5 Best Swimbait Rods In 2023

How To Choose A Swimbait Rod – Buying Guide

Power

When choosing the best rod for swimbaits, you must examine the power rating. The rod power, sometimes known as the rod weight, is defined as the ability of the rod to leverage weight. This is the capacity to which a rod can support the lure and line weight. 

When using your rod, you must pair to with the correct line weight to prevent the risk of breaking your rod.  The ideal power rating of a swimbait rod is medium heavy to hey. This is because the swimbait lures tend to be large thus, using a lighter rod will definitely put it at risk of breaking. 

Ultralight rods are built to support an extremely light line that is used to catch smaller fish such as crappie or trout. Ultralight rods have an impressive bend capability thus, making them a whole lot of fun to use. Typically, an ultralight rod will support a lure weight of between 1/32 to 3/8 ounces.

Light rods are slightly more powered than ultralight. They are used for smaller fish as well. Typically, their lure weight capacity isn’t more than 1/16 ounce. Medium light powered rods hang between light and medium. Their lure capacity s between 1/8 to ½ ounce and is ideal for small to medium fish such as smallmouth bass and steelhead.  

Medium powered rods on the other end are on the 50-50 side thus, allowing them to handle a wider range of fish species. These rods support lure weight of between ¼ to ¾ ounces. Medium heavy rods on the other end can support larger fish yet, maintain a medium power performance.  They commonly work for fish jigs and wide gap hooks. Other specific rods such as salmon rods and bass rods also boast this power rating.  

Heavy and extra heavy rods on the other end are stiffer and designed to handle heavy lures and larger fish. Their lure capacity ranges from 3/8 ounces to 2 ounces. If you hear an angler say a rod has good backbone on them, they mean that the rod is a heavy or extra heavy powered rod, on the accounts of its ability to support larger and combative fish. Most commonly they are used for swimbait, salmon trolling and live bait usage. 

You might also be interested in:

Ultralight Fishing Rod & Trolling Rods

Perfect Frog Rods

Action

The action is also an important factor to ensure even the best rod for swimbaits functions effectively. The action of a rod refers to how much it bends when pressure is applied on the tip during casting or when you are handling your catch. One can even say, the action of the rod indicates the point where the rod bends or flexes upon pressure. 

The action of a rod is termed as fast, moderate or slow. A fast action rod is recommended for swimbait. This is because the fast action allows for a quicker and upright hook set on the fish mouth. Yet, for larger swimbait or treble hooked baits, a moderate fast action rod is ideal to prevent the risk of damaging or tearing through the fish mouth.  

An extra fast action rod is built to bend just a few inches from the tp. A fast rod on the other end bends on the upper ¼ of the rod. This means that the rod bends very little making it ideal for larger game fish. This type of design is also ideal for fish that like to hide under heavy vegetation or weeded areas. Because of its fast action, the rod will also allow for a quicker hook set. These types of rods are ideal for fish such as largemouth bass or pike. 

Moderate or medium action rods on the other end bed at the top half of the rod. This medium action of the rod, just like medium powered rods, allows for a wider range of fish including larger and smaller species to be sought after. A medium powered rod gives you just the right balance, moderate casting distance and hook set power. 

A slow action rod on the other end bends to just a few inches from the handle. Thus, this makes them extremely flexible. These types of rods are used for smaller fish such as panfish and smaller trout. These types of rods also boast greater sensitivity to prevent the hook from damaging the rather small fish. 

Length

The best rods for swimbaits don’t hold a specific ideal length. However, as a rule of thumb, if you are looking for longer cast then a longer rod is ideal. Furthermore, longer rods will apply more pressure on the fish thus, enhancing the chances of capture. The length of your rod is basically the distance from the end of your handle to the end of the top of your rod.

The majority of fishing rod lengths are between 6 to 12 feet. Generally, shorter rods provider shorter casting distances but offer more casting accuracy. When tackling fish that are known to put up a fight, a shorter rod is ideal. This is because to put up with the consistent fights of the fish, you want a rod that is flexible and easily bends. 

Longer rods on the other end provide longer and deeper casting distance and provide more pressure to tackle your catch. Thus, choosing the ideal length when choosing the best rod for swimbaits entirely depends on your skills and preferences.

Handle

The handle of your fishing rod is most often overlooked, yet, when choosing the best rod for swimbaits, this is an important feature to examine. The length of your handle is important when using the swimbait fishing technique. This is because you are using a heavy lure to capture larger fish, thus, a short handle is impractical, and a longer handle provides more leverage and comfort when casting or handling a catch. In fact, with a longer rod handle, you can even use both two hands when casting.

The material of your rod handle also contributes to the grip and comfort. Different rods are built with different rod handle materials, however, the most common are cork, foam, Hypalon, tape, wrap and cord. Cork is a natural material and adds minimal weight to our rod. A cork handle is sanded and contoured design gives it an ergonomic and comfortable feel. 

When you hold onto something for long, eventually your hands begin to seat. With a cork handles, this is prevented, thus, your hands are always dry. This material is favored with inshore and freshwater rods. Foam grip handles are perhaps the most commonly used. They are built to be lightweight and high density. The foam made out of EVA is normally highly cushioning thus, preventing strain on hands and muscles. 

EVA foam handles are mostly favored for freshwater and light saltwater fishing. Hypalon handles on the other end are flexible, stretchy and very durable. Similar to EVA foam handles, they are also favored by many anglers. Other less commonly used but viable handles materials include cork tape, wrap and cord.

Material

The best rod for swimbaits is built with durable material.  The most common fishing rod materials are graphite and fiberglass. Other manufacturers such as Okuma combine two graphite ratings to customize the performance and durability of their rods. Graphite, otherwise known as carbon fiber is built to be stiff and sturdy thus when pairing the power and action of such rods, you must ensure you pick the right values for the fishing technique you intend to use.

With extra pressure beyond its capacity, a graphite rod easily breaks.  Yet, this doesn’t mean that graphite is a less ideal material. Because working within its parameters, a graphite rod is highly durable and offers superior performance. Additionally, graphite rods allow for longer casts and faster action thus, making graphite an ideal swimbait rod material. 

Compared to fiberglass, graphite rods are also lightweight and much easier to handle, however, fiberglass is also lightweight and tends to be sturdier than graphite. Eve upon pressure or extreme bending, fiberglass rods are less likely to break or crack. 

FAQs

Globo Surf Overview

The swimbait rod reviews outline how these fishing rods help to enhance your chances of capturing your larger fish. These rods are designed and integrated with just the right features to help bring out their high performing abilities. Their incredible power also reckons why they are handy in both freshwater and saltwater. The buying guide above on the other end offers a detailed guideline of what to look for when choosing the best swimbait rod. The list of the 5 best swimbait rods above is an excellent place to begin the search.

More  Fishing Rods Reviews:

• Catfish Rods
• Surf Fishing Rods
• Crappie Rods
• Saltwater Fishing Rods
• Kids Fishing Poles
• Crankbait Rods
• Jigging Rods
• Telescoping Fishing Rods
• Dropshot Rods
• Jerkbait Rods
• Baitcasting Rods
• Spinning Rods
• Fly Fishing Rods
• Fishing Rod And Reel
• Bass Fishing Rods

More Rod Reviews:

• Travel Fishing Rod
• Drop Shot Rod
• Jerkbait Rod
• Spinnerbait Rod