Favorite Jigging Rod

I have a G-LOOMIS 6′ light fast tip. If you close your eyes and feel the rod you can feel a leech fart. Just kidding, its a great rod.

Lifetime warranty is the way to go, extra cost is made up down the road. As far as custom made versus complete rod from mfg I would suggest the complete rod, I have a few of both. Bust a complete rod, get a new one that is complete, bust a custom one and you only get the blank and pay to have it remade. The ones I broke were fly rods, and the custom one cost quite a bit to have rebuilt.HMG jigging rod from Fenwick has been replaced twice over 25 years and upgraded each time, no questions asked, broke tip on one and the thread started to come loose one the eyes on the other one.

Up til now I’ve been known as a “lurker” to this board. I’d like to change that. This website is the single biggest reason for improvement in my time on the water. Thanks to all who unselfishly share on this board. It’s not very often that I think I might have something to contribute, but on the subject of jigging rods, I have an idea that has worked out great for me.Years ago, Cabala’s had a jigging rod called an “Eazy Touch”. It really was radically different from any rod I had ever seen. It was very stiff up until the last foot or so where it became as limber as an ice fishing rod. I ended up buying 3 of them, but eventually broke the tips off all three (I suspect Cabala’s discontinued the rod because of the number of returns they probably had). You certainly could not use this rod for casting, the tip was just to flimsy.After the Eazy Touch rod disappeared from the market, I thought of taking an old Garcia rod I had that was really too stiff for jigging, but had oodles of back bone, and cutting off the handle of an ice fishing rod, that was extremely limp, overlapping it to the end of the Garcia. I did so with wire and tape. I know this is very crude, and you rod builders out there are probably cringing(I admit it don’t look like much), but it works great. The thing is, with such a sensitive tip, you can watch it to detect those ultra light pickups. I believe you can actually detect the fish before it detects you, then slam the hook home (especially if you use mono) with the stiffness of the main rod.I should say that I’m not familiar with the rods the others have been suggesting and haven’t shopped for a jigging rod for years so what they’re like now, I don’t know, but I bet most of you have an old cheapy rod laying around that you wouldn’t mind experimenting with.Thanks again for all the help you folks have given me, maybe this tip pays back a small amount to all of you.

Welcome aboard Jim. You now have become one of those people who you said you have learned from. We ALL learn from each others sharing. Thanks, Bill

After years of reading about the best jigging rods and the best jigging lines I have come to my own conclusion based mostly on the experience of the various people I have fished with. It appears that whatever you are most comfortable with is the best rod/line for you. Rod brand, composition, length, and price do not make a huge difference in jigging success.

I have fished with guys (good jig fisherman) who use the most expensive rods with lightweight no-stretch lines and also with guys who use medium priced rods with fat stretchy mono. They have all had days where they did better or worst than I did. One would think the most expensive and sensitive setups should consistently be the best – but that is not always the outcome.

My favorite “vertical” jigging (not for casting) set up is a custom made very stiff 5’6” St Croix rod with 6lb yellow Fireline. This combination is what I am most comfortable with and at times I do very well, other times a partner using a long flexible rod with heavy mono will kick my butt. The action of the jig is different with different rods/lines, plus the fish are always changing preferences. I think what is much more important than rod/line selection, is the amount of experience (time on the water) you have with the setup you are using.

Although expensive new rods/reels and testing different lines is a fun part of what fishing is all about – just don’t feel too bad when you catch more fish on that old familiar $50 setup, than on your spanking new $300 rod/reel/line combo.

Dave Gulczinski