Keith Lusher 01.02.24
Choosing a lure-specific rod has become a more common thing for most bass anglers. I’ll admit that having a rod that fits the specific lure that I want to throw has paid dividends since I’ve started pairing specific rods to specific lures. So when I set out to find the perfect rod to throw my deep-diving cranks, I set the bar high and entered into to search with a “spare no expense” mentality.
With friends in the rod and reel industry, I was able to try out seven different rods. I tested and rated them in five different categories: Hookup Percentage, Casting Accuracy and Distance, Line Guide Quality, Action, and Feedback.
After trying out these rods in the marshes of Southeast Louisiana, I settled on the 13 Fishing Omen Black Crankbait Rod.
I was using the medium-heavy/moderate 7.11-foot rod which is a single-piece casting rod made of 36-ton Poly Vector Graphite. When throwing crankbaits I prefer a longer rod because it’s forgiving when I set the hook a little too fast.
I have to say, this rod was the most sensitive out of all the rods. This has its pros and cons. The pro was that I was able to feel the bait on the bottom, hitting structure. I was even able to feel the line when I cast across a school of baitfish and a few of them ran into the line as I pulled the crank through them. The con was that the rod was more delicate than a fiberglass rod meaning it was made for fishing and not anything else so taking care of the rod is a must. Contact with a hard surface could damage the rod. 13 Fishing does back its rods with a lifetime warranty so that’s peace of mind for me.
While the 13 Fishing Omen Black is delicate, that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in strength. I used a Ghost Craw MR694 deep diver made by Bill Lewis Lures during my test and I was pleasantly surprised at how much backbone the rod had. The parobolicity throughout my test.
I was able to catch four bass on three bites ripping this lure through eel grass and submerged wood so the hook-up percentage was pretty good even for fishing crankbaits. One of my bigger bass (probably around 4 pounds) put on quite a show when it made three head-shaking jumps to try and spit the hook. The fish even made a run around a dock piling but I was able to hang on until it unwrapped itself on its own.
As I said before, the sensitivity is off the charts! There were times that I felt the crank tapping on a few oyster shells that were on the bottom!
Let’s move on to the grip. The handle and grip just plain ole’ felt good in the palm of my hand. As you well know, throwing crankbaits can wear you out after a few hours because of how much resistance and vibration the bait causes. The Omen Black handled great through five hours of tossing cranks and there were no residual pains in my hand the rest of the day.
I’m sure I mentioned reel sensitivity but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how the reel seat was constructed. They use an “Evolve” custom-ported reel seat which is high quality. I believe it’s a factor in making this rod so sensitive because the blank feedback is allowed to travel through the seat and into the reel. This is great for me because three of my fingers don’t even touch the rod and are wrapped around my baitcasting reel.
I should say that this rod has a cork handle which may be a deal-breaker for some folks. Personally, I didn’t mind it so much because it was high quality. It’s made of 5A Japanese cork which is incredibly comfortable even after hours ripping cranks through the water cast after cast. For those anglers who like full handles, the Omen Black is only available in a split grip, so this may be a deal-breaker as well.
I should mention that during my test of these rods, I found that the Dobyns XP Series Rod performed right up there with the Omen Black Rod, however, I chose the Omen Black because it was 7.11 feet long which makes a big difference for me when throwing deep diving crankbaits. So for those who don’t mind a little bit shorter of a rod, the Dobyn’s XP Series may be another option for you.
Looking back at my test of numerous deep-diving crankbait rods I have to give credit to the other rods as these manufacturers have certainly stepped up their game when it comes to creating specific rods that tackle certain lures. But in my opinion, the 13 Fishing Omen Black Crankbait Rod performed best while I was throwing deep-diving lures and square-bills. So if you’re looking for a rod that covers all the bases, I highly recommend taking a look at this rod as it was my top choice at the end of the day!
