Looking for the action for the following techniques for bass fishing.

Worm-Texas Rig-1/4-5/8/Baitcaster---12-15lb Mono
Carolina Rig-3/8-1-1/4oz/Baitcaster---12-15lb Mono Mono
Small Crankbait--Dives 0-5' 1/4-5/8 / Baitcaster----10-12lb Mono
Medium Crankbait--Dives 6-10' 3/8-3/4 / Baitcaster---12-15lb Mono
Spinner Bait--1/4--5/8/ Baitcaster---12lb Mono
Top Water(Buzz Bait, Zara Spook, Jitterbug) 3/8-3/4/Baitcaster---12lb Mono
Jerk Bait--1/4-3/4 / Baitcaster----12lb Mono
Tube, small jig--1/8-1/2/ Spinning---8lb Mono

I did quite a few searches and the closet match to these techniques was back in yr 04. So i thought i would throw this out and get some opinions. The reason i posted, i have been away from bass fishing for almost 25 years now and retired a couple years ago so i thought i would get back into some bass fishing. I have saltwater fished last 25 years. The reason i put mono to each technique is that all i have used. But i believe i will try braid for some of these techniques. The 3 lakes in i will be fishing has lily pads, stumps, lay downs and rip rap. Looking forward to your opinions and i appreciate it.

Roger

Worm Rod and Spinnerbait rod 6'6"-7' 1/4-3/4oz. Mag Bass blank (brand of your choice, there are a lot of options out there) MH power, Fast action
Crankbait (all sizes listed) and Topwater Swampland Rich Forhan Legacy Elite 765 trimmed to whatever length you need.
Jerkbait either the RFLE above or a 6'8"-6'10" shaky head type rod Batson 802.75 or 823 comes to mind M power extra fast action
Tube and small jig Discontinued Batson 822.5 models :( 6'10" M power extra fast action. The 802.75 or 823 will get the job done, it's tip just isn't as soft.

These are my preferences. The majority of my fishing in Ohio is done with the 822.5, 823, 6'6" MH Mag Bass blank, and the RFLE trimmed to 7'. Other rods I carry are to fill a niche or target panfish. It really only takes a handful of rods to get the job done, unless you really want to dial things in for a specific technique. Depending on where you live, bumping up the power may be in order if you are on waters with gnarly cover and trophy sized fish.

I don't do much Carolina Rig fishing, but look into the 7'-7'6" Mag Bass blanks and I think you will be heading in the right general direction, though an action that is a tad slower than worm rod will be more conducive to the sweep set used.

Joe

For the Texas rig worm rod, the power and action Joe mentioned would do very well, although unless you'll be using the rod in cramped quarters with overhead obstructions, I'd go with a 7' rod length. If the majority of your Texas rig fishing is going to be done in heavy cover, I'd opt for a heavy power rod with a fast action. Something rated for 12 - 25# line and 3/8 - 1 1/4 oz. baits. I'll put my line choice just as an idea. 14 - 20# fluorocarbon, or 50 - 65# braid, depending on cover density. A lot of people think that size braid is over kill, but for me it's just as much about the diameter of the line, as it is the lines breaking strength. Small diameter line cuts into cover easier than thicker line, and it can cause you to get hung up easier.

Carolina rigging, you could use either of the above mentioned rods, but a 7' - 7'6" medium heavy power, fast action, would probably be the best choice. I do a lot of Carolina rigging, and I rarely use a weight heavier than 1/2 oz. The heaviest I go is 3/4 oz. and those size weights will cover any water depth up to 30', with ease. Line 17# fluorocarbon, or 50# braid as the main line, 10# to as high as 20# test fluorocarbon line for the leader. Leader breaking strength should always be lower than that of the main line.

Small to medium diving crankbaits. Small and medium diving baits are baits that I personally don't make long casts with. I'm usually throwing that size bait at targets, A 6' medium power with a medium fast or moderate fast action ("which is impossible to find from a factory) or a 6'6" medium power with the actions mentioned for the 6' rod would be my choice. Graphite composite would be the material for the rod blank I'd choose. A faster action blank is going to make accurate casting, easier. Line 10# fluorocarbon.

Spinnerbait, 6'6" medium heavy power, fast action. Shorter is better for accurate casting, but the 6'6" length will make pitching the bait in and around heavy cover much easier. Line: I'd use 15# fluorocarbon, but I used to use 15# Berkley Big Game for my spinnerbait rods, and it's a great line and size for spinnerbaits.

Topwater. I like a shorter rod for topwater baits. Especially for baits that use rod manipulation to impart action to the bait. I work those type of baits with my rod tip down, and for me, a rod longer than 6' is just too hard to use. A fast action would be better for working a bait like a Zara Spook, or a Reble Pop R, but once you hook up, the fast action becomes a liability (at least in my opinion) because the baits mentioned, use treble hooks. So my choice for such a rod would be a custom built 6' medium heavy power, medium fast action, built from a 6'6" blank with those specs. With 4" trimmed off the butt, and 2" off the tip. It's going to be the second rod I build, and I think it will make a great topwater, buzzbait, squarbill rod. Line, 10 - 15"# mono, Mono only because it floats, and you need a floating line for topwater baits that are worked with line laying on the water.

Jerkbaits: I feel the same about jerkbaits as I do about top water. The perfect jerkbait rod for me would be 6' with a fast action, and enough bend in the blank to keep fish buttoned up. Something medium power would probably be the best choice. Line, it depends on the bait being used, and the depth I want the bait to run, It could be 10# fluorocarbon to 15# mono.

Tubes and small jigs. A 6'8" to 7' medium power, extra fast action spinning rod. Line 8 - 10# test fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon sinks and makes it easier to stay in contact with light baits that may be fished with bottom contact. Or 10# braid with a fluorocarbon leader.

These are just my personal opinions and preferences.

Joe and David that is great info and very thorough. People like you two and everyone that contributes thier knowledge to all these question what makes this rod building forum the greatest.
Thanks again for taking time out of your day to respond.

Roger, thanks for the kind words. I'm pretty new to this forum, and this is the first post I've made that I felt I could actually contribute some helpful ideas. Most of my posts have been in the form of questions, and in thanking others for their responses. lol

You're right about this forum. There are some very knowledgeable people here that are more than willing to help. I "know" Joe from another web site, and he knows his stuff. He also builds rods and a couple of years ago I was going to have him build me a rod. The custom 6' rod I mentioned in my topwater suggestion, actually. I'm sad to say that I have yet to meet Joe, and am also sad to say that I wasn't able to have him build me that rod. Slow work related money issues at the time. But I will be meeting Joe at an up coming Ohio Rod Builders gathering in March.

I've been bitten by the rod building bug, and I'm gonna try and get him to show me some of his tricks for rod building that I can use for building my own rods.

Dave,

I look forward to meeting you next month! I'm more than happy to share what I know, though there are many here far more experienced than I. In exchange, I'm sure I can learn a bit more about chasing bass from you.

Joe