BigGame0892

This! I tend to use fluoro for my bottom contact baits as much as possible.

Love my Shimano Curado 200e7s and e5. I have often thought about getting some Daiwas, but had one buddy who had a bad experience with multiple Zillions - even after professional service. Still, I could see myself pulling the trigger on a Tatula CT.

Even after a few years of use its hard to beat my Shimano Curado 200e5 paired with a Dobyns Champion 705CB cranking rod. The Shimano is just a beast and casts a country mile, and the Dobyns can handle almost any treble hook bait you throw at it.

Hard jerkbaits, small spinnerbaits, flukes, small topwaters and squarebills for the most part. As others have said, it can do a lot.

Just get the regular Shimano Stradic FJ or the older FI. Not sure if I've ever seen a complaint about those. I have a Shimano Saros in the 3000 size and it manages 8 lb. test fluoro very well.

Hey guys, okay I have a fairly detailed question here. Hoping to hear primarily from guys with experience fishing Dobyns Champion Series Glass crankbait rods and other glass rods past and present. Background: I have personally owned a Dobyns 705CB glass crankbait rod for a year and a half. And, although I absolutely love the rod and have improved as a crankbait fisherman I think in part due to the rod. I find I have a few questions regarding the action of the Dobyns glass rod and other glass rods in comparison. Understand, this question mainly comes up as I need to contemplate what to do as my Dobyns unfortunately has 2 busted guides right now, and I am in need of a crankbait rod for the coming weekend tournament. There is not enough time to get replacement guides from Dobyns (which I know they will provide for free) and to get them installed by tournament time. Anyway, here are the questions: 1. Do you guys buy into the notion that glass crankbait rods allow the bait to "hunt" or in general have better action than graphite crankbait rods? It seems at this point in my fishing career that my Dobyns glass rod has produced more fish than the graphite crankbait rods I've had in the past. Could be my imagination - but, I think it bears out in my results. Anybody else experience this? 2. Do you really feel that Dobyns rods have a "traditional" type glass rod type action? Its rated as a fast vs. a moderate or moderate fast action that many other glass crankbait rods are? I always kind of feel like the Dobyns - specifically the 705 CB glass that I have - has just a ton of backbone and actually that the tip responds kind of fast or faster than maybe I want or expect from a glass rod? 3. Do you have any other suggestions for a great glass crankbait rod? I would prefer it to be comparable in weight to my Dobyns, and in the $100 - $250 range. Any comments on the Phenix X-10? Or, should I just stick with my Dobyns? Thanks guys, and sorry for the long-winded question. Please don't feel that you need to answer all or any of the questions for that matter! P.S. - for the record, my full crankbait setup in question is the Dobyns 705CB glass with a Shimano Curado 200E5 - used primarily for medium running cranks like Norman Middle Ns, Rapala DT-6 and DT-10, and Wiggle Warts.

My Curado 200E5 is a beast. Its my favorite reel of my Shimano lineup by far. I'm sure the Zillion Crazy Cranker is awesome too. Just depends on how much you want to spend and whether you have any brand loyalties/preferences. Tough to go wrong with a Daiwa or a Shimano though.

Roadwarrior: I finally followed through and tried some #4 lb. Yozuri in green for some trout fishing down on Lake Taneycomo in Missouri this year - had seen a post of yours about it a long time ago. Worked great, except for the fact that it was impossible to break at times when we were drifting along!! Have consistently used 10, 12 and 15 lb. Yozuri for the last 4 years on every type of bass bait out there except topwater, and it has always proven that it can be counted on. As for pure Fluoro, I usually turn to P-Line or Seaguar for cranking, jig-fishing or shaky head when I think its needed or when I can afford it!!

Can really only comment on the glass cranking rods. You're going to love that 705CB Glass - perfect for what you intend to use it for. The 704CB glass seemed just a tad too whippy or underpowered for my taste, but still a heck of a rod!

X2 couldn't agree more! Love my Powells.

The Curado 200E5 no doubt for cranking. Love mine and want 2 more. They can be had on eBay for $140 or less. Assuming you have rods for multiple reels, get one E5 and one E7 and you'll be set for a lot of different stuff.

