Jigging Rod - Is Medium/Heavy too stiff?

[NTW]

Does anyone walleye fish (jigs) with a MHF action rod? I would think that I should not go with anything above medium but have an opportunity for a great deal on a 6'6" MHF.

[Jason_Halfen]

All of my jigging rods are M or ML power, with fast or extra fast action. My St Croix 69MLXF Legend Xtreme is perhaps my favorite jig pole. Here it is with a few recent catches.

[NTW]

Jason - Thanks for the response. Nice fish! I am surprised that your favorite jigging rod is 6'9". I'm looking at the same series of rod but being told that shorter is better. Is there a way I can contact you to discuss a bit?

[jwmiller33]

IMHO, yes a medium heavy is too stiff for a jigging rod... i would use that rod for trolling 3ways, cranks or spinners. a good medium or medium light rod is ideal for jigging eyes in my opinion

[fiskyknut]

I think it'd make a good niche rod for when you gotta work bigger jigs in heavy current, say 1/2 ounce and larger. It'd be good for blades and up current rip jiggin and draggin too.

I'm on the LOTW and the Rainy river and jiggin is my favorite thing to do! Got 56lf and 63mlxf but my favs are a 6 foot mf for the vertical bit and a 68mxf for pitching plastics and rippin, both of these do their task well with jigs ranging 3/16 up to a half ounce. They will fish heavier to 3/4 okay but there are times we get those darn spring/fall rains on the river and the current is up good, conditions like that and I'd sure like a mhf around 66 or so for those 5/8th's, 3/4's and 1 ouncers. Wife gets me a St Croix each spring for my bday and it may just be a mh jiggin rod for 2011!

[Northlander]

Whenever I go to the Rainy River in the spring and fall I bring my 7ft mhf St Croix Avid. When Im using 3/4 and 1 oz jigs in current its a must.

[Jason_Halfen]

Jason - Thanks for the response. Nice fish! I am surprised that your favorite jigging rod is 6'9". I'm looking at the same series of rod but being told that shorter is better. Is there a way I can contact you to discuss a bit?

Yep!

[email protected]

[PerchJerker]

Quote:

Is there a way I can contact you to discuss a bit?

Hopefully you guys will have your Q&A discussion in the forums here, so we all can learn from it

Thanks!

[tgruenke]

I agree with most of the posts on here. I have a real sensitive rod and even the lightest of jigs I can detect bottom or the weight of the jig. I also have a shorter medium action rod and it is nite and day in sensitivty. You have to use heaver jigs inorder to get the same senstion. I do use it for trolling though. Best of luck.

[NTW]

Point taken PerchJerker, agreed it would benefit more people to remain on the forum.

All the feedback since yesterday afternoon has pretty much made the decision a simple one. Since all of the jigging that I am thinking of takes place on lakes and with jigs lighter than 3/8oz, I shouldn't let the "good deal" sway my decision. I feel like it is better to have paid more for a rod that is "best fit" than save money on one I'll wish was something else.

Thank you all for the advice!

[JohnMickish]

Short Vs. long jigging rod. Here is my take on that. It's pretty simple.

Vertical jigging, I use a short rod. Either a G. Loomis 721 (custom 6'3") or a G. Loomis 722. Both outstanding fast action sensitive rods.

Pitching jigs, I use a St. Croix LTBS68MXF or an St. Croix APS68MXF. Both of these are medium power extra fast tips.

When vertical jigging you generally don't need as much line take up as you do when you are bringing a jig back to the boat, so therefor I use a shorter rod.

When pitching jigs I prefer a longer rod to get the jig our farther, and it also allows me to cover more ground when hopping the jig back. One tip sweep can move the jig a long distance if needed. The longer rod also gives a stronger hookset when you have more line out.

I do use the shorter rods when pitching to targets that are close. A shorter rod will give you a more accurate cast at close targets.

Thats how I do it, others may differ but it works for me.

[shale]

The Loomis SJR722-IMX is the Ak-47 of jigging rods. It's a standard issue 6' fast action rod with a great backbone. I've used it for 1/8th oz and up. It will run you over $200.

The Limit Creek LCS66MF is a fairly comparable 6'6" rod and less than $100 (great value for the price). http://www.limitcreek.com/page2/page2.html.

You’re splitting hairs with these higher end rods. The gear is a minor part of the equation - the major part is spending the time to dial it in.

[JohnMickish]

You are correct, if a person was to only have one jigging rod the Limit Creek LCS66MF would be a great choice, at a great price.

[deanstacklebox]

Great replies guys ! Another factor than can enter into the decision of rod action is if you use mono or hardline. One thing I have learned,is that a alot of good fisherman use several different actions successfully,but not all of us can have a rod in the boat for every application. This is one of the reasons we do on-water demos to determine what your actual needs and expectations are met. Great input and discussion guys !

[NTW]

Thanks for sharing so much about the rods and applications in your boats!

I don't know Limit Creek products at all but it seems they are a favorite of at least a few people on this forum. Is there a brand/model that the LCS66MF is "just like"? I would like to see one in person but there doesn't seem to be a dealer in my area.

[JohnMickish]

Dean makes a great point with the mono VS braid. Most people use a slightly softer action with braid than they do with mono. Keep in mind that one makers X fast is not the same as anothers X fast.

When I was teaching my wife how to jig she was using braid on an St. Croix avid and I had to change her back to mono after she got the hang of it. She was setting the hook on everything!

Hope some of that helps.

[pureinsanity]

My jiggin rod is as stiff as they come. I run braid and love it. I cant stand fast action rods for jiggin.

[fishdale]

You’re splitting hairs with these higher end rods. The gear is a minor part of the equation - the major part is spending the time to dial it in.

Exactly my thoughts. I would rather have 2 $100 rods rigged up then 1 $200. IMO the rods you can get now days for $100 are much better then the $200+ rods from 5+ years ago. But if money is no object then 2 $200+'s beat 2 $100's.

All my jigging rods are medium and are either 6 or 66.

One thing I really have started to like in a jigging rod is the split grip.

[JohnMickish]

You guys are right, for $100 you can get a super rod today. Also some of the manufactures out there offer many models to fine tune your equipment, to fine tune your presentation.

But the bottom line is, there is some great equipment out there, get the one that you like and gives you the confidence you seek. Also, sensitive and stiff are not necessarily the same thing. You can have a sensitive rod without it being stiff, and vice versa.

[Mike Walerak]

I vertical jig very little. When I do it I tend to use my 6 foot Med GL2 Loomis. Or my 6 foot Med Lite Avid.

I use my 6'9" ML Limit Creek Smoothie quite often just because it is always handy in my rod locker and always has a jig tied on it. I have never had an issue with control or hooksets.

mw

[scott b]

Another piece of the equation that nobody touched on is wind speed. I use a 7 ft. rod med/light for jigging. But when the wind is blowing, a 7 footer will lose sensitivity. This is the reason I would switch to a 6.5 ft or even a 6ft.

[Northlander]

You are correct, if a person was to only have one jigging rod the Limit Creek LCS66MF would be a great choice, at a great price.

I agree these rods are worth every cent you pay for them and more. I love mine.