Jig Fish Rods!

[Gary Lange]

What constitutes a good Jig Fishing Rod. One for throwing and working the 1/2oz.+ Jigs that we throw here on the Rock. I may just want to buy me a new rod and I don't want to make a mistake and get the wrong one.

[edwin]

I've had all kinds of rods from Loomis, All Star, Cameron Rods, Bass Pro rods of varying qualities / price points, etc. For the money, I can't find a complaint about the Johnny Morris Signature series rod. It's normally priced around $199 or so, on sale now for $119. I have two of them, one 6'6" MH and one 6'10" MH. I'm sure some of the high end handmade, custom rods are nicer units but I can't justify the $$$ on them...too many irons in the fire at home, so the JM Signature rod gets the nod from me.

[Nitroman]

There are a multitude of " QUALITY RODS " out there waiting for you. The length of the rod is what you are comfortable with but my guess is the #1 seller & most popular is a 6ft. 6in. in either MED. or MED./ HVY. action. I would suggest a MED./HVY. action for 1/2 oz. & heavier football jigs. If you drop down to 1/4 or 3/8 oz. jigs go with a MED. action rod. What you spend is up to you but there are " QUALITY RODS " available for less than $100.00 that will do the job for you & leave nothing to be desired. Take a look at the Berkley Lightning Rod @ around $40.00 @ BASS PRO SHOPS, if you want to step up one level take a look @ the Berkley Series 1 Rod @ around $60.00 to $80.00 @ Cabela's. Both are "QUALITY RODS " that have been around for years, time tested, improved, @ backed by their manufavturer. I am not knocking any other brand of rod or saying to limit your search to only Berkley Rods but I can tell you from 1st. hand experience & years of using their products that BERKLEY & BASS PRO SHOPS rods will do the job for you. Also, not that statistics mean alot @ times, BERKLEY RODS & BASS PRO SHOP RODS together out-sell ( percentage wise ) all other brands of rods put together ( PER FISHING TACKLE RETAILER ) in the fresh water fising tackle industry. And a final plus, the money you save will let you buy some more FOOTBALL JIGS in those new colors & weights that you just can't live without.

[Don House]

My Vote goes to Grandt Rods, an All Amercian Made series Rod. These All-American Series are the best rods I have found for the buck, even better for guiding, great feeling and very lightweight, 6'0, 6'6 or 7'0 Med or Med Heavy, 60 Million Modules rod with titanium oxide guides and a great hard to beat warranty. It is really the last time you buy that model of a rod for life for around 109.00 to 124.00.

If you want something little bit more then look at the XLH70 Models with Reserve Power models 70 Plus modules of graphite and a kevlar wrap in the butt section to give you a much heavier backbone for pulling power but the upper section for feeling the bites.. These start at about 260.00 to go to 350.00 for his 25th Annverisary models.

Alot to look at out there, tons of rods, just find one that feels good to you and a company that will be around..

Good Luck

Capt. Don

[Dutch]

Gloomis IMX 844C.....

[Gary Lange]

Well it looks like I need to look at some Med/Hvy 6'6" Rods of a good quality. Sure won't be the $260.00 to $350.00 range though. I have had good luck with BPS Rods so I will most likely check them out this next week.

[Ham]

I've got two I like a bunch. I just got an Falcon Cara T7 Eakins rod ( 6'10" MH). I also have a St Croix Avid 7' MH Extra Fast (AC70MHXF). I've been using 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz jigs with 15-17 pound line. Pretty good combos. I really can't blame my gear.

I have also heard a lot of positives about the Johnny Morris Signature series, but I don't know the model number. It was the MH 6'10".

6'6" is a good length and I like it in a lot of rods, but for the application I prefer 6'8" to 7' 4" or so.

[dwiebenga]

I use the Falcon Lowrider 6'10 MH for all my Football jigs. Works great.

[Troy Gregg]

I am a big fan of the shimano Crucial series rods... the 6'6 med Hvy with an X-tra fast action

(CRCX66MH) handles the 1/2 oz jigs really well and no problem with anything up to 1 oz. They also carry a limited lifetime over the counter replacement warranty.

They are made with IM-9 Graphite and as sensitive as any loomis or other high end rod.

[Ham]

Cajun Angler busted on me for not mentioning prices of the two rods I am using. Both of those rods retail for around $180. I would agree that less expensive stiks can get it done. The two rods I mentioned are definitely in that range where you are throwing more and more dollars for less and less difference in quality.

I love the St Croix Premiers also and they are in the $100 range or so. I went with the Avids because of a better warranty and because they have an "extra fast" action. The Avids are also lighter and have a little better balance.

Better gear IS NOT a substitute for time on the water. An experienced fisherman with crap for gear will outfish a total beginner with he best that could possibly be bought.

HOWEVER if you are gonna fish and it matters to you, you owe it to yourself to get away from the lower end combos. I kind of think that price break point is around $150 for baitcaster combos and around $120 for spinning combos. Guys will go buy 3 baitcaster combos that were $60 each and still not have a decent functional outfit in the bunch. They could have taken the same money and gotten something really nice. Rods and reels with care are going to last you years. Add one good combo a year and soon you have more good stuff than you have time to fish with.