I am wondering which Dobyns Champion crank rod to get. For now i am a bank fisherman so 75% of the time it will be for Whopper Ploppers and jerk baits and 25% squarebills and lipless cranks. I wont need to get a deep diver until I get a boat so I wont need a heavy stick at this point in the game. What are the primary differences between the 705cb and 705cb glass aside from the build material. Which one has more sensitivity and which one is more suited for my 75 and 90 whopper ploppers? Im still new to jerkbait fishing so I would like the rod to be able to practice and perfect the technique.

 

Also all my reels are >8.x ratio. Should i go with a 5.x or a 6.x? I will need a new reel anyways. $150 max on my reel budget. I subscribe to the "get the fastest reel you can because you can always slow your retrieve down," but I don't think this applies to crankbaits. 

 

I am not stuck on a Dobyns but every rod that I use nowadays is a Dobyns so I am brand loyal, but if there's a better stick out there for <$250 that is perfect for my needs then please don't hesitate to recommend it.

I have a 704CB (Graphite) that I really like.  To me, it is the perfect 1.5 SB rod (and very good for wiggle warts).  However, once you get over 1/2oz, it gets quite whippy.  I tell you this only to reinforce what you've already suggested which is that the 705 would be the power you're looking for.   Wish I could offer some opinion on the graphite vs glass question.  One day i'll get a Champion glass rod to understand the differences.

 

I think a 7 speed for jerkbaits/SB/lipless is perfect.  Whopper ploppers I could see wanting a 6 speed, but even then I think you could make a 7 work.  So a ~7:1 reel would be my choice.  

I know people use the Dobyn's CB series for jerkbaits but I feel they're a bit too whippy to cast and work them. I purchased a 685cb for jerkbaits and sold it not too long after because of this. I still have a 705cb that I use as a dedicated square bill rod that I feel would have the same result as the 685cb if I tried throwing jerkbaits on it. For the smaller ploppers, the 705cb may be fine but may feel too whippy on casts as well. 

 

I'd suggest the 733c for those 2 applications. The 733c is a medium heavy fast but as most Dobyn's, it feels like a slower tip than the average fast action. It was a perfect all around rod for me as well while shore fishing. Once I got a boat and started growing my arsenal, I purchased dedicated setups but for awhile the 733c remained a jerkbait rod. I hope this helps. Everyone has their own preferences, but I'd stray away from the 7ft cb line for those apps. If you were looking for cranking, they're great. 

 

For the reel, at that price point, I'd spend it on an SLX 7 or 8 gear ratio. It lacks the smoothness cause it only has 3 bearings, but I absolutely love the 2 I have. They remind me a lot of the older, and popular, Curado and Chronarch 50/51e series. If not, the next would be the K. 

Thanks for the replies guys. I did quite a bit of research on jerkbait setups and it appears that there are just as many spinning rod guys as there are BC guys. I have a 704sf that I am going to try out. I ended up getting a 765cb graphite for my cranking needs. I read a few reviews that this is a very versatile rod that can handle the deep divers as well as the shallows, makes a great lipless rod, and being a bamk fisherman for now, I can really chuck them out there with the extra length. I went to Cabelas and handled some Mojo Bass glass rods and I wasn't impressed with glass composites. I have a 7 speed Lews tournament pro on a fury rod I don't use so I am going to see about using it and slow cranking. If it doesn't work out I will get a 6 speed.

I wouldn't be able to fish whopper ploppers on the same rod in fish jerkbaits and squarebills on unless it's the smallest ploppers. I use a 6'9 med fast rod for jerks and squarebills.  I throw whopper ploppers on a 7'2 med hvy. Not a big fan of the soft glass rods even for deep crankbaits.  Some guys love em but I don't. Sounds like you've got it figured out tho so good luck with it