Aubut Rods 12-20

Hand-built by a local rod builder. Soft-plastic specialist. 12-20 lb class.

The Aubut Rods 12-20 is the hand-built inshore rod from a local New England rod builder who's been turning out custom blanks (and fishing them) for years. The 12-20 lb class is the sweet spot for soft plastics and small-to-medium plastic plugs — light enough to feel a fluke nip a soft bait, with enough backbone to set the hook hard and get fish away from structure. Available in two lengths (7'2" and 7'6"), both rated 1/2-1.25 oz lures. The kind of rod where every wrap is done by hand and every blank gets fished before it goes out the door — the difference between a production rod and a real builder's rod.

Key Features

• Hand-built by a local New England rod builder
• 12-20 lb line class — the inshore finesse sweet spot
• Tuned for soft plastics and small-to-medium plastic plugs
• Two lengths: 7'2" and 7'6"
• Lure rating 1/2-1.25 oz
• Each rod built individually — one at a time

Specs

Rigging & Use

• 7'2": tighter quarters, jetty corners, back-bay work — 3000-class reel
• 7'6": more reach for open beach and flats — 3000-4000 class reel
• Soft plastics on jigheads (1/2-1 oz) — this is what the rod is tuned for
• Small plastic plugs in the 1/2-1.25 oz range work well too
• Run 15-20 lb braid with a 20-30 lb fluoro leader

Why We Like It

Hand-built custom rods from a local builder have a feel that production rods just don't match — the guides are wrapped exactly where they need to be, the action is tuned by someone who actually fishes the rod, and the components are chosen for performance over price. The 12-20 class is the right finesse zone for serious inshore anglers throwing soft plastics for fluke, schoolie striper, and back-bay work. We're proud to carry local builders — supporting craft rod-making is part of why a shop like SWE exists.