So I finally tested the IRod Genesis III Swimbait Jr., for $150 it is a great rod but not as moderate as I’d like, it doesn’t really load up on casts well. Any suggestions for a Swimbait rod that does?

[Ohioguy25]

Sorry I know I’ve hammered this endlessly but with all of the posts I’ve made on this subject I figure I’d give a review.

 

The good:

 

Extremely light and comfortable to hold, solidly built rod with high quality components.  Good length as well.  

 

The bad:   Although it casts “ok” it simply does not load up on the backswing like it probably should for these heavier (1-3 oz) baits.  It has a bit of an airy yet stiff, lifeless feel.

 

Is there any Swimbait rod you might recommend that is truly moderate and offers more parabolic bend for loading up and launching these baits (like the 795 perhaps) or do I need to step out of the Swimbait rod lines and into something lighter possibly to achieve this? Or am I misreading this and it is plenty moderate, and I don’t want too much parabolic bend? Thanks!

 

https://www.irodfishing.com/category-s/148.htm

[Tatulatard]

That's normal when casting baits over an ounce.  You are just loading the rod and letting it do the work on the cast.  If you are expecting a 3 oz bait to load the rod and cast like you would throw a senko on a medium rod then you'll wear out your arms putting that much wrist forearm and shoulder into the cast.  I do this with shorter big bait rods to target cast around cover but revert to a normal swimbait type cast letting the rod to the work on open water.

[JediAmoeba]

Try a 6th sense milliken rod. It's what my daughter uses and it works great for her!

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

The bad:   Although it casts “ok” it simply does not load up on the backswing like it probably should for these heavier (1-3 oz) baits.  

Maybe you should just wait until you catch a fish on it and not make hasty judgements based on loading a bait on the backswing. I have no problem throwing a 3/8oz chatterbait with a bulky trailer on the Jr SB. Leverage due to its length is part of the equation here. Personally, I wouldn't want it to be any more moderate than it is, especially when combined with stretchy lines. When I first got mine, I almost did a backflip off my yak trying to set the hook on a 5lb fish using 17 Sufix Siege.

3 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

It has a bit of an airy yet stiff, lifeless feel.

It's a swimbait rod, not a bottom contact stick.

[Ohioguy25]

32 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Maybe you should just wait until you catch a fish on it and not make hasty judgements based on loading a bait on the backswing. I have no problem throwing a 3/8oz chatterbait with a bulky trailer on the Jr SB. Leverage due to its length is part of the equation here. Personally, I wouldn't want it to be any more moderate than it is, especially when combined with stretchy lines. When I first got mine, I almost did a backflip off my yak trying to set the hook on a 5lb fish using 17 Sufix Siege.

It's a swimbait rod, not a bottom contact stick.

Yeah you’re prob right I guess I just sort of thought they were supposed to load up more on casts.

2 hours ago, Tatulatard said:

That's normal when casting baits over an ounce.  You are just loading the rod and letting it do the work on the cast.  If you are expecting a 3 oz bait to load the rod and cast like you would throw a senko on a medium rod then you'll wear out your arms putting that much wrist forearm and shoulder into the cast.  I do this with shorter big bait rods to target cast around cover but revert to a normal swimbait type cast letting the rod to the work on open water.

No I’m saying it isn’t loading up when casting baits over an ounce.  

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

No I’m saying it isn’t loading up when casting baits over an ounce.  

If what you're saying is that it doesn't load up on the backswing with even a 1 ounce lure, perhaps you misunderstand what loading up means. I'm often chucking a Beast Coast Miyagi Swimmer 4.75"/ 6/0 1/4oz Owner Beast hook which comes in at an ounce on the Jr SB and the rod loads just fine. I can launch that thing. Same thing with a 1 oz Dark Sleeper. Same thing with a 3/4oz Spro 4" BBZ1 Shad.

[Tatulatard]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Yeah you’re prob right I guess I just sort of thought they were supposed to load up more on casts.

No I’m saying it isn’t loading up when casting baits over an ounce.  

Pull down on the rod butt when you feel the weight of the bait pulling the rod over your shoulder on the back swing and then launch the bait.  That's how you load the rod and let the rod do the work for you on the cast.  

[Ohioguy25]

4 hours ago, PhishLI said:

If what you're saying is that it doesn't load up on the backswing with even a 1 ounce lure, perhaps you misunderstand what loading up means. I'm often chucking a Beast Coast Miyagi Swimmer 4.75"/ 6/0 1/4oz Owner Beast hook which comes in at an ounce on the Jr SB and the rod loads just fine. I can launch that thing. Same thing with a 1 oz Dark Sleeper. Same thing with a 3/4oz Spro 4" BBZ1 Shad.

I thought with mod/mod fast it was supposed to bend deep into the blank?

[TNBankFishing]

5 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I thought with mod/mod fast it was supposed to bend deep into the blank?

Not with an oz but a 6lb fish. 

[Big Rick]

Congrats on this weeks longest thread title!

[Hammer 4]

Just to add, the SB Jr. isn't made to throw 3 oz baits. I find that 2 1/4 oz is about the limit for good cast's. I think you need to give the rod some time, as don't know exactly how your casting it.

Again, I have no problems with mine.

