Hi,

 I am thinking of picking up a rod that I would dedicate to small swimbaits like a caffeine shad or a keitech swing impact fat. If it makes sense, I might also use the same rod for flukes.

Since this is a moving bait, but it isn't a treble hook, I am currently thinking a moderate fast action would provide some give while still transitioning into the backbone fast enough to get a decent hookset.

I typically fish these baits on an open hook swimbait jig head, a weighted swimbait hook, or a regular t-rig with a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG lightwire.

Any thoughts on this configuration? I might also use this for spinner baits eventually, but that's not a bait I have every developed any confidence in.

 

I fish these baits on a M power Fast action baitcasting rod with the same rigging you do - open hook swimbait jig head, weighted swimbait hook, and t-rigged with a pegged bullet weight.  I'm not fishing around any heavy cover and for me the M power is plenty to get a good hook set and fight the fish.

Everyone will have manufactured a technique that works for them, that being said while fishing a fluke I prefer MH, or M Fast or Xfast because I like to twitch them and let them meander aimlessly on a slack line as if they were suddenly threatened by another predator.

my .02

Thanks guys. I currently fish them on a MXF Fenwick Elite Tech SM Spinning rod and it does a good enough job. I was just wondering if it made sense moving down to a moderate fast seeing as it's a moving bait.

I want to dedicate a rod to this bait since it's one of my preferred search baits and I use the Fenwick for some top water and wacky rigging also.

fast will work fine. 

18 hours ago, iabass8 said:

fast will work fine. 

x2 plus then you're left with a more versatile rod if you want to use it for something else. 

MH/ F or MH/ XF for me. Heavy also gets the call for some of the bigger swimbaits.

I use a m/f currently for these presentations, but its mostly because I'm using a rod that is heavier than its rating. 

A mh/f worked well for me for years.

I fish the swimbaits on a typical fast action jig rod and flukes on a jerkbait Rod that is XF but with a soft tip. 

Thanks a lot guys for the responses. What would you use a moderate fast action rod for then? I always thought this would be a good action for moving presentations with single hooks. I'm guessing shallow squarebills? Anything else?

Shallow cranks anywhere and ripping lipless in grass

Thanks!

Medium, extra fast rod for me when it comes to anything soft plastic and finnessee-ish