Jig/Bobber Rod??

[rola76]

I'm looking to start jig/bobber fishing for steelhead; it's the one technique I need to acquaint myself with since it sounds very effective.

What's a good set-up? The best I've got as far a as a spinning set-up is an 8'6" Loomis, but I think it's too short. All my $$ is into casting rods/reels, so I don't want to spend a ton on a set-up, especially since it'll be a new style to me.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[Stew]

My favorite is a 9'6" 1143 TH Custom Rainshadow spinning rod with a Okuma Epix 30 reel. It is a very versatile rod and can handle most situations you'll encounter while bobber/jig fishing for steelhead and the occasional salmon.

[float2ber]

I've been using a 9' casting rod/reel. The reel allows easy freespooling to cover more water. A longer rod would be nice, but this seems to work OK.

[rola76]

I have 9' and 9'6" casting rods, but I want a spinning rod for the "castability" with very light tackle.

[Fisherfield]

I'd have to agree with floatbr. I use an old 9 ft Fenwick, with a Shimano AX2000FA spinning reel. I think personally one of the things to look for in a spinning reel is one that gives you control of the bail immedietly. There are some reels that have a "quick cast trigger". I personally think they are the worst thing invented...maybe for the beginner...like 6 years old..o.k. fine...but when you cast your rig....grab the handle and are just letting it float....you need to crank it to that casting point before it will retreive the line.... Super sloppy IMHO. The reel I use holds 250 yards of super cast 10lb mono line .011 diameter...It caught me a fish on Tuesday! Oh, and on the bobber...get one that you can adjust the weight on...ie...put water in.. Great for all kinds of water conditions....

[First Bite]

rola76

You can easily get by with what you already have. I used an 8'6" rod for years and still have it for when my Brother-In-law drops by. I use a casting rod with my sliding set-up and it can cast lighter jigs. I take a West Coast Float and run an in-line 3/8th-oz weight and then to a swivel. Tie about a 2 foot leader onto the other end along with your jig.

On my salmon rod I run a larger West Coast Float and a barrel sinker. Same set-up as a steelie rod but with more weight. I've used this in July on the Nehalem for summer Kings and it works just fine.

A longer rod will help a lot when you go to mend your line. So if you plan on doing some serious bobber fishing then think about investing in a rod that is from 9'6" or longer and is rated anywhere from 6-17# test.

Mark

[BonkBonkBonk]

ive been using a 9" casting rod, but i wish i had a 9-10ft spinning rod/reel instead..
yea, okuma reels are great, i bought a fina for my moms bday, and its awsome for the money!

[SSPey]

Okuma celilo 9'6" 6-12 lb spin rod. Great progressive action for $50. I must have wiggled 20 different rods before buying this. It came down to this stick or a Lamiglass Cert Pro in similar configuration, but $50 vs. $200 made it a very easy choice. If you "need" an expensive rod, check out that Lami.

[rola76]

I agree, Okuma Epixor reels rule!! I've got one on on my 8'6" Loomis right now and that's what I've been using. Silky smooth, but I want to step up to a longer rod for that extra reach.

I messed with the Celilo and it seems decent for the $$.

[greenbuttskunk]

fishermans' has a northriver rod. rated for 6-10 I think. I really like it, it's reasonably priced, had great length and action, and fisherman's already replace one for me no questions asked. The retail for about 80.00

[float2ber]

It looks like the majority of the replies are using spinning outfits. I might have to give that a try instead of the casting rod. Casting lighter tackle would be an advantage.

[greenbuttskunk]

ya gotta go with the spinning outfit, period.

[rola76]

Green,

What are the specs on your rod besides the lb. test?

[rola76]

Cohoangler,

Thanks for the tip on the line...that's news to me. I might save myself a few $$ and just use my 8'6" GL2 spinning rod and Okuma Epixor for now (this will make my wife happy too!!), but switch one of my spools to a braided line.

