Mike Bucca from Bull Shad Swimbaits’ introduction to choosing a Swimbait Rod

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Being a custom swimbait manufacturer I get asked a lot about hard swimbait rod selections. With more and more new people getting into the technique the age old question is: “Will my flipping rod work as my swimbait rod or will my 7ft XH brand XYZ rod work?” My answer is always Yes and No.

Most hard swimbaits come with dual treble hooks just like your favorite crankbait. In fact, I consider hard swimbaits to be “giant” crankbaits and I treat them as such when it comes to rod selection. So back to the question about the flipping rod working double action as a swimbait rod. If it’s the only rod you have to use and you’re just getting into the big swimbait technique than absolutely, it will work. But do keep in mind that a flipping rod is designed to horse big fish out of heavy cover with a single jig hook. Let’s reverse the question. Would you use a crankbait on your flipping stick?? I would venture to guess that most would not. Granted it can and will catch bass, but ideally you want something with a softer tip but also with a stout backbone to be able to lob the bigger swimbaits. In fact, often times I do use a few of the bigger crankbait rods (CB line) in the Dobyns lineup to throw several different smaller swimbaits. So that brings us back to what rod is ideal for swimbaits? I always try to advise people that once you get some confidence under your belt with the bigger baits start looking into a specific “swimbait” rod. A GOOD Swimbait rod is nothing more than oversized crankbait rod. They are designed to throw big and heavy baits and also have enough tip to keep them buttoned up just like a smaller sized crankbait rod would but what makes a good swimbait rod even better is what all of Gary’s rods are known for “balanced for comfort”.

Mike Bucca
Bull Shad Swimbaits