Hello,

I bought a Quantum KVD crankbait rod for this year. It's rated as a MH, but the lure weight range is stated as 1/4 to 1/2 ounce.

I mounted an Ambassadeur 5500c3 (modified). 1/4 oz isn't going to start it up well, but 3/8 up should. When I tried it this evening, I found that it struggled below 1/2 oz and didn't seem to load with less than that. The rod feels, to me, to be a 1/2 to 1 oz rod.

Any idea why this is?

Thanks,

Josh

What is your line weight?

Quantum messes this up but I believe if that is a tour KVD in the 7' or 7'4" that you should be good to go with 3/4oz and while it can handle 1oz it needs to be done carefully. Those rods are E-Glass composites, they have a good backbone but very soft tip sections, the rod only loads in the front have with a lure on it so you may feel like you can throw a lot more weight than you really can. Stay in that 5/8oz to 3/4oz max and you'll be fine, just adjust the reel to the lure weight and the rod will do the rest for you.

Sam,

Line is something like 17lb fluoro. It's some stuff I wanted to use up. Maybe a bit heavy?

SmallJaw,

It may be that the 5500 is a bit heavy. I really like them for crankbaits, though, for consistent ipt at distance.

Thanks!

Josh

Hmm i have a 7'4 mh kvd crank rod and have no problems. I use it for 1.5 and even some 1.0 square bills. I have no problem loading the rod and fishing those. I also have thrown a few series 5 cranks on it, again with no issues. Im not sure what mine is rated for, but it shouldnt be too different than yours. I use 15# fluoro with this rod. 

24 minutes ago, Kevin22 said:

Hmm i have a 7'4 mh kvd crank rod and have no problems. I use it for 1.5 and even some 1.0 square bills. I have no problem loading the rod and fishing those. I also have thrown a few series 5 cranks on it, again with no issues. Im not sure what mine is rated for, but it shouldnt be too different than yours. I use 15# fluoro with this rod. 

What reel do you have?  And how far do you expect it to throw? 

I don't know what 1.5 and 1.0 squarebills are.  Growing up we went by weight, not series.  Can you help out?

Thanks,

Josh

You are probably right Josh, that reel you have is pretty big, perhaps a 4600 would be better. I use to love the Ambassadeur round reels, those are the reels I learned how to use a baitcaster with back in the early 80s.

1 hour ago, Josh Smith said:

What reel do you have?  And how far do you expect it to throw? 

I don't know what 1.5 and 1.0 squarebills are.  Growing up we went by weight, not series.  Can you help out?

Thanks,

Josh

Sure. They are the square bills that KVD designed. The 1.5 weighs 3/8oz and the 1.0 weighs 1/4oz. The series 5 is also a strike king bait and is 1/2oz. 

I use a lews speed spool 6:1 and 15# seaguar red label. With the 1/2oz deep crank I can almost spool my reel. So about 75 yards-ish (calm day, perfect cast, etc). The square bills I've never really bombed, but an easy 40 yards on a cast down a rip-rap bank with both 1.0 and 1.5. I know my distances as well, before anyone chimes in and calls me out. I can set a duck decoy at 40 yards and be within 2 yards every time, proven that many times to my buddies. 

 

On the cast, the rod loads plenty (maybe a TAD light for the 1/4) for a bomb cast. If you need to cast longer then you need to invest in a better reel and a longer rod than I have. 

I don't know why the rod won't load up for you, unless they really changed the action from when my rod was made. If you are talking about not getting good casting distance, its probably your reel or line.

1 hour ago, Kevin22 said:

Sure. They are the square bills that KVD designed. The 1.5 weighs 3/8oz and the 1.0 weighs 1/4oz. The series 5 is also a strike king bait and is 1/2oz. 

I use a lews speed spool 6:1 and 15# seaguar red label. With the 1/2oz deep crank I can almost spool my reel. So about 75 yards-ish (calm day, perfect cast, etc). The square bills I've never really bombed, but an easy 40 yards on a cast down a rip-rap bank with both 1.0 and 1.5. I know my distances as well, before anyone chimes in and calls me out. I can set a duck decoy at 40 yards and be within 2 yards every time, proven that many times to my buddies. 

 

On the cast, the rod loads plenty (maybe a TAD light for the 1/4) for a bomb cast. If you need to cast longer then you need to invest in a better reel and a longer rod than I have. 

I don't know why the rod won't load up for you, unless they really changed the action from when my rod was made. If you are talking about not getting good casting distance, its probably your reel or line.

Thank you.

I think I may have to modify that 5500c3 a bit more.  Need to find a shallow wiffle spool, or a V-spool.  Both are somewhat rare.

I don't want to slap a 4600 on it because, at the distances I want to throw -- which are the same as yours, by the way -- I like to maintain a relatively even IPT from start to finish. 

This means I need a wide, shallow spool as opposed to a deep, narrower spool.  Sure, the 4600c3 is much easier to start up, but it doesn't have that wide spool I want.  Heck, with certain lures on certain days and using 30lb braid, I strip an appreciable amount off that spool.  That's OK for jerkbaits, but not for moving lures.

I'll see what I can find spool-wise, and go from there.

Regards,

Josh