Looking for a telescopic butt crank bait rod

[Fishfreq]

Anyone out there found a big, XD crankbait rod with a telescopic butt besides Skeet's yellow rods?

Just want a longer rod that fits in 7 1/2' lockers, decent quality.

[Fishfreq]

Bueller??

Am I the only one that just can't bring myself to buy a bright yellow Wright & McGill rod no matter how cheap it is? Anyone have one they can talk about? Actually Danny Miller told me he tried their XL flipper and was impressed, but my sunglasses aren't dark enough to block out the glare. Then I see the pink Zaldain models, and it makes the yellow not seem as terrible, but holy cow, has any other rod mfg jumped on the long rod concept since the restriction was raised?

I just want one bare matte whatever-fiber. It's not JUST that I don't like waving around bright painted rods, but my guess is that any thick paint or clear has GOT to add a couple ounces to the overall weight of the rod, and I can only imagine after a couple years getting knocked around that yellow might chip, peel and look nasty? I don't beat up my rods, it's just what happens. I've got a few GLX rods that had that clear shiny finish and spiral guides, and they're all chipped up, but perform perfectly. Wish they were bare...

Thought Phenix Rods woulda been the kind of co that would quickly adapt. How about Dobyns? Maybe I'll give them both a call and see what's on their road map...

[Kyle46N]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

[mark poulson]

I opened the front inspection panel on my boat's bow, and and found the rod tubes on the non-driver side had hard rubber end caps, with space in front of them, so I cut the ends of the rod tubes off, and now I can fit 8'+ rods in my rod locker.

[pizzabob]

check IROD cranklauncher

[pizzabob]

check IROD cranklauncher

[Fishfreq]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

Great spotting that rod Kyle, looks like a good one, esp at 50% off. What did you think about it? Obviously it made enough of an impression on you that you remembered it? How stout did it feel? You think it could handle lures over 1 ounce? 1.25-1.5 oz?

[Fishfreq]

check IROD cranklauncher

I couldn't find an iRod crank launcher over 7' 11". Nor telescopic butt? I'd like to try something in the 8.5-9 foot range.

[Fishfreq]

I opened the front inspection panel on my boat's bow, and and found the rod tubes on the non-driver side had hard rubber end caps, with space in front of them, so I cut the ends of the rod tubes off, and now I can fit 8'+ rods in my rod locker.

Good idea, but I'd prefer not to cut off the ends of my rod tubes, if possible. If I find one, I might try a 9 footer too?

[Kyle46N]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

Great spotting that rod Kyle, looks like a good one, esp at 50% off. What did you think about it? Obviously it made enough of an impression on you that you remembered it? How stout did it feel? You think it could handle lures over 1 ounce? 1.25-1.5 oz?

Felt like a nice rod, and definitely heavy enough to throw the larger cranks. You're right, I was impressed, but just don't throw thise heavy crankbaits.

[Fishfreq]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

Great spotting that rod Kyle, looks like a good one, esp at 50% off. What did you think about it? Obviously it made enough of an impression on you that you remembered it? How stout did it feel? You think it could handle lures over 1 ounce? 1.25-1.5 oz?

Felt like a nice rod, and definitely heavy enough to throw the larger cranks. You're right, I was impressed, but just don't throw thise heavy crankbaits.

According to Lews specs that rod is rated at one ounce lures, but I'd want to mainly throw 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz cranks with it. I'm 90 min away from that Sportsmen's, maybe I'll call...

[WRB]

9' cranking rod begs the question why? How far do you plan to cast, over 60 yds?
Using 8' rods with 2 anglers in a bass boat can get dicey 9' rods maybe looking for a accident hooking your partner.
Tuned reels with the right line can extend your cast 10 yds without going to 9' rods.
Tom

[Fishfreq]

9' cranking rod begs the question why? How far do you plan to cast, over 60 yds?
Using 8' rods with 2 anglers in a bass boat can get dicey 9' rods maybe looking for a accident hooking your partner.
Tuned reels with the right line can extend your cast 10 yds without going to 9' rods.
Tom

First answer, YES!! Only 60? Why? Farther is deeper.

