I'm finally loosening up my drift fishing ways for steelies and would like to learn how to jig fish. Seems very effective and not to difficult to learn.

My question is: What is a nice rod and reel setup? Seems like a spinning reel with a long rod would be effective!

Appreciate any help with this!

St. Croix makes a decent rod for jig fishing, it's 10 1/2 foot and rated for 6-12 pound line and will work well for summer and winter fish. The stock number is WS106ML2. A good spinning reel would be any of the better Shimano's such as the Symetre, Sahara etc.

ritefish, check out the other jig rod topic (i'm to lazy to paste it here) but, i think there should be a warning with every jig/bobber rod: this form of fishing is highly addictive, once you catch a fish on a bobber you won't want to fish any other way!
i've discoverd my hand reaching for my bobber rod now every time i go fishing!

I have a 10' TH custom rod rated 6-15 lb. This rod has a longer butt grip and will whip salmon up to 35lbs. My reel is the Shimano Stradic 4000 using 14 lb. Fireline. My cork preference is changing somewhat from cork to Thill steelheader floats and I fish it fixed because I rarely fish in water over 10 feet deep. When I do fish deeper water I can easily go to a sliding float because I usually carry two rods. What everyone is saying about longer rods is right! My next rod will be 10.5 feet at least! It's so important to have little or no slack in your line so when the bobber does go down you have a "direct" connection and the longer the rod the easier it is to keep your line mended.I also use braided dacron line I can really bury the hook. Most jig hooked fish are upper mouth hooked and sometimes through the beak so you really have to put it to them and with the "no stretch" dacron line you can do just that.

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: STEWED ]

Thanks for the info

Stewed, what do you think of the TH rods? I was on their website this morning and they look inviting!

I've got a couple rods from TH - one a Loomis blank and the other a Rainshadow. The workmanship is excellent and he's very responsive to work with.

Bruce

Well I am the owner of 4 of them so I guess that tells you what I think of TH Custom Rods. they are quality through and through.

...and if you're not a millionaire check out the 10.5 and/or 12 foot Shimano rods available from G.I Joe...the 10.5 footer cost me $80.00 in Oregon this summer and is sensitive enough to drift fish with...I wouldn't want to lug the 12-footer around, though, and it doesn't seem nearly as sensitive.

If you do get a longer rod, be prepared to send your first few casts flying off perpendicular to their intended course...

A lot of guys seem to prefer spinning reels for their jig set-ups, but I like the ease with which a baitcaster freespools. Hard to beat a Curado for price and function.

You know you're demented when you start to look forward to the winter run...

f99, I'm curious about your comment about bait casting reels for jigs. Seems to me and from experience bait casters don't handle light weight very well and will "bird nest" on you when trying to cast light weight. This is hard to do with a spinning reel. I have not used a spinning reel for steelies but logic seems to use a spinning reel for light weight versus a bait caster.

You said it's easier to free spool with a bait caster which I agree with but are you casting the jigs or floating them from a boat?

As posted in the thread titled "The Perfect Jig Fishing Rod"


The ultimate float rod is a 1263C Gl3. Its 10'6" and is rated for 6-12 pound line. It has the length you want-10 and a half feet and is a great all around rod because you will not have a problem casting small floats across the river but can still use to fish floats and eggs or herring under a float for salmon. You can bury up to a 1/0 hook with it as well. But because you its a GL3 you looking at about $300 or so.
If you do not want to spend that much look towards an AllStar, I have the 1262 and it is a little light for an all around bobber rod but is great for summer-runs and winter brats. Plus they make a 1263 AllStar which is almost a carbon copy of the Loomis 1263. You are looking at around $120 for either AllStar.

All 3 of these rods are casting rods as I do not think a spinning reels fishes floats as well as a levelwind. It is so much easier to freespool a float down a hole, slot, along structure etc. etc. with a levelwind as you have more direct control on the line and when if fish takes and you need to set the hook, all that you have to do is lock your thumb down on the spool and rip back.

Thanks Ryan for the info. Seems I need at least a 10' rod for jig fishing. I do fish from my DB so I cover alot of water and catch buku fish but the jig thing is new.

Could you clarify what you said about reels? Do you cast your level winds with a jig and float? I understand what you are saying about floating through a hole but you didn't say if you cast or are fishing from a boat! Thanks

Casting out either from the bank or from a drifting or anchored boat. I throw my float along the a seam, a slot, along structure and free spool the reel so that the float can continue its drift through the 'fishy' water.

Thanks everyone for all the great detailed information.