Whats your swim jig rod and why?

[soua0363]

The last few years I have used a St.Croix Avid 7' medium heavy rod. I like it because the rod is fairly light, sensitive, and has a lot of hooksetting power.

[robchik04]

The last 6 months or so, I've been using a Powell 734CF. I mostly use swim jigs ranging from 3/8-5/8 ounce and fish pretty heavy cover (Clear Lake & CA Delta). I throw the jigs on 15-17 pound FC. I really like this rod. It has a soft tip and a lot of backbone. I've also been using it with braid to throw blade style baits. Spinners and chatter style vibrating baits.

[Steve Williams]

I would also like to add that I have fished MH and H rods exclusively for the past 6 years for swim jigs and almost always with 50# braid and I have never had a lighter wire swim jig hook open up on me, and this includes catching pike and muskie

You are very fortunate. I've been fishing and am still fishing the brovarney since 2004 and several other styles of the northern Missippi river swim jigs dating back before that. My father-in-law got me started by giving me some back in the mid 90's and we caught fish behind folks everywhere we went with them. The ones I've seen typically use a custom ligthwire hook that is 1x in power and very thin guard. I believe Monsoor's is an owner and the Brovarney is gamakatsu. I've had 4lb+ bass (especially spots) open the hooks on all of them up. I've noticed after catching fish in that size range that I would miss fish after I landed the larger fish. Almost every time when I checked the hook, the point was still razor sharp, but the gap had been opened up a lot wider than normal. I attributed that to the braid/heavy powered rod but may be wrong. Since going to the fluoro and lighter powered rod, I hook up and land a lot more fish. With the southern style jigs it's never been a problem as most of them use a flipping hook. Just my experience though.

[DUZBASS]

I would also like to add that I have fished MH and H rods exclusively for the past 6 years for swim jigs and almost always with 50# braid and I have never had a lighter wire swim jig hook open up on me, and this includes catching pike and muskie

You are very fortunate. I've been fishing and am still fishing the brovarney since 2004 and several other styles of the northern Missippi river swim jigs dating back before that. My father-in-law got me started by giving me some back in the mid 90's and we caught fish behind folks everywhere we went with them. The ones I've seen typically use a custom ligthwire hook that is 1x in power and very thin guard. I believe Monsoor's is an owner and the Brovarney is gamakatsu. I've had 4lb+ bass (especially spots) open the hooks on all of them up. I've noticed after catching fish in that size range that I would miss fish after I landed the larger fish. Almost every time when I checked the hook, the point was still razor sharp, but the gap had been opened up a lot wider than normal. I attributed that to the braid/heavy powered rod but may be wrong. Since going to the fluoro and lighter powered rod, I hook up and land a lot more fish. With the southern style jigs it's never been a problem as most of them use a flipping hook. Just my experience though.

ya, if I had that happened I would certainly rethink things... that being said I have primarily used my own and other custom swim jigs as well as tied on Mango jigs, never had issues. I mean, I might have a little bend after a big fish, but nothing a quick tweak with the pliers couldnt fix. I biggest issue has been skipping docks, if you wack the dock with the jig it sometimes bends in a circle, missed a number of fish because I didnt check the jig after hitting the dock but I guess I was being a real sportsman...

[Steve Williams]

probably my own fault for not checking hooks more often... i've learned to keep a pair of pliers on the deck for the same reason and i check my hooks more often now...

i've had the same deal with docks to... you'd think i'd learn but i still get excited and in a hurry and it costs me... i lost a fish last spring that would of pushed 7lbs on a swim jig because the hook point had gotten bent over while fishing down a rock bank....i was skipping underneath overhangs on a rocky bank and the jig was hitting the rock wall in the back almost every cast... i got to a dock at the back of the pocket and skipped my jigs underneath, cranked about 3 turns and rod loaded up... i got her out from under the dock and about 3' from the net when she opened her mouth... hook never penetrated and when i checked it, point was bent over... gamakatsu + rock wall + skipping = heartbreak

i've fished the mango jigs to i think (i think they are the ones with the cone head and cirle for the toothpick to hold trailer on) and those are top notch jigs. they go through grass very well.

[Trooper46]

I have been using a 6'6" st. Croix premier or a 7' bps extreme. Both med power, and both are fast action.