Hello all, 

 

This is a rod I've been mulling over for awhile. I'm in a financial position where I can pull the trigger and get it, I just want some honest feedback from people who own the rod and use it. I live in the midwest (hence the user), so I'm not gonna be sticking 10lbers on the regular. Musky and pike are welcome. What is the lowest lure weight it can comfortably throw? Is it too much rod for 1.5-3ounce baits? If it comes down to it, I'd go for a treble hook rod over a jig hook, as I'd realistically start with glides, wake baits, line-thru, etc. Reel pairing would be a 13 Fishing Concept a3. The 40lbs of drag is attractive and I already love the downsized version on my MH rod. I know this is a question that gets constantly asked- but I really appreciate your input and suggestions as I dive into the swimbait game. 

If you're going to be staying in that 1.5-3oz range you may want to consider the 965. 3oz baits wouldn't be a problem for either rod, but the 966 would overpower 1.5oz baits. Also, you can get away with throwing a heavier treble hook bait on a lighter SB rod (like the 965) since the bait is moving as opposed to a large jig hook bait that is crawling on the bottom and needs a lot of power to bury the hook.