Thanks guys.

[eggbouncer]

i agree the okuma 9ft6 rods are a great rod for the money. for a higher end rod i would take a look at the rogue sh963s 9ft6 6-12 its a very nice bobber rod! I have been very happy with mine.

[brshooter]

What Stew said! I have the same setup. TH1143S with an Okuma Epix 30 spooled with 20# Tuffline XP. Wonderful setup.

[William]

Go with anything long, baitcasting or spinning. The longer the better. Line control is the biggest factor in bobber fishing. I've got a 10'6 custom built Lami and it fishes like a dream. :smile:

[rola76]

I have a 9'6" Rogue casting rod that I love for drift fishing, but I don't want to spend that much again on a rod for a technique that I'll be new to.

[IFISH4U]

The best rod for bobber and jig fishing is the 10 foot Fish EagleII from Cabelas, what an awesome rod for bobber and jig, its not really limber or really stiff, just a perfect moderate action, it works well for alot of different situation, its perfect for 8lb, test, but 6lb, will work on it as well, if your fishing clear water. As far as a reel goes, I always use spinning and I really like the new Quantum Catalyst, it really smooth, but for the money Id have to say the new Pluegers are the better deal, you cant go wrong with this setup. I use just plain cork bobbers with the little orange peg, I run the line through the bobber then put the peg in where I want the bobber to be, I like to do it this way, because you wont burn or kink your line moving the bobber up and down according to the depth, it happens alot. Well good luck.

[greenbuttskunk]

Rola,
That rod I personally recommend is the northriver.
Made by WW Grigg. They only sell them at fisherman's Marine. The model is NR902LS 9'-0"
6-10lb 1/4-5/8oz. It's a good all around jig rod, and although some guys like a 10' plus rod, it will cast spinners and bait well too. I alos like the convenience of being able to exchange it it it breaks for some reason, like when I stepped on it! Alot of good recommendations here. Good luck
GBS

[ 04-28-2003, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: greenbuttskunk ]

[tomtom]

You can pick up a 10.5 ft Shakespeare Intrepid rod at Fisherman's or Joe's For less than $50. It's a great noodle rod for delicate presentations such as jigs or small egg clusters. Team this up with a clearance spinning reel and you are set. You don't have to spend big bucks to catch big fish!

[TH]

I too really like the TH 1143s 9'6" 6-12# nice soft feel, throws the smaller stuff really well yet big enough to handle the large fsh and even chinook.! Can't go wrong!

[Catch 22]

Loomis 1082S 9 foot Spinning rods. I run these almost exclusively for jigs and sidedrifting. Add a Shimano Sahara 2000 and you have a super light smooth rig that has no slop, infinite antireverse, and no quick fire trigger in the way. If this sounds like something you want to try, give me a call. I may sell one of these rigs.
Jason
503-679-6962

[Mikeymoto]

For a cheap rod, my backup choice is a Berkley Air IM-7 10'6" spinning rod, pretty decent rod for the money, add your choice of spinning reels and your good to go.

[bob-n-jig]

i'm fishing a lamiglas 9' 6" 6-15 lb. (model x96js) with an okuma avenger spinning reel!!!

[Cohoangler]

rola - I agree with First Cast. Your rod is fine. However, I would add a few pointers. Use a spinning reel if at all possible. Also, the secret to using a float is to use floating line. That is, don't use monofilament. Use braided line. I use Spiderwire Fusion but there are lots of braided lines on the market that work great. Braided lines float and are therefore considerably easier to mend and they have very little stretch so you can run your float downstream farther without worrying about a strong hookset. Good luck.

All that plus, First Cast jigs, and you're set....

[rola76]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

Catch22,

I'm definitely a Loomis guy, so I'll probably be getting a hold of you soon.

If not, looks like more research for me. :dance:

[eggbouncer]

I would really look at the rogue rod its less expensive than the loomis but just as good or not better than loomis.