There has been an ongoing discussion whether crankbaits, and for that fact, any other moving baits, should be fished with a glass or graphite rod.  Amateurs as well as professional anglers each have their personal preferences.  To newcomers of the sport, the decision can be a bit confusing.  What are the characteristics of each material and what are the advantages or disadvantages of each for a given technique.

 

            Graphite blanks offered a great improvement to anglers in that they were lighter and faster than the fiberglass blanks which had been the norm.  This was a result of the higher “modulus”, or the material’s resistance to bending.  Over the years, graphite modulus increased and resins were improved.  We found the graphite blank to have a smaller diameter, less weight, stiffer action, thus more sensitive than glass.  We could fish the rod all day and not have to ice our shoulder once we got back to the dock.  Where the graphite material provided an advantage, was in the feel of subtle bites when worm or jig fishing, otherwise known as “jump baits”.  The angler could better discern the type of structure that he was fishing.  It also meant that subtle bites were transmitted to the angler’s waiting fingers with greater efficiency.  Glass, being a lower modulus material, didn’t have the ability to transmit those subtle bites as well.  Thus, graphite earned a place in the heart of anglers and their rod lockers everywhere.

 

            So, what happened to all those heavy, cumbersome fiberglass rods?  Most of them set in the corner, collecting dust.  That is, except for those anglers that recognized that the slower action of the fiberglass rod was an advantage when using moving baits such as crankbaits, spinnerbaits and top waters.  This is where the fiberglass blank shines.  Fortunately, there have been some advances in fiberglass blank design, as well.

 

            There are two basic types of fiberglass rod blanks produced.  There is the old standard called “Electrical glass” or E-glass with a modulus of 6 million.  This rod blank has tended to be heavy in weight and very slow in action.  Advances in design have improved this material quite a lot, but there are still some clubs out there.

 

            The second type of fiberglass blank is called “High Strength glass” or S-glass which has a modulus of 13 million.  This blank is lighter, stiffer, and more sensitive than the E-glass blanks due to the higher modulus material.  Depending on the blank’s design, it has the ability to retain the desirable trait of a moderate action.  It allows the angler to detect a fouled bait, structure or subtle bites more easily than with the E-glass blank. 

 

            Why not use a graphite rod for the moving bait applications?  The higher modulus material makes the blank stiffer and reacts faster than the lower modulus glass blank.  When utilizing a moving bait, sensitivity is important, but not as important as keeping the fish buttoned, once you hook it.  The small treble hooks can be pulled from the fish’s mouth when using a stiffer rod.  The fish may jump, throw slack in the line while shaking its head and throw the bait.  What the slower action or response of fiberglass material allows you to do is to keep the hook point embedded in the fish’s mouth during these antics.  While the soft tip is necessary to keep the fish buttoned, it is also desirable to have some beef in the butt section to allow you to set the hook or move the fish away from cover.

 

            Now that we know the lower modulus fiberglass rods excel in moving bait applications, what about the new moderate action graphite rods?  To my knowledge, Gloomis and St. Croix (probably others) have both introduced moderate action, graphite blanks.  They combine the increased sensitivity of the graphite material with the moderate (flexible) action of a fiberglass blank.  There has been notable success with anglers using this new generation of graphite blanks.  It is no wonder that there are staunch proponents of both materials out there on the water.

 

            So, which material is best for you?  Only you can make that decision.  Everyone has a different style or method of fishing the same bait.  The important thing is to fish a rod that you feel will give you the greatest advantage when locating, hooking and landing your fish.  Fish the type of rod that you have confidence in.  Confidence in your equipment is essential if you are going to consistently put fish in the livewell and a check in your wallet.