Rod for light (1/64th ounce) jigs

[wbook01]

I'm looking for an ultralight rod for casting a single, 1/64th-ounce jig on 2#-test mono line. The rod should be short, in the 4.5- to 5.5-foot range, and fast or (better) extra-fast action. I want the marabou tail on a jig to bounce with every blood pulse in my fingertip, and I want to feel it when a trout even looks at my jig.

I currently use a St. Croix Avid ultralight that I despise. It is like fishing with a cooked noodle.

Any suggestions?

[gillchaser]

Are you throwing a 1/64th jig with a plastic body or a tied jig with hair or feathers ?
In the St Croix line , I prefer the Trout or Panfish series . They tend to be a little "stiffer" than the Avids , Premiers, and Triumphs , and recover quicker when casting . Although the 5' version says it's a moderate action , the Panfish and Trout are faster and lighter . The regular St Croix lineup are too noodlely .
One of the fastest 5 footers I own is a Daiwa Presso . It's like a little broomstick until you catch something on it , compared to the St Croixs .
I just bought a 6' Daiwa Procyon hoping it would be similiar to the Presso , but it seems more parabolic when I lined it up and put a bend in it, pulling on a the line . Not sure how it'll cast yet . That will be Thursday I hope . I also have a Daiwa Exceler 5'6" I'll be trying out Thursday too, I've had a couple of days. Gillchaser

[Brad in Texas]

I have a St. Croix PFS69ULF on order and I understand that 6' 9" is too long for what you desire. The general observation I was going to make is you are on the right track using a very small 2 lbs. line and a super light lure. Now, how to deliver it via a cast for decent distance.

The physics behind throwing a light line off of a spinning reel, heck the 1/64ths is so incredibly light that it is almost an after thought, that I would think it would be all about increasing casting leverage by going to the long end of your desired range, so 5' 6", then too, that you want a rod that loads up well under essentially no lure load.

If you had a chance to test a few rods, I think I'd give a moderate action a go. It bends closer to the hands so its whipping motion covers a longer arc. And, say you get a 2 lbs. crappie hooked up, that same moderate action makes for a shorter lever, more power over the fish.

Say! What mono are you using?

Please let us know what you settle on, how it works! Brad

[wbook01]

I'm using tied marabou jigs on Trilene XL. I can shoot a single jig maybe 30 or 40 feet with the noodle-curve St. Croix--farther, if there's a wind to my back. I think the rod's moderate action dampens the energy I can transmit into the cast.

I like to work the jig with a constant, subtle twitching action. Our hatchery-raised trout in Missouri go crazy over it. Again, the noodle action of the St. Croix that I currently own dampens the action. In fact, it's so slow that it gets out of synch with the twitching that I'm trying to impart to the jig.

[timinmo]

Love the Trout and Panfish series from St Croix but none are rated for 1/64. I am not sure what can handle 1/64 and still have some backbone. With your location if you get to the St. Louis area Denny Dennis in Fenton has several Trout and Panfish in stock. I only suggest this as I find it hard to purchase a rod without handling it. I do not know of anyone in central Missouri that stock any, there may be some that I am not familiar with. Interested in what you find.

[vinnieb729]

The Phenix Elixir has a 5'6" F (FX561-1) but it's rated to 1/32.

Majorcraft has some nice trout rods in the Finetail series. Eging JDM rods might be worth a look...even though many are longer rods there's some shorter ones.

