Have you ever wanted to open a bottle of wine only to realize that you have no idea where the corkscrew is? There are videos online showing you how to open up that bottle by pushing the cork back into it using the blunt end of a butter knife and such.

Yes, it gets the job done, but it’s a lot messier, more time consuming, and you end up with the cork inside your wine. The same is the case when you go crankbait fishing without the best crankbait rod.

While it is true that you may probably catch some fish when crankbait fishing without the right rods, the simple fact of the matter is that you are most likely not going to be as successful at it when you use the right rod.

Highly specialized hobbies such as crankbait fishing simply demand that you have highly specialized gear if you are to improve your chances of catching fish and enjoying the activity.

Let’s take a quick look at the best crankbait rods for your next crankbait fishing expedition:

St Croix Premier Series Casting Rod

The St Croix Premier Series Casting Rod is a fast action rod with medium power made out of mid-modulus graphite fiber. This makes it one of the lightest, most effective crankbait rods in the market.

Because this rod is designed for extra sensitivity and durability, it comes with a premium grade cork handle that ensures you have a perfect grip when casting and reeling in your fish. Couple that with a 5-year warranty, and you have yourself a pretty decent crankbait rod in your hands.

Pros

• Fast action rod
• Medium power
• Durable and very sensitive
• Has a premium-grade cork handle for better grip

Cons

• The company’s customer service isn’t the best in the world

KastKing Blackhawk II Telescopic Fishing Rods

If you have been looking for the perfect crankbait rod that allows for multiple floating lines, has exceptional sensitivity, and offers you excellent performance. Look no further; the KastKing Blackhawk II Telescopic Fishing Rods is exactly what you need.

The very first thing you will notice about this crankbait rod is the quality of the build. Designed and manufactured with materials of superior quality, it has wonderful components such as a graphite reel seat, a stainless steel line guide, and an exceptionally comfortable EVA handle.

The best part is that assembling the rod is an absolute breeze. All you have to do is start at the tip section and slowly extend each section making sure to align the guides with each section.

The process is as follows – extend the tip section until it stops, then align the guidelines with that section and repeat the process until the rod is fully extended. Thanks to the six-piece design of this rod, it’s a favorite for bass anglers who like to travel a lot.

Couple that with the fact that it has multiple floating guides, and you have a crankbait rod that is designed to help improve your fishing performance while making your general angling life more convenient.

$53.99 Amazon  →

Pros

• It has multiple floating guides
• It’s easy to assemble
• Made using high-quality materials
• It’s highly portable

Cons

• Some customers have complained that their rods broke easily

Dobyns Rods Fury Series Casting Rod

The Dobyns Rods Fury Series Casting Rod is an impressive 7’0″ Moderate Fast Action, Medium Heavy crankbait rod that is made out of fiberglass as well as a high modulus graphite blank. Not only is it lightweight, but it’s also quite durable and very sensitive.

This particular rod has a lure rating of 1/4 to about 3/4 ounce lures, which makes it an excellent option for fishing using smaller crankbaits. Other than that, the materials used in its manufacture make it super light and extra sensitive fishing rod that is well-balanced for people who enjoy long fishing trips.

Recommended for lipless crankbaits, this is the kind of rod almost every angler needs in their fishing gear list. It comes with add ons for your comfort, such as Kevlar wrapped guides that offer high performance, a premium cork handle for extra grip, and a Fuji reel seat.

Pros

• Comfortable to use
• Lightweight and very durable
• Made using the best quality material
• Premium cork handle for extra grip
• High modulus graphite for extra sensitivity

Cons

• Only comes in a moderate fast action option

Denali Rods Lithium Crankbait Casting Rod (The Best Advanced Crankbait Rod)

For almost everything you buy on this planet, you know your chances of getting the best possible product lays with choosing one from a reputable brand willing to put the company’s entire reputation of the fact that their product will meet your every need and beat the competition. That is exactly what Denali Rods has done with this Denali Rods Lithium Crankbait Casting Rod.

The company says that its engineers spent thousands of hours in the lab and in the water to bring you a crankbait rod that works in real-life scenarios. This is a fishing rod designed for high-stake crankbait fishing competitions. As the most technologically advanced and feature-rich crankbait rod on this list, the Denali Rods Lithium Crankbait Casting Rod is an absolute joy to own and use.

This bait rod comes with an ultra-lightweight ergonomic reel seat, it’s made out of high-strength woven silver-graphite, and it has a hybrid cork custom contoured split grips for extra grip when fishing. It’s a 7′ 0″, Medium-Heavy fishing rod that seamlessly makes the use of technology to give you an unforgettable crankbait rod.

