So I have a gift card for gander mountain and I am looking to buy a cheap swimbait rod with it.  My budget is fifty dollars, I was thinking of getting the lews laser graphite series casting rod in the 7'4" heavy moderate/fast model, does anyone have any experience with it?  Or does gander have a better swimbait rod for under fifty bucks that you would recommend?

I've actually never heard it recommended and I am yet to get into swimbaits myself yet, but wouldn't a musky rod work for swimbaits?  Just thinking out loud, here...

Rather than purchasing an rod that is not designed to do the job, perhaps you could wait until your budget allows you to choose the right tool for the job. 

Either way ~ This is a good one. 

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewokuma711mhsb.html

A-Jay

First when you say you want to fish swim baits lets define what you want to throw.  Are we talking swim baits like Kiteck and Reaction Innovation Skinny Dippers light weight plastics. Are we talking hard bodies 5 inch baits like a Lucky Craft Jointed smasher that weight 3/4 of an ounce or are we talking full on hard bodies 8 inch monsters that weigh 5 ounce like a Spro BBZ and a Huddleston big trout that weigh about the same.  Those take very different rods.  To understand what rod will work with which size bait read the description of five different Irod swimbait rods. These are not in your budget, I just want you to understand the specs a rod needs to have to perform with each type of bait. Go here http://www.irodfishing.com/category-s/119.htm and read the description and specs onthem.  Now back to what I think you want to do. If you want to throw hollow body and hard body baits up 4 or 5 inches (like up to an ounce) and you want to spend less than $100 than yes the Lews Laser might work.  Go put it in your hand. The rod will need a bunch of backbone but  a soft tip to protect the treble hooks from tearing out. Another option would be The Gander Mountain Advantage 7 foot MH Moderat. It is  GMA-701CMHT . Again put it in your hand.  The last one would be an Abu Garcia Vengence 7'6" Hvy Moderate fast tip VENGC76-.  Good luck.

Thanks for the reply, I will be throwing swimbaits in the 1-2 ounce range, mostly the six inch line thru trout and mid sized rats.

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

First when you say you want to fish swim baits lets define what you want to throw.  Are we talking swim baits like Kiteck and Reaction Innovation Skinny Dippers light weight plastics. Are we talking hard bodies 5 inch baits like a Lucky Craft Jointed smasher that weight 3/4 of an ounce or are we talking full on hard bodies 8 inch monsters that weigh 5 ounce like a Spro BBZ and a Huddleston big trout that weigh about the same.  Those take very different rods.  To understand what rod will work with which size bait read the description of five different Irod swimbait rods. These are not in your budget, I just want you to understand the specs a rod needs to have to perform with each type of bait. Go here http://www.irodfishing.com/category-s/119.htm and read the description and specs onthem.  Now back to what I think you want to do. If you want to throw hollow body and hard body baits up 4 or 5 inches (like up to an ounce) and you want to spend less than $100 than yes the Lews Laser might work.  Go put it in your hand. The rod will need a bunch of backbone but  a soft tip to protect the treble hooks from tearing out. Another option would be The Gander Mountain Advantage 7 foot MH Moderat. It is  GMA-701CMHT . Again put it in your hand.  The last one would be an Abu Garcia Vengence 7'6" Hvy Moderate fast tip VENGC76-.  Good luck.

 

I think I would stick to the Lews rod then. It specs higher than the others. Once you get it please come back and tell us how you like it.

8 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

So I have a gift card for gander mountain and I am looking to buy a cheap swimbait rod with it.  My budget is fifty dollars, I was thinking of getting the lews laser graphite series casting rod in the 7'4" heavy moderate/fast model, does anyone have any experience with it?  Or does gander have a better swimbait rod for under fifty bucks that you would recommend?

This one looks like it might fit the bill: http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Gander-Mountain-Angler-Bass-Casting-Rod-76-Heavy&i=922494

Define swimbait weight you plan to use??

Tom

5 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Thanks for the reply, I will be throwing swimbaits in the 1-2 ounce range, mostly the six inch line thru trout and mid sized rats.

 

 

Just now, WRB said:

Define swimbait weight you plan to use??

Tom

 

11 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

 

 

Sometimes you can't see the forest from the trees.

1 to 2 oz lures, most MH swimbait rods or H crankbait rod will work.

Tom