JIGGING ROD RATINGS

[ElMar2530]

I saw those pictures on noreast...... that is going to be a sick blank.....

[ChrisW_]

The problem is the Japanese rods, outside of the JM's are not designed for the way people fish here. So people are kind of stuck not knowing what to do - should they get teh rod matchign the jig, should they use heavier jigs to get teh power out of the rod...or should they just continue using diamond jigs and their old standby jigging rods?

Another matter of confusion is the weight of the jigs being listed in grams. Most jigs sold in most shops here are sold in ounces, and if they are not, people ask how heavy they are...in ounces. Having all the rods rated in grams makes perfect sense, but for most people it's very confusing.

BTW, I'm not talkng about the niche of hardcore jigfishermen, I'm talking about the majority of fishermen here, and the majority of tackle shops.

Yup it's confusing alright! Unsure what the solution is except for the right info to be trickled down from the guys in the stores who are selling the gear. Now I know that very few shops stock the tackle or have the knowledge base. So this will have to be a 2 pronged attack with informed guys like yourself, Kil, Paul, Sea Draggin and many others on forums such as this one, help with the information flow.

[paul708]

That is exactly the issue Chris. In another thread it was suggested that 350 or 400g rods were what we needed to have to correct grip damage issues, however our fishing is 100-350 ft deep for the most part. We don't need 400g jigs to fish our stuff, but you would have to use that size jig, just to load the rod suggested in other thread.

We always value your input. As a matter of fact, I spent the day today at a tradeshow and explained to many beginners that a rod loaded to capacity is easier for a beginner to fish than a underloaded rod (a concept I learned from you). Meaning a 200g jig on a 400g rod is no good at all, especially for the beginner.

Jim..hope the show was good for you.
i did one last year, and had kil at the booth with his jigging stuff, along with the OTI and JM stuff. they are fun to do.
and i do / Did learn alot from kil.
thats where i am getting this "crazy" idea that bigger rated rods are better for fishing BIGGER fish.

we are not really talking about working the jig with a lighter rod. or heavier rod.

what i am saying on the other thread, is. a rod rated for 350g-400-500g will fight/control/handle a BIGGER FISH than a 100-200 300g rod..
am i wrong?


i am still trying to get a handle on what you are saying,
we fish jigs 6-8oz usually...same as you?
so i think AT MOST they weigh appox 235g? probably lighter.
agree?

this is very confusing for new guys..
let see if we can agree on stuff, and get some forward moving progress.
and maybe help new guys reading this.
maybe i will start a new thread...keep a eye out..

[Billy 40]

a rod rated for 350g-400-500g will fight/control/handle a BIGGER FISH than a 100-200 300g rod..
am i wrong?

Uhm....unless I'm really further out of touch with the Japanese blanks than I thought, that's like saying the building that has more floors is taller than the building with less, no?

ChrisW - with the lack of resources in the US, the only way for that information to be passed around is from the guys at the top, and the whores who buy one of everything to see for themselves. Whore = not a bad thing btw. I admit, I'm not a jig fisherman, I know blanks and components very well, but all the Japanese stuff I see peaople using I have the slightest idea about. I do think there are several "layers" of jig fishermen, andwhile many are really into the Japanese rating system, there are a lot more who are really turned off by it. IMO, the simplest solution is for the person at teh top selling or manufacturing the rods, to just give out as much info as possible so wherever you are in the jigging world, the ratings make sense to you adn you can pick out a rod that works for what you want to do.

I also have some off the wall ideas on a Popping rod, which might be usefull for the shorter jigging rods. Something that can legitimately throw 1-4oz (sorry, I don't know the gram-mage)and be fished with 25-30#'s of drag, most of the stuff I have seen has either been way too stiff in the tip, or not heavy enough in the butt. I've heard this same complaint from most people I spoke to, even those who have tried some of the Japanese blanks made for Popping. We'll see.

[paul708]

Uhm....unless I'm really further out of touch with the Japanese blanks than I thought, that's like saying the building that has more floors is taller than the building with less, no? Billy. not sure about the floor thing??..
with the japanese blanks..there are really not alot of blanks to "get in touch with"
there are alot of blanks avail for the "jap" style. but most not avail. from japan

ChrisW - with the lack of resources in the US, the only way for that information to be passed around is from the guys at the top, and the whores who buy one of everything to see for themselves. Whore = not a bad thing btw.billy i do try to buy one of everything, and more of what really works..just so i can compare and help make a better decision for the guys calling for rods/blanks/info. it is REALLY a big help to know what they feel like..Yes it does take time and trouble..but for the guys on this site and to help the jigging guys, its really worth the extra trouble. I admit, I'm not a jig fisherman, I know blanks and components very well, but all the Japanese stuff I see peaople using I have the slightest idea about. yeah its is a learning curve, checking a TON af blanks and trying to get good solid feedback from guys using product while being tested. I do think there are several "layers" of jig fishermen, andwhile many are really into the Japanese rating system, there are a lot more who are really turned off by it. IMO, the simplest solution is for the person at teh top selling or manufacturing the rods, to just give out as much info as possible so wherever you are in the jigging world, the ratings make sense to you adn you can pick out a rod that works for what you want to do. yes great advice. i guess thats what we are here for.

I also have some off the wall ideas on a Popping rod, which might be usefull for the shorter jigging rods. Something that can legitimately throw 1-4oz (sorry, I don't know the gram-mage)and be fished with 25-30#'s of drag, most of the stuff I have seen has either been way too stiff in the tip, or not heavy enough in the butt. I've heard this same complaint from most people I spoke to, even those who have tried some of the Japanese blanks made for Popping. We'll see.