Swimbait Rod Question

[DarkShadow]

i know there are a lot of choices out there and everyone has their opinion. But consider this...a california calico special from turners. I bought this rod about 8 years ago and NEVER used it until last week for throwing 8-9" swimbaits...and it was perfect. ...

anyways...consider it. I don't exactly remember what I paid for it or what they go for today, but I don't think they are much more than the Okuma.

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/sho...Stuff-For-Sale

Ahem.

:-)

[dqfish]

I think I decided on Okuma Guide Series swimbait rod for $100 and Cardiff 300 for $90. What do you guys think?

Question first: I can get telescopic and non-telescopic rod. What's the difference? Which one would you go with?

I have only heard good things about The okuma guide series i have never used one. But for reels i started with a cardiff, then i bought the 400te very different reel when winding in your bait with the TE its effortless compared to the cardiff and i also have a curado 300 and its very close to the TE what i like about the curado its very light and compact... Dont get me wrong the cardiff will work but for a few more bucks well more than a few you will get something that you wont want to replace. I think after a while with the cardiff you will want to upgrade and it all depends how many trips a year do you do with the big stuff if you only do a couple than you wont care but if your there 4 -5 times a month than thats when it matters for feel of your gear and wear and tear.

[Surfnsnowboard3]

I'm stoked!

I got a Shimano Cumara and Powell Max swimbait rod. I already got some advice for reels, but that was a different rod. Now with these two rods, any recommendations for reels in $100-200 range.

Edit: after posting, I think I decided on Curado 300 for about $180. Question though, there's a Curado E7 for about the same price. What's the difference between E7 and 300? This is for Powell swimbait rod.

Now I need ideas for reel for Cumara rod? Same price range $100-200

[Liteweight]

check ebay for some of the reels mentioned here.
I know Jimmy from OhYa sales. They are actually a tackle store in the marina of (can't remember which lake in Alabama/Georgia). He has a Curado 200E7(7:1) for $142.00 + free shipping. He also has the E5 (5:1) for about the same price. I've bought many rods & reels from him over the years. Bought Quantum's Tour Edition swimbait rods from him.
LW

[dockboy]

You can pick up a Calcutta 400 B for a decent price on E-Bay and other similiar sites. New its about 200. I own a Cardiff 300, it has fished both finesse tuna bites and big swimbaits for several years without issue, provided you take care of it. Gearing is less than a Calcutta, but thats the tradeoff. As for the Okuma swimbait rods, you cant find a better rod for $100 to fish big baits. My 7'6" Heavy GS and 300 Cardiff has multiple 15-20lb tuna to its name. Not a Calcutta, but it fishes pretty well for being half the price of one.

I also prefer the round reels for bigger swimbaits. The Curado 300 is a fine big bait reel, but the ratio is too fast for most of the bigger baits. Watch Butch Brown fish a Hudd. He barely moves it along, and most the time I've found in swimbaiting that fishing anything faster than a slow crawl doesnt get bit consistently. There are times when they want say a Baitsmith type bait burned over grass, but most the time, its slow retrieves that get bit. Sure you can just reel slower, but when you have to move the reel so slow you lose your attention, why bother imo. Stick with a good 5:1 and that little bit of potential speed seems unimportant when you can fish in the zone mentally all day and not lose interest in the bait.

Small fast reels are fine for small swimbaits. If you are fishing the 6" BBZ, BBZ shad, 3:16 Minnows, Matt Lures, or any of the light, small baits than you can fish fast, a smaller 200 size reel is more than adequate.

I also wouldn't use anything smaller than a 300 for baits over 6". A 200 series Shimano can handle most 4-6" baits okay, but should you ever find yourself wanting to throw a Hudd or 10" Triple Trout, suddenly only having 80 yds. of 20lb means a whole lot more. Drags are typically more sturdy on 300 and over size reels, and this is where getting a Calcutta 400 pays off. That extra set of washers in the 400 series reels means you can pay drag out smoothly when a DD decides to run a bit on 25lb test.

Braid has been mentioned as a line option to fish a smaller reel. Maybe, but the thing I know about braid is what happens when you have an accident and suddenly that 6" Hudd goes rocketing away never to be seen again with only the "snap" of your braid parting to announce its departure. Mono is my choice for all swimbaits. Flouro is good too, but it has becomes fairly weak with abrasion and good flouro in 20-25lb is expensive. Better to learn the Uni-Uni or Blood knot and use flouro leaders on your mono if you need them.

[tmartin]

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/iROD_...page-IRGC.html

These irods are good swimbait rods and have three different models depending on what you throw. And they wont break the bank.