Rod power for T-Rig and small jigs

[ajschn06]

Something in the back of my head says I should be using at least a medium-heavy power rod for any sort of texas rig (3/16-5/16 oz) or jig (1/4-3/8 oz usually on the compact side) since they are usually being fished around some cover, but does anyone go down to like a Medium for better feel?  I'm not fishing in anything super thick or anything.

[Mike L]

A lighter power rod doesn’t necessarily equate to getting “better feel”. 
I don’t own a medium anything and have no complaints. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[MN Fisher]

Have to take into account the weight of the plastic in addition to the jig or bullet weight.

 

T-Rig - a 5" Senko comes in at over 5/16oz, Add that to a 5/16 weigh and you're at 5/8oz...almost the top limit for a Medium power rod rated to 3/4oz.

Jig - my favorite trailer is a 4" Pit Boss which is also over 5/16oz...so your looking at 11/16oz with a 3/8 jig...again almost at the limit for a Medium.

[Team9nine]

Similarly, for those baits, my goto is a MBR783c which in their write-up they state, “A good choice for fishing light to medium jigs and worms.” It is rated as a MH, but doesn’t fish/feel that powerful to me. I don’t think I’d want to go any lighter.

[the reel ess]

What's "smaller"? I use a Hvy-Fast 6-10 Falcon Bucoo with 1/4 oz. jigs and T rigs with as little as 3/16 oz. bullet weights. It works well. In fact, it can skip the 3/16 oz. T rigged Rage Bug very well. They also have a "finesse jig" model. https://www.falconrods.com/product/bucoo-sr

[MidwestBassAttack]

Equate power determinations to depth and amount/type of cover you are fishing around.

 

Action will affect the ability to fling your baits and drive hooks.

 

Ignore the power/action ratings printed on the rod as they vary from maker to maker. Pay attention to lure ratings.

 

[TNReb]

Lots of mentions of a 705 or 735 Dobyns. 

 

I have several Dobyns rods and know I would like them...

 

... but I'm having a hard time making myself believe that a 5 power isn't going to be too much.  I understand we want a good hookset - but I don't want a broom pole while trying to throw a toad with just a 1/8oz weight on the hook.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, TNReb said:

Lots of mentions of a 705 or 735 Dobyns. 

 

I have several Dobyns rods and know I would like them...

 

... but I'm having a hard time making myself believe that a 5 power isn't going to be too much.  I understand we want a good hookset - but I don't want a broom pole while trying to throw a toad with just a 1/8oz weight on the hook.

Nope - 705 or 735 for me would be a frog/buzzbait rod

 

My jig rod is a 704.

[padon]

i use a medium for some worm fishing not alot. i use my expride 610 medium casting rod to fish 1/8 texas rigs with a 5 or 6 inch worm in shallow water in spring. any other time im going to a medium heavy and 3/16 to 1/4 . i also use my7ft medium spinning expride to fish 3/32 and 1/8 shakey heads. dont have ant problems in these scenarios.as the thickness of the worms and the bullet weight goes up so does the power of the rod. now im not fishing heavy cover in those situations either. i mean laydowns or grass or rock but nothing super heavy.

[newapti5]

With a trailer, 1/4-3/8 oz jigs weigh about 1/2-3/4 oz. A medium power rod with 1/4-3/4 oz lure rating, and a fast action, could handle that job, but a medium heavy rod with 1/4-1 oz lure rating, and a moderate fast action would be perfect. 

[ajschn06]

2 minutes ago, newapti5 said:

With a trailer, 1/4-3/8 oz jigs weigh about 1/2-3/4 oz. A medium power rod with 1/4-3/4 oz lure rating, and a fast action, could handle that job, but a medium heavy rod with 1/4-1 oz lure rating, and a moderate fast action would be perfect. 

 

Hey just curious, why would you suggest a Mod-Fast action for this type of application? 

[MN Fisher]

16 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

 

Hey just curious, why would you suggest a Mod-Fast action for this type of application? 

I wouldn't - heavier single hooks need more 'oomph' to drive them home. Jigs, T-Rigs, spinners, chatters, etc I prefer a Fast action. Mod or Mod-Fast is for treble hooks, which are usually thinner/lighter.

