Jig rods recommendations & braid vs fluoro

[draltman]

Recommendations on jig rods? I currently use a old All Star C-rig rod 7’ MH. Also have Fitzgerald and old Kistler rods in MH but not sure even with a fast tip they have the backbone needed.  I mostly pitch a 3/8 ounce jig on 50 lb braid. What are the pros and cons of braid vs fluoro and whether braid with a floro leader is better than straight braid when jig fishing. Thanks in advance.

[5by3]

What is your budget for this rod?

 

Im more of a flouro guy for jigs, but the waters I fish are generally pretty clear. Flouro gives better abrasion resistance around wood and rocks. I have confidence that flouro’s “invisibility” gets me more bites on tough days, but that’s personal preference. Some will say the fish don’t care.

 

I do like straight braid without a leader if I am pitching into heavy grass. Braid slices through vegetation better than flouro. Straight braid does not have good abrasion resistance by itself, so you probably don’t want to fish it around sharp rocks.
 

Braid + leader can give you the best of both worlds. The only disadvantage of this is that you are introducing an extra knot into your setup that could fail, resulting in the lost fish. 

 

 

[TBAG]

Budget?

 

I use straight braid with no leader on my jig/texas rig setups. But, I don't do leaders......

[WIGuide]

Not sure what your budget is, but my picks for jig rods would be either the St. Croix Mojo Bass 6'8" MH/F or the same rod in the Legend Tournament series. They make a 7'1" MH/F that feels like it has a little more backbone to it and is a great jig rod as well, and if you like the longer rod it would make a great choice. Personally, I like the shorter one for pitching and getting my jig in tighter areas, it just feels like an extension of my arm and helps me feel like I'm in total control of my bait. I like straight fluoro for my jigs too as it's more abrasion resistant and gives me better slack line sensitivity. It allows me to still feel bites while allowing me to let the jig fall vertically into the cover rather than letting it pendulum into it. 

[PourMyOwn]

Just now, WIGuide said:

Not sure what your budget is, but my picks for jig rods would be either the St. Croix Mojo Bass 6'8" MH/F or the same rod in the Legend Tournament series. They make a 7'1" MH/F that feels like it has a little more backbone to it and is a great jig rod as well, and if you like the longer rod it would make a great choice. Personally, I like the shorter one for pitching and getting my jig in tighter areas, it just feels like an extension of my arm and helps me feel like I'm in total control of my bait. I like straight fluoro for my jigs too as it's more abrasion resistant and gives me better slack line sensitivity. It allows me to still feel bites while allowing me to let the jig fall vertically into the cover rather than letting it pendulum into it. 

I'm beyond impressed with my Bass X 7'1" MH/F, I'm sure the legend or Mojo would be even better. 

[WIGuide]

48 minutes ago, PourMyOwn said:

I'm beyond impressed with my Bass X 7'1" MH/F, I'm sure the legend or Mojo would be even better. 

The Bass X is basically the first Gen Mojo. If you're beyond impressed with the Bass X you'd love the Mojo. There is a huge difference between the SCII and SCIII blank. I was bummed out when I accidentally snapped one of my 1st gen Mojos (SCII) under a tie down cleat, but in the end I was actually glad I did because the upgrade was night and day. 

[DitchPanda]

I use a st Croix mojo 7ft1 medhvy fast for that size jigs and I really like it. Has a nice tip with plenty of backbone. I only use braid for frogs and I don't use fluoro...I use 15lb izorline xxx copolymer and have done well with it.

[Born 2 fish]

I would ask this do you fish a lot of grass ? I fish jigs 3/8 - 1/2 oz a lot and fish them in some thicker vegetation. I did not like my m/h rod for this I stepped up to a 7’2 Heavy Tatula and I’m much happier. If I was fishing mostly gravel bottoms a m/h would have been fine. I use 15lb fluorocarbon.

[Cgrinder]

I'm straight fluoro until maybe July when the pads and grass are completely ridiculous. Then, much like you, straight 50 lb braid until the veg starts to die off. However if I'm fishing a jig, I'm looking at Heavy power rods unless it's a lighter hook. Hammer down and drag em out.

[Dens228]

Budget is a big factor in your question.  First off, I use straight braid, 30 lb, no leader, love the sensitivity and in all honesty never even thought of switching that up. 

Rod wise...........when I first got back into this bass fishing thing hardcore I used a St. Croix MH/Fast Mojo Bass and loved it........but then I got a AvidX and thought Wow!, then I got a MegaBass  Levante Braillist and thought, this is where it's at!  Wanted another Levante Braillist but they stopped production so I bit the bullet and spent the $$$ on an Orochi XX Braillist.   Whole new world.   One year later I own 5 Orochi XX's, two are Braillists!

