I get the LS glass is the least expensive and heaviest; that the graphite is the lightest, and the Judge somewhere in between. Can anyone provide any description of what difference I will feel and if there are particular things for which each shines. Are there some pros & cons to each?

If you are a beginner in building and fishing buy the carbon blanks. if you are an experienced angler than many will go more towards the Judge, a composite or a LS for cranks. Being an intermediate bass angler and not likely to improve in this lifetime, I have carbon 8 ft. rods and my 6 1/2 - 7 ft. rods are S Glass. Keeping fish on can be easier with a glass rod.

I go light, so not glass. Graphite can be built in any action that glass can be built with, and will be lighter. I don't think the faster recovery speed of carbon causes lost fish. Just an opinion. Like all the others you will see. Different strokes for different folks.

You should look into the NFC options.

The APFG lineup is lighter than traditional glass and fishes faster than glass.

The Delta CB rods are composite with glass tips. Kind of the best of both worlds.

I love my APFG rods from NFC because they are the lightest weight glass rod out there, and a great taper for fishing cranks. My 744 is amazing with baits like Rapala's DT and OG 4's to 6's. Go with the 745 for larger cranks. Fast tip that flexes into a softer bend with a fish on the end. (744: IP = 447.5 and AA = 80; 745: IP =567.5 and AA = 75). If you like glass, I think there is none better. Don't let the fast AA fool you too much. These are softer rods when loaded.

Mick is right, too, you can get a very similar experience in a lighter blank with graphite. I bought an SJ 703 X-Ray C6O2 blank recently that I think would make a dandy small crankbait rod. I built it into a spinning rod and have observed its flex profile wrestling some good fish. It is a very versatile blank. (IP =337.5; AA = 71).

The Judge I built on is one heck of a crank bait rod. Getting another. Of course this is all personal opinion stuff.

My part technical, part opinion, quick take on the three Rainshadow Crankbait series mentioned is:

Revelation RX7 Crankbait: All graphite, light, responsive tip, flexes into the butt under load, may put best action on smaller "wigglier" baits (depending on fish attitude that day.)

LS Glass (GCB also): All glass, maximum flex, flexes easily into butt section, best at keeping fish pinned, allows max action on "wobblier" baits.

Judge Crankbait: Hybrid S Glass/RX7 Graphite, responsive yet flexible S Glass tip, stronger butt section (stiffer mid and butt section than all-graphite RX7), great for big baits and big fish especially MH power and greater, helix carbon wrapped butt section competes with LS Glass' metallic red finish for the title of sexiest crankbait blank..

-Geoff @ Batson

Geoff Staples Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My part technical, part opinion, quick take on the
> three Rainshadow Crankbait series mentioned is:
>
> Revelation RX7 Crankbait: All graphite, light,
> responsive tip, flexes into the butt under load,
> may put best action on smaller "wigglier" baits
> (depending on fish attitude that day.)
>
> LS Glass (GCB also): All glass, maximum flex,
> flexes easily into butt section, best at keeping
> fish pinned, allows max action on "wobblier"
> baits.
>
> Judge Crankbait: Hybrid S Glass/RX7 Graphite,
> responsive yet flexible S Glass tip, stronger butt
> section (stiffer mid and butt section than
> all-graphite RX7), great for big baits and big
> fish especially MH power and greater, helix carbon
> wrapped butt section competes with LS Glass'
> metallic red finish for the title of sexiest
> crankbait blank..
>
> -Geoff @ Batson

Curious if you have any specific opinion on the best blank to be used with rattle traps?

Hi Phil,
When it comes to reaction baits, I'm primarily a jerkbait/spinnerbait/swimbait guy. So, I asked Mike (our blank designer, and much better bass angler than I) what his feedback would be. He likes a REVCB70MH or JDGCB70MH if there's grass involved. If not, LSGCB63MH-MR or LSGCB72MH-MR. Hope this helps.

-Geoff

Thanks!