Swim jig rod

[bholtzinger14]

I have never thrown swim jigs before and after watching Matt Allens video it has me wanting to try them. I was reading up on them and found this saying you should use a MH moderate rod to throw swim jigs. Any opinion on this? 

Many times bass will swipe at a swim jig multiple times seemingly trying to stun the prey before eating it. The result is the most difficult strike to detect in all of fishing – the trailing strike, where a fish is coming directly at you. This type of strike feels like a very slight tug or the line simply goes slack. There is no distinct bite. These strikes are extremely difficult to feel with a fast action, 6’8” to 7’ medium-heavy rod, which is what most anglers use to fish spinnerbaits.

The tip of a standard fast action medium-heavy rod simply won’t flex enough when retrieving the swim jig (since the swim jig has such little resistance in the water). This means the rod tip won’t noticeably relax when a fish strikes coming directly at you. You’ll miss a lot of strikes as a result.

My preference now is to use a 7’4” to 7’6” medium-heavy/moderate action for heavy grass, or medium/fast action rod for situations with less grass. There are two important factors to these rods. First, the length allows you to “catch up” to a fish charging your lure. That extra rod length translates into sweeping much more line on the hook set. Second, the softer rod tip will flex more while retrieving the lure. When a bass charges the swim jig, that flexed rod will relax signaling a strike.

[fishballer06]

I prefer a fast action, myself. I understand his philosophy, but generally whenever I am fishing a swim jig, I'm in/around aquatic vegetation, so I need a fast action rod to rip the jig through the hangups. If in the event my line goes slack, I'm probably thinking its a bite or I'm on a piece or grass, so I will rip the rod (set the hook) in that scenario. If you've fished a swim jig enough, you know how to detect a bite. 

[Lendiesel22]

7-1 MHF LTB blank DVT custom built for me

My swim jig bites are devastating so I do not have bite detection issues. They slam and choke it. 

[bagofdonuts]

i use mh fast action falcon bucco. I'm with lendiese, most of the strikes you see. I'm usually fishing them in shallow grass and they blow up on it. problem isnt detecting the strike its resisting the impulse to just jerk and giving it a moment to make sure they have it. 

[smalljaw67]

I use a 7' MH-F and a 7'2" MH-XF depending what type of swim jig and where I'm throwing it.  If I'm using the Northern or Coosa river style swim jigs I'll use the 7'MH-F but if I'm throwing a California style then the 7'2" MH-XF gets used. I also use the 7'2" MH-XF if I'm throwing a Coosa river style swim jig in grass or brush, the extra backbone helps get a good hook set when there is resistances from the cover. That said, I'm using 12# to 17# mono and not braid, if I were using braid I'd probably use a moderate fast action in a heavy power.

[bholtzinger14]

Im going the all braid and leaders route on my setups. 

[webertime]

Tatula 7'2" MH regular action, is a great middle ground between a fast rod and a cranking-ish rod.

[Drew03cmc]

As I fish shallow, shoreline cover and rivers, I'm comfortable with a 6'M/MF with 10lb CXX on it. It just works for me.

[Lendiesel22]

I fish laydowns, light lillys, docks, and grass 14lb kvd 100%fc feels great. 

[WRB]

Swim jigs are jigs so use a jig rod.

Tom

[MassYak85]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Swim jigs are jigs so use a jig rod.

Tom

^This

Some swimjigs are lightwire hooks and have very flimsy weed gaurds, in which case a softer rod, more comparable to something you might fish a spinnerbait with, might be better. But some of the swimjigs like the dirty jigs california swimjig matt allen talks about in his video, use extremely heavy wire hooks, thick weed gaurds, and are heavy and bulky. You want a solid hookset. 

 

I also disagree with that article in the OP. Yes, when a fish knocks slack into your line it can be very difficult to detect the bite depending on the conditions, and I guess it could help to see the rod tip bend back. Personally when I am fishing I am not staring at my rod tip unless I'm drop shot fishing, I want to feel a swimjig bite not see it. 

[Montanaro]

Im in the minority.  I like a soft rod.  I use a modfast for all my single hook moving baits.

My hookup ratio is very high and have caught fish near boat I never would have with a fast action rod.

[bowhunter63]

I like the Berkley Lighting rod shock,Its heavy but it has a softer tip.It gives a little and i have good hook up ratios. Its not a high end rod but it works great for swim jigs and spinnerbaits.It has plenty of backbone to drive the hook home.

 

[fishindad]

4 hours ago, Montanaro said:

Im in the minority.  I like a soft rod.  I use a modfast for all my single hook moving baits.

My hookup ratio is very high and have caught fish near boat I never would have with a fast action rod.

Me too. I use a Falcon Cara 7'2" MH that's more mod-fast. They even call it their swim jig rod but I use it for all single hook moving baits (swim jigs, Keitechs, spinnerbaits, etc) with 12-15lb FC. Don't have any trouble detecting bites.

[Mr Swim Jig]

I use a MH/MF rod for light swim jigs 1/4oz and 5/16oz and a MH/F rod for heavy cover swim jigs 3/8oz and 1/2oz...I prefer fluorocarbon for fishing light swim jigs and braid for heavier swim jigs.

[WIGuide]

I fish a swimjig a fair share. It's not my favorite technique, but I haven't had any issues fishing it and I just throw it on my spinnerbait rods. MH/F I also don't fish them on braid so maybe that's why i have the preference that I do. 

[illinifan4152]

I fish 1/4 oz swim jigs 80% of the time. I also fish it on a fast action rod, Dobyns Champion 733c to be exact with 15 lb copolly/flouro. Haven't had any issues. Best rod for this technique I have found to date. 

[trupp30]

Take a look at the iRod gen 2 swimjig/bladed jig rod. I own one and love it. It is everything you might want in a swimjig rod.

[iabass8]

On 10/6/2016 at 0:54 PM, illinifan4152 said:

I fish 1/4 oz swim jigs 80% of the time. I also fish it on a fast action rod, Dobyns Champion 733c to be exact with 15 lb copolly/flouro. Haven't had any issues. Best rod for this technique I have found to date. 

X2

[WPCfishing]

I use a 6'6" MF Team Diawa rod for casting 30' or less in moderate vegitation 2-4 feet below the water surface. For longer casts in deeper water I use an Abu IKE signature 74-5. This tip is rated as fast but that 80-20 design changes the rod action. It's very sensitive yet forgiving and the rest is pure back bone. I also use it for deep running swim baits and frogs. It's a very versatile rod.