I too use a 10.5 ft Loomis GL2 STR 1265C and like it a lot for saltwater salmon jigging. It also work great for fishing bobber and herring in the salt. (I don't get to the rivers much) and will cast a buzz bomb a country mile. I tend to grab it a lot. Mine is about 2 years old, so I hope it old enough to avoid some of the quality concerns you have.

I think the most important thing is to have a fairly stiff tip so you can set the hook quickly. Unlike mooching, where you want a soft tip.

I also like using powerpro type line for jigging. Stays down easier and has no stretch. Usually I'll put a piece of mono below a swivel and then attach my dart to the mono.

good luck,
jeff