Second topic, since the swimbait days and mega crankbait era, I've not hooked any partners, YET...

Knock on wood.

[zdbm2004]

Look into a salmon/steelhead rod. Glass or glass/composite would be the way to go. I tried a BPS 8’6” graphite rod with 6XD on 10# line and 8XD on 12# line and it was not forgiving. Rattled my arms all the way to my shoulders. Glass is a lot softer and loads up perfectly during the cast. Don’t get led into the “it’s too long” “what about your partner” stuff. I think lots of tournaments orgs have gotten rid of the 8+ rule also. Oh and by the way I made a few casts with that set up chucking a 8XD and I thought I was gonna run out of line. Maybe this topic will spark interest and see a 906CB 1&2pc rod in the future.

[WRB]

9' cranking rod begs the question why? How far do you plan to cast, over 60 yds?
Using 8' rods with 2 anglers in a bass boat can get dicey 9' rods maybe looking for a accident hooking your partner.
Tuned reels with the right line can extend your cast 10 yds without going to 9' rods.
Tom

First answer, YES!! Only 60? Why? Farther is deeper.

Second topic, since the swimbait days and mega crankbait era, I've not hooked any partners, YET...

Knock on wood.

Longer casts over 50 yards doesn't mean a lure will run deeper, it may stay at it's maximum depth longer. If you are casting down wind a longer rod will get some crankbaits further out, into the wind or side winds you lose can lose distance because the rod slows down with wind resistance and the line kites.
Go to your local football field and tell me you can cast a crankbait over 60 yards, yards are accurate distance measure.
Whatever, longer rods are popular today...why not go to 10?
Tom
PS, Fenwick made the first 8' telescoping flipping rods for Dee Thomas and makes a 8'6" moderate action telescoping rod, but not familiar with it?

[Fishfreq]

9' cranking rod begs the question why? How far do you plan to cast, over 60 yds?
Using 8' rods with 2 anglers in a bass boat can get dicey 9' rods maybe looking for a accident hooking your partner.
Tuned reels with the right line can extend your cast 10 yds without going to 9' rods.
Tom

First answer, YES!! Only 60? Why? Farther is deeper.

Second topic, since the swimbait days and mega crankbait era, I've not hooked any partners, YET...

Knock on wood.

Longer casts over 50 yards doesn't mean a lure will run deeper, it may stay at it's maximum depth longer. If you are casting down wind a longer rod will get some crankbaits further out, into the wind or side winds you lose can lose distance because the rod slows down with wind resistance and the line kites.
Go to your local football field and tell me you can cast a crankbait over 60 yards, yards are accurate distance measure.
Whatever, longer rods are popular today...why not go to 10?
Tom
PS, Fenwick made the first 8' telescoping flipping rods for Dee Thomas and makes a 8'6" moderate action telescoping rod, but not familiar with it?

You're right about 'stay at it's maximum depth longer' part because at one point, the plug's downward pull cannot overcome the resistance from the line pulling upward, however, I do believe you might be selling yourself short on casting distances. We haven't even begun talking about depth's modern high-tech crankbaits can run, but you won't find out until you've bombed some casts out there for days. I don't have any idea if you've done this already Tom, but some, not all, '15 foot', or '20 foot' crankbaits, with the right line, cast, and retrieve, have the ability to get way deeper than that rating.

I'm an avid golfer and I can easily judge 60, 70, 80, 90 yards. I'm also aware that if I'm hitting a high golf shot into a strong headwind, it's likely to only fly a fraction of typical distance. Same goes for anyone that's casted a baitcaster more than a season or two. In a headwind you gotta knock down that crankbait trajectory, fire it under the wind with moderated effort and count on reduced distance. Throwing harder usually just results in bird's nests. Anyways, those are pretty much unconscious adjustments on a day of a thousand casts.

I hardly recall seeing that name 'Fenwick' in the last decade, or at least it didn't make me stay on that page long enough to tell if they were still in the game, but what you describe, 8'6" moderate action telescoping (flippin'?) rod, that's about a PERFECT action for throwing mega-deep cranks and exactly what I'm looking for! I'll look for it Tom...

