What to look for in a swimbait rod? I can have them custom built, but Im not sure what to get. Lengt, action and so forth? Ive been using a Lamiglas XFT806. Sean

Well, I'm a newby to swimbaits but I just got this rod:

http://www.kistlerrods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HE70XHC&Category_Code=he-worm-jig-tools It's recommended for swimbaits and yet, you won't believe how LIGHT it is in weight.

Dan

A couple of nice ones for sale here:

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=9&topic_id=1370&mesg_id=1370&page=

We all know that the rods Steve mentioned are good rods. But they are a little pricey for most.

I personally wouldn't recommend the Kistler that Dan mentioned unless you're throwing small swimbaits like big hammers or Storm wild eyes. I don't think I even have more then 3 swimbaits under 2 oz. That would make a great jig stick. Kistler Helium rods are a little lighter in action then most rods. Great rods none the less! I own 3 heliums and 2 Mark Tyler Kistlers.

Just for basics:

7' 6" to 8' 6" in length. You need that long rod to really get good distance. Nothing too stiff. You want some flex in the tip. A nice parabolic bend like a crank rod. You're basically throwing BIG crank baits. Most of the rods in this catagory will have at least 8 line guides and a nice long handle.

I would check out Robs reviews and video sections at the top of the page.

Thanks for the input. Im not a big fan of Kistler products, Ive broken all 3 that Ive had, all on hooksets. Ill check out Robs reviews to look further. It sounds like the rod Im using fit your description pretty well. Its just a bit heavy(weight). Sean

Hey Sean,

This has been a fairly popular topic on the forum over the last few years :) I always put a plug in for the Rainshadow SW967. It's my favorite all around big bait rod. You have to get them custom wrapped though. The Calstar 800XL is also a great rod for getting custom wrapped.

In the retail market, there are some solid choices. The Roge Rods swimbait series is very nice. I don't like cork handles much, but other than that they are sweet. The Graphite USA 711 rod is very kick ass if you want something for the big heavy baits. If you want to get into something for a good price, get one of these new Okuma rods. They are legit swimbait rods, not some flipping stick or worming rod that is re-marked as a swimbait rod.

In general, you want something 7'6" to 8'6". I like 8' myself. And I like a rod that has some give in the tip, especially for wood baits. Wood baits are just big crankbaits. So a giant crankbait rod is about what you want. The rubber baits, you want something stiffer with serious backbone, but you can still get rods that are ballsy and have give in the tip. Calstar 800L is killer for the heavy rubber baits.

Just whatever you do, don't buy some flimsy rod with a short handle. Some of these so-called swimbait rods on the market are a joke IMO. And don't be afraid to get an 8' rod. You're casting a 2 to 8 oz lure. You need more rod.

Sorry guys. I posted a 7' rod when I meant to post their 7', 6" rod. That's the one I have. It has 9 guides.

Dan