Favorite Jigging Rod

Its getting closer to Christmas and people are going to start to think of what they want from Santa. And its that jigging time of year so what is everyones favorite jigging rod? The info generated from this post/reply will also help others to know what to look for in a jigging rod. Thanks, Bill

My favorite jigging rod can be bought in 2 different ways. Its a 6ft. St. Croix Avid rod with a med. fast tip. This rod can be bought from a store that carries St. Croix rods or you can have a rod custom made with that blank from Hooked On Fishing in Rochester, Mn. This rod has excellent feel [sensitivity] and enough backbone to bring in that big fish. I have had real good luck with the St. Croix line of rods in both store bought and custom made versions of their rods. St. Croix rods are the best there are in my mind. I’m a very happy customer. Thanks, Bill

I am very satisfied with my Gander Mtn. Guide Series IM8 Pro Select jigging rods. I have been using there 6′ medium rods for the past 2 years & am very happy with them. Nice feel & sensitivity, as well as a great price. They have a 2 year warranty (wish it was lifetime like some of the Croixs). Did have one tip go bad & they replaced it with a new rod, no questions asked. I did some jigging with the same rod in their 7′ medium light this fall (I usually use this model for casting jigs), and think I am going to purchase a couple more for jigging.

6’3″ Avid, extra fast tip. That’s got my vote for the moment but I haven’t tried that 6’8″/6’9″ (whatever) yet!

I bought 2 6′ Gander Mtn Guide series med action rods last year (1st one might still be at the bottom of Pool 2-hence the 2nd purchase). For $40, I dont know how you can go wrong.

Gander has a Guide Series “walleye” series of rods that are real nice. I just bought 2 6’3″ Med action with a Fast tip for $49.99 each on sale.
They are very nice.

2 years ago, I purchased a combo from Cabela’s. It was there 6′ G-Loomis GL2 rod, with their top line spinning reel. Purchased separately would be something like $230. I got the combo for $160. I absolutley love it.

Bass Pro Shops also has some good rods that are very reasonable and well made.

My favorite jigging rod is an old 6’6″ G-Loomis spinning I found buried in my Grandpa’s shed. I like this rod for feel and overall action. The best part about it, it was free. I have used a Gander Mountain guide series, St. Croix, and others and I just can’t beat this one. I guess I am just used to the Loomis.

I’ll be honest, in that when I was going to buy my new jigging rod, I was going after the Avid series. I compared the two for feel in the store and there was an incredible amount of difference. I used to think that G-Loomis was over-rated / over-priced. But I have changed my way of thinking. Sometimes, I think that maybe I have too much sensitivity (If that makes sense), in that I will sometimes pre-maturely set the hook when a walleye is slowly sucking on the minnow when there is a light bit.

I do love my Loomis!

This is the time of year when pitching light plastics and hair becomes my main strategy for better sized fish.
For this I absolutely love the the St.Croix Avid series rods in the 6’6″ length with a fast action tip to it. It allows me to feel those more subtle “pick-up” that I use to miss when the jig was on its descend. This rod has given me all the confidence that if something as close as breathes on the other end, I can feel it….
Here is a link to these rods, click on the rod specs for more details on to which lengths and actions that are availible.
St Croix Avid series rods

My personal preference is the AS66MLF model which is a 6’6″ Medium light with a fast action tip and a once piece rod blank.

Love my new 6’8″ avids. Great for jigging with these heavy blade baits and snap jigging plastics.

The Avid series gets my vote also. The fast tip feels every nudge, yet is soft enough to give when using super lines. They also are great for drifting or trolling live bait rigs.

For lighter jigs… my new favorite is a 6’6″ Loomis IMX (Slate), and for heavier jigging, my 6’9″ legend elite is fantastic

Call me old-fashioned, but my favorite rod is my trusty old 6 foot Lightning Rod!

A Loomis IMX 6’6″ walleye series.

G Loomis IMX 6’6″ SJR782. I use it for vertical jigging. I also use it for throwing shad raps. It may be a better for that though.

I used to like shorter rods for vertical jigging. The G Loomis 642 IMX 5’4″ was an old favorite until I busted the tip one to many times.

I may go back to the 6′ IMX for vertiacl jigging but I like the extra 6 inches and the more limber tip it has. That shows the lighter hits before you feel em.

Hey whatcha looking at. Whatch your rod tip.

