Finesse swimbait rod (spinning)

[Adam.love05]

Hey guys..

 

Northern Vermont smallmouth addict here! Looking to get a small swimbait spinning rod (easy shiners, 3.3 swing impact) up to 1/4oz ball head jigs..

 I currently am using my orochi xx ronin rod for it and love it, but would like to turn that back into my 110 rod and have a dedicated rod for swimbaits.. Any suggestions? I fish out of a boat and fishing kayak.. Looking to keep it under $300.. Looking at tje exprides, or maybe another megabass, daiwa.. Idk!

 

What length amd action do you guys prefer? Some insight would be appreciated! Thanks.. Tight lines

[Ogandrews]

For small swimbaits like that I use a g loomis e6x 852c which is a 7’1m xf and have been super happy with my results. I know there is a similar rod in the expride line which is a way better rod than the e6x for not a whole lot more. Another rod that I would rate on par with the expride is the st croix legend tournament bass 7’1 m. The expride and legend tournament are both around the same price and will both do the job very well. I threw finesse swimbaits on a medium lite for awhile and I really prefer a regular medium for them.

[Adam.love05]

41 minutes ago, Ogandrews said:

For small swimbaits like that I use a g loomis e6x 852c which is a 7’1m xf and have been super happy with my results. I know there is a similar rod in the expride line which is a way better rod than the e6x for not a whole lot more. Another rod that I would rate on par with the expride is the st croix legend tournament bass 7’1 m. The expride and legend tournament are both around the same price and will both do the job very well. I threw finesse swimbaits on a medium lite for awhile and I really prefer a regular medium for them.

Thanks for the reply. What do you prefer about the medium over the medium light? 

 

I've never been a huge fan of the st. Croix rods I've used. Given they were on the lower end at the time but I felt like they were a tad heavier and lacked the sensitivity to comparable rods.. Likei said, I think it was the triumph so not a fair judgement to be made I suppose.. 

I do have an exage that I bought as a bank beater and now carry it on my boat to drag around dark sleepers. That's a 7-med.. 

 

I have an e6x 7'1" med x-fast casting that I'll throw underspins on quite often. I don't mind that rod at all but I think it's a touch to fast for my complete liking.. 

[Ogandrews]

2 minutes ago, Adam.love05 said:

Thanks for the reply. What do you prefer about the medium over the medium light? 

 

I've never been a huge fan of the st. Croix rods I've used. Given they were on the lower end at the time but I felt like they were a tad heavier and lacked the sensitivity to comparable rods.. Likei said, I think it was the triumph so not a fair judgement to be made I suppose.. 

I do have an exage that I bought as a bank beater and now carry it on my boat to drag around dark sleepers. That's a 7-med.. 

 

I have an e6x 7'1" med x-fast casting that I'll throw underspins on quite often. I don't mind that rod at all but I think it's a touch to fast for my complete liking.. 

the triumph rods are a big step down from even the next rod up. I have owned a lot of different lines of st croixs and they really hold their own in the 200-300 price point, as well as the top of the line range. I’m not sure, I feel like I got better casts and control when throwing a 3.3 or so with a medium. I generally don’t throw very light wire hooks with them because most of the time I use them I’m smallmouth fishing in rivers where I need to control the fish. If your throwing lighter wire jig heads in lakes than I think you would be fine with a Ml, although I would still prefer a medium in my opinion. 

[basser27]

17 minutes ago, Adam.love05 said:

Thanks for the reply. What do you prefer about the medium over the medium light? 

 

I've never been a huge fan of the st. Croix rods I've used. Given they were on the lower end at the time but I felt like they were a tad heavier and lacked the sensitivity to comparable rods.. Likei said, I think it was the triumph so not a fair judgement to be made I suppose.. 

I do have an exage that I bought as a bank beater and now carry it on my boat to drag around dark sleepers. That's a 7-med.. 

 

I have an e6x 7'1" med x-fast casting that I'll throw underspins on quite often. I don't mind that rod at all but I think it's a touch to fast for my complete liking.. 

hands down a medium power rod for 1/4oz, wouldnt even consider a medium light 

[Adam.love05]

15 minutes ago, basser27 said:

hands down a medium power rod for 1/4oz, wouldnt even consider a medium light 

1/4oz is as big as is throw.. I don't tend to go below 1/8oz though. Lose to much distance which is key when smallies are pressured..

