Jigging vs Standard Rods

[sail_bait]

I'm interested in starting to jig in deep water 30 - 100m and I want to know if there is any potential disadvantages or problems using my current rod. I have a Sabre in about the 10 -15kg??? class which is about 7 years old (the black blank not the old orange type). It is matched with a Shimano TLD 25 and 80lb braid. What would be a good jig rod match for this reel.

Cheers in advance
Dan

[revs57]

G'day Dan,

I've found the shorter rods more suited to jigging, somewhere around 6' is a good length, not so cumbersome and you can really rip the jig without wearing yourself out too much

cheers

Rhys

[sail_bait]

Thanks Rhys

The Sabre is only about 6' long anyway but has a soft tip. So is fatiuge a big issue in jigging in general. I'm probably only looking at doing it for an hour or two at time unless it's hugely sucessful.

Cheers
Dan

[tenzing]

Thanks Rhys

The Sabre is only about 6' long anyway but has a soft tip. So is fatiuge a big issue in jigging in general. I'm probably only looking at doing it for an hour or two at time unless it's hugely sucessful.

Cheers
Dan

Unless you are really fit you'll be rooted in a lot less time than that.
A stiffer4rod suits too , and often something with a faster retrieve than a single speed TLD. eg the Daiwa Saltist OH reels

[sail_bait]

I have just got back home from work and my rod is a Sabre 6455XH 15 -24kg. if this isn't suitable for jigging what would be a reasonably priced suitable outfit.

Cheers
Dan

[metaloid]

Hi Dan,

There are no rules about what to use for jigging, so don't be scared to try your current outfit. However, there are some good reasons why the specialized gear looks the way it is...

Most hard-core jiggers use the short-jerk style, which means a lot (and I really mean a lot) of quick rod lifts. So basically the heavier your rod+reel, the quicker you get wasted! Especially with an OH reel like the TLD where balance can add to the fatigue.

Now about rod length and action... Again, it's simple mechanics. A long and soft rod will just bend instead of lifting the jig, but a very short and stiff rod will kill the jig's action. The compromise is a 5 to 5'5 foot rod with a softish action for the matching jig weight!!! Again, it's a misconception that shorter, stiffer rods are better. They are designed for 500-700g jigs where 150-250g is plenty is most situations.

Also, once you're hooked to a good fish with 9Kg of drag on 80lbs braid, having a parabolic rod will feel nicer than a fast taper, not to mention that it will not explode on you!!!

So there you have it in very condensed format.

Re. reasonably priced outfit, that's a can of worms best left un-opened, but maybe others are more game than me!

[Shanoss]

The Shimano 'T'Curves are fairly well priced. I have one paired up with a Ryobi Metaroyal spinner. A well balanced outfit makes a big difference in how long you can keep jigging for. Think i paid $260 for the rod a couple of years ago.

[TimiBoy]

Geez I wish I could jig for an hour! 3 drops is it, then swap rods for a while...

You must be young and fit!

Cheers,

Tim