I was just looking on the website, and I definitely want to get into the swimbait craze (I have a Tru-Tungsten 4", not really used it). I just have some questions. I heard that when you are using a swimbait, you are pretty much fishing for one bite. But, the payoff could be 9 1/2 pounds  ;D. If I got a bluegill swimbait, would i absolutely have to get a swimbait stick? What kind of line do you guys use when fishing these?

Also, what are some of the ways to fish these? Obviously, casting it out......blah blah blah, but what do you guys do to trigger bites? I mostly fish in two small ponds, and shore fish. Are there any precautions I should take to not lose it? Thanks in advance for any help!

Hard or soft?

I'm assuming your talking about the hard bluegill.  In which case the sinker weighs in at 1.9oz.  So optimally you want a solid swim bait rod.  Can you get away with using a heavy flipping rod as a dual purpose? Yes.  Most heavy rods or rods made for flipping can handle lures up to 2oz fairly easily.  I would not go over the 2oz mark though that is my personal opinion.  (the soft bluegill series weighs in a 2oz also.)

I have only used the Ultimate Soft Gill, and it is amazing. Two pounders will bite it all the time.

Yeah I have one of the ultimate crappie soft swim baits.  Its an amazing bait, I just don't have enough confidence in swim baits yet myself, I don't throw it as often as I should.  But I definitely like the entire ultimate soft bait line up.

It's the soft bluegill one. I was going to get a 7' Heavy Mojo for jigs. Would this work for throwing the soft swimbait? I am probably going to get 20# P-line CXX.

It's the soft bluegill one. I was going to get a 7' Heavy Mojo for jigs. Would this work for throwing the soft swimbait? I am probably going to get 20# P-line CXX.

The Mojo your referring to I beleive is the slop and frog rod. 7' H/F line rating of 14 - 25 and lure weight rating of 3/8 - 1 1/2. I would say you would be completely fine with that.

Ratings on my Kistler:

# Action: Fast

# Length: 7' 1"

# Power: Heavy

# Lure weight: 1/4 - 1 1/2 oz.

# Line weight: 15 - 25 lb.

BEST BAITS USED WITH THIS ROD:

# Jigs

# BigWorms

# Tubes

# Carolina Rigs

# Swim Baits

I can throw 2oz swim bates with ease on it.

Ahhhhhhhhhh thank you thank you thank you. I thought I was going to have to spend another $200 (a lot for a 15 yo.) on a set-up, just for one lure. Wow. Load off my back!!!

Np.  The Mojo rods I felt in store seemed to have good backbone to them but lacked a bit on the sensitivity side imo.  But a great rod for $90.

The rod and reel I use for the Soft gill is a 7 foot 6 inch daiwa Zillion with a Hyperspeed Zillion reel spooled with 25 pound test Big Game.  I have a hard time getting hookups with the bait though, but that is probablly because a lot of the strike I have been getting have been from little 2 pounders.

Keeep in mind, that if your gettin the hard bluegill, sinker, or floater, they won't cast all that far due to the shape of the lure, compared to say a 6 or 8" trout swimbait..I have the floater, my rig is a Chronarch 101 BPV with a 7'6" Calcutta mh/f rod, rated up to 2oz..my hradgill weighs 1.65 oz. The hard gill can be worked a number of ways, from burning it, to walkin the dog, with mine, I can twitch the rod and make the bait do a 180* turn, not sure if you can do that with the sinker.

PM Matt, he can give you the best advice on how to fish it....