Some great responses guys. Keep em coming. I am buying two Avid 6’6” medium spinning rods with fast tips as I have heard alot of excellent comments about these rods this year from people. I will use these rods for both casting and jigging. Stillakid2, I see you like the extra fast tip over the fast tip. May I ask why you prefer the extra fast tip? Do you feel a fish quicker? Thanks, Bill

The extra fast helps guys like me with slower reflexes! That softer tip is more forgiving when using superlines…….kinda like DeeZee mentioned with the med.lite………..or when the bite is lighter. I’ve had the philosophy that if I can feel the fish with my finger tip, there’s a good chance it can feel me with a lip! When my fingers are chilled or cold they’re less sensitive to the suttle nips so anything to aid in the visual area is welcomed too.

The rod balances well and has done very well for me…………….well………….up until I broke the tip! Entirely my fault but I’ve got to get her sent in and repaired.

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Call me old-fashioned, but my favorite rod is my trusty old 6 foot Lightning Rod!

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Well, I’d call you “old-fashioned”………….’cept you’re hanging on to a sheepie in that pic! That’s just a bit too close to revolutionary to be lumped in with “old fashioned”………….no matter what stick you use!

Truthfully, do you use the IM6 or IM7 models? I’ve never used the IM7’s but they felt better in the showroom that what I remember the IM6’s feeling in the boat. Also, if that’s a style rod you like, they’re hard to find but if you can get your hands on a Berkley TGS Series……………. ………….you’ve got to try it out!

“Sheepies are on a comeback!!!”

Mine would have to be a Loomis 721 GLX. Amazing feel and balance.

Kid-
I have one old IM-6 that is my favorite for jigging, it’s a medium action with a real fast tip and pretty solid backbone. My other two lightning rods are IM-7’s, a medium that I use for rigging and an ultralight that I use for lightweight jigs. Man, the sheepies are a ball on that ultralight!
On a side note, I have a Micthell Fulcrum rod that I bought a good few years ago that works pretty well for jigging. Although I think most of that is due to the fact that it balances PREFECTLY with the reel I have on it. It feels like a 6 foot extension of my arm.

Cool! I too have a Fulcrum Pro that I just can’t let go of! I keep it up at the cabin as a “decided to go fishin” rig. Fast tip and excellent balancing for jigging! I do wish it was just a bit longer though! You can still find a few on ebay………….got mine for $6.00!!!

Another rod from Mitchell that I seem to always have around is the SpiderShaft. A good friend needed a good pike rod so I let the stiff one go but I still have a medium 8-14lb. test, 6′ caster that I like a lot. I’m thinking about trying a spinning model again……………good feel in the IM7 blank and the positioning reguires you to hold on to the blank. Not a cold weather favorite, but 60 degrees on up would be fine. The thing with that SpiderShaft series is the way the blank tapers thicker and thicker until it becomes the reel seat! Somewhere in every blank is a LOT of pulling power! The first guide sits out a bit far though and the taper progression makes it difficult to properly lay in another one. Other than that, I love the design and I like using it as much as my big$$$ casting rods. Still working on my Rapala rod experiences too……….so far so good!

I have never used the St. Croix or Loomis rods.Are they that great of rods?
My favorite jigging rod is a Gary Roach sig. series Lighting Rod(IM7).They are a good price and I think their great jigging/rigging rods.
Ryan Hale

I like the St Croix Avid series in the 6’6″ length, medium action, fast tip. I use these rods for casting cranks, vertical jigging, and pitching jigs. The 6’6″ length makes this an excellent universal rod for several applications in my book

my favorite jigging outfit is a 6’6″ ML Loomis with a wood handle as put together by Jerry “preacher” Gyldervand.

Ryan,

Personally, in my very biased opinion, yes. I’m not sponsored by Croix, but love those rods. Although I’ve been outfished by much cheaper rods on a few occasions. I love my 6’3″ avid medium, extra fast. Their is a 5’9″ out now that I’ve gotta get my hands on.

Thanks Waterfowler,I’ve heard alot of great things about these rods for many years.I would love to try them on the water.
Ryan Hale

FOR VERT. JIGGING I LIKE A 5’9″ ROD ,MED. LIGHT TO MED.
FOR DEEP WATER JIGGING I LIKE A 6’6″ MED. THAT ALSO WORKS FOR CASTING,IN WHAT EVER BRAND YOUR CHECKBOOK LETS YOU GET.
A QUICK NOTE,THE SHORT ROD WILL NOT MAKE MY ARMS HURT AT THE END OF A LONG DAY,MAY BE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT?

My personal favorite is the Avid Series 6’6″ medium light with a fast tip (AS66MLF). Match that with a Shimano Stradic 1000 FG and 4# Stren magna thin and your set. This combo balances out quite nicely.

Steve, I accidentally got a new 6’9″ Avid ML xfast last season and I think It will be dynamite for finesse jigging. Really small sensitive tip with nearly the same butt as the 6’8″ med xfast. I used it a lot for finesse jig/bait early season work last year.