By BassFan Staff
BassFans don't often associate John Crews with dropshot fishing, but the Virginia pro is always thinking of ways to work smarter, not harder, on the water.
Whether it's coming up with new shapes or jig designs for his Missile Baits product line or working with the folks at Cashion Rods to develop a signature series of rods, the status quo is never satisfactory for Crews.
So when he got started on building a dropshot rod, Crews wanted to focus on comfort and control. He'd experienced the physical toll of fishing other dropshot rods that were tip-heavy so he wanted to experiment with a rod that had the bulk of its weight concentrated toward the butt. That way, Crews figured, it wouldn't be so taxing to fish the rod for 8- to 10-hour stretches, which is often the case on smallmouth waters where finesse fishing dominates.
The end result was a 7-foot, 4-inch spinning rod with 3 ounces of weight built into the rod butt, which shifts the fulcrum to just above the reel seat. It makes for a much more comfortable fishing experience and Crews says it makes the rod tip more sensitive, allowing him to better feel the bottom and bites.
Crews also employed the counter-balanced concept when designing the 7-foot, 2-inch worming casting rod with Cashion.
Check out the video below to hear Crews explain more about why he favors a longer, counter-balanced dropshot rod.
