Good jig rod for 1/4 oz deep water fishing..

[cib11b]

I like to use footballs in deeper water about 30-60 ft with 1/4 oz football jigs. I have a Loomis 854 BCR and I think it is crap. I can't feel a thing, I just don't like the feel of the rod.. I am thinking about a spinning combo instead. Any recomendations?

[fish_food]

I like to use footballs in deeper water about 30-60 ft with 1/4 oz football jigs. I have a Loomis 854 BCR and I think it is crap. I can't feel a thing...?

1/4 ounce? It'd be pretty hard to maintain contact/feel with any rod while fishing jigs that light at 60 feet. Also: a heavier jig would feel more at home on a 4 power rod...

[Oldschool]

The rod has little to do with feeling a 1/4 jig in 30'-60' of water on a dead clam day. It's the line diameter and line drag that determines if you can detect what the jig is doing in deep water.
Try spooling up with 5# to 6# FC line and use a rod that works well with that line size.
I fish with a 7/16 oz jig using 8# FC in 25'-45' water on a 4 power rod without any issues. Water deeper than 45 feet, I'm using a structure spoon.
Tom

[Marc]

I fish all winter long with a 1/4 oz football jig at the depths you are fishing. The best setup I have settled upon after much testing of many rod models is to use 10lb braid (2lb test diameter) with an 8lb fluorocarbon leader connected with a J-Knot. The best rod I have found is using a Lamiglas Popping rod (this is a lightweight spinning rod designed for Sea Trout which have a delicate mouth).

The popping rod has a deep parabolic bend which really is important with the braid for keeping fish from throwing the football head; and the tip is light and very sensitive.

Using the small line diameter is very important for working light jigs in deep water, and the braid provides the small diameter and the lack of stretch makes it easy to find those rockpiles and feel lethargic winter bites.

You can get the rod in lengths between 6.5 feet and 7.5 feet to suit your style, and in 2, 3, or 4 power.

I also recommend making your football jigs with the 4/0 Gamakatsu #11114 style jig hooks (older O'Shaugnessy style hook). The bass take these jigs deeper and they get a better hookup and hold than round bends when using light line in deep water.

If there is a better setup for deep, 1/4 oz football jigs then I want to know about it!

ciao,
Marc Marcantonio

[BassManDan]

Agreed on the fluorocarbon point, the line will help alot.
More often than not, I use spinning gear for football heads (can't say I fish them much deeper than 20 ft) but it's worked out so far.

As for rod specifics, I like a relatively strong spinning rod, say 6'6" in a 3 power with a mod/fast or fast action. It gives you plenty of backbone on a hookset, but you still have the forgiveness of a spinning rod when using light line. But if I was fishing 60' down, I might consider bumping up the length to 7' or even 7'6" to help with those deepwater hooksets.

Just my 2 cents

[Leon Pugh]

Dobyns 703, 15 lb Chrystal spider wire, 20 ft 8lb seguar leader in clear water. in the delta or clear lake a 10 ft leader with 12 lb srguar. I can feel bites at 50 ft on a slack line.

[Rob Hernandez]

I think you defineately should give Powell Rods a try. Their great rods and there affordable. As far as spinning or baitcasting and what model rod, I think you should try to find a friend or fish with someone who has some Powell's because one guy could tell how great one model is but it might not suit your style at all. At the very least go to a tackle store who carries Powell rods and bring a couple of reels with you with line on em and put the reels on and try to get a feel for what your looking for. Right off the bat, I would say no less than a 7 footer for what you described. Ultimately the rod model choice is yours.

Best of luck!
Rob

[Cooch]

I still today use my Cameron CGR663. That's a 6'6' MH rod with a Fast tip. Teamed with 12# Sugoi Fluoro, it's got great sensativity and feel, yet has plenty of backbone for deep water hook sets with a jig.

Take a look at the Fenwick Eltie Tech's Pitchin Stik, ECPS69MH-F, this is a 6'9" MH rod that also has grweat strength and sensativity. I use this rod a lot when fishing smallies up the Sacto River when using 1/4 & 3/8 oz football head jigs. I've also used this rod when fishing the deep rock piles on Clearlake.

[ASD]

Dobyns 703 or 704 with a Abu gracia stx 20 reel with 8# Sugoi Fluoro

I am not sponsored by any of thies co's

[Garrettt]

nm

[cib11b]

Thank you everyone for the input, I will take it all in do some research and test a few things out. Appreciate it!

[Gary Dobyns]

I don't usally chine in on rod questions because I am partial I do make rods with specifics baits or techniques in mind. I made a DX 702C Finesse casting rod for ME. I knew it would sell but I had to have it. I fish 1/4 oz dart heads to depths of 70 feet with it and it's awesome. If you are fishing a weedguard 1/4 oz jig with a trailer, this rod is a bad chioce, lacks enough power. However, I have a 7'4" rod that is perfect - DX 742C... Everyone has their own ideas of what they want in a rod. What might be perfect for one guy is hated by another for the same technique. Mostly it's personal preferance. What you need for deep jig fishing is a very balanced, sensitive, FAST action rod. You need a little tip for casting and "feel" but it has to load quickly for good hook ups. Also, once you swing, reel hard and put a good load into the rod. You will not lose fish. Reeling hard, loading the rod and deep water fishing go hand in hand. My 2 cents.

[Leon Pugh]

Gary, Sounds like the 742 or 743 would also be a good choice for very light crank baits. Whats your opinion. When it comes to Rods your 2 cents goes further than a buck for most of us.

