Need Tackle Advice for new Jig Combo

[JonDesselle]

Stuck between two reels and three rods for my new Jig Combo. Wondering if anyone on here had some recommendations/experiences

Reels: Shimano 2020 Metanium, Shimano Exsence DC SS (JDM)

Rods: Shimano Expride A 7'2 MH, Megabass Orochi Perfect Pitch, St. Croix Legend Tournamend 7'1 MH

I know all would be great but was seeing if anyone had some person experience with any of these. Thanks!

[Rodney Smith]

I have experience with the 2020 Metanium and the 7.2 MH Expride. Out of these choices, that combo would be my pick.

[Dens228]

I didn't like the Perfect Pitch for jigs.  Felt a bit heavy and not as sensitive as I'd like.  Great frog rod though.

I use the Braillist for jigs and love it.  

[Cgrinder]

Some folks swear a magnesium reel gives them a little extra sensitivity. However literally no way you can go wrong with the new Met. I'm really excited to see what magnesium does with the two piece frame.

 

I flip half ounce jigs on the 7'2" H Expride. Feels good. It's also fine with 3/8 and a beaver. I would go Braillist though if I could manage a 7'5 rod regularly (shorebound and buskwhackin).

 

Honestly I would spend less on the reel and more on the rod. The Tatula Elite is an excellent jig reel for around $250 and that leftover scratch will get you a lot more from the rod than the reel. You do you though; if you want the Met, buy the Met.

[Logan S]

Perfect Pitch is great, though for 'regular' jig fishing like casting/skipping/etc (not pitching/flipping) it's a bit more powerful than I prefer.  I really like the Tour Versatile as an all around casting/skipping jig rod, it's basically your standard 7' MH/H jig rod (IMO is a touch more powerful than a traditional MH).  The TV is a really good all-around jig rod, the PP would also work well, but it leans a bit more toward the heavier applications.  

 

Can't speak for the Expride as I've never used one, but I have used many St Croix LTB and LE's - They are great rods as well, but I prefer the Megabass XX series over both...It's a win-win decision though, no bad choices.  FWIW, for years all my rods were Legend Tournaments and Elites, I've since switched to all MB rods except 1 (mostly XX).  I'll say this about the St Croix 7' MH/F (or 7'1" now, across any of their models), IMO it's the gold standard that I compare all-around jig rods to in terms of length/power/action.  

 

Both of those reels would be awesome.  I use a 1st gen Exsence DC on my main casting/skipping jig rod and love it, the new one looks even better.  I don't have any 2020 Mets, but I have several Met MGs and newer MGL and they are great.  Flip a coin .

 

Having said all that, my real advice its to knock $100 off your reel budget and apply it to the rod budget - And get a MB Destroyer FMJ with a Chronarch, Curado, Scorpion, Tatula SV, etc for a reel.  

[waymont]

St. Croix Legend Tournamend is a very tip heavy, unbalanced rod, I would steer clear of that one.

[Gazz]

I recently purchased a Chronarch/ Expride 7’2 MH/F as my new jig rod. It feels unbelievable. All of yours potential choices are great pieces but I would definitely suggest the Met/Expride.

 

I also agree eith what others are saying. I did a lot of research and almost landed on an Orochi for the rod and the Braillist is definitely the rod to choose if you want an Orochi. 
 

I am sure there are a ton of rods that do, but it’s hard for me to imagine a rod feeling better than the Expride. Maybe I need an NRX for comparison. 

[rangerjockey]

20 hours ago, waymont said:

St. Croix Legend Tournamend is a very tip heavy, unbalanced rod, I would steer clear of that one.

 My 7ft.1 MHF is right on reel nut with a curado DC. I think before the change in 2018 there were some of the longer models that may have been tip heavy.

The internet won't let it die.

 

 

[waymont]

5 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

 My 7ft.1 MHF is right on reel nut with a curado DC. I think before the change in 2018 there were some of the longer models that may have been tip heavy.

The internet won't let it die.