 Amazon  →

Pros

• Ultra-lightweight rod
• Very easy to use
• Made for competitions, which makes this rod perfect for hobby anglers as well
• Affordable

Cons

• Customer service is a lengthy process

Magreel Telescopic Fishing Pole (The Best Freshwater/Saltwater Crankbait Rod)

Most anglers tend not to discriminate between freshwater and saltwater fishing. That is why having a crankbait rod that is suitable for both types of situation is one of the best decisions you can make as an avid angler. The Magreel Telescopic Fishing Pole is one of the best rods in that category.

Made out of 24T carbon fiber, this rod comes with a stainless steel hooded reel seat that is resistant to corrosion from seawater. It also has a stainless steel line guide ring that has been constructed using ceramic, which improves the rings heat dissipation capabilities. To top it all off, it has an EVA handle that is quite comfortable to hold.

One of the most common features of the best crankbait rods is that they are lightweight. This rod fits that bill. It’s easy and quite convenient to use, transport as it easily fits in the trunk of your car, backpack, or even boat hatch, making it perfect for anglers who like to travel with their personal gear.

 Amazon  →

Pros

• Easy to use and transport
• Made out of high-quality carbon fiber
• Has a comfortable handle
• Stainless steel line guide ring that easily dissipates heat
• Very affordable

Cons

• Not quite as durable as the rest

The Best Crankbait Rod Buyers Guide

You might be wondering whether you need a cranking specific rod to go crankbait fishing. As mentioned earlier, you can go crankbait fishing without a cranking specific rod, but the results you will get won’t be nearly as impressive as when you do use a cranking specific rod.

In essence, the rod you use will determine whether or not you land that fish and as any avid angler will tell you, that is what matters when you are out there – landing that fish.

So if you are serious about crankbait fishing, then you need to have the right gear, and buying the best crankbait rod is just one part of that equation. Let’s take a quick look at what factors you need to consider when trying to find the right crankbait rod for your next fishing trip:

Look at the Power Rating

When it comes to rods, the power rating usually follows the following standards:

  • Extra Heavy
  • Heavy
  • Medium-Heavy
  • Medium
  • Medium Light
  • Light
  • Ultra-Light

These ratings often refer to the strength of the rod. Just think of it this way – the bigger the fish you are angling for, the more powerful the rod you should buy.

Look at the Rod Action Rating

Just as it’s the case with the rod’s power rating, there is the rod action rating to consider. These are classified in the following categories:

  • Extra Fast
  • Fast
  • Moderate Fast
  • Moderate
  • Slow

The speed of the rod will determine how quickly you can hookset your fish. It also determines how much work you put into that hook setting process. For example, if you buy an extra fast rod, you will only need to move the rod a little to hookset since it flexes at the very tip as opposed to a slow rod that flexes throughout the length of the pole.

You, however, need to be very careful about what kind of lure you pair with which type of action rod. If you were to pair a fast action rod with a bigger lure, there is a very good chance that you may pull the lure out of the fish’s mouth before you even have a chance to set your hook.

Should you pick a slow action rod that takes forever to flex, the fish might very well throw the lure as it surfaces.

The idea is to find the fine balance based on what kind of fish you are angling for; ideally, a moderate to a moderate fast action rod is often best.

Look at the Length of the Rod

Rod length comes into play when you start thinking about the kind of water you will be fishing in. For the most part, the best crankbait rods range between 6.5 feet to about 8 feet.

What you need to bear in mind is that the longer your rod, the more casting distance you can cover. For example, if you were to buy an 8-foot crankbait rod, the idea pairing would have to be with deep-diving crankbaits.

This combination will allow you to get to the maximum depth for a much longer period, increasing your chances of making that catch. On the other hand, if you were to buy a shorter rod, you would ideally pair it with a lipless crankbait so that you can have more accurate casts.

 

The Best Crankbait Rod FAQs:

Why buy a crankbait rod?

There are three main reasons why you should definitely buy a crankbait rod:

  • They are designed specifically for better performance
  • They offer a higher level of energy transfer through to the rod blank, which means you can cast further with the resulting slingshot effect
  • They offer better accuracy

Furthermore, crankbait rods, thanks to their softer action, which delays the pulling of the bait, offer superior hookset.

Why do you need a special rod for a crankbait?

The best crankbait rods are designed to detect when your target fish have completely swallowed the lure. Even though they are sensitive, they allow for the fish to move about when hooked, improving your chances of setting the hook properly before pulling.

What is the best crankbait rod to buy?

This depends on the kind of fishing you intend to do. Your perfect crankbait rod while fishing in shallow waters won’t be the same rod when you go deep-sea fishing. The idea is to understand how each and every crankbait rod you consider buying will behave in all manner of fishing situations then decide based on the kind of fishing you are more likely to do or buy a rod for all types of crankbait fishing you like to do.

Now that you know what to look for in a crankbait rod, the list above gives you a good place to start. Simply choose the best crankbait rod for your specific needs and start enjoying better fishing success. Looking for other types of fishing rods? Check out our top picks for best fishing rods of 2020.