View More Articles
| Introduction | Gear | The Baits | Fishing | Conclusion |

The Gear

I've tried three or four rods and a couple of reels with my swimbait technique and have reached the following conclusions:

1. A stiff rod is not a good rod for fishing swimbaits.  A true swimbait rod needs to have some give in the tip. The reason for this is twofold. One is allowing the swimbait to swim. A stiff rod like a flipping stick doesn't let the bait swim correctly in my opinion. The other reason is the most important. You don't want to jerk the bait away from the fish. For whatever reason, largemouth bass don't always eat the swimbait in one shot. A soft rod helps to avoid setting too early and also keeps the fish from spitting the bait. I watched my team partner John Lake stick a 6lb 6oz fish in a tournament on a 5" big hammer where the fish came up, hit the bait once, and then a second later ate it. John was fishing a rod with a soft tip and did the right thing, waiting that extra second to set the hook. That's a fish that would have gotten away on a stiff rod, I have no doubt.

I have a somewhat hard to find rod that I really like for my small swimbaits. It's a Rainshadow SW967. It's an 8' blank with a composite action. I can't say enough good things about this rod. For many years I used a Loomis MBR 941C. It's a great rod but lacks the backbone for bigger fish and heavier lead heads. In general you want a rod that is AT LEAST 7'6", preferably 7'10" or 8'. There are so many reason why the long rod is the right rod for this type of fishing. It's hard to quantify but just believe me on this one. Other good rods to consider would be rods like the Shimano Calcutta 812XFA or any of the 8' one piece loomis rods that have enough backbone.

2. After experimenting with a high speed 6.3:1 geared reel and a 5.3:1 speed reel I like the slower gearing for the swimbait.  I rarely if ever have a need to retrieve the bait very fast, and the feel of the slower reel is just a better match for the cadence of the bait.

3. I fish 16 pound line for my 4 to 6 inch swimbaits.  They fish ok on 20 pound but it's less cast-able.  12 pound doesn't do too well when you're throwing a 1oz lead head but I would consider it if I was fishing clear water with relatively little structure.  I would avoid any kind of super line or low stretch lines.  You don't need the added feel and it will most likely cause you to set the hook too early or pull the bait away from the fish.
 



Next Page: The Baits ->
 
Copyright © Robert Belloni 1997-2012. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without express written consent.
Login /