Now trying to put together a dedicated finesse swim bait (2.75" ~ 4") spinning set up . For those that that fish the small Keitech Fat Swing Impact (2.8" ~ 3.3") , SK Rage Swimmer (2.75" ~ 3.3") , etc. what is your spinning rod , reel and line set up ? 

7' MF Expride / Stradic FL 2500

This is one of my main presentations.  I have used a 7'9 medium lite action Dobyns rod (Champion 792) with great success.  Love the extra length for longer casts and fighting fish.  2500 or 3000 size Daiwa spinning reels are what I use.  In order to eliminate wind knots and leader knots, I went to straight 7 lb Gamma Touch and that is great line for that application.  Keep in mind, I am primarily fishing open water in the Great Lakes so I have plenty of room to fight fish.  I have caught multiple stray trout, salmon, and carp without issue.  Just play the fish and use your drag.  Seeing you are in Georgia, if you are around a lot of cover, I could see going to a medium action rod.  But definitely go with a 7+' rod.   Good luck.

7' medium Daiwa Tatula paired with a 3000 size reel. 15lb braid to an 8-10lb leader and your jig head weight of choice based on water depth

I'm using stuff similar to above.  I might add that if you get too much power and want to snap the baits off the bottom you will have trouble getting a good smooth cadence of lift and drop, with the drop being on slightly taut line.  It will drop on slack line and won't work as well, and you won't feel hits on the drop as well.  The power should be such that it loads well with the weights you are using, so medium light power is most likely going to work best.  No faster action than fast, but that is less important than the power.  I use a number of premium braids in the 10-15 pound class with 8-15 FC leaders.  I don't think using an especially light leader is as important as having something that for the water fished is not fragile.  I think 8 is the minimum.  Mostly I use 15.

ARK Tharp "Meterman" 7' M XF, Penn Spinfisher VI 2500, 8# Trilene XT when I throw them on spinning. I usually throw them on casting. Either, Tharp "One Eyed Jack" 6'10" M MF, Curado BFS, 8# XT, or ARK Cobb "One More", 7'2" M Fast, SLX MGL 70, 10# XT.

The weight of the jighead is really crucial.  What weights are you planning on throwing?

SC Victory Medium Fast spinning rod and Shimano Vanford 2500 reel w/ 5 lb Max UG for all my finesse presentations including small swimmers.

Tom

My limited budget determines my rig

 

Dobyns Fury 703SF with a Pflueger President XT-LE 30 loaded with 8# InvizX.

Dobyns Champion 733SF, Daiwa Luvius 4000, 12lb J Braid w. 8 lb floro leader. 

7 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

The weight of the jighead is really crucial.  What weights are you planning on throwing?

*1/8th oz. and 3/16th oz. jig head weights mainly with either 2.8" ~ 3.3" Keitech Fat Swing Impact or SK Rage Swimmer 2.75" ~ 3.3" .

6 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

My limited budget determines my rig

 

Dobyns Fury 703SF with a Pflueger President XT-LE 30 loaded with 8# InvizX.

*How is the memory and line twist using #8 lb. FC InvizX line on a spinning reel ?

3 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*How is the memory and line twist using #8 lb. FC InvizX line on a spinning reel ?

Fairly low actually...of course I use KVD which helps.

7 6 medium fast Carbon light rod with matching reel. 8 lb yellow Power pro with a 8 lb mono leader. I wade the rivers here a lot in Missouri.  So I like  the longer rod I can cast father.  I’m not real tall so it works well 

On 12/10/2021 at 5:53 AM, Junk Fisherman said:

This is one of my main presentations.  I have used a 7'9 medium lite action Dobyns rod (Champion 792) with great success.  Love the extra length for longer casts and fighting fish.  2500 or 3000 size Daiwa spinning reels are what I use.  In order to eliminate wind knots and leader knots, I went to straight 7 lb Gamma Touch and that is great line for that application.  Keep in mind, I am primarily fishing open water in the Great Lakes so I have plenty of room to fight fish.  I have caught multiple stray trout, salmon, and carp without issue.  Just play the fish and use your drag.  Seeing you are in Georgia, if you are around a lot of cover, I could see going to a medium action rod.  But definitely go with a 7+' rod.   Good luck.

Hey Junk Fisherman, what size jig heads you using on your 2.8...?

16 hours ago, Salmon Stud said:

Hey Junk Fisherman, what size jig heads you using on your 2.8...?

 

Sorry.  I don't use those.  I use a lot of the 4" Swing Impact (nonfat), 3.8 Rhythm Shad, and 3" Sparkshads.  My initial thought is that with a shorter but fatter bait you'd want a 2/0, shorter shank hook on the jig.  75% of the time I am using a 3/16th oz jig but I'll drop down to 1/8 if it is calm or I want to crawl the bait on the bottom and keep getting hung up.  Owner and Keitech are the jigs I use.  I do not like the Gammy ballhead jigs since their baitkeeper tears up the plastic and I always superglue the bait to the head.  Hope it helps.