Jig fishing help - what size rod and line to use?

I was fishing jigs this weekend similar to this:


It was getting bit a lot, but I wasn't able to hookup with the fish easily. In fact, I didn't get ONE to the boat, all of them fought hard for 10-20 feet then it was off. I'm pretty sure I didn't get good enough hooksets in them, but I set the hook as hard as I dared without snapping the line. I even trimmed the weedgaurds to half down, but didn't seem to help. I was planning finesse setups and only had 6 -8 lb mono on medium (almost medium light) rods in the boat.

What would you recommend for rod and line selection? I only use spinning tackle cause I'm not cool like bass pros and never learned how to use the baitcaster reels without "issues".

Thanks for any help!

Hard to do with spinning gear, a light action rod, and mono. All 3 are working against you. I like a minimum of 14# test on a med hvy rod. I still feel like I don't hook as many as I should, but most of that is being late on the hookset.

I've thrown finesse jigs on 8# flouro with a med hvy rod, but I wouldn't feel confident in getting a big fish (out of cover) into the boat on that setup. Most of the times I'm fishing a jig, I'm flipping wood with it, and the idea for me is to stick the fish and get them away from the cover as fast as possible. If I fished alot of lakes that had spots, and open water, it would be different, but ol' largelips needs the hammer put on him with a the jig in my opinion which calls for a stout rod and heavy line. You might try fishing 20# braid with a 12-14# flouro leader. That way you can still cast good with your spinning setup, and it won't stretch on the hookset. If you're not used to setting the hook with braid, it's more of a snap of the wrist than it is a full force cross the eyes.

I also tend to bend out my hooks a bit and trim the guard to the hookpoint. I then fan out the guard so that all of the bristles aren't right in front of the hook. Fanning out the bristles helps it's weedless ability, and bending the hook out seems to help stick the fish.

All that said.... It's never to late to learn to use a baitcaster, and having just one setup for throwing jigs is a good enough reason to learn. Everyone, I mean everyone, can learn to use a baitcaster using one lure in one day. As soon as you change lures though, it's like learning all over again. Each time you try a new lure, the learning curve lessens.

My personal jig setup is a 7 ft h/f St Croix Avid with a Curado 200e7. Using 3/8 & 1/2 jigs mostly. Line I'm using right now is Daiwa Samuri 30lb braid with no leader. Be careful though, cause if you hold your line with your finger, like I do, and set the hook on something that doesn't move(rock,stump,log) it will slice right through your finger!

Jeff

Thanks Brine and Jeff. I have a MH rod that I really like (one of my all time favorites) and will spool it up with some 20lb braid and maybe a floro leader for the clear waters I like to fish.. As slow as fishing was that day (only 3 fish landed), once I switched to the jig, I was getting bit pretty good. I suppose once you feel the fish, you just set the hook? Guessing here, I never fished a jig before. I was casting almost on shore by structure and hopping it back to the boat. I'd feel a tap, then pressure and I'd set the hook as good as I could with the light equipment I had.

Edit: If I could find a decent baitcaster combo for a reasonable price, I might get one, but I don't know what to look for and how to tell if it would work for me. Spinning rods and reels, I can pickout what I know works and what I like. The others, I might as well be a kid in a candy store... it all looks good.

So many out there to try. Just get one on sale at Bass Pro or the like. The Extreme combo is a good one for the price ($99 for the combo) or something similar. Stay away from the lesser priced combos and you'll avoid the problems the lower end models give you.

Come down to GA and you can try one of mine out for a day. I may not put you on fish, but you'll be good enough at throwing the baitcaster to want 5 more #-o

Brine said:

... at Bass Pro or the like. The Extreme combo is a good one for the price ($99 for the combo) or something similar.

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Hmmm, looks like Basspro doesn't want to sell me an Extreme combo... it's been discontinued per their website. I have a Cabela's (and cabela's bucks) close and a Gander - Do they have any recommended combos?

This is the one I'm talking about.

https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Sh...Rod-Baitcast-Combos/product/10204889/-1664804

Just wait till it goes on sale. Seems like it happens at least twice a year.

If you don't want to wait that long, look for something in that price range, and read the reviews on whichever site you're at.

Takes a pretty good hook set to pull that 4/0 or 5/0 hook though that big ole jaw. All good info from Brine and Jeff. Sounds like that jig is working for you, you just need a rod with a little more backbone to seal the deal. Once you feel her pick it up and there's resistance that's the time to cross her eyes.

Good luck. We want to here about the first one you bring in.

Here's Cabela's version...

https://www.cabelas.com/catalog/bro...0;cat105740280&WTz_st=GuidedNav&WTz_stype=GNU

Looks like they have a $149 combo on sale for $99. I just don't know anything about them.

Cut some of that weed guard off. I generally cut mine enough that when you push it down, the end of the weed guard just barely grazes the hook tip. Also, if it has a heavy weed guard, I'll cut two or three strands out altogether.

That being said, I'm not a heavy cover fisherman, so if you are loosing a lot of jigs to whatever cover you are fishing, you may not want to trim quite so much.

St Croix Mojo 7' Heavy Fast (MBC70HF) and a Revo SX 7.1:1 spooled with 12# flouro. Can't overstate the fact that you need to set the hook as poolie said. This is especially true with smallies; they usually run straight at you and come unbuttoned easily once they break the surface...set hard and reel fast! If you're going to stick with spinning gear get a good graphite rod with some backbone. Your budget will ultimately dictate which ones to choose. You can get a lot of rod for around $100 these days

the BPS Carbon Lite 7' MH (38-156-640-00) spinning rod is on sale for 89
https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-CarbonLite-Spinning-Rods/product/10205013/-1645468

I too prefer spinning set up over the bait casting. They work great for the lighter stuff. But, for jigs and rubber worms I use a baitcaster. For my jig set up: I have an inexpensive Lew's reel on a 6ft Medium - Heavy Falcon rod (FC-5-16) set up with Berkley Big Game 20# mono. A heavier rod and heavier line is the key to pulling them out of the muck. I need to get use to using a baitcaster. It has been about 15 years since really using one. Used a spinning reel on the ocean for many years and got use to that. Good Luck.

I have two different rods I use for jigs depending on how heavy the cover is. In heavy cover I use a 7 ft extra heavy flipping rod. In light cover I will use a 6' 6" medium heavy rod. Both have fast tips are reeled with braided line on baitcast reels.

I use 2 set ups for jigs also. I have one with 17lb floro and another with 30lb braid. If I am fishing light cover I go floro. Heavy thick mats, weeds, branches, etc. I go with the braid. I haven't had to many fish get off the line, but I reel pretty steady.

:twisted: I basically pitch to cover for all my jig fishing. Two rods, both Daiwa 7'6" heavy action with a TD Zillion reel, spooled with 50lb braid. Jigs range from 3/8oz-3/4oz. Sharp hooks are a must.

Fishdevil - your pictures are what inspired me to toss a jig this year. Those nice bass with the lure in their mouth... I had to try it out.

Fish Devil, what kind of jig is that in the last picture?

bearsphan3.14 said:

Fish Devil, what kind of jig is that in the last picture?

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:twisted: Strike King Pro Model 3/8oz with Zoom Chunk.

alot of the time i fish a med light rod with 8lb test mono and fish in summer haunts with jigs, i always and i repeat always when using light line and lighter rod i will set the hook very hard, then after i set it once i will hit the fish again, make sure your line is, good, i use berkley trilen 8lb and have landed a 6lber on a 7' ultra lite rod with a quantum pt spinning reel, it can be done make sure your drag is set and hit the fish twice! that does it for me!