I'm ready to get into the swim bait game. I won't have money to get another swim bait set up so it's gonna be used for most everything heavy. I will probably end up throwing 6"-8" Huds lunker punkers, me slammer and so on. I'm also going to be using it for rockfish out of my kayak. Bass is definitely the main target species for me though.

If you had to buy and use one set up under $400 what would it be?

Phenix M1 8' Heavy Swimbait rod and a Daiwa Lexa 300.

Check out iRod there large swim model is an amazing rod.

Because I prefer cork fore grips on my swimbait rods the Okuma Guide Special 7'11" heavy swimbait rod works very well with 68 and 8" Hudds and most swimbaits between 1-6 oz. $139

Shimano Cardiff 300 series reel, $119

You have enough left over to buy the line and swimbaits.

Tom

Because I prefer cork fore grips on my swimbait rods the Okuma Guide Special 7'11" heavy swimbait rod works very well with 68 and 8" Hudds and most swimbaits between 1-6 oz. $139

Shimano Cardiff 300 series reel, $119

You have enough left over to buy the line and swimbaits.

Tom

 

Gonna agree with this. Go with the okuma rod, look the forums over for used calcuttas, if you cant find one the cardiff 300/301 will suit your needs. Use the rest of your cash and buy a spool of pline cxx line....

Reel - Diawa Lexa 300

Rod - Low Down Customs production model M power. 1-5oz but you can throw way over that rating if you needed to. Don't be afraid to wail back on those rods. They will not break.

The reel I suppose you can go with whatever you really like. As for the rod a LDC pretty much has no competition in my eyes and for that matter all the serious swimbaiters eyes either.

FYI since your looking for used you can check the black market on swimbait underground for all the items you are looking for. You need to specify what hand retrieve you are on the rod though because it is a spiral wrap. There is constantly people selling or trading both Lexas and LDC rod to fund other purchases and things like big big $$$ swimbaits. They have any reel or rod for that matter you would be interested in.

It's not a advertisement for them or a knock on BR. It's just the simple fact this site does not deal with that kind of stuff regularly. SU is 100% swimbaits 100% of the time. Lots of those guys hardly even touch fairy wands. They throw the big sticks all day every day.

Thanks for all of the advice guys. Very helpful. I was looking at the Cardiff but I found lexa 300s on amazon for 135 shipped. Goona go with that I believe. Also the okuma guide rods do look excellent. Especially for the money. I'm thinking about spending the extra money to get the phenix since I have two of their rods already and enjoy the build quality.

Irod by far. If it's good enough that Ken Huddleston uses them it's good enough for me.

I've got the Lews BB-2Z on my Okuma swimbait rod & could not be happier.

Dobyns 795sbmt and lews super duty on sale at bass tackle depot