Now I am not an expert and I don’t have as many hours put in as a lot of guys but here is what I have learned over the past 5 years of honing the blade skill.
rod and line – I use either a 6’10” or 7′ St. Croix Legend extreme MLxf rod. and 10 lb braid (this year 832 hi vis) which is 4 lb diameter. sensitive, fast action rod tip and braided line is ESSENTIAL!
I have used mostly 1/8 th – 5/16th oz blades. But i have never fished them over 15 FOW and mostly 1-10 FOW. so I can’t speak to deeper water uses and heavier blades.
The biggest thing (besides rod and line)that I have found is being able to present them (position the boat)in a way that works with the current. and in places like Eric Rehberg and James fished in their show the current and bottom shape is never the same year after to year. so you need to adapt your presentation.
Slow down! sometimes you want to force the subject and you hasten your cadence. really tell your self to slow your cadence and soften your lifts of the rod -but also feel the vibration. (also take the slack out of the line after your jigging motion- ie follow the blade with your rod tip back to the bottom).
good luck. and pay attention to videos and fellow fisherman that are catching. as much as our eagerness/pride blames it all on the spot where they are fishing, blade presentation with current, cadence, maybe color are more likely the keys to their success.
