Swimbait Rod, Line and Reel

[East Rush Rules]

Question for you guys,

What action rod, gear ratio reel, and type and size of line did you guys use for your paddletails? I want to try to throw more of these this year and need an idea of what to throw them with! The few times i threw them i missed a lot of fish. Thanks!!!!

[st.crioxfishin]

I've been using a 7ft MH St.Croix Avid rod with 15-20lb triple fish flourocarbon line.

Some options that may help with better hook-ups would be a softer rod, mono line that will stretch, or using some sort of trailer hook like a treble hook attatched to the main hook.

However fishing is very subjective and I have heard of some people going to a stiffer rod or using braid for better hook ups...just have to experiment with diffent stuff I guess.

[Ryan_Johnson]

I used them all year and had the best luck with braid, a heavier rod, and a twistlock hook. I found out the hard way that you'll miss too many fish with the weighted offset hook like a Falcon. There's generally too much plastic that blocks the gap, and you pull it out of their mouths without the barb catching.

[Cecil]

I use a 7'-10" Heavy Moderate rod. Gives me the length to cast and set the hook. Also has enough bend in tip to allow fish to take lure. The main thing you need to get use to is allowing the fish to take the bait. Most horizontal baits we use, we are conditioned to set the hook once we feel the bite, not the case with these baits. Gear ratio reel is 6.2:1 or higher to catch up with strike as odds are they will come towards you.

I use 20-25# 100% flourocarbon. Strong enough to set hook and enough stretch to let them take it. I would not recommend braid, but if it works for you then so be it.

For hooks I use Gamakatsu 5/0-6/0 EWG Monster hook and just pinch rubber core sinkers on there. Strong but sharp. Make sure you use bigger size or you will miss a lot of the strikes you get.

Main thing I think is to get use to the bite. It is a lot different than any bass bite we typically feel.

[East Rush Rules]

Thanks for the reply's guys. I am thinking im going to go with a 7 ft med/heavy rod with a fast/x-fast tip, a burner reel and 20 lb. mono. I used 14lb flouro this year and i feel that the stretch of the mono will be better for the hookset? What do you feel about this?

[bemidjibasser]

I used a few different set ups that I built myself. One for the smaller 4" baits was a LT St. Croix 6'8" mxf, a tdx 6.3 ratio and 15 lb yo-zuri ultra soft. I fished them on the mustad slide lock weighted hooks, and/or owner bullet head jigs up to 1/4 oz. I also threw them on a 7'10" heavy fast Rainshadow rod, and a calcutta reel with 80lb superbraid. I threw some of the bigger baits on this set up like the optimas and the biggest shadalicious baits on 3/4 to 1oz. owner heads or a 9/0 hook from bps(can't remeber the brand) I also threw them on a LT 7'mhf spinnerbait sweeper rod, a tdx 6.3 ratio and 20lb yo-zuri ultra soft. This setup was used with the medium, sized baits and again, a variety of hooks and jig heads. I found them all useful depending on cover and retrieve speed. I found the hookset to be tricky at first, but like mentioned above you have to let the fish eat it a bit with the screw lock wide gap hooks, however when fishing them on the owner bullet heads, it was a lot like fishing a spinnerbait. If you can, I would try out a couple different set ups before you settle on one. I would not use mono, rather a floro or copolymer for a more solid hookset. If you are set on the 7' rod I would go with the fast tip rather than the x fast because it will alllow for a wide range baits that it can handle effectively in my experiences. I hope this helps a little.

[FishCat]

I was throwing them on 6'6" MH Fenwick HMG and it did the job pretty well; but I do only fish the smaller, 4-5" paddletails. If I was getting a new rod just for swimbaits, I'd look at a 7' Heavy/Fast. Line was 30# Power Pro and didn't require a hard set. More like a steady swing to the side.I kind of feel the swimbait bite is more of a reaction bite, so clear line isn't a worry for me. I do prefer the twist lock hooks though.

[Cecil]

I would also stick with flourocarbon.

[Bigguyone]

What swims do you plan to throw - as mentioned above by bemidji don't go xfast - go fast action. As far as line...depends on how fast you are fishing and power of rod...the stiffer the rod the more stetch you need in line and viseversa - you need a little give somewhere (rod or line). With a MH rod (if throwing 5" or so swins) you may wanna consider a copolymer line or Fluro as with a H action I would say co poly or mono and with M action I would say fluro or braid.

Not sure you wanna go a 7.x ratio reel unless you do like to reel slow as if it is a 200 or 300 model you will take in too much line reeling at a "normal" speed. Go with a 6.x ratio as metioned above.

[delmuts]

"There's generally too much plastic that blocks the gap, and you pull it out of their mouths without the barb catching."

I was watching the Hank Parker fishing show today. He show a neat little trick to help get better hook ups using swim baits. He takes a sharp knife and cuts a slit in the bottom of the bait, creating a pocket so the hook has less plastic to fill the gap, and more room to penetrate into the fish.

[Bigguyone]

It is amazing that with all the R&D along with prostaff that a guy has to learn to do that on his own - wouldn't ya think the field R&D would show they need to do this when manufacturing? It always amazes me how some of the obvious things are not addressed by tackle designers (I use designers as really it is a chinese factor that manufactures the product).

[East Rush Rules]

I would be throwing a 4-5 inch paddle tail, not talking about the big ones!

[Bigguyone]

MH will be all you need...I am assuming you are referring to a "storm" 5" swimbait type of lure. These are usually in the 1oz range which a MH can handle and Fast action should load the rod well for casting.