate the help! I ended up going to Gander Mtn. since it's close to where I work. I picked up a St. Croix Premier PC70MHM. I probably would have given the BPS Crankin' stick a shot but I needed the rod Sat. and I am far from a BPS. I had actually looked at this rod the last time I was at BPS and thought it was put together well. It feels good in my hands and can even throw the smaller cranks I have believe it or not. (yes I throw baits in my yard....a lot.)  ;D

I put my Curado on it, not bad at all! I did look at the Skeet Reese crankbait rod. Wow, that thing is YELLOW. HaHa! It's built like a Mac truck and has a VERY flexible tip. I've seen Skeet straight out launch baits a mile and I now can see why. Super cool rod. The St. Croix seemed to match what I needed a little better. If the weather holds out this weekend I'll definitely give you guys a report.

Thanks again,

Jason

Bass Pro Shops Crankin' Stick is on sale for $49. Great rod for the money. Too bad you didn't have time to get one online, but it sounds like you did well. I am a Gander Mountain fan myself.

Yeah, I saw they were on sale. I'm sure I'll find a reason to get up to BPS in the near future. Never hurts to have a few extra rods. 

Gander Mountain was pretty cool. The sales staff were friendly and helpful. I do like the St. Croix rod though, we'll see for sure on Saturday. Looks like the weather will be decent.

I am a huge fan of the Daiwa TD-S Cranking Stick.

Sherlock 60,

BPS crankin' sticks are on sale for $39 in the Christmas catalog I just got. I tossed it out though, don't plan to order anymore fishing tackle this year. I thumbed through it before tossing it though and saw that. Still selling for more on the website though....go figure.

Just following up on the rod info. I took it out today and it performed great. Didn't get "schooled" on the water and managed to hook a good one....on my worm rod with a spinnerbait. So much for thinking it was the rod.  ;D

The St. Croix is a great rod nonetheless. Thanks again for all the good info.

Jason

T H A T ' S a N I C E     F I S H!!

Thanks Rooster!

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