Kevin Van Dam Forums

i’m trying to thinking of building a rat l trap rods and i’m trying to degsin 2 or 3 rod with action and power
for deeper fishing
for weed fishing
for shallow fishing
need to curious what taper i should get ? moderate fast or fast or extra fast
medium and medium heavy rod too cos i fishing for smallies and largies with this lures but would like to get some of advice about power and taper on rat l trap

For lipless cranks its mostly personal preference. I use anything from a composite rod to a MH graphite rod. Really depends of what cover you’re fishing. For open water Ill use a composite, over grass or cover Ill use a medium or mediun-heavy.

If you are wanting to make 1 rod that will work for most all lipless cranks and the different techniques then I would go with either a 7ft M power F action rod or a 7ft MH power with a Moderate-fast action rod.

I like a 7’ fast MH or a 7’6”  mod-fast MH depends on the conditions i’m fishing.  the 7’ i like for fishing grass beds where i need to snatch the bait back out of it and the 7’6” i like for fishing more open water.

I like a 7’ M graphite rod for most of my lipless fishing, last year when using the bigger 3/4 oz baits I stepped up to a 7’ MH graphite rod.

I use a 6’11 Heavy, Mod/fast. I fish a lipless crank around weeds a lot and it has enough backbone to rip the bait through the weeds and horse them out of there while the moderate taper keeps them hooked up.

ok i have step back into old post of rat l trap rod, well there is a personal performance use on rods for rat l trap and other brand of vibe crankbait like yo-zori, xcailbur, strikeking and etc… 1 issue i have is LINE broke when it casting i was wonder about coz i was use a power pro braid on moderate/fast action 7’ MH casting rod
also i have use same action fishing for smallmouth bass in openwater and weed and i did manage the smallies and the hook didnt pentantion but good hook hold in mouth and would i go in MED/FAST little more stiff than moderate/fast might be better for most of rattle l trp
i’m tried to building some more on action

any advice on line issue and the action flex for vibe crankbaits..

A 7’MH with braid should be more then enough for fishing open water weed beds. I have been using a 7’2 MH a lot lately with 17lb fluoro, but im not fishing much weeds. What is the tip action on the rod?

i was use a 7ft mh moderate fast action tip with yo zuri rattl’n vibe and about 30 or 40 casting and the power pro 30/8 have been broke when casting and i check allmy guides and they are good and i figure it must somethings on braid and have respool another one to see how it does if happen again will shut the power pro and trying suffix or vicious either
i have fishing with mono and have lost many fish due to pike or muskie bite and lost lures so switch to braid line coz i live up northwoods ” northren wisconsin ” where tons of smallies are chase

From what you posted, I dont think its your rod thats giving you the problem. Look at going to 50lb braid.