Choosing Rods: Soft Plastics
For fishing wacky rigs, Neko rigs, drop-shots and shaky heads, Latimer’s go-
to rod is a 7-foot, medium Favorite Jack Hammer.
“My spinning setups are probably a little softer than other people like,”
Latimer explains. “I use a pretty soft rod with anything I fish where I feel the
bite then set the hook. But I don’t do a lot of real hook-setting with that. It’s a
real subtle, gentle pull. Our hooks are so good nowadays that you don’t really
need to do a lot.”
A parabolic rod action allows for using low-stretch, thin lines with less
worry about breaking off. He generally keeps the reel’s drag cinched pretty
tight and relies on the rod to absorb the initial shock of the hookset, then
loosens the drag as needed to counter surges and head shakes.
Choosing Rods: Moving Baits
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Finesse swimbaits, small crankbaits, jerkbaits and small lipless crankbaits
get a slightly longer rod. Latimer uses a 7-foot, 4-inch, medium-heavy Jack
Hammer. Though rated medium-heavy, the rod still has a moderate action
and performs similar to the shorter rod he uses for plastics. The extra length
equates to longer casts.
The Reel
The main factors to consider
when choosing a spinning reel
are the quality of the drag (you
get what you pay for) and the
size of the reel. Latimer likes a
30/300-class spool because it’s
big enough to hold plenty of
line and avoid unwieldy line
memory. He uses the Abu
Garcia Revo STX.
FLWFISHING.COM I WINTER 2019