Swimbait Rod
 

Hey dudes,

This is a long-shot, but does anyone have any experience with the newer Okuma Guide Select A-Series Swimbait rods? I'm trying to decide between the Heavy (15-30/1-6oz) or the X-Heavy (15-40/2-10oz). I just got a Curado 300e and I hope to use the rod to get me into swimbaits into the 7-9" range. I weighed some 9" MC Viejos w/1.5oz heads and found them to be 3.5oz overall. I'm not sure I would need to cast more than that, but maybe you guys can tell me. Big swimbaits w/heavier leadheads (2oz+) are for vertical jigging?

I was thinking maybe the Heavy would be a good move, so I could still have enough bend to throw stuff like weedless 7-8.5" Swimbait with weighted wide-gap hooks. Ability to fish a light iron with calicos, cuda, bonito would be cool too, but it's my secondary goal and not as important.

I really don't have enough experience with calicos and the kelp beds to figure it out. Any guidance y'all can offer is appreciated.

Best regards,

Dave

I forgot to mention that I have a heavy bass rod rated to 1.5oz that was designed for frogs and heavy vegetation. This time around I really need a rod that will fill the void beyond 5"-6" paddletails w/1 oz heads, which is pretty much the top end of my 7' H Mojo Bass' ability. That rod would probably suit me fine for weedless baits.

Don't have experience with your rod in particular but when targeting calico you can tie yourself off on kelp fish a dropper loop with a mackie and cast your plastic at the same time. The other way I typically do it is I sit at the top of the kelp line so the current pulls you right through the kelp and then just find casting lanes, try a few casts deep a few mid column and a few shallow. If they aren't biting switch spots and if they still aren't biting go to a smaller plastic I use 4" sardine patterns.

I own both of those rods. Go with the xheavy. Both rods are great but the x heavy is more versatile. I also have the medium heavy and that is a great calico rod. It's rated 1/2 ounce to 5 ounces