[newapti5]

57 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

 

Hey just curious, why would you suggest a Mod-Fast action for this type of application? 

 

Sorry, I should be more specific. It's because according to my experience, while fishing braid + leader, I never failed to penetrating the fish lip with a mod-fast action so that I lost a fish. Most fish I lost during the fight was because the hookset had torn a big gap in fish's mouth while I didn't hook it on the upper lip. Fast action rods tend to cause that, and I have seen many cases of that.  Also, mod-fast action will be better suited to keep a fish pinned, especially SM.

 

While I am fishing fluoro, I will use fast action rods, as the stretching fluoro would do the work of mod-fast action.

[Team9nine]

3 minutes ago, newapti5 said:

 

Sorry, I should be more specific. It's because according to my experience, while fishing braid + leader, I never failed to penetrating the fish lip with a mod-fast action so that I lost a fish. Most fish I lost during the fight was because the hookset torn a big gap in fish's mouth while I didn't hook it on the upper lip. Fast action rods tend to cause that, and I have seen many cases of that.  Also, mod-fast action will be better suited to keep a fish pinned, especially SM.

 

While I am fishing fluoro, I will use fast action rods, as the stretching fluoro would do the work of mod-fast action.

 

I agree that braid would change the equation, so to speak. You'd have to drop down to either a Med. in traditional fast, or a somewhat more moderate rod, IMO. OP never stated what line he was using, and being a nearly all fluoro user, I just assumed he was using either fluoro or mono/copoly.

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

I agree that braid would change the equation, so to speak. You'd have to drop down to either a Med. in traditional fast, or a somewhat more moderate rod, IMO. OP never stated what line he was using, and being a nearly all fluoro user, I just assumed he was using either fluoro or mono/copoly.

Same here - braid is for moving baits or tossing into slop IMO. My T-Rig/Jig rod runs Tatsu.

[Crankin4Bass]

I think MH is the way to go with these baits. I also use a Loomis MBR783c. I did use an Abu Garcia Veritas M in the past and i was always afraid I was going to snap the thing even though that rod runs a little heavier than other mediums. 

[lunkerboss923]

The 743c Kaden would be a great option for small finesse jigs and small weighted Texas Rigs. 

[Jigfishn10]

I’m glad there was action mentioned in this thread. I think action and power tend to be morphed into the same meaning.

[ajschn06]

Just now, Jigfishn10 said:

I’m glad there was mention in this thread. I think action and power tend to be morphed into the same meaning.

Haha I know the difference between the two but for some reason my mind wants to use action for both sides.  I thought of people like you while making this thread so I wanted to be sure i had it right!

[ironbjorn]

5 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Nope - 705 or 735 for me would be a frog/buzzbait rod

 

My jig rod is a 704.

The 4 power Dobyns is the best in the industry. It can do almost anything.

[ajschn06]

Just now, ironbjorn said:

The 4 power Dobyns is the best in the industry. It can do almost anything.

 

I'm eyeing the Champion XP 684 that's on sale at TW.... also considering a 6'6" Abu Garcia Veracity MH that I found on eBay. It has to be less than 7' .

[MN Fisher]

Just now, ajschn06 said:

 

I'm eyeing the Champion XP 684 that's on sale at TW.... also considering a 6'6" Abu Garcia Veracity MH that I found on eBay. It has to be less than 7' .

Most of the Dobyns lines have 4 power in less than 7'

Fury 664C

Sierra 684C

The Champ-XP you're looking at.

 

All would work...just depends on how much money you want to spend.

[ajschn06]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Most of the Dobyns lines have 4 power in less than 7'

Fury 664C

Sierra 684C

The Champ-XP you're looking at.

 

All would work...just depends on how much money you want to spend.

 

The Champ XP was 30% off at TW and would have been hard to pass up- but looks like they've sold the last two 684's they had in stock since the last time I checked a few hours ago.  Back to the drawing board...

[GReb]

2 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

 

The Champ XP was 30% off at TW and would have been hard to pass up- but looks like they've sold the last two 684's they had in stock since the last time I checked a few hours ago.  Back to the drawing board...

Sending you a PM

[NavyToad]

ALF gives a one time good deal of an extra 10% off if you sign up for their e-mail. You might want to check it out.