 

32 minutes ago, Ogandrews said:

the triumph rods are a big step down from even the next rod up. I have owned a lot of different lines of st croixs and they really hold their own in the 200-300 price point, as well as the top of the line range. I’m not sure, I feel like I got better casts and control when throwing a 3.3 or so with a medium. I generally don’t throw very light wire hooks with them because most of the time I use them I’m smallmouth fishing in rivers where I need to control the fish. If your throwing lighter wire jig heads in lakes than I think you would be fine with a Ml, although I would still prefer a medium in my opinion. 

.. I'm leaning more towards a medium because I don't use super thin wire hooks either.. Generally a dirty jigs guppy head or ball head.. 

[Ogandrews]

1 hour ago, Adam.love05 said:

1/4oz is as big as is throw.. I don't tend to go below 1/8oz though. Lose to much distance which is key when smallies are pressured..

 

.. I'm leaning more towards a medium because I don't use super thin wire hooks either.. Generally a dirty jigs guppy head or ball head.. 

I use guppy heads all the time, super good hooks for little swimbaits. I would recommend a medium for sure then. Half the time I throw little swimbaits I do it on my jerkbait rod which is a st croix 6’8” m xf baitcaster with 30lbs braid to a leader and I’ve never bent out a guppy head

[Tywithay]

I like the 7'6" Tatula Elite AGS for those baits, but it might be a little unwieldy. The 6'8 MXF Legend Tournament is a pretty good one as well,  though I didn't personally care for the handle.

[walleyecrazy]

58 minutes ago, Tywithay said:

I like the 7'6" Tatula Elite AGS for those baits, but it might be a little unwieldy. The 6'8 MXF Legend Tournament is a pretty good one as well,  though I didn't personally care for the handle.

I was just going to suggest the same Tatula rod (TAEL761MLMFS-AGS). I bought it mainly to use for ned rigs, but have been throwing 3" swimbaits on underpsins the last couple of times out, and it has been awesome for that. 

[Adam.love05]

6 hours ago, Tywithay said:

I like the 7'6" Tatula Elite AGS for those baits, but it might be a little unwieldy. The 6'8 MXF Legend Tournament is a pretty good one as well,  though I didn't personally care for the handle.

7'6" is a bit to long for me I think.. I transport my rods from boat to truck to kayak to house to much.. Asking for a breakage.. 

 

I'm not sure if I want to go with an xf action.. My loomis e6x is and I feel like a lose a couple fish if I get antsy on the hookset.. Id want to handle a st. Croix before I bought one as well.. I dont have much experience with them..

[MickD]

I have used a 7 foot ML mod/fast action rod for these lures, and I love it for it's ability to get the action I want on the lure, snapping them off the bottom, a little like fishing blades.  However, I've had hook set problems, fish on for 4-5 seconds then gone. I think the fish were holding onto the lure for a few seconds, and the rod wasn't capable of getting good hook sets.  I went to a faster action more powerful rod and hood sets got better.  Go too heavy though, and it won't give good snapping action (if that's what you want).  I think a med power Xfast action will be the best, with the light tip giving the lure good action, then setting through the tip using the butt power for the set.  I'll know better later this year.

[Adam.love05]

13 minutes ago, MickD said:

I have used a 7 foot ML mod/fast action rod for these lures, and I love it for it's ability to get the action I want on the lure, snapping them off the bottom, a little like fishing blades.  However, I've had hook set problems, fish on for 4-5 seconds then gone. I think the fish were holding onto the lure for a few seconds, and the rod wasn't capable of getting good hook sets.  I went to a faster action more powerful rod and hood sets got better.  Go too heavy though, and it won't give good snapping action (if that's what you want).  I think a med power Xfast action will be the best, with the light tip giving the lure good action, then setting through the tip using the butt power for the set.  I'll know better later this year.

Thanks for the insight.. I am on a similar page.. I think I'm leaning towards the expride in a 7'Mfast.. Has anyone used this rod for small swimbaits? How do you like it?