[clh121787]

Funny i have the braillist and i dont like it for throwing jigs.

Football jigs 784 dobyns 

Pitching or casting flippin jigs to cover and targets. I like a 745 dobyns. Both with 20 tatsu. Occasionally braid if im around alot of grass. But a skirted punch trig around grass has made a jig obsolete imo.

Have to admit ive never fished a swim jig. 

[Beeno]

1 hour ago, clh121787 said:

 

Have to admit ive never fished a swim jig. 

But do you own a bunch of them?

[Ogandrews]

Generally I’ll throw my heavier wire jigs on a dobyns 735c and lighter wire ones on a 733c. I fish braid to a leader all the time unless I’m punching then I’ll go with straight braid. 735 gets 65lbs maxcuatro and the 733 gets 40lbs. I feel like a broken record because I say this so often but give mono a try as the leader material. It takes a knot better than floro, doesn’t burn as bad, has better shock resistance, gives more stretch which is a good thing with braid to leader, and has barely any difference in visibility. Also depending on the brand it’s just as or more abrasion resistant than floro, the whole floro being abrasion proof is just a way for tackle companies to sell more expensive line. I use mono like big game or maxima UG as leaders all the time and I would only throw floro if I was fishing in like 30 foot visibility. Floro I will break off near the leader knot more often, mono it never happens if I tie my blood knot correctly.

[clh121787]

17 hours ago, Beeno said:

But do you own a bunch of them?

Nah 4 or 5 

[draltman]

On 5/11/2020 at 8:55 PM, clh121787 said:

Funny i have the braillist and i dont like it for throwing jigs.

Football jigs 784 dobyns 

Pitching or casting flippin jigs to cover and targets. I like a 745 dobyns. Both with 20 tatsu. Occasionally braid if im around alot of grass. But a skirted punch trig around grass has made a jig obsolete imo.

Have to admit ive never fished a swim jig. 

 

Thanks for all the responses. It has helped narrow down my choices. I do not fish around grass much and always throw 15 invisx on worms, etc (braid on frog rods). So many I do t need my 50 pound braid for jigs. Question: is the St Croix Avid or AvidX as good as the Dobyns 745 (the Dobyns rods are so expensive and I dont fish as many tournaments as I used to). Also no one is commenting on the $179 Cashion rods—do y’all not put them in the same category as these other rods? Thanks in advance for your responses—very helpful.

[Cgrinder]

1 hour ago, draltman said:

 

Thanks for all the responses. It has helped narrow down my choices. I do not fish around grass much and always throw 15 invisx on worms, etc (braid on frog rods). So many I do t need my 50 pound braid for jigs. Question: is the St Croix Avid or AvidX as good as the Dobyns 745 (the Dobyns rods are so expensive and I dont fish as many tournaments as I used to). Also no one is commenting on the $179 Cashion rods—do y’all not put them in the same category as these other rods? Thanks in advance for your responses—very helpful.

Best advice I can give: spend every dollar you can on a jig rod. If you're going to own one $300+ rod in your lifetime, make it your jig rod.

[clh121787]

4 hours ago, draltman said:

 Question: is the St Croix Avid or AvidX as good as the Dobyns 745 (the Dobyns rods are so expensive and I dont fish as many tournaments as I used to). Also no one is commenting on the $179 Cashion rods—do y’all not put them in the same category as these other rods? Thanks in advance for your responses—very helpful.

I have never fished an avid x or a cashion. Im sure they are fine rods. 

[WRB]

Cashion is known for their crankbait rods. 
If you are considering Dobyns with a $200 budget give them a call to find out what’s he has in his store.

Tom

[Teal]

All good rods those guys were talking about, but dont over look the daiwa tatula rods . I just bought a 7'1 heavy.  It retails for 159, I got it for 110.  Its a great rod perfect with a 3/8 or 1/2 jig.  I use it for big topwaters too.  Got 50 lb Daiwa J braid on it, leader as needed.  Also look a the Tatula elite series.  They retail 179 and can be found for 145 - 150 on the auction site and on the bookstore site.  

 

Also to what Tom said, dobyns makes a darn good rod.  I have a DX 744 that is my primary jig rod and pitching stick. amazing.  But that's the only dobyns I own.  They have a good reputation.  Since your obviously doing your homework, wouldnt hurt to give Gary Dobyns a call and see what he has in your price range. I hear he is good to talk to and deal with.