[Fishfreq]

Look into a salmon/steelhead rod. Glass or glass/composite would be the way to go. I tried a BPS 8’6” graphite rod with 6XD on 10# line and 8XD on 12# line and it was not forgiving. Rattled my arms all the way to my shoulders. Glass is a lot softer and loads up perfectly during the cast. Don’t get led into the “it’s too long” “what about your partner” stuff. I think lots of tournaments orgs have gotten rid of the 8+ rule also. Oh and by the way I made a few casts with that set up chucking a 8XD and I thought I was gonna run out of line. Maybe this topic will spark interest and see a 906CB 1&2pc rod in the future.

Hahaha! I've kept from hooking my partners through decades of avoiding them, no worries at all. Thank heaven we're not in a 12' rowboat.

I've never had a partner say, "...your cast just barely missed me!", however, I've said that to my partners more than once, so it should be a concern for many. When you feel the wind of your partner's lure whizzing past your head, it's too close! I'm glad they lifted the 8 foot rule, and I'm a believer we should take advantage of the extra length when a benefit presents itself, and deep crankbait fishing is definitely one of them. With great power comes great responsibility, so please, use caution and do watch every backcast when trying this tactic.

I've tried two-piece salmon and steelhead sticks zdbm. It doesn't matter what I do, or how hard I twist and push those two halves together, I've found that at some point in the day of chuckin' and winding, I end up casting off the top half of the rod with a big giant awkward SPLASH. Now, I've never lost that flying fish stick, but who knows, THAT cast coulda been THE CAST?!? f I can avoid that mishap, I will. That's why telescopic is important to me.

I've found that fiberglass or a blend thereof, isn't really necessary, and it can actually be detrimental to making a light-weight high performance crankbait rod. It really comes down to the taper and engineering of the blank to make it more 'moderate' action, bending further down the blank to keep from snatching those treble hooks off a light biting bass. I switched from glass to graphite crankbait rods a few decades ago with the G-Loomis CBR crankbait series, and found the increased sensitivity of even a slower action graphite rods is a killer combo and now I can easily 'feel' my bait over rocks, branches, and easily detect when a bass has inhaled it. It's so fun to feel those things I couldn't with the old glass crank sticks. I've been using a slightly softer 8 foot telescopic butt flippin' stick for my ultra-deep cranks, and love the extra distance it gives me, however, it's just a little bit too fast, it doesn't bend down the blank enough, like a perfect crankbait rod would bend, for me anyways. I fish with a light drag too, but the flex of a moderate action rod is important to keeping a lightly hooked far-away fish pinned, without pulling the hooks loose.

[zdbm2004]

It’s another approach on max depth and time at that depth but on certain areas of Berryessa I’ve had pretty good luck with long lining a 6XD. I can get that thing to 20’ with more trolling motor then cast. Give it a good huck let a a$$ load of line out and get it to where you want it. I’m going after the deep grass beds on this application so if they’re not there I don’t throw it. Most of the time it’s my summer time gig when they back off from the shallows to feed on shad. Attack it with top water, look for birds, surface activity and adjust to what I’m seeing. Obviously fall, winter, spring this probably ain’t gonna work.

[WRB]

I have been bass fishing for awhile, caught my 1st lake record 11 lb LMB at lake Havasu in '55and several hundred more DD since then, learned a few things about bass fishing over the years.
If you want to know the max depth any crankbait will run using various line sizes or types troll them at known bottom depths until they hit bottom. Make your longest cast and troll the lure.
I fish 1/2 oz jigs most of the time and cast between 40 to 50 yards for 1 reason, don't want to alert big bass of my presence. My custom jig rods are only 6'10". I catch a few big bass on deep diving cranks every year, usually less then 50 yard cast in low light conditions. I understand why today's anglers want to bomb out long cast using long rods but it's not necessary, just challenging. The only long 8' rods I use for bass fishing are for swimbaits.
I think you may be in the market for a custom built rod to meet your specific requirements.
Fenwick was sold several years ago and made off shore today, not highest quality products anymore.
Good luck,
Tom

[Fishfreq]

