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Location: Around | This year I have snapped numerous rods on hook sets while vertical jigging. I use 8'-6" rods in either Heavy or Xtra Heavy. I take care of my tackle so I doubt the rods are getting damaged. I actually never broke a rod in my life till I started vertical jigging.
I do fish my drag pretty tight but on a hook set it still gives a bit.
I am not knocking these companies but I have gone through 2 tackle industry rods (8' Heavy and 8'6" XH) and one Okuma EVX Heavy 8'6". I just ordered another Okuma EVX in XH.
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Posts: 1100
| I use one of The old MI 10oz 8 foot Best jigging rod i have used,
Have any one used The sling blade for jigging ? |
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Posts: 2097
| You may want to use a less stiff rod for your vertical jigging. |
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Location: Around | The 8' tackle industry rod was too stiff but the 8'6" wasnt too bad and my landing percentage went up greatly.
The okuma EVX Heavy was anything but stiff. I liked it but it literally lasted 3 outings and boated 2 fish with it. I will try this rod again when I get the warranty replacement. This had plenty of give. The EVX heavy is the equivalent of most other manufacturers MH |
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| check the warranty on the rods i think both have a limited lifetime. i broke a okuma this year and got it replaced for free. |
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Location: Around | yeah I just need to get around to sending these rods back for replacement. |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | I vertical jig Bondys between 30% to 40% of the time during any given season & I have never broken a rod doing that. I was currently using an Okuma 8'6" heavy for jigging Bondy's but Friday night I broke that rod while fighting a 60" sturgeon. I'm hoping there's a quick turn around so that I have a replacement rod before November. My buddy broke his 9'3" XH Okuma jigging Bondys. I've used my TI rods for jigging as well but no issues with those. Started out jigging with a Black River rod & had guides crack 3 different times while jigging. |
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Location: Around | Zib - I actually went with the Okuma Heavy because of a post you made in another thread when I was rod shopping. I jig mostly Bondys.
Do you keep your drag cranked pretty tight? |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I haven't done any vertical jigging for muskies but my guess is it would be easier to put a much sharper bend in the rod when setting the hook on one right below your feet. If the rod is ending up above your head at the hookset a pretty sharp angle might be forming towards the rod tip.
Are the rods tending to break within a couple feet of the tip?
Must be something happening from the way you are fishing or setting the hook, I'd guess. |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | joshm3357 - 10/13/2014 10:20 AM Zib - I actually went with the Okuma Heavy because of a post you made in another thread when I was rod shopping. I jig mostly Bondys. Do you keep your drag cranked pretty tight? I crank my drag down tight then back it out about a quarter turn. Where at on the rod did it break? Did it break on a fish striking the bait, during the fight, or on a snag? Bondy had issues with breaking rods just above the handle when the fish strike the bait. Those were shorter rods so he went with longer 8' rods & he stopped breaking them though he did post a pic of a broken rod on FB earlier this year. |
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Posts: 908
Location: South-Central PA | Sounds like you're a pretty hard hook-setter. Nothing wrong with that, you just need to find a rod that will allow you to do that. You need to go to something with a glass blend or an all glass rod that will take the abuse. I'm pretty sure Vince at Migizi has something that will work for you. There are also several saltwater rods out there that would work well.
If what you're doing isn't working, it's time to change!
jeremy |
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Posts: 8721
| I don't do much vertical jigging, but I wonder if saltwater spinning gear might be a better option. |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | Anyone tried the St. Croix Premier H glass rod? Sounds like that might work. I'm trying to get into vertical jigging so I'm evaluating options too. |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | bowhunter29 - 10/13/2014 12:56 PM Sounds like you're a pretty hard hook-setter. Nothing wrong with that, you just need to find a rod that will allow you to do that. You need to go to something with a glass blend or an all glass rod that will take the abuse. I'm pretty sure Vince at Migizi has something that will work for you. There are also several saltwater rods out there that would work well. If what you're doing isn't working, it's time to change! jeremy The problem with going with a glass rod or glass blend for jigging is you will lose sensitivity & this will make it harder to detect when you have crap on your lure. Plus the extra weight of the rod will take its toll on your arm after 8+ hours of jigging. I started jigging Bondy's in the Detroit River with a glass blend rod & it wore me out after 4 hours. Once I went with a lighter graphite rod & can go 8+ hours and my arms aren't killing me the next day. Plus with the graphite rod it's a lot easier for me to detect when I have a zebra mussel on my hooks. |
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Posts: 908
Location: South-Central PA | Zib - 10/13/2014 3:04 PM
bowhunter29 - 10/13/2014 12:56 PM Sounds like you're a pretty hard hook-setter. Nothing wrong with that, you just need to find a rod that will allow you to do that. You need to go to something with a glass blend or an all glass rod that will take the abuse. I'm pretty sure Vince at Migizi has something that will work for you. There are also several saltwater rods out there that would work well. If what you're doing isn't working, it's time to change! jeremy The problem with going with a glass rod or glass blend for jigging is you will lose sensitivity & this will make it harder to detect when you have crap on your lure. Plus the extra weight of the rod will take its toll on your arm after 8+ hours of jigging. I started jigging Bondy's in the Detroit River with a glass blend rod & it wore me out after 4 hours. Once I went with a lighter graphite rod & can go 8+ hours and my arms aren't killing me the next day. Plus with the graphite rod it's a lot easier for me to detect when I have a zebra mussel on my hooks.
I'm not sure what rod you used, it was obviously not the right one for the application if it was that heavy. The rods/blanks I'm talking about weigh very close to what a full graphite rod/blank weighs.
I'm with you on the loss of sensitivity, you will definitely lose some feel by going to an all glass rod. That's why blend rods are such a great option- same weight as graphite (good sensitivity) but much more durable.
jeremy |
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Posts: 32800
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | jermey knows what he's talking about. |
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| The only two muskie rods I have broken were from vertical jigging. First one was a TI XH, after that I went strictly to a SC Big Nasty and have been happy ever since. It is the best of both worlds for me. Stout enough to drive the hooks home and just enough action to keep em pinned. The other rod I broke was a SC Big Dawg. I was letting my brother use my Big Nasty...
Zinox, I have used my Sling Blade for jigging and liked it. I just thought it lacked in the hookset compared to the nasty. First hookset is usually not good enough, no matter the rod. Lots of fish are lost while jigging compared to other methods, but is still one of my favorite ways to catch em. |
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