Fall 2023
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TECHNIQUE SPECIFIC RODS
Many rods can fish just about anything you want to tie on, but some techniques call for a rod built for those lures. Some great examples are crankbait and swimbait rods and those designed for heavy-duty flipping, pitching, and punching. It’s easier to fish these techniques with a rod meant for them. Rod lengths, powers and actions will allow you to fish them more effectively.
Another thing to consider, especially for crankbaits, is choosing the right rod material for your preferences. Some cranking rods are graphite, some are fiberglass, and some are composites with a mix of both. The Dobyns Rod lineup has options for both, including the Champion XP Glass Crankbait and standard Champion XP Crankbait rods.
Both are light and balanced with great rod components, but the glass version will feel a little more “whippy” when using it, but the give in the rod from the fiberglass is good for big crankbaits and allows the fish to get the bait a little better before setting the hook. The standard cranking rod with the composite blank will feel a little crisper in hand and works well for crankbaits, too. A lot of it comes down to personal preference when picking the perfect rod for you.
The St. Croix Legend Tournament series is another good option with technique-specific rods
such as the “Big Cranker” and “Flip-Chat-Crank” that can handle multiple techniques. This lineup also has an excellent jerkbait rod designed for fishing all the popular jerkbaits.
PRO INSPIRED RODS
One recent trend in the fishing world is having a company’s professional angler pro-staff build rods to their liking. It’s now happening with several major manufacturers, including Daiwa, Lew’s and Abu Garcia. They’ve all tapped the expertise of their pros and have signature series models available to buy now.
All of these companies took the same approach and instead of just building a rod and slapping a pro’s name on it, they took the process seriously and used all of their input on design, looking at everything from lengths and actions to handle length and guide placement.
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