I have been bass fishing for awhile, caught my 1st lake record 11 lb LMB at lake Havasu in '55and several hundred more DD since then, learned a few things about bass fishing over the years.
If you want to know the max depth any crankbait will run using various line sizes or types troll them at known bottom depths until they hit bottom. Make your longest cast and troll the lure.
I fish 1/2 oz jigs most of the time and cast between 40 to 50 yards for 1 reason, don't want to alert big bass of my presence. My custom jig rods are only 6'10". I catch a few big bass on deep diving cranks every year, usually less then 50 yard cast in low light conditions. I understand why today's anglers want to bomb out long cast using long rods but it's not necessary, just challenging. The only long 8' rods I use for bass fishing are for swimbaits.
I think you may be in the market for a custom built rod to meet your specific requirements.
Fenwick was sold several years ago and made off shore today, not highest quality products anymore.
Good luck,
Tom

The latest ultra-deep crankbaits let us reach depths feet previously unthinkable. I've found them to be very good search baits in the winter when the bass are spread out and deeper than 25 feet. With baits like the Strike King 10XD(1.92 oz), Mann's EZ30(1.5 oz), if I can cast far enough, and let out some line like the last guy, @zdbm2004, said, I've dug bottom EASILY in over 30 feet. That can't be done with a 50 yard cast, no way. I use an 8 foot rod now, but if I could find a moderate action 8 1/2 to 9 foot telescopic flip or swimbait rod, I could cast it FARTHER and go even deeper. It's a different world than pitchin' jigs close to the boat. It's more like surf-casting in the ocean. Mentally, it's like swimbait fishing where you're targeting the big dogs and need to be prepared for a workout of a day, but unlike swimbait fishing, some days you catch numbers, and some smaller bass on the crankbait to keep you motivated. Small window of time they're on this crankbait bite, so I really can't justify spending a few hundred bucks to have one custom made, maybe something like that Lews @Kyle46N mentioned is as good as I'm gonna get? Couldn't find any telescopic fenwick approaching what you described at least on TW...

[Fishfreq]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

Great spotting that rod Kyle, looks like a good one, esp at 50% off. What did you think about it? Obviously it made enough of an impression on you that you remembered it? How stout did it feel? You think it could handle lures over 1 ounce? 1.25-1.5 oz?

Felt like a nice rod, and definitely heavy enough to throw the larger cranks. You're right, I was impressed, but just don't throw thise heavy crankbaits.

Hey Kyle, do you recall if this team Lew's crank you saw had those friggin' teeny weenie micro casting guides? If it DIDN'T, I might drive to fairfield and get it this weekend.

Last year I tried an 8 foot David Fritz Lews mag crank rod and those guides casted horribly and actually shredded brand new Invisex. I was pissed! Sent it back pronto.

[WRB]

You need to look at the Fenwick site, the stats look OK but I am not familiar with that rod.
Your best choice being located on the west coast is have a custom rod made from salt water inshore blank used for surface jigs (iron). The telescoping design is something a good rod builder can do.
Crankbaits are not aerodynamic because the line tie isn't located at the ideal place, it's at the base of the bill, the result is is tumbling when over powered. Some lures have sliding weight systems to help resolve casting issues with long bill crank baits.
Bagley made a DB3 Dredge crankbait that sinks and dives deep we used 25 to 30 years ago.
I made up custom Scroungers to "crank" very deep water successfully in the 80's, nothing is new it's just new to some folks.
Tom

[Fishfreq]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

Great spotting that rod Kyle, looks like a good one, esp at 50% off. What did you think about it? Obviously it made enough of an impression on you that you remembered it? How stout did it feel? You think it could handle lures over 1 ounce? 1.25-1.5 oz?

Felt like a nice rod, and definitely heavy enough to throw the larger cranks. You're right, I was impressed, but just don't throw thise heavy crankbaits.

