Choosing the RIGHT Jigging Rod

[Sea Draggin]

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to what is the right jigging rod. I wanted to put together a guide for those with questions. So I put together these initial thoughts. There have been many developments in materials over the past year and many are coming. However, regardless of materials, there are a few things that will always remain true to me.




I want to start with my personal experience. This fall I had guests come for a jig. One of my guests stated, "I'm thinking about bringing my Brand X 600g rod for tomorrow. What do you think?"

My oversimplified response with my eyebrows raised was, "Do you plan on dropping 600g jigs tomorrow? I don't."

Chris taught me early on that 100g=100ft/30m. And an overloaded rod is easier on a jigger than an underloaded one. A lesson I am still teaching to others to this day in the seminars I do.


So this brings me to my choice for the perfect rod. The depth you are fishing determines jig weight. The jig weight determines the perfect rod weight and therefore the perfect rod.

i.e. 200ft/60m = 200g jig, therefore your starting point is somewhere around there, with adjustments for water conditions. There are really flat conditions in places, with almost no current, that you can get away with a lot less, but for the sake of discussion I will use this very general guideline.

I do like a parabolic/slow action rod, because a fast action rod acts as a lever, working against the angler until you can put enough weight on them to break them over, sort of like a compound bow. However most of us don't fish high enough drags to ever make this happen like you see in the crazy rod test limit photos, so for the general population a slower action is really better.

Plus a lighter jig normally loads a slower action rod better and the angler doesn't have to work as hard during an all day session.

This all being said, when doing shallow water jigging, I like a rod that is slightly longer (because we are working the bottom more with yo-yo jigging style) and one that is faster, simply because I like a little backbone in case something big comes along.

I have a few other theories about rod length recommendations for beginners and handle length in relation to the angler, but they are only theories. Next year I will focus some on unraveling some of that.

[FLATLINER]

JIM,
Thats a very informative piece that you put together there. Many times a week, I am asked what size rod they should have. We end up having the same discussion that you pointed out but with some kickers.
How does your rod size vary with size of fish, not just depth? I tend to size the rod based on lure wt AND intended fish. 200' would be a 200G but what if they are deep dropping to large yellowfin? I tend to move the angler at that point to a 300 or a 400G rod.
As a rodbuilder, I don't want to see the angler holding on for dear life as that fish maxes out the rod.

As for dimensions for the setup of the reelseat etc, I make that all dependent on the angler. Shirt size and pant size will tell me pretty much everything that I need to know.

Whats your thought?

Kevin

[Sea Draggin]

Good points regarding fish size. We jigged tunas this year using 500g rods and 160g jigs and it was a lot of work to get any jig action, but we were fully prepared for fish up to 200lbs.

That being said, a parabolic 350-400g rod would have been a much better match for 200lb fish, because we would have had to work much less to get the jig action and it would have given us any extra backbone for that size fish.

However, because of line strength (80lb), max reel drag ratings (usually 25lbs) and the drag pressure a normal angler can stand, the average jigging rod only needs to be able to handle 20 (to a max of 25lbs) of drag, regardless if the rod is rated at 200g, 300g or 400g.

Here is a picture of me high sticking a 500g JM connected to a 200lb tuna. You can see that the rod is no where near being maxed out. Not because of the fish, but because of the reel/drag/line.



I would love to hear more about the pants/shirt size thing.

[paul708]

Jim.
i have emailed with chris about the 100g depth ratio,
and that is a great way to describe a match for rods jigs.
he has alot of great jigging input.
and it is always great to hear from him.

And after Jigging in the NC JIGGING COMPETION this year.
i really see how that does relate to rod-jig purchase.

There are some really good points there.

When we try to match rods and guys.
there is alot that goes into it.

some blanks are not really what they seem
and others are way over rated.

different brands are all different.
fast, slow, parabolic,
knowing something about brands make it easier to match jigging styles and customers.

i have posted alot of blank info on here.
and blanks are changing all the time.

can i use that pic

[Sea Draggin]

some blanks are not really what they seem
and others are way over rated.

Yes, many production rods are very over rated from a weight standpoint.

can i use that pic

You only want it because I'm high sticking

[paul708]

Yes, many production rods are very over rated from a weight standpoint.





You only want it because I'm high sticking

Jim..Blanks very overrated also. there are a wide range of ratings between vendors.

very hard to get a standard system.

the pic...yeah i kinda like the angle

[Sea Draggin]

the pic...yeah i kinda like the angle

It could be worse. I could have on gloves

[FLATLINER]

Jim,
Sorry I didn't get back to you til now. The geese and ducks have had me preoccupied for the last couple of days. Lots of wackin and stackin here on Maryland's Eastern Shore!!! But thats for another thread!

Shirt size and pant size:
While no system is perfect and nothing beats a hands on fitting, here is what I do to try and size a rod for a customer that is buying the rod from long distances.

My shirt size is 16x34 and my waist is 40 x 34....... I know, I know, I need to drop a few lbs.

So if a customer has a shirt size of 15 1/2 x 32, I would set up the rod as I would have it for me and then move the reelseat back 2 inches. My customers arms are 2" shorter than mine so that should make it comfortable for them.
Now, why the pant size? Here we go. In human body types, there are people that are short/fat, tall/fat, short/thin and tall/thin (I think that covers it!). By getting this information, I can piece together the customer and build the rod to fit his anatomy. So, someone could have a 15x36 shirt size, but his belly would require a larger distance from gimbal to reelseat to make the rod fit to him.
What I also do is ask them if he/she has a rod that they currently use and like and ask them to measure the distance from reelseat to gimbal and then ask them if that distance is good, or they want it greater or lesser.

Alright, back to the geese and ducks and then building some rods this afternoon.

Kevin

[Sea Draggin]

Putting on school here. Thanks!

I'm a 34, but 36's feel so good that I just go ahead and get the 38's now. How far should my reel seat be from my gimbal


Seriously, thanks for the perspective.
Jim

[FLATLINER]

Yeah, Its tough when people buy the elastic waisted pants! Maybe I should ask how many inches of "dunlop" they have!!!