Is a swimbait rod worth it?

[EGbassing]

Well, I managed to save up more than I probably ever have before from pet sitting jobs around the neighborhood. (not quite old enough to get a real job yet) So I'm thinking about getting the 13 fishing Defy Black swimbait rod and a River2Sea S-Waver. Is it worth it to buy a rod just for a swimbait? Right now I only have two main rods (M/F, MH/F) so I wonder if I would be better off just buying a good heavy jig rod, or a finesse setup. Thoughts?

[MN Fisher]

I would go with a finesse rig before a swimbait one. More techniques available with a ML finesse rig.

[EGbassing]

14 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I would go with a finesse rig before a swimbait one. More techniques available with a ML finesse rig.

I came pretty close to buying one of those, but the pond I fish is filled with 5+ pounders, so that made me wonder if a rod I can throw huge lures on would be better. Plus you don't get to drop $50 at a time on ten inch lures. ?

[MN Fisher]

The finesse rig I have, I load with 8# test. It'll handle those 5 lbrs, though you'll have to work them in rather than horse them in. Lots of larger fish have been caught on the smaller lures you use on a finesse rig.

 

Added benefit - makes a pretty good panfish rig if you want something different.

[EGbassing]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

The finesse rig I have, I load with 8# test. It'll handle those 5 lbrs, though you'll have to work them in rather than horse them in. Lots of larger fish have been caught on the smaller lures you use on a finesse rig.

 

Added benefit - makes a pretty good panfish rig if you want something different.

Well, I was thinking more about the size of the lure I'm throwing. I use to finesse fish that pond a lot and I never caught anything over four pounds or so. There are just so many huge bass in there, plus the main forage is enormous gizzard shad. (I've seen 12" shad on the bank before) Anyway, I'll still consider a finesse rig. Despite only catching 1~ pounders during the time I used to throw ned rigs I still enjoyed it because I caught so many of them. 

[J Francho]

Do you want to throw swimbaits or jigs?

[the reel ess]

S Waver is not that heavy. You can get by with the MH/F for that particular lure. The two other setups you mentioned were more useful, IMO. You can even use the jig rod for the swimbait. I have a few big swimbaits and the only one I've gotten much action on is the SPRO rat. I just use my basic MH rod for it. Swimbaits are a niche and I wouldn't buy a dedicated combo for for them until I had all the other bases covered. Besides, monster bass will bite a jig or spinnerbait.

 

Google "6 bass rod system" and that will give you the basics. Just my $0.02, FWIW.

[EGbassing]

5 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Do you want to throw swimbaits or jigs?

Tough question, because if I had to choose one I would say jigs, but I can still get by pitching jigs with my MH. I can't horse them in or set the hook too hard, but it works.

[J Francho]

This rod will do both, and I believe they are on clearance.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/mat-daddy-helios-review.html

[EGbassing]

4 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

S Waver is not that heavy. You can get by with the MH/F for that particular lure. The two other setups you mentioned were more useful, IMO. You can even use the jig rod for the swimbait. I have a few big swimbaits and the only one I've gotten much action on is the SPRO rat. I just use my basic MH rod for it. Swimbaits are a niche and I wouldn't buy a dedicated combo for for them until I had all the other bases covered. Besides, monster bass will bite a jig or spinnerbait.

 

Google "6 bass rod system" and that will give you the basics. Just my $0.02, FWIW.

My MH is rated up to 7/8 ounce and the 168 S-Waver is almost two ounces. I think I would be too worried about breaking/damaging my MH with it.

 

[the reel ess]

2 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

My MH is rated up to 7/8 ounce and the 168 S-Waver is almost two ounces. I think I would be too worried about breaking/damaging my MH with it.

 

Ah, I was looking at the 120 size. Even so, if given the choice between a jig combo and a dedicated swimbait combo I'd take the jig. You can dabble in swimbaits with the jig combo. The swimbait combo is less versatile. If you look around enough, you can probably get a frog combo that's capable of all three techniques, though not specifically tailored to swimbaits.

 

There will probably be complete days in a row nothing will bite the heavy swimbait.

[Largies4Life]

Here's my two cents. Instead of getting a rod dedicated for swimbaits, what about a Heavy action rod in the 7'3"-7'6" range that will be able to handle an S-Waver or your "smaller" sized swimbaits. This rod can also be a frogging rod and a pitching/flipping jig rod as well. Since money can be an issue, my vote would be go towards a rod that can handle multiple techniques rather than just one, if at all possible!

