LOW DOWN CUSTOMS 8-FOOT, 6-INCH, XH CUSTOM SWIMBAIT ROD
LOWDOWNCUSTOMRODS.BIGCARTEL.COM
the rod
48
Gilbert likes a long-handled rod with significant length
and plenty of backbone for handling baits in the 4- to 10-
ounce range. The size provides leverage to get the upper
hand on large fish. According to Gilbert, the action needs to
be carefully considered.
“A lot of guys have the misconception that a rod for big
swimbaits should be a really stiff broomstick-style rod all the
way to the tip, but that’s not a good idea in my opinion,”
Gilbert says. “If the rod tip doesn’t bend when you’ve got a
bait hanging on the end of it, you’ve got too much rod for
that bait. The rod tip should be soft enough that it loads up
and really launches the bait when you cast. A rod too stiff
also can cause you to rip the hooks out before you get the
fish to the boat.
“Stick with something extra-heavy in the 8-foot range that
is rated for lines in the 20- to 40-pound-test range,” he says.
Though it’s not the rod he used to catch the 17-pounder,
the rod Gilbert is currently using is an 8-foot, 6-inch, extra-
heavy prototype rod that he’s helped design for Low Down
Custom Rods of Tustin, Calif. If you’re interested but can’t
wait for the prototype to be finished, Low Down offers a
stock series of rods and can build a rod custom to any
angler’s specs.
“It’s a great quality rod that really feels comfortable to my
body,” Gilbert says of the prototype. “It’s got a moderate-fast
tip and solid backbone that will handle big baits in the 4- to
10-ounce range very well. It also has a slow taper that is
somewhat forgiving to your screw-ups and helps maintain
some pressure on a fish if it jumps.”
Another thing Gilbert likes about the rod is that it dou-
bles nicely as an umbrella rig stick, thus eliminating the need
for multiple rods.
“Having one rod that will handle several different baits is
a big deal to me because it feels the same way no matter
what bait I’m throwing, and I know exactly how it’s going to
perform under certain circumstances,” he says.
fLWfISHInG.com I may-june 2017