[DougH]

I fish all winter long with a 1/4 oz football jig at the depths you are fishing.
If there is a better setup for deep, 1/4 oz football jigs then I want to know about it!

ciao,
Marc Marcantonio

Hey MaRC! pOWELL replaced my broken rod for $40

Ya'll are picking your sponsors rods which is understandable. Not sure about Gary's warrantee or Lamiglas warrantee's but that said,

a super good, economical, light. strong, fast, and all around decent spinning rod that is awesome for deep light jigging (and trust me, I know deep light jigging) is the:
Shimano Crucial MH 6-6 with a good old Shimano Stradic, with Seagar 8lb floro.
The deal with the Shimano rod is it's 100% warrantee no matter what you do. They have replaced 3 rods for me that broke for whatever reason. That is hard to argue with unless you are a superstar fisherman who really does need that uber specific rod that some of the studs in this thread do. But for the average joe like me, this IS a high quality rod...

Let's face it, a deep jig bite isn't always the obvious "thump" so being in tune with your jigs movement is the key. It's more important to spend a lot of time getting used to how your jig feels in deep water, so you will be able to "feel" when it's doing something different, which is usually what a fish will do. So whatever rod you do end up getting, spend the time with your jig so you know what your new set up feels like without a fish on, so when it does something different...... shaaawiiiiing!

[Bsapp]

I fish 1/4 oz football jigs alot more than any other jig. I use a loomis gl3 7foot med/heavy fast action rod. It's one of my go to baits when I just need to stick one. 8-10 seagaur flouro works well for me.

[Leon Pugh]

If you want crucial or powell rods I have some used ones for sale. The sooner I sell them the sooner I can buy some more Dobyns Rods.

[leachman90]

If you want to stay with spinning then I would go with the 704SF 7" med/hvy fast Dobyns. Yes I am partial to Dobyns rods but with that said, this is the rod I use. I fish the jig a lot in 25-50" for my Columbia River smallies. I have just stared going to lighter lines as well (6 or 7lb old style snipper if I can find it) so the feel is awesome even in the very deep water. Hope this helps Leon. God Bless...Jim

[Terry Smith]

704 or 705 your rod of choice. Powell,Lamiglas,Dobyns',Loomis ETC.......

[Oldschool]

The BCR854 is a 7' heavy casting rod equal to Dobyns or Lamiglas 5 power, IMO not suitable for 1/4 jigs in 30' to 60' of water. GD suggested a 2 power rod, he knows his product better than anyone. I believe a 3 power 7' fast action casting rod would be a good choice for all around light jigs' 3/16 to 3/8 oz .
It's your choice; go to thin diameter line and a rod to match for deep water light weight bottom contact jigs.
Tom
PS; 3/8 oz is 50% heavier than 1/4 oz.

[mark poulson]

Just be sure your setup is stout enough to get whatever hook you're fishing into the fish's jaw.
I use light wire hooks for light jigs fished deep, because, with that much line out, anything but braid will have a lot of stretch. That way I can use 8 or 10lb fluoro, and still get a hook into the fish.
If I'm fishing a heavier jig with a heavier hook, I use 17lb fluoro.
I am using the last of my Jeff Taibi Bass World West footballs, which have a strong but light wire hook.
I haven't found any other football heads that compare with the ones he and Chris used to sell.

[Gary Dobyns]

[quote="Oldschool"]The BCR854 is a 7' heavy casting rod equal to Dobyns or Lamiglas 5 power, IMO not suitable for 1/4 jigs in 30' to 60' of water. GD suggested a 2 power rod, he knows his product better than anyone. I believe a 3 power 7' fast action casting rod would be a good choice for all around light jigs' 3/16 to 3/8 oz .
It's your choice; go to thin diameter line and a rod to match for deep water light weight bottom contact jigs.
Tom
PS; 3/8 oz is 50% heavier than 1/4 oz.[/quote]

Very good point here. I said DX 742C (2 power) but this rod is 7'4" and very fast. Also pointed out in this thread, many times you don't feel a "thump" in very deep water. I said this rod because the "load" on this tip is unmistakeable in deep water and it has the length and power for hooksets. Any 7' rods I would go with a 3 power as oldschool and many others suggested. Longer rods help with hook ups in deep water.

[b2customrods]

Batson Enterprises carries a Rainshadow RX8 822.5 blank that is 6'10" very light and makes a great deep water light jig or drop shot rod.

Obermiester has a couple of them over at the other site.

[Oldschool]

When you are fishing 30 feet or more away from the boat, in deep water, trying to hook set using the rod alone, with a jig, equals missed fish. It doesn't matter if the rod is 5' or 8' long, you can't move enough line quickly without first taking the slack out of the line. The best method for me is reel set; crank the reel until the line is tight, then sweep set with the rod. If the line is tight, the rod set works.
If a bass pulls the light tight the fish has eaten the jig and is swimming away with it; a kamakazi strike. The majority of jig strikes happen very quickly, one bite and it's spit out. Few anglers can detect it and react fast enough. Jig fishing in deep water takes concentration, focus and a lot of time on the water to be successful. The rod is just one component. I beleive the jig hook is the important factor; you need a premium hook like Gamakatsu #114 forged light wire for example. The line is critical, the rod should be able to cast the jig easily and strong enough to control the bass. The reel should have 22-25" line retrieve and smooth drag. What brands you choose is a personal choice.
Tom