[EGbassing]

9 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Ah, I was looking at the 120 size. Even so, if given the choice between a jig combo and a dedicated swimbait combo I'd take the jig. You can dabble in swimbaits with the jig combo. The swimbait combo is less versatile. If you look around enough, you can probably get a frog combo that's capable of all three techniques, though not specifically tailored to swimbaits.

 

There will probably be complete days in a row nothing will bite the heavy swimbait.

Thanks! If I don't go with the swimbait rod I'll probably go with the 13 Fishing Defy Heavy. 

 

Edit: It looks like the only Heavy option is a 7'11". Does that sound too long to you?

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Here my 2 pennies worth.

 

You bank fish. You don't know the depth/structure of your pond. 

 

Are you willing to lose $50 swimbaits? Only you can answer that question. If you are, swimbait might right for you! 

[EWREX]

unless you're fishing on a boat with big swimbaits, i wouldn't personally invest in a dedicated swimbait setup. you can spend your money on more useful setups that compliment your water availability.

[J Francho]

What's a boat have to do with fishing swimbaits?

[EGbassing]

10 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Here my 2 pennies worth.

 

You bank fish. You don't know the depth/structure of your pond. 

 

Are you willing to lose $50 swimbaits?

Well, I wouldn't be willing to lose $50 swimbaits, but this pond just doesn't have much cover aside of the laydowns on the bank. I've not lost many lures at all to deep cover. I've snagged plenty of jigs in shallow cover though. I don't really plan to try to skip these glide baits up under cover though.

[EGbassing]

3 minutes ago, EWREX said:

unless you're fishing on a boat with big swimbaits, i wouldn't personally invest in a dedicated swimbait setup. you can spend your money on more useful setups that compliment your water availability.

Thanks. I just feel like I have mostly what I need right now though. The only real gap I have is a finesse setup, seeing that I can get by fishing jigs/frogs on my MH. Maybe I should just get a swimbait rod, jig rod, and finesse rod... ?

Just now, ResoKP said:

whats up with all these noob answers

 

bottom line is, if you want to throw 2oz + swimbaits, you'd much rather have a swimbait rod that can handle those lure sizes

 

otherwise, be prepared to snap some rods

Yeah, I tried fishing the only glide bait I have, a $5 one from Academy Sports that actually has surprisingly good action, on my MH the other day and even with those soft lob casts I was getting worried about my rod. I was definitely exceeding it's oz. ratings.

[EWREX]

4 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

Thanks. I just feel like I have mostly what I need right now though. The only real gap I have is a finesse setup, seeing that I can get by fishing jigs/frogs on my MH. Maybe I should just get a swimbait rod, jig rod, and finesse rod... ?

i'm not knocking big swimbait fishing at all, but i've caught some of my biggest fish on a 7' medium light throwing small baits! learn your gear and use it properly and the big fish will come. tight lines bro!

[NittyGrittyBoy]

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

What's a boat have to do with fishing swimbaits?

Easy, your on the bank and hang one up your swimming. 

[EGbassing]

3 minutes ago, EWREX said:

i'm not knocking big swimbait fishing at all, but i've caught some of my biggest fish on a 7' medium light throwing small baits! learn your gear and use it properly and the big fish will come. tight lines bro!

Yeah I know; thanks for the help man. Tight lines!

[ResoKP]

never knew having a boat was a requirement to swimbait fishing

 

i should probably read the labels more carefully on these lures, maybe it says "do not use unless you have a boat"

[Joshua van Wyk]

Just now, ResoKP said:

never knew having a boat was a requirement to swimbait fishing

 

i should probably read the labels more carefully on these lures, maybe it says "do not use unless you have a boat"

Not a requirement but definetly a recommendation. If you get hung up from the bank you can kiss $50 goodbye unless you're willing to go for a swim. On a boat you have a much better chance of retrieving your lure in case of a hang up.

[gilkeybr]

I have used a 7' MH/F to sling an S-Waver 168 plenty.  But, of course, not every MH/F is the same.  So maybe yours are a bit softer than mine.

 

I think the suggestions of getting a  7'-7'6" H/F rod are wise.  Will give you the ability to throw medium sized glide baits as well as other heavier rigs when it suits your fancy.  When you go up to a full blown swimbait rod, they're a more "single-use", IMO

[NittyGrittyBoy]

1 hour ago, EGbassing said:

Plus you don't get to drop $50 at a time on ten inch lures. ?

Because he's the one that said he was gonna buy a 50$ lure. I was just trying to warn him of what "could" happen