Hey guys I have a cranking rod I built on the CB70M a few years back and I absolutely love the rod. I am in the middle of building a few rods for some friends in a local bass club. One guy wants a parabolic action on a moderate blank for jerkbaits and cranks around docks. Never thought of using this blank for jerks or topwaters. Was concerned about the action and recovery of the blank. Though I think the CB66MH has a mod-fast action... Has anyone used this blank? The MH rating isn't overpowering I assume...

Hand your friends your rod and have them use it on a practice day, than work from the info they give you.

Good suggestion from Spencer.
Mod-fast blank? personally would be my first choice for crank baits.
But absolute last choice for jerk baits.
I would opt for med power in fast to extra fast to facilitate the action I want the jerk bait to exhibit in the water.

Weird cause most of the more popular jerkbait rods are medium power with moderate fast actions. While I get the idea behind a faster action blank with regards to recovery, wouldn't a rod with a moderate fast parabolic type action make for better hookups... Also like the idea of not ripping the bait 12 inches every snap, figure the moderate fast would move the bait less in distance... Understand both sides

"most of the more popular jerkbait rods are medium power with moderate fast actions."
Who told you that?

a more parabolic rod will flex deeper into the blank causing a longer recovery arch. thus moving the bait further then a faster blank that that doesn't flex as deeply into the blank.

"wouldn't a rod with a moderate fast parabolic type action make for better hookups"?
maybe? but that has not been my experience.
I find that a blank that allows the bait to perform as desired provokes more strikes. thus improving my hook-up and catch ratio

Good info!

The fish will have the last word on this but a softer rod (tip or butt or both) will limit the snappy "dart" that sometimes triggers a strike. You can soften the "dart" on a fast or moderate tip with some backbone by changing your retrieve, but you can't stiffen a softer tip for more snap. it will always move the lure further with less "pop". IMO.

The fish will have the last word on this but a softer rod (tip or butt or both) will limit the snappy "dart" that sometimes triggers a strike. You can soften the "dart" on a fast or moderate tip with some backbone by changing your retrieve, but you can't stiffen a softer tip for more snap. it will always move the lure further with less "pop". IMO.

Jay .... to answer the question has anyone used the CB66MH blank. I have, and I actually had the same thing in mind that you mentioned. A jerkbait / crankbait rod. I thought since the blank was rated as medium heavy power, that it would have a tip stiff enough to work a jerkbait.

It doesn't.

It just doesn't have the punch you need to work a jerkbait properly in a lot of situations. Using braided line would help you gain some pop, but still ..... it's not a good choice for working a jerkbait when you need that wild darting action to trigger bites. As I also wanted to use the rod to throw squarebills into wood cover, I was concerned with casting accuracy so I made the rod I built 6' long. Taking 6" off the butt didn't seem to hurt the power all that much, and it works great for throwing squarebills into wood. It also makes a surprisingly good buzzbait rod, and even though I haven't tried it yet .... I bet it makes a good topwater popper rod as well.

As most everyone has said ... a good jerkbait rod has a fast action with some bend into the mid section of the blank to help with keeping fish on treble hooks buttoned up. Fast action, medium, or even medium light power. I built what I think is real close to being a perfect jerkbait rod. Once again I built a 6' rod from a 6'6" blank. I used a medium power, fast action blank, and took 6" off the butt.

The tip is stiff enough to get a lively darting action, sensitive enough to feel the oft times subtle tick on the pause bite you get with a suspending jerkbait, and has the bend into the mid section and slightly slower action that helps keep fish hooked on trebles, buttoned up

What blank did u build off of?

Sorry Jay, I lost track of this thread. I ended up building my jerkbait rod on a MHX SJ783. It's a 3/16 - 5/8 oz rated blank with a fast action. While the 3/16 oz low lure weight may make it seem like the tip is pretty soft, and depending on what baits you plan on throwing with it, it may be. The biggest bait I throw with mine is a 100 Pointer, and it's a little bit light for that size bait.

It works nicely for the more slender Pointers and baits like 4" X Raps and 4 1/2" Rouges.