[gillchaser]

I fished my new 6' Daiwa Procyon this afternoon. I liked it a lot . I was throwing 1/64th Trout Magnet jighead with a one inch curly tail . I was casting around 55-60' with most casts . The rod has quick recovery which I feel helps with distance . Don't know if it matters , but it is a two piece rod but still has great sensitivity. I could feel every little tick , and They were hitting very light .
I managed to land ten gills and two LM bass , one that was about 13-14" and fought pretty good although I could tell the cold pond water slowed him down . Fished a little more than an hour .
I bought the rod off EBay . It arrived safely packed in one of those triangular boxes .
I had it paired up with a Shimano Sahara 1000 with 4# Silverthread an40 .
I'd recommend the Procyon UL . I hope I have at least equal luck tomorrow. I'm going to try to get in another trip before the Arctic hits this weekend . They are predicting 3-4" of snow Saturday , and low temps in the upper teens by Monday . That will slow them down for awhile . Gillchaser

[susQbassman]

gloomis sjr 6400 imx 5'4" 1/64 to 1/8 lure weight xf action

[Alphahawk]

You didn't say what you wanted to spend. If you are wanting a rod with all those specs I don't think you will find it in the states....the part missing will be the extra fast. Gillchaser mentioned a Daiwa Presso....I have owned some of those but there is nothing fast about it....but let's be clear.....fast for a US domestic rod is totally different than fast on a JDM rod. So while the US dommestic Presso may be fast compared to other US domestic rods that is not the case for JDM rods rated as fast. The Tict SRAM UTR-55one-TOR checks off every box you want. It is rated to cast lures from to 0-2 grams. You will feel the trout breathe on your marabou jig. Now comes the take your breath away part. The cost is $402 plus shipping.....and it is a one piece rod. But this rod has everything you mentioned. There are some other cheaper JDM rods that fit your bill also....just wanted to throw out the best of the best.


Regards

[wbook01]

Thanks for the tip. I just looked at that at Rakuten. Wish I could make sense of the translated comment there.

Haven't bought a new rod, yet. Too caught up with bass fishing. In the middle of the U.S., we've had two straight weeks of temperatures in the 60s and 70s. April weather. I have bass ready to bed in my pond, and catfish are taking chow off the surface--something they don't ordinarily do until late April.

[LowRange]

If you want back bone and 1/64 lead head capabilities you may want to persue a solid carbon tip rod.

[timinmo]

I actually own the Loomis SJR 6400 mentioned above but I don't think I have ever throw anything close to 1/64 on it. I'm not even sure I own anything that small. I might have to look around and see if I have anything that light. The rod does have alot of backbone for such a light rod. Will try to find something that light to test tomorrow. Did you mean a jig head weight of 1/64 and then add a soft plastic body or a total weight of 1/64?

Sorry misread your post. 1/64 oz dressed jig, right?

[CALL ME RIFLE]

Wow, 1/64th.....that's a tall order, or perhaps more accurately, small order lol....only rod I can think for that purpose would be the Jackall Competist SXF tour edition, it is actually rated from 1/64 to 1/8.....but, almost impossible to source. Was a completely solid (not just tip) rod, very thin and responsive blank, top line features all the way....titanium/sic Fujis, etc.. Part of the Poison Heritage line from years ago. Indeed, that rod would fit exactly what you are after, but I just don't know where you'd get one from...unless of course I sold you the yet new and unused one I have sitting here ...truth is I don't really "need" it, I am just a Jackall collector...my favorite rod evr is a Competist model that is a bit heavier action that this one, and I bought this thinking it would be similar- but it is really just too light for my personal needs in most applications, as I never throw anything smaller than 1/8th anyway...

[wbook01]

Marabou jigs tied on 1/64th-ounce jig heads. Standard fare for Missouri trout. Not much weight there to load up a rod, so you kind of have to shoot the jig so that line peels easily off the reel. At the end of the cast, your spinning rod should point directly at the spot where your jig will (hopefully) land.

[gillchaser]

Marabou adds very little weight even when wet . I've not found a rod that will cast more than about 15-20 feet with a 1/64th feather or rabbit fur tied jig without help from the wind .
Adding a soft plastic bait changes the game . I go from 20' to 20 yards with several rods .
I've also found a big weight difference between different 1/64th jigs . Just because the manufacturer calls them 1/64th doesn't mean they all weigh 1/64th . All molds are not created equal
A flyrod is better suited for tossing 1/64th ans smaller jigs . gillchaser