Gotta go with the Curado here - but I'm biased. The Daiwa Advantage is a pretty sweet reel too. Just nothing quite matches the smoothness of a Curado retrieve.

Thanks for the info. I like the fact that they stuck with metal for the sideplates vs.graphite on the Curado. But, the knobs and the gears may be the deal breakers for me. Aluminum gears? Not a big fan. I'll stick with all brass gears that I know will last, thanks very much. And the knobs - not so great as mentioned above. Just my two cents...

Or a 7:1 version. > That's the only thing that keeps me from buying one. I prefer the Patriarch over the Curado, but I'm actually looking at ordering another Curado because I can't get a Patriarch XT in the ratio I prefer. Just curious, what about the Patriarch do you prefer over the Curado?

I'm sure you'll like that setup. Love that 705 CB Glass! Smooth as butter! Been looking at the Patriarch for a while too - diehard Shimano guy here as well, but I might take a look at the XT when I get a chance. Looks solid!

Agree. Although I mentioned above that BPS doesn't usually check to see if the reels work - I always make sure the ones I trade in are in perfect working order. I believe the reel trade-in is part of one of the kids fishing programs, so yes - I want to give them a reel that works.

Sheesh, don't do that, especially not with the Advantage. They will take ANY reel - most times they don't even inspect it to make sure it works. I've seen people just buying $5 - $15 reels in BPS itself and trading them in. I'd take the Advantage off your hands if I was a Daiwa guy. I'm sure someone on here will buy it - post it in the Flea Market. The trade-in is incremental depending on the cost of the reel you buy. I think my buddy got like $30 - $40 off his Zillion a couple years back. Traded in like a 20 year old Abu Garcia spinning reel or something.

I found myself in a similar situation to you a few years back. A crankbait novice. So, I started with a St. Croix Premier 7 ft. medium heavy crankbait rod (PC70MHM). Pretty good little rod for $100 or so. I then moved on to an Avid crankbait rod and then up to a G Loomis crankbait rod (CBR845). All of these rods are graphite, and while good - none still seemed "perfect" to me. Enter my current setup - sweetness is all I can say. A Dobyns 705CB glass crankbait rod, paired with a Shimano Curado 200E5 spooled with 12 lb. Yozuri hybrid. Just works best for me - I've caught many more fish on a crankbait then I ever did before. It handles cranks from 3/8 oz. on up and cranks that dive down to 14 ft. or so very well. And, its just a joy to fish. Its a little above your price range - but worth it. Also, if you're a member of a club, Dobyns does (or did) offer a 40 percent discount to club members. My club used our one chance offer last year. Not sure if they're still doing that or not.

Go ahead and sell them and get yourself another Curado. That'll settle your mind. Never was impressed with the old Extremes, had one for a day before something got messed up with the gearing and I had to return. It was a blessing though - I returned it and got my first Shimano and haven't looked back since!

There's one for sale in the Flea Market right now: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1297309653

Curado 200E5 hands down. Best mid-range price cranking reel available. $140-$145 on eBay easy, or find a great used one in the Flea Market forum.

Flipping: 20 lb. Bass Pro XPS Fluoro, or Trilene 100%. Spinning: 6 lb. Yozuri Ultra Soft 7 ft MH: 17 lb. Suffix Siege

They don't make an Avid version of this rod, correct? Just in the Legend Tournament Bass series?

Yeah, it just seems like when you get over 7 ft. with a split grip - the rods start feeling tip heavy. As I said in my original post - I need this rod to be fairly versatile since I'm a co-angler and can only bring a limited number of set-ups. Thus, it would be used for both tip up and tip down presentations. Just wish I could find this rod at one of my local retailers, so I could get a much better idea of the feel, balance, etc. Thanks for all the help guys.

Yeah, the flea market on here is a good place for used. If you buy new on eBay - just stick with Power Sellers. I've never had a problem when I chose Power Sellers with at least 99% positive ratings. I wouldn't pay more than $95 for a new Citica, with free shipping.