I picked up a 6'6 Mh moderate action St.Croix crankbait rod. I have it spooled with 12lb Seaguar fluorocarbon. I've noticed that when I'm fishing I don't feel the crank vibrating through the water column until it is about 5 ft from the boat. Is this how the rod is designed? Am I not feeling fast enough? I have yet to catch a fish with this setup and I'm becoming frustrated.

What crank are you throwing on that setup? 

You might try braid with a FC leader.

I would think you'd feel something no matter how far out.

Heck, I feel plastic crawdad pincers flapping on my Cherrywood HD 6' MH and it's a $20 rod! Likewise, I use a 5'6" Lew's Speed Stick glass rod from the '70s for my crankbait rod. I run a 5500(pre-C) reel on it spooled with 20# XT mono. I feel all cranks I throw with it.

Josh

I've thrown a few rapala dt6's and an Arashi that dives too 2 ft. Both I dont feel vibration until it reaches the boat. I always fish with braid so this is my fist fluro experience.

Normal for that rod of you are using mono

I'm worried about the bait not doing what it's supposed to do to the fact I can't feel it when its away from the boat.

I would say it is the rod.  Which St.Croix cranking rod do you have?  

If you speed it up or jerk it you should feel a wobble.

The DT-6 isn't a really hard vibrating bait but the Arashi is and I'm assuming it is an Arashi square bill so if you can feel it look at the rod tip. I'm guessing you are using a Premier cranking rod, that short length in a MH rod will make it feel a little stout but you should feel something. Now here is another question, if it is an Arashi square bill, how fast are you reeling it? If you are trying to finesse it then that will explain a lot, those types of cranks are designed to be reeled fast so if you aren't doing that then that would explain it. So watch the rod tip, if it isn't vibrating then something is wrong.

The rod is the avid (AVC66MHM). I'll be heading out tomorrow and I'll try and speed up my retrieve. It was an Arashi square bill. What could be wrong with the rod if these solutions of new line and retrieval speed don't work? I bought it brand new and have three other Croix's. So the lack of feel is concerning me.

Hello,

 

Here's my thing:  You should be able to feel a crankbait work with a reel duct taped to a sapling.

 

How are you holding the rod?  Try pointing it at the water.

 

Josh

I've tried all different angles with this thing. I agree with you Josh in the sense I should be able to feel something. Like I said this is my first fluro experience. Does it differ that much from braid in being able to transfer the vibrations to me?

I've tried all different angles with this thing. I agree with you Josh in the sense I should be able to feel something. Like I said this is my first fluro experience. Does it differ that much from braid in being able to transfer the vibrations to me?

 

You should experience about the same feel with fluoro as with mono.

 

I like braid for increased sensitivity, but you should by no means feel nothing with fluoro.

 

Josh

I would bet it is the rod. I've had 2 crank bait rods that were "dead" a Croix premier and a Powell endurance. Couldn't feel a rattle trap on them with mono. Braid will increase feel quite a bit but isn't ideal for cranking

So if the rod is in fact "dead" then what are my options? I purchased the rod from a local tackle shop.

Lack of sensitivity is the big reason I don't use a glass rod for crankbaits.  Nor do I like the increased tip weight of fiberglass rods.  There are graphite based crankbait rods which have much more sensitivity and to me, feeling what a crankbait is doing is critical to catching fish with one.  The same model replacement rod would give you exactly the same results, so I'd consider returning the rod to the shop, trading it in for a different rod, or selling it online.  I use a medium heavy power Rogue graphite rod with a soft tip for crankbaits.  It has a MH power body with a M power tip section.  There are a few rod blanks with S-Glass that are sort of intermediate between graphite and E-Glass in weight and action.  One is the Seeker BS-804 which is surprisingly light and has a fairly fast tip section.  I can't remember losing a crankbait fish due to the faster graphite action so I stick with graphite.  Some guys love glass rods, some hate them.  You sound like the latter.  

This particular rod is graphite. I'm going out later today. I'll report my results. Hopefully I'll be holding a bass soon eliminating my concerns with this rod.

Lack of sensitivity is the big reason I don't use a glass rod for crankbaits.  Nor do I like the increased tip weight of fiberglass rods.  There are graphite based crankbait rods which have much more sensitivity and to me, feeling what a crankbait is doing is critical to catching fish with one.  The same model replacement rod would give you exactly the same results, so I'd consider returning the rod to the shop, trading it in for a different rod, or selling it online.  I use a medium heavy power Rogue graphite rod with a soft tip for crankbaits.  It has a MH power body with a M power tip section.  There are a few rod blanks with S-Glass that are sort of intermediate between graphite and E-Glass in weight and action.  One is the Seeker BS-804 which is surprisingly light and has a fairly fast tip section.  I can't remember losing a crankbait fish due to the faster graphite action so I stick with graphite.  Some guys love glass rods, some hate them.  You sound like the latter.  

 

I feel crankbaits just fine on a '70s Lew's Speed Stick MH fiberglass rod.  The reel is a 5500(pre-c) Ambassadeur spooled with mono.

 

Regards,

 

Josh

I use Loomis CBR in both 3 & 4 power, 7' length.

They are graphite blended rods, pre-shimano..

I can feel a fish look at the baits from 50 meters..

Yozuri line.. That St. Croix is more like a heavy

( rigid ) than a Medium Heavy.. They are great rods, perhaps not the "best" choice for crankbaits