Mb white python would be amazing and only 4x your budget.

Don’t let the price fool you, but Walmart has a Lew’s Hank Parker signature series IM8 crankbait rod for $40. The rod feels amazing for the price and has good backbone. 

On 2/14/2018 at 7:10 PM, speed craw said:

Dobyns 703c but if you want more hook setting power 763c , fury line up great rods for the price imo . 

Love throwing a lipless crank bait on my 703 paired with Fuego CT and  30# braid❤️

On 2/14/2018 at 1:51 PM, Fishin' Fool said:

It depends how you fish. I wondered why anyone would use a fast action rod for cranking then I saw something about fishing traps in heavy grass and using a fast action rod with braid to rip them clean. 

Exactly what I do.I relax the drag to prevent pulling hooks.

Not sure what you mean by needing a rod stout enough to 'set the hook.'  Out of all my fishing blunders, I've never had trouble burying treble hooks into a fishes mouth (or cheek, or tail).  There isn't really a 'set' required while using treble hooks as far as I know.  In fact many times the bass set the hooks for you.

 

I would strongly recommend the Falcon Bucoo SR "Trap Caster."  Such a good rod for lipless, but it is on the soft side of medium heavy no doubt, so it may not give you what you're looking for.

1 hour ago, LionHeart said:

Not sure what you mean by needing a rod stout enough to 'set the hook.'  Out of all my fishing blunders, I've never had trouble burying treble hooks into a fishes mouth (or cheek, or tail).  There isn't really a 'set' required while using treble hooks as far as I know.  In fact many times the bass set the hooks for you.

Make a long cast and have a 5/6/7 or bigger pound fish eat a trap with an underpowered rod, you'll understand what I mean.

 

Rod has long been replaced with a much better rod though and it's no longer an issue 

I like my Falcon Buccoo Trap caster.  One of the few rods that I've paid full retail price for.  Saw it as Walmart, liked it, bought it.  I believe that it does have micro guides, but I haven't fished it in cool enough weather for that to matter.  I use either a Calcutta TE or a Calcutta TEGT or an older Curado D and 17 or 20 lb test on this rod.  With any of the 3 reels mentioned, it can throw a half ounce lipless crank a long ways.

Prior to that, BPS used to market, in their Extreme series, aWoo Davis Special.  Woo described it as a pitching rod, I tried it for that and it had WAY too much tip for me for pitching.  However, IMO, it makes a great square bill/lipless crank/ buzz bait/chatterbait rod.   The handle on this rod is "funky".   I think that it is specially made not to fit anyone's hand.  Using bicycle handlebar tape, I was able to make it fit my hand very well.  Just happen to have a 2019 BPS Master Catalog close at hand, here at my desk and it doesn't seem like the BPS Extreme series is offered anymore.

At the $180 level, it seems like the Johnny Morris Platinum signature series, (the red ones) have a 7'4" listed that has similar stats to the BPS Extreme I mentioned earlier.  Have to go touch it to know for sure & don't have any plans to go near BPS any time soon.   (BPS is in a different part of the KC Metro area than I normally frequent, so I have to make an effort to drive to that part of town, or drive south to Olathe.)
 

On 2/14/2018 at 10:57 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I have kind of a unique situation in that I'm not fishing super cold water with the power plant lakes, and I'm not really worried about fish pulling off on traps, more about actually getting the hooks set on big fish at long distances. I need a more powerful rod than what some may be able to get by, because I'm never sure if a cast is going to be a 5-7 pound largemouth, or one of these guys.

I don’t do it often, but I throw larger 3/4-1oz traps on an iRod Fred’s Magic stick.  It’s a very powerful rod with a ModF taper and it works well with the heavier trebles on bigger traps and larger topwaters.  

On 9/20/2019 at 11:10 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Make a long cast and have a 5/6/7 or bigger pound fish eat a trap with an underpowered rod, you'll understand what I mean.

 

Rod has long been replaced with a much better rod though and it's no longer an issue 

Out of curiosity what did you end up going with?

On 11/10/2019 at 8:35 PM, pauldconyers said:

Out of curiosity what did you end up going with?

I managed to find a couple of exact same rods I had, a 7' MH Ethos. I believe it's rated a fast but feels more MF to me. It's a great trap rod and I bought both for less than $50.

I like a 6’6” broom handle for ratte traps 

 

On 9/20/2019 at 9:18 PM, LionHeart said:

 

 

I would strongly recommend the Falcon Bucoo SR "Trap Caster."  Such a good rod for lipless, but it is on the soft side of medium heavy no doubt, so it may not give you what you're looking for.

I use this Falcon, really like it for lipless.

I have a 7' carbon-lite 2.o that I throw lipless on.  Works great for that. 

I've thrown them on a bionic blade 7MH(basically MF) with 14 pound suffix siege and really liked that combo around grass. 

I use a Loomis PR845C popping rod for both Stucture spoons and smaller crankbaits including lipless. The rod was a close out at $100 in a local tackle shop but retails above your price point. This rod is ideal for what you are looking for, might check around for bargin price, most bass anglers over look rods not designated for specific bass fishing applications.

Tom