[Ohioguy25]

9 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

Just to add, the SB Jr. isn't made to throw 3 oz baits. I find that 2 1/4 oz is about the limit for good cast's. I think you need to give the rod some time, as don't know exactly how your casting it.

Again, I have no problems with mine.

Yeah? So in your eyes the rod is plenty moderate?

[WRB]

The casts OK but doesn’t bend enough to smoothly launch 3 oz lures.

Longer require a slower longer back swing to load up, too short and fast doesn’t work with crank baits or swimbaits 

 

[Ohioguy25]

17 minutes ago, WRB said:

The casts OK but doesn’t bend enough to smoothly launch 3 oz lures.

Longer require a slower longer back swing to load up, too short and fast doesn’t work with crank baits or swimbaits 

 

The IRod?

[WRB]

4 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

The IRod?

Yes

[Ohioguy25]

41 minutes ago, WRB said:

Yes

What do you recommend instead?

[Born 2 fish]

On 4/17/2023 at 7:04 AM, Ohioguy25 said:

Sorry I know I’ve hammered this endlessly but with all of the posts I’ve made on this subject I figure I’d give a review.

 

The good:

 

Extremely light and comfortable to hold, solidly built rod with high quality components.  Good length as well.  

 

The bad:   Although it casts “ok” it simply does not load up on the backswing like it probably should for these heavier (1-3 oz) baits.  It has a bit of an airy yet stiff, lifeless feel.

 

Is there any Swimbait rod you might recommend that is truly moderate and offers more parabolic bend for loading up and launching these baits (like the 795 perhaps) or do I need to step out of the Swimbait rod lines and into something lighter possibly to achieve this? Or am I misreading this and it is plenty moderate, and I don’t want too much parabolic bend? Thanks!

 

https://www.irodfishing.com/category-s/148.htm

Hands down the bass pro crankin stick 7’10 mag heavy is the best budget rod for those weights . I used all last year throwing a 6” bullgill it’s loads up excellent and it’s only like 100 bucks. I have a Dobyns 795 sb I like the crankin stick better. And I can afford expensive rods but when something works why pay more.

[WRB]

2 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What do you recommend instead?

Learning to cast the Irod.

Tom

[Ohioguy25]

21 minutes ago, WRB said:

Learning to cast the Irod.

Tom

I thought you were saying the IRod isn’t moderate enough, or you were just saying it requires a different technique?

[WRB]

There are 3 types of swimbaits; top hook soft, multiple jointed multi treble hook and single jointed glide/ wake baits Single top hook gas the gravest wire hook requiring more power tforhook setting, everything else less power.

Your Irod can effectively cast lures 2 oz to 3 oz and get hook sets.

Line I use Sunline 25 lb Armilo. Don’t like braid with swimbaits.

Tom

Edited April 19, 2023 by WRB

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Learning to cast the Irod.

Maybe he'll listen to you, but don't count on it.

[Ohioguy25]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

There are 3 types of swimbaits; top hook soft, multiple jointed multi treble hook and single jointed glide/ wake baits Single top hook gas the gravest wire hook requiring more power tforhook setting, everything else less power.

Your Irod can effectively cast lures 2 oz to 3 oz and get hook sets.

Line I use Sunline 25 lb Armilo. Don’t like braid with swimbaits.

Tom

So you’re saying that while the IRod can effectively cast 2-3 oz baits it is better for single top hook baits that require heavy hook sets?

 

What is a softer rod that is capable of casting these baits but moderate enough to let the rod do the work in sling shotting them and keeps the trebles pinned?

[VolFan]

I think what everyone is saying is you’re expecting it to load like a glass crank bait rod and that’s not what it is. Cast a few baits throughout its weight range, work on your casting stroke for more than a week, and then decide if you want something more moderate, which probably means you’re going glass or Dobyns. A glass rod that’ll do the upper end of that weight range is going to be heavier, and may not have the backbone to set larger single hooks at distance. YMMV

[Jar11591]

The loading of the rod on the back cast may not even be obvious to the eye. The heavier power of the rod, the less you’ll see the loading. If you expect a heavy swimbait rod to load all the way through the blank on a back cast I think you’ll be disappointed. There is a reason swimbait rods are heavier powered, and to have them load all the way up on a back cast would make them lose a lot of that heavy power that is needed to throw such large baits and to drive large hooks home.  

[Ohioguy25]

1 hour ago, VolFan said:

I think what everyone is saying is you’re expecting it to load like a glass crank bait rod and that’s not what it is. Cast a few baits throughout its weight range, work on your casting stroke for more than a week, and then decide if you want something more moderate, which probably means you’re going glass or Dobyns. A glass rod that’ll do the upper end of that weight range is going to be heavier, and may not have the backbone to set larger single hooks at distance. YMMV

 

35 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

The loading of the rod on the back cast may not even be obvious to the eye. The heavier power of the rod, the less you’ll see the loading. If you expect a heavy swimbait rod to load all the way through the blank on a back cast I think you’ll be disappointed. There is a reason swimbait rods are heavier powered, and to have them load all the way up on a back cast would make them lose a lot of that heavy power that is needed to throw such large baits and to drive large hooks home.  

Yeah, this makes sense, thanks.  I should mention that I am using this rod exclusively for treble hooked jointed swims like glides/bull shads, not single hooked.  Does that change any of the above?