Currently using a stout 7'6" heavy with a fast action.  It is just a rod I have on hand that gets used mostly for salmon fishing.  I have not purchased anything specific yet as I did not know what I really wanted in a swimbait rod.  Now that I have an idea, I am looking for something a little longer than what I currently use with a nice parabolic bend.  A moderate rod or possibly a mod fast.  And it needs to comfortably throw baits in the 2 oz to 6 or 8 oz range.  Don't need to break the bank on this one since it is not going to be used much, but looking for something semi quality at the same time.  I hear good things about the Loomis Imx pro 966c, but don't really want to shell out $400 for a swimbait rod that will see minimal use.  I like a fatter grip and cork.  Cork vs whatever would not be a deal breaker on this one though.  BUT I don't like thin skinny grips.  That fatigues my big paws.  Probably looking for a handle length in the 18"ish range.  Suggestions?

Here is a possibility KK Speed Demon Pro Mag Swimbait rod 8'MF/EH , 20-50#test, 2-8 oz lures, 12 guides $139.99

I would get the Levante Leviathan but those grips may be too thin for you.  I don't have any issues with normal sized or even thin grips but I plam the reel and am holding onto to that when working a bait.  The BPSCarbon Lite glidebait rod looks like it has big grips and I have heard positive things about that glidebait model.  

 

On the grip thing if I remember correctly you like the last gen mojo bass rods? To me those have thin short weird tapered grips that are one of the few rods I could see someone complaining about "thin grips".  Does the rod pictured have thin grips to you? 

You are correct that I like those grips for their diameter.  I am specifically speaking to the diameter of the grip, not the length, and that is a great example.  If you compare that grip style on the older mojo to say the smaller, skinnier diameter grip on the newer LTB series rods...that is what I am getting at.  The more narrow diameter is really fatiguing to me and makes the outside of my hand hurt after any extended period of time fishing.  I get decent pain in the area of my 5th metacarpal and wrist, and it shortens my fishing experience due to that.  Hopefully that makes sense.

 

The way I palm a reel, my palm/wrist/pisiform bone usually just has one point of contact with the grip in the area circled.  It "rests" there if that makes sense. Thus, diameter here matters to me.  Grip length beyond that not really at all as far as my hand is concerned. 

 

10 minutes ago, Rockhopper said:

You are correct that I like those grips for their diameter.  I am specifically speaking to the diameter of the grip, not the length, and that is a great example.  If you compare that grip style on the older mojo to say the smaller, skinnier diameter grip on the newer LTB series rods...that is what I am getting at.  The more narrow diameter is really fatiguing to me and makes the outside of my hand hurt after any extended period of time fishing.  I get decent pain in the area of my 5th metacarpal and wrist, and it shortens my fishing experience due to that.  Hopefully that makes sense.

I find this model to have "thin grips" in that when I am casting with my trigger finger behind the trigger the soft tissues of my palm pad, pinky and ring finger are on the highly tapered portion of the grip and onto the blank giving a very "small grip" feel.  It's not bad or anything and I don't mind it other than I think it looks weird.  The diameter right behind the real seat is what I considered normal but even a smaller diameter here wouldn't stand out to me the way the highly tapered ends of the grip do.  When palming the reel I have 3 fingers in front of the trigger only my pinky and small portion of my palm pad is on the grip near the reel seat.  When I am casting my hand is further back flowing off the end of the grip and onto the split grip blank portion.  

 

I think what you like is a larger diameter grip right at the reel seat?  I would avoid rods that have reel seats that taper the rear of the seat towards the grip.

 

How do these two look? 

13 minutes ago, Bigbox99 said:

When palming the reel I have 3 fingers in front of the trigger only my pinky and small portion of my palm pad is on the grip near the reel seat.

 

I think what you like is a larger diameter grip right at the reel seat?  I would avoid rods that have reel seats that taper the rear of the seat towards the grip.

 

How do these two look? 

 

You and I palm a reel the same way, though we differ in casting.  But you are spot on.  Trigger between the 4th and 5th digit with just one small portion of the palm resting on the grip right near the reel seat.

 

I don't mind a taper, but that first inch or so of grip needs to have some beef to it before it starts to taper.  Those two look like they just taper right away from the start of the grip/end of the reel seat.

 

 

This:

 

 

 

 

Opposed to this:

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Rockhopper said:

Suggestions?

I have a Dobyns Fury 7’9” MH/F, rated 1-5 oz. It’s my first and only swimbait rod. I don’t throw big baits much, but this one works well enough.

 

I know Douglass Outdoors has a big swimbait clearance on now. I own a few of their ‘regular’ rods and like them quite a bit. Their build quality is very good.

Swimbaits weighing 8 oz should use a swimbait rod rated 3-10 oz or XH.

You don’t palm swimbait reels and the rod should have a foregrip.

Irod IRG 795 SB is light weight Gen3 @$149.

Tom

I like the St Croix BassX for the money.  Pretty parabolic, cheap and not ugh heavy.  I have the Heavy and XX Heavy models and they are good.  I Also have the Tatula 79 H swimbait rod.  Your weight range is tough for one rod though let alone single hook vs hardbait.

 

Douglas is blowing out their LRS swimbait rods pretty cheap at the moment.   Nice rods as well.

 

Irods are really nice too

 

Levante Leviathan is a great treble rod in your weight range, although 5+oz is pushing it.

Rods are very nice as are the Okuma swimbait rods. As others have said - that is a big weight range for one rod, so it’ll be better at one end of that range.

The Alpha Angler Wide Glide fits your OP to the tee.   They just came out with a new version that has a longer handle as well.   

 

Love mine, use it from everything to A-Rigs, to KGB Chad Shads/Legends, to even 1.5oz Magdraft/Zaldangerious soft swimbaits.    

Okuma Guide Select swimbait rods are what I have. I like them a lot for the price.

Take a look at Shimano's new Outlier Swimbaits rods.

On 4/10/2025 at 2:04 PM, Bigbox99 said:

I find this model to have "thin grips" in that when I am casting with my trigger finger behind the trigger the soft tissues of my palm pad, pinky and ring finger are on the highly tapered portion of the grip and onto the blank giving a very "small grip" feel.  It's not bad or anything and I don't mind it other than I think it looks weird.  The diameter right behind the real seat is what I considered normal but even a smaller diameter here wouldn't stand out to me the way the highly tapered ends of the grip do.  When palming the reel I have 3 fingers in front of the trigger only my pinky and small portion of my palm pad is on the grip near the reel seat.  When I am casting my hand is further back flowing off the end of the grip and onto the split grip blank portion.  

 

I think what you like is a larger diameter grip right at the reel seat?  I would avoid rods that have reel seats that taper the rear of the seat towards the grip.

 

How do these two look? 

What’s the bottom rod?

12 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

What’s the bottom rod?

Levante Leviathan