Best Squarebill Rod

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LowRange
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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by LowRange » Sat May 21, 2022 12:33 pm

clemsondds wrote:
Fri May 20, 2022 1:31 pm
Thanks! anyone ever use a jerkbait rod for squarebills? Randy Blaukat (pro and megabass pro) who specializes in fishing shallow, uses the orochi jerkbait special as his preferred squarefill rod lol. And for jerkbaits...he uses a spinning rod. Just curious if anyone else has tried this. I find it interesting since I assume he has access to any of megabass' rods.
I use my levante jerkbait rod as a shallow crank rod and popper rod. I'll throw flatside cranks and jerkbaits with a 12# flouro leader to 20# braid in early then switch to a mono leader later into spring for squarebills and poppers.

clemsondds
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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by clemsondds » Sat May 21, 2022 9:23 pm

Ok so my current short list is:
Megabass p5 z-crank
Megabass 05 110 stick
Nrx 842c mbr
Megabass orochi jerkbait special

Mainly looking for a 1.5 squarebill crankbait rod, but my jerkbait rod isn’t anything special and could use upgrading as well. After reading a few comments recommending jerkbait rods…it’s got me thinking. And then there’s the 842c which would just be a specialized finesse rod that I could use for suarebills. Any thoughts on all of these and how they compare. I don’t think I could go wrong with any of these tho. Thanks

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by Heddonfrog » Sun May 22, 2022 7:41 am

I’m like you in that I don’t like the weight and numbness of glass rods. My favorite Square bill rod is the IMX-Pro 841CBR. 3.7ozs, Mod-Fast and it just flat out works. It’s loads extremely well when casting and I get excellent distance with it. While fishing rap, I recently got short lined by this 7-6 and the 841 handled every run, jump and head shake. If I’m out shore banging and only bringing a rod or 2, it’ll work for lipless baits, top waters and in a pinch jerkbaits. Btw that hole in her lip was from a prior catch. C&R at work right there
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clemsondds
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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by clemsondds » Sun May 22, 2022 10:30 am

Heddonfrog wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 7:41 am
I’m like you in that I don’t like the weight and numbness of glass rods. My favorite Square bill rod is the IMX-Pro 841CBR. 3.7ozs, Mod-Fast and it just flat out works. It’s loads extremely well when casting and I get excellent distance with it. While fishing rap, I recently got short lined by this 7-6 and the 841 handled every run, jump and head shake. If I’m out shore banging and only bringing a rod or 2, it’ll work for lipless baits, top waters and in a pinch jerkbaits. Btw that hole in her lip was from a prior catch. C&R at work right there

Cool! Thanks! Yeh I’m definitely intrigued by the imx line. I like having continuity and could have a squarebill and mid crank setup. My question is: does the imx have good sensitivity? Anyone compare an imx-pro with a megabass z-crank? Thanks

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by clemsondds » Wed May 25, 2022 7:47 am

Ok, a little update. I decided before I buy any more rods...to get out the ones I have and see if I can narrow down what it is I am looking for. I put all the exact same bait and reel (lc 1.5 and zillion sv g) and went to the office pond and just did target casting. The rods I tried out are:
St Croix Legend Glass 6'10M
Expride 6'6MF
St Croix avid x 6'8M XF
Megabass taychon shaft
GLoomis GLX 783c MBR

So far, I liked the expride and jerkbait (avid) the best. The legend glass is an awesome crankbait rod, but I have found that I love precision casting and so I prefer something a little lighter and shorter. In open water, it would be a no brainer that the legend glass would win.
Today, I am going to test out two more...but mainly just for curiouslity and not really expecting much. I'll be testing the poison 6'11M+ and my main cranking rod the dobyns 705cb. Both are great rods but I don't think they are good for cranking.
I did a bend test and between the expride and avid, the expride had a little slower taper. So I'm not sure if there's a more moderate action that still has the lightness and length of a rod like these two.
On a side note, I actually got bit twice (I was shocked...there's only a few bass in this tiny pond...) and both came off when they jumped ha. Granted I wasn't really "fishing" so my reaction time was much slower but still makes me wonder if landing percentage will be less with a "non-crankbait" rod... Or, it also could be dull hooks...haven't fished these in quite awhile. Who knows. Thoughts?

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by Thunderblack1984 » Wed May 25, 2022 11:59 am

Fish the 6-10 M glass expride for squarebills and save yourself from buying another rod......unless the monkey has bit.
Philippians 4:6

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by clemsondds » Wed May 25, 2022 12:15 pm

Thunderblack1984 wrote:
Wed May 25, 2022 11:59 am
Fish the 6-10 M glass expride for squarebills and save yourself from buying another rod......unless the monkey has bit.
it's not the 6'10 m glass...it's a 6'6 M. But after doing some research, I always thought it was F action but it's moderate fast which would make more sense. But yeh, it' sthe hi power X bland and not glass.