So I drove to Fairfield after calling Sportsman's Warehouse and discussing the traits of this 'Team Lew's Custom Pro' edition 'Ledge/Long Range Crankbaits' rod. It's model no TLCPLRCB 9' 0" Med Hvy, Action: Fast, 10-17 lb line, 1/8 - 3/4 oz lures. Tape measure has it at 8' 11 5/8" long. I believe this is a predecessor to the Mark Rose Ledge Buster line of crankbait rods at TW because it was marked down not half-price, but $100 off of $259 retail price, which I couldn't beat anywhere online. I carried in my 8' Kistler (lighter) flippin' stick that I had been using for ultra-deep crankbait fishing to compare and immediately I could feel that the Lews had way more tip bend and gradually flexed down almost halfway down the rod into a very powerful butt (in front of the reel) section, which is further nicely stiffened by the telescoping section, which collapses the rod down to 7' 10". It's still a handful around the car, house (8 ft ceilings), and I'll test it soon in the locker of my 20' Triton. It feels like a surf casting rod with a handle 3" longer and a tip 8 inches longer than my Kistler, and since I bought it, I'll report back soon if that extra length is a help or a hindrance accomplishing my goal of 80 yard casts and less farmed bass! Lol, no plan to really measure it, just going by my 'seat of the pants' feel. The flippin' stick I'd been using cost me a few nice bass because, although far lighter than any of my GLX flippers, I'd still call it 'heavy slow' action; it doesn't have the tip give of an actual crank action rod. I was using a hammer when I needed a long screwdriver. I knew it all along but, no excuses, I'd just been too lazy to shop for the proper tool.

I flexed and sorted through dozens of rods there and also stopped at Guns & Fishing (indoor firing range) in Vacaville. Here I witnessed one of the largest displays of Phenix rods I've ever seen short of the Phenix outdoor show booths. I found what could be the best feeling, to me, ultra deep crankbait rod, the X14 which is a 'perfect length' 8 1/2 ft stick that feels only slightly stiffer in the tip and middle than the Lew's 9', but it's rated at a whopping 3 oz lure weight! Questioning that rating because I returned a $100 8' Lew's David Fritz CBR with a 3 oz rating that was an absolute telephone pole, with terrible micro guides that lifted all sorts of little frays in a brand new spool of 12 lb Seaguar Invisexfluorocarbon. At about $220 retail the Phenix's quality, appearance and balance makes you feel like you're buying a far higher quality rod than the Lews at $259. Funny, at home I could not find an 8 1/2' Phenix X-14 on their website nor TW, so maybe it's a special build or I misread that model number...? I didn't buy this rod for the simple fact it was NOT telescopic, and I may live to regret it.

On the water results to follow. Could I be overloading this Lew's with 1.25 to 2 oz cranks? I'll soon find out. Thanks for the tip @Kyle46N; it was the last one in stock. I hope this info helps someone else out there that embarks on the same journey I did.

[Fishfreq]

You need to look at the Fenwick site, the stats look OK but I am not familiar with that rod.
Your best choice being located on the west coast is have a custom rod made from salt water inshore blank used for surface jigs (iron). The telescoping design is something a good rod builder can do.
Crankbaits are not aerodynamic because the line tie isn't located at the ideal place, it's at the base of the bill, the result is is tumbling when over powered. Some lures have sliding weight systems to help resolve casting issues with long bill crank baits.
Bagley made a DB3 Dredge crankbait that sinks and dives deep we used 25 to 30 years ago.
I made up custom Scroungers to "crank" very deep water successfully in the 80's, nothing is new it's just new to some folks.
Tom

I'm very familiar with the balsa wood Bagley DB3 Dredge. It's a tiny 4 1/2 inches long and is dwarfed by the massive mega-deep cranks mentioned earlier. Please don't take offense, but if you're casting a tumbling, wide wobbling wood 5/8 oz vintage bait less than 50 yards, then you and I are fishing for totally different bass my friend. Same technique. Different as mini-golf is to a Pinnacle Long-Drive championship smash.

[WRB]

Good luck, you know it all.
Tom

[Fishfreq]

Good luck, you know it all.
Tom

If I knew it all Tom I wouldn't be here asking for feedback. Happy to say WB respondents helped me with my search.

Your first reply questioned needing to cast 60 yards and cautioned I might hook my partner. Valid questions if my post was asking 'How do I keep from repeatedly snagging my partners with my 9' crankbait rod?' or 'Should I use a short or long rod for fishing ultra-deep crankbaits?'

