In today’s day and age, bass fishing rods are becoming more and more specialized and definitely more technical.
It really boils down to personal preference when finding the perfect rod, but for FLW Tour pro Cody Meyer, he chooses his rods based on action, performance as well as versatility. His selection of reaction bait rods can be boiled down to three models that cover a wide range of lures he uses as a professional angler.
Small Jerkbaits, Crankbaits, and Poppers
Downsized jerkbaits, small crankbaits, and poppers are usually lightweight baits. Many anglers prefer to use these on spinning tackle to get longer casts, but Meyer chooses a finesse baitcast rod, light line and reel capable of casting them a long distance.
“I feel like I have more control when fighting a fish with baitcast gear and you definitely get better precision when casting these small baits. I also think it is much easier to work the baits with a baitcaster,” he says.
His rod of choice for all three of these style of baits is a Daiwa Tatula Elite rod designed by fellow pro Randy Howell. The rod measures 7' long and is a medium-light action.
“The rod has a light, parabolic action that really does well casting light baits. I throw a small jerkbait, Strike King 1.0 square bill and KVD Splash Popper with it and it does great with all of them,” says the California pro.
Besides just the power and action, Meyer also likes this rod because it has a shorter handle.
“It makes it much easier to work a jerkbait or topwater without the rod hitting you or getting caught on your shirt,” says Meyer who pairs the rod with a Daiwa Tatula SV reel in a 6.3:1 gear ratio with 10-pound Seaguar InvizX for the crankbait and jerkbait and 12-pound Rippin’ mono for the popper. “That SV spool is key because you can still get those long casts even though the lures are so light.”
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Big Jerkbaits and Topwaters
When using bigger jerkbaits and topwaters, Meyer again picks a rod designed by Randy Howell. The 7’4” medium-heavy model is his choice.
“It is really similar to the 7’ medium-light because it has the shorter handles and the same bend. It’s really just a longer and heavier version of it,” he says.
The rod is what Meyer reaches for when tying on a Strike King Sexy Dawg walking bait or deep diving KVD Deep Jerkbait.
“The parabolic bend of the rod is key because it loads really well when you hook one and it also doesn’t rip out the trebles,” says Meyer. He fishes these baits on the same Daiwa reel and uses 10-pound Seaguar InvizX for the jerkbait and 15-pound Rippin’ mono for the topwater.
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Cranking and Spinnerbaits
When choosing a rod for crankbaits and spinnerbaits, Meyer prefers a glass rod that can handle big baits. His choice is the 7’4” medium-heavy designed by Brent Ehrler. “If you could just get one for reaction baits, this is the one. You can do it all with this rod,” shares Meyer.
While the rod was designed as a crankbait and bladed jig rod, Meyer prefers a heavier rod for a ChatterBait style bait.
“Some guys like Ehrler and Brett Hite really like that type of rod for vibrating jigs and they do really well with them, but for me I want a heavier rod, it just comes down to personal preference.”
For crankbaits, this rod gets plenty of use for Meyer.
“You can use it for medium crankbaits all the way down to a 6XD. It is also a great rod for spinnerbaits. It is limber, casts well and handles heavier baits and that is what you want for a crankbait and spinnerbait rod,” he says.
For his reel and line choice for these types of baits, he sticks with the same reel as he uses for jerkbaits and topwaters, but will use a slower speed reel in certain situations.
“Really I use a 6.3:1 for just about everything, probably 90 percent of the time with reaction baits, but there are times when a slower retrieve is important, especially when deep cranking all day long,” he says. In these situations he opts for a 5.5:1 Daiwa Tatula CT and will spool it up with 12-pound Seaguar Tatsu to handle these bigger lures.
Choosing a rod can be confusing with so many options available. Meyer feels that picking the right rod can be done by taking into consideration what you plan to use them for, finding the right length and action for your preference and also choosing a rod that can easily handle many different baits.
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