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by godshippy » Wed May 25, 2022 2:49 pm

The Dobyns Champion 764CB is it for me. Otherwise a Dobyns Champion 705CB or 685CB are great as well.

I know there are a lot of prettier or more flashy rods out there, but when it comes to reaction or moving bait applications--I don't think I've found anything better than the Dobyns.

I'm not affiliated with Dobyns in any way--but I would highly recommend that you give one of those rods a try for squarebills.

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by clemsondds » Wed May 25, 2022 3:50 pm

godshippy wrote:
Wed May 25, 2022 2:49 pm
The Dobyns Champion 764CB is it for me. Otherwise a Dobyns Champion 705CB or 685CB are great as well.

I know there are a lot of prettier or more flashy rods out there, but when it comes to reaction or moving bait applications--I don't think I've found anything better than the Dobyns.

I'm not affiliated with Dobyns in any way--but I would highly recommend that you give one of those rods a try for squarebills.
Funny you mention that. I was out trying my other rods today. Tried the Dobyns champion 705 and the poison adrena 6’11+. After using the expride and the adrena, wow the Dobyns felt so dead. I know it’s a great rod but man it’s not near as sensitive. The poison adrena was the big surprise. I thought it was going to be too stiff for short throws but man it was nice! I haven’t really looked at the action yet but as far as casting and sensitivity…that thing is awesome! Even when I switched back to the expride, there was still a big difference. I was casting the expride and was almost done when I got another solid bite. Kept the pressure on this time and landed it. Nice little 1.5lb. I was shocked there was one that size in our tiny pond. I was could see having major problems if the ads was any bigger…even with that size bass, I felt the rod was maxed out. So I don’t know what to do. I guess I’ll see if the adrena is slow enough taper and if so, I think I’ll give that a try for awhile. It’s just really nice to feel everything….you can tell as soon as the crankbait stops wobbling Any advice/thoughts?

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by godshippy » Wed May 25, 2022 5:37 pm

I never thought the Dobyns felt dead--I mean, a squarebill is always wobbling; so you should be able to easily discern if it's stopped and hit some weeds or if you got a tick. I've never felt that the Dobyns wasn't sensitive enough for fishing a squarebill.

clemsondds
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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by clemsondds » Wed May 25, 2022 6:30 pm

godshippy wrote:
Wed May 25, 2022 5:37 pm
I never thought the Dobyns felt dead--I mean, a squarebill is always wobbling; so you should be able to easily discern if it's stopped and hit some weeds or if you got a tick. I've never felt that the Dobyns wasn't sensitive enough for fishing a squarebill.
Ok yeh I hadn’t ever really noticed it either. I’m guessing it’s just when fished back to back with some of these other, more rigid blanks that are more known for sensitivity, that I noticed a difference.
I’m going to continue testing them. I might pick up another rod or two just to compare…not planning on selling any just yet. The Dobyns and st croix legend glass have too good of a reputation to cast them aside that quickly…pun intended :)

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by FamKench » Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:40 pm

I like using my 7'5 Megabass Javelin for squarebills. I can't believe I was thinking about selling it last year because i was on a 4.8 inch keitech swimbait bite for most of the year and was using hook set special P5 super destroyer most of the time. I decided to try junk fishing again this year and remembered how good the Javelin pinned em down while using squarebills, and it is again part of my line up.

The Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS MMH is also a killer squarebill rod and loads up the smaller 3/8 oz squarebills pretty good.

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by ra2bach » Thu Jun 02, 2022 3:23 am

I use a Loomis 843CBR for Squares and lipless 1/2oz and lighter. it's set up with 30#braid and 15# leader on a Shimano Curado 70. accurate and sensitive

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by goldrod » Thu Jun 02, 2022 7:42 am

ra2bach wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 3:23 am
I use a Loomis 843CBR for Squares and lipless 1/2oz and lighter. it's set up with 30#braid and 15# leader on a Shimano Curado 70. accurate and sensitive
Such a classic rod. I never had the pleasure of using one but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible

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Re: Best Squarebill Rod

Post by goldrod » Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:49 pm

Smalleyez wrote:
Sat May 21, 2022 10:47 am
I’m not so much a squarebill guy, but I crank baits like the DT series aggressively. I really like the Loomis IMX Pro 845 cbr. It just has that something extra…. not mushy like a glass rod.
how do you like the fit and finish?
I was reading on this rod and some comments weren't positive
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