 

 

I had both the newer version of the rods in 6'8" MH jig and Worm, and the 7'1" Plastics rods both balanced about 9" up the blank from the front of the reel seat, and I sold both. I couldn't fish them very long. If the one you had balanced right at the reel seat that's great, I guess some models may be better than others. I haven't fished that model. I have checked a few other models in stores, with reels on them, and none I tested balanced well at all. I love the way they are put together, look , and the components, but overall I think they are not for me.

[WRB]

On April 29, 2020 at 6:24 AM, Cgrinder said:

Some folks swear a magnesium reel gives them a little extra sensitivity. However literally no way you can go wrong with the new Met. I'm really excited to see what magnesium does with the two piece frame.

 

I flip half ounce jigs on the 7'2" H Expride. Feels good. It's also fine with 3/8 and a beaver. I would go Braillist though if I could manage a 7'5 rod regularly (shorebound and buskwhackin).

 

Honestly I would spend less on the reel and more on the rod. The Tatula Elite is an excellent jig reel for around $250 and that leftover scratch will get you a lot more from the rod than the reel. You do you though; if you want the Met, buy the Met.

Magnesium has the lowest natural harmonic resonance of all metals and the reason it's used for vibration equipment for fixtures. This means is a dead metal that vibrations do not attenuate through. You will get no feedback using magnesium reels, lighter weight is the only  advantage.

The 2019 Perfect Pitch was pulled back off the market and re released I believe. Rods are a personal touch and feel choice each angler need to make.

Tom

[Chris at Tech]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Magnesium has the lowest natural harmonic resonance of all metals and the reason it's used for vibration equipment for fixtures. This means is a dead metal that vibrations do not attenuate through. You will get no feedback using magnesium reels, lighter weight is the only  advantage.

Is there anything fishing-related that you DO NOT know?  ?

[Cgrinder]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Magnesium has the lowest natural harmonic resonance of all metals and the reason it's used for vibration equipment for fixtures. This means is a dead metal that vibrations do not attenuate through. You will get no feedback using magnesium reels, lighter weight is the only  advantage.

The 2019 Perfect Pitch was pulled back off the market and re released I believe. Rods are a personal touch and feel choice each angler need to make.

Tom

 

Neat. Today I Learned.

[WRB]

52 minutes ago, Cgrinder said:

 

Neat. Today I Learned.

Sometimes I get carried away, it's the engineer personality.

Tom

 

58 minutes ago, Chris at Tech said:

Is there anything fishing-related that you DO NOT know?  ?

My wife takes it one step further, why stop at fishing.

Tom

[Ogandrews]

I am a die hard st croix guy but if it is against the LT and the expride I would go with the expride all day. I have never been a huge fan of the LT bass line, they are good rods but I don’t think they are a huge step up from the Avid, or I would say save up some more and get a higher end legend. The expride is about as good as it gets for that price point, although I think the legend tournament line up has a better jerkbait rod but that’s not what we’re talking about. I don’t have any experience with the metanium but I’ve never heard a bad review on it. I do however have a good amount of experience with the bantam mgl and that is a great workhorse reel if your looking for another option.

[mrpao]

I would step the rod up to the poison adrena. The blank is much more sensitive than the exprides.

I have my 20 metanium on a 7'3" med hvy poison adrena - T rigs.

I have a core 100mg7 on a 7'2" hvy poison adrena- for jigs.

I personally like Mg reels on my bottom contact rods due to the lighter weight. 

[Born 2 fish]

My jig combo is a OG Tatula 7’2 H with a Lews tournament pro lfs 7.5

[JonDesselle]

On 4/29/2020 at 4:44 AM, Rodney Smith said:

I have experience with the 2020 Metanium and the 7.2 MH Expride. Out of these choices, that combo would be my pick.

Thats kind of what Im leaning towards. You can snag the new Metanium for 295 on Ebay and if its anything like the 16 Met MGL its going to be well worth it. Plus Exprides are always sold out basically everywhere and that happens for a reason

I think I've decided on the 2020 Metanium w a Shimano Poison Adrena 7'2 H. Something about that JDM look got me hooked! Thanks for all the input guys! Tight lines