OK, so I'm going to get started on swimbaits and will be throwing them in local lakes(Rend, Carlyle, KY lake).  I'm in southern Illinois and nobody around here fishes swimbaits, so I can't ask anyone here. 

This is what I'm working with and what I will be getting and I'm wondering if I'm leaving something out.  I know, I know, the rod and reel aren't made for swimbaits, but I'm hoping they will be fine since I'm using smaller baits.  If I'm totally off let me know.  Around here, the main baitfish are shad and bluegill.

I have:

Daiwa Tierra reel

Powell flippin 765 rod

17lb mono

sebile magic swimmer

Getting:

mattlures soft bass(5.5")

huddleston 6" rof 5 in blue shad

mattlures 6" tournament swimbait in blue back herring

Anything else I really need.  I don't care too much for hard swimbaits, but if I really need one, I don't know.  Also, should I get a bluegill(mattlures ultimate bluegill)?

Last question:  Am I wasting my time?  Should I not even bother with swimbaits around here?

Flipping rods didn't work out so well with swimbaits for me.  You might look at a swimbait stick baits that size.  Okuma and Daiwa both make affordable sticks.  Stepping it up, a custom version of the Saint Croix LTBC79HF is what I use.

MS SLAMMER...

check out a dobyns champion mike long swimbait rod.  I would suggest you get the 7'9" MLSB rod.  It casts pretty much any swimbait 5oz and below beautifully.  Anything more than that and you're pushing it, but it's doable.

I live in Michigan and I would think our waters would fish similiar. Get a slow sink Matt Lures Hard Gill, you will have a lot of fun with that bait especially around spawn time. Also a great option woould be a 6" slow sink Spro BBZ in a Perch color.

I live in Michigan and I would think our waters would fish similiar. Get a slow sink Matt Lures Hard Gill, you will have a lot of fun with that bait especially around spawn time. Also a great option would be a 6" slow sink Spro BBZ in a Perch color.

PM sent ......

I don't really have many perch around here.  I looked at the spro and wish they had a good bluegill color.  I would like a hardbait but they are so expensive.

OK, so I'm going to get started on swimbaits and will be throwing them in local lakes(Rend, Carlyle, KY lake). I'm in southern Illinois and nobody around here fishes swimbaits, so I can't ask anyone here.

There are more people throwing swimbaits in this part of the country than you realize. I fish LOZ and use them almost ever trip. I would suggest a few starter swimbaits: 6" Huddleston, small slammer, and a 3:16 Baby/wake jr, and a 7" triple trout slow sink. You can then cover the entire water column with these swimbaits.

As for rods, I would suggest getting a dedicated swimbait stick. For the money you cant beat Okuma. It is a great starter stick and most people cut their teeth on this swimbait rod. If you want to spend more money the Dobyns swimbait rod mentioned previously is sweet. I have used that particular rod and it is very good. I own 3 loomis swimbait sticks myself.  If you go the Loomis route get the 955 or 956 with the 956 being a nice Hud Deluxe rod.