Okuma Guide Select Custom Black Swimbait Casting Rods
Overview
Designed in collaboration between Okuma and Tackle Warehouse staff members, the Okuma Guide Select Custom Black Swimbait Rods were built with exact specifications and special requests to be one of the most high-performing and affordable series of swimbait rods ever created. Starting with the blanks, they utilize lightweight IM-8 graphite blanks with Okuma’s UFR(Unidirectional Fiber Reinforcement) Technology, which provides incredible strength and durability but also delivers excellent sensitivity so you can feel the nose of your swimbait ticking across tiny pebbles along the bottom.
One of the first components that was addressed was the handle length and style. A full handle was a must for the Okuma Guide Select Custom series and the distance from the rod butt to the beginning of the reel seat was a critical element that was carefully selected to deliver comfort while fishing and increased leverage for casting big baits. Another overlooked feature on most swimbait rods is the hook keeper system. We decided on an extra heavy-duty stainless steel keeper that is super durable and mounted to the side of the blank, which keeps swimbaits tucked away and prevents tails from getting bent by your reel when stored.
For the guide train, the Okuma Guide Select Custom series come outfitted with Fuji K double foot guide frames and Fuji Alconite inserts to give anglers the durability of double wraps on every guide. Ergonomic reel seats also maximize blank exposure to further increase sensitivity and are incredibly comfortable to fish all day long. Finished with x-wrap shrink tube handles that provide phenomenal grip in all weather conditions and deep purple accents that give them a custom built look, the Okuma Guide Select Custom Black Swimbait Rods are available in a selection of sizes that cover everything from small line-thru swimbaits up to magnum glidebaits.
Features:
-UFR: Unidirectional fiber reinforcement technology
-IM-8 graphite blank construction
-EVO Graph: 1k woven carbon reinforced blank
-Longitudinal fiber tip
-Fuji Alconite guide inserts
-Fuji K-concept guide frame
-X-wrap shrink tube full handle grip
-Ergonomic reel seat
-Heavy-duty stainless steel enclosed hook keeper
-Purple accents
-Limited 1-Year Warranty
*Okuma Guide Select Custom Black Swimbait Rods do not have line rating, lure rating, or taper printed on the blanks
Tackle Warehouse Recommended Bait Sizes
7’11” Extra Heavy/Fast – Primary use is soft body top hook swimbaits. 8” Huddleston Deluxe, Savage Gear 8” Pulse Tail Trout, Optimum Butch Brown Thumper Tail Swimbait.
7’11” XXX-Heavy/Fast - Custom 12”+ Glide Baits, Roman Made Mother Swimbait, ABT Lures Custom Series Suicide Glide 12”, Gan Craft Joined Claw Super Magnum 303 Glide Bait.
Specifications
Model | Length | Power | Taper | Line Wt. | Lure Wt. | Guides | Handle Length | Handle Type | |
TW-GSCB791MHB | 7'9" | Medium Heavy | Moderate Fast | 12-20lb | 1/2-3oz | 10+Tip | 18-1/2" | Swim B | Buy Now |
Previous Feedback
Comments: Such a cool rod. I have the Heavy and have been throwing baits in the 1-3 ounce range so far. It's very parabolic, loads properly and still has a nice backbone for the hookset. I don't know how you can beat this thing. Others have mentioned the guides, the JDM vibe, the hook keeper, the handle - all killer. This thing has been such a treat. The reel seat is excellent too. Living up in the North, I fish in the cold weather lots and you can aways tell an uncomfortable reel seat quick. Not this thing. It's just butter and feels great wet or dry. A plus for sure. Mine was 8.5 ounces on my scale and that's my only complaint. It could be a pinch lighter, but it's so balanced that I don't notice anything. If they come out with a mod-fast XH I'm ready!
From: Eric: Minnesota 9/30/23
Comments: I purchased the 7'11 extra heavy rod due to Luis's recommendation that the extra extra heavy was too much of a rod for a 4oz or 6oz baits, and I'm glad I listed to him, unlike most rods that say they can do 8-10oz on the max end of their lure range and can't even come close, this rod actually is able to throw its top end lure range of 6.5oz and it's a beast of a rod and a 4.5oz 8" Huddleston swimbait barely flexes the tip, id say but haven't tested it yet, it can throw probably up to 8oz top end. The extra heavy and extra extra heavy rods in this line up are definitely not moderate and not recommended for hard baits with treble hooks. These two are soft swimbait single jig hook rods only and in that regard they excel and exceed all expectations. As another reviewer below me said, you won't find a better made swimbait rod on the market for this price, they just got everything perfect on these rods, from the handle length and wrap, to the high end JDM looking reel seat, double footed guides and it's just an overall way better built and beautiful rod than anything else out there. These destroy anything from Dobyns or GLoomis or any custom $400 rod. They have only one moderate fast rod in the line up with a weight rating of 4oz, which could throw a lot of hardbaits but I think they need to make an extra heavy moderate fast rod for the heavier hardbaits on the market and there's a lot of them. So for now I'm still using my GLoomis 966 for my big hardbaits. Who knows though, maybe the one moderate rod in this line up exceeds its max lure range up too 6oz then you could get away throwing a depps 250. That won't help though for anything bigger like a hinkle etc.
From: Ryan: Tx 9/23/23
Comments: You are not going to find a better custom swimbait rod with a quality grip, handle, reel seat, eyes, flexible/parabolic blank for $160 price point..but go ahead and spend $300+ on an overpriced dobyns or other overprice brands because you've been brainwashed by all the bass youtubers.
From: NorCalDeltaProMaster: 9/19/23
Comments: Only owned this rod for a few months now but it has become an absolute favorite. I use it for big soft swim baits in a 1-2.5oz range and have flipped multiple fish 7-9lbs over a concrete spillway ledge with this rod, it is tough as a MF!
From: Unknown: 7/20/23
Comments: First let me say that these are in my opinion THE best swimbait rods on the market right now! The handle is the perfect length which is the biggest problem with the majority of swimbait rods out there. With these, you get all the aesthetics of a Megabass rod for a fraction of the price. My one warning to you though is buy one power UNDER what you think you need going by the rod ratings. I bought the XXH at first and it's so stiff it's pretty much unusable! An 8oz bait doesn't even load the tip up! I returned it and purchased the XH and that was the money shot. Don't pay attention to the ratings from Okuma. These rods can handle WAY more than they're rated for. The XH can do up to 8oz pretty easily and down to about 2oz as well. For the money these rods simply cannot be matched! The H and XH pretty much cover every swimbait you would ever use.
From: Luis: Lake Placid, FL 6/23/23