[WRB]

Good luck, you know it all.
Tom

If I knew it all Tom I wouldn't be here asking for feedback. Happy to say WB respondents helped me with my search.

Your first reply questioned needing to cast 60 yards and cautioned I might hook my partner. Valid questions if my post was asking 'How do I keep from repeatedly snagging my partners with my 9' crankbait rod?' or 'Should I use a short or long rod for fishing ultra-deep crankbaits?'

You comments about the DB3 Dredge showed me you don't know what you are talking about, the lure is 5 1/2" long including bill, 3 1/2" body and weighs 1 1/4 oz, the DB3 Long Cast is the length weighs 1 oz with a sliding weight system, both dive to 25' casting 50 yards or count them down they run deeper and both are big bass lures during their day.
SK 10XD is 6" including bill weighing 1 7/8 oz, bigger and heavier for sure, runs about 25' on 12 FC.
Cashion makes a 10XD crankbait rod, maybe they will make up what you want.
Someone needs to help you, I am done.
Tom

[Fishfreq]

Checked out the Cashion crankbait rods, they sound good. Anyone vouch for them? Any local dealers in Nor-Cal? I'm micro-guide shy; my experience wasn't very good with the 8' Lew's that had 'em. Just doesn't make sense to me how the line isn't going to be crossing the blank if the rod even bends a little? In spite of that, the ratings are all real high. I'd like to go 8.5' to 9', and even though I bought that 9' Lew's Ledge telescopic, I'm still gonna keep looking since I may return this Lew's, just not sure it's powerful enough for the XD...

I've bounced bottom over 30 feet deep with the 10XD, on about a 60+ yd cast (downwind), and I've hit bottom deeper a few times, it's just hard to say how deep when the bait is so far out there. That plug floats too, so you can walk it over rocks and logs.

[Fishfreq]

Not sure where you live, or if it's still there. But sportsmans warehouse in fairfield had a team lews custom pro long range crank rod. 9 ft, telescoping, 50% off. Saw it on Wednesday.

Just an update and 'thanks' to Kyle for bird doggin' me a nice XD crankbait rod! Ran that Lew's thru it's paces, and although I did not get a bite, I could feel that this rod is definitely underrated. With a 1 1/4 oz Duo Realis G87 this rod actually felt ever-so-slightly too stiff for it. I'm sure it'd be fine with a 4 lb bass chewing on it, but it was really sweet with a Strike King 10XD. When you're making long casts, a rod probably should be on the stiffer side so you can load it up hard, control a far away fish, and it also may help sensitivity. So I'll go with 'perfect' for what I wanted it for.

I wouldn't hesitate to launch a 2-3 oz treble-hooked wake or glide bait with it, however, that 9 foot length is really best for LONG range casting, as I was able to blast those crankbaits in excess of 75 yards, using a Shimano Curado 5:1 reel (perfect retrieve speed for deep cranks, any higher ratio gets too tiring to crank all day), i forgot the exact model but it's a couple versions old, silver-pewter color (the 7:1 version is a DHSV). It's got good spool depth and it needs it. Quantum Hot Sauce oil in the stock bearings. A couple casts might have been farther, and my partner on Saturday, a golf fanatic so he knows yardage, estimated a cast or two close to like 85 yards. I snagged up one time, and circled back to use my plug knocker, and it was 31 ft deep.

It's a sweet rod nonetheless, and it's really fun slingin' baits that far. I thought 9 ft would be awkward making shorter casts, but because it's got a flexy tip, it was no problem, hitting close targets, doing little underhand roll casts over the trolling motor and dropping the krank right into tight spots. It's a keeper, staying in my quiver!

Hope this info helps someone down the line, Lol... Rod should have a 2 or 2 1/2 oz rating, no problem:
'Team Lew's Custom Pro' edition 'Ledge/Long Range Crankbaits' rod. Model no TLCPLRCB 9' 0" Med Hvy, Action: Fast, 10-17 lb line, 1/8 - 3/4 oz lures.

[Kyle46N]

Glad I could help! Better you than me, because I DO NOT need another rod. Good review though, and definitely will be helpful if I look into a longer crank rod.