Rod Quest - Part 2

[Peanut]

So, I just got back from my fishing store. Based on your advice yesterday, I took a look at the St. Criox Premier. They had a 6' med. fast tip 1 piece that really felt nice. Price = $115 Canadian, or about $70 USD. Three questions:

1. is that a fair price?
2. is it a good jigging rod, even though medium action?
3. can this rod be used to troll spinner rigs with snap weights or light bouncers? If the answer is "no", I also looked at a 7' Premier 2pc, med. action, and a 7' Berkley Series One 2pc med. action. Both were nice, the Berkley is about $30 less. If I'm buying a second rod, which would you get?

derrek.

CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!

[youngeye]

St. Croix makes an excellent rod and $70 is a fair price. All of these rods should be the same price as most retailers are not allowed to discount these rods. Also the I woudl go with the shorter rod for jigging. If you need any info please email me at Youngeye@netins.net. One of my very good friends is the regional sales rep for St.Croix and I can get you in touch with him.

Youngeye
Iowa

[SUPERTROLLER]

Answering your questions. (actually 4!....lol)
1.$70 is a great price!
2.I like Med. action rods, others like ML. How heavy are the jigs you usually use the most? That is for you to answer.
3.If you get the M action, I'd say yes , you can use it for lighter weights of both snap weights and bouncers.
4.If you liked both rods equally (the 7 ft.'ers), I've heard a lot of good comments on the Series One rods here on W.C. and these might be better choices for the trolling applications you listed. I like two peice rods too but it's because I switch from boat to boat all the time with friends. If you are leaving it in the boat locker all the time, one peice rods are a little bit more sensitive but in this price range not important. All great rods!

[Peanut]

S'troller - a follow-up: 1/4 oz. jigs are probably the most common used anywhere, and either a m or ml can handle them. But, after that, I would use jigs lighter than 1/4 more often than those heavier. How is a ml different than a m action? Is it any less stiff?

Thanks,

derrek.

CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!

[REW]

For years a goup of us have fished on Winni in the spring for a week.
For many years we pretty much all used 5 1/2 foot medium jigging rods.
Then a few years ago, we changed to 6 foot medium jigging rods.

Then a couple of years ago, we moved to 6 1/2 or 7 foot jigging rods in the medium light power.

As the years have gone by, we also have gone to lighter jigs. Most of us pitch 1/8 oz jigs about 90% of the time. For this, the medium light action is really ideal.

Also, the newer - very light 7 foot rods, are in general, no heavier than the 5 1/2 foot rods of a few years ago. Also, the balance of the 7 foot rods, is much better than a 7 foot rod of a few years ago.

That is why, now - virtually the entire group uses a 6 1/2 or 7 foot medium light rod for most of the trip.

For those days, when the wind is really howling, then we pretty much all go back to either the 5 1/2 or 6 ft medium action rod. Less line out to catch the wind, and with so much wave action, no real reason to have a lot of rod out.

Your rod choices are all good. For a jig stick, in addition to the best sensitivity that you can get - you should also opt for the very best balance that you can get. Try each of the prospective rods, with the reel of choice and pretend that you are making some casts - to get your hand in the correct casting position. If the rod is balanced right - your rod, will be basically sitting level at that point.

With the heavier rods of a few years ago - most 5 1/2 foot rods balanced out great. Then as the rods got lighter, the length could go to 6, 6 1/2 and 7 foot and still remain in balance.

I strongly suggest, that if you do happen to purchase a rod, that doesn't balance perfectly, that you either balance it yourself, or buy an aftermarket - rod balancing kit and balance it up.

You will find that you maintain your "touch" after long hours on water - with a "balanced" rod - that you might lose to some extent - with the use of a heavily unbalanced and tip heavy rod. With a tip heavy rod, you are clenching your fist - simply to maintain the balance of the rod, and your hand gets fatigued, and your sense of feel tends to get deadened after hours of using such an imbalanced rod.

Take care

REW

p.s.
I real good example of such a difference is to pick up a Berkley lighting rod of about 10 years ago. Put a reel on it and check the balance.

Then take one of Berkley's 20002 lightning rods with the same length and power rating - and put the same reel on it. You will find that it is like night and day.

I suspect that a good part of Berkley's change - had to do with Gary Roaches input - as to the needs of a good walleye jig fisherman. For several years - he had his own line of Berkley rods, that he specificed be built in a "balanced" fashion - that very much deviated from the standard "rod built" at the time for berkley.

[Cangl]

Good price $ 80-85 U.S. dollars in the Detroit area and in several U.S. catalogs.

[SUPERTROLLER]

Yes, the ML will be slightly less stiff than a M in the same length. If it is 6 inches shorter it would be less noticeable. I just feel that for bouncing and snap weight trolling of spinners your rod will already be "loaded" most of the way and therefore you'll be losing any advantage of the softer tip for feel. Guess you'll just have to gauge how much you intend to use this rod for jigging vs. trolling. Maybe buy to of the Series One rods. One in each action and cover both bases for a little more money. (It's always easier for me to spend your money than it is my own. LOL.)

[Peanut]

I re-read my second post, and my first thought was if someone else read it they'd say, just try them both, idiot. But, the store only has a 6' M, and would have to order the 6'ML.

My thinking is if I go with one rod, it'll be the 6' M, as it sounds like a decent jigging rod, and can be used for bouncers if need be.

However, if the finances let me get two, my thinking at this point is to go with either the 6' M or ML St. Croix (depending on my preference - price for this is the same as Series One) - REW, thanks, I'll try a few different reels to test the balance - and a 7' M Series One for bouncers/rigs (as it's $30 cheaper, and I like it equally). Because it's not a jigging rod, I may go with a 2pc. in the 7', just for ease of carrying, storage.

How does this sound?



derrek.

CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!

[SUPERTROLLER]

That's what I figured you do. Now you'll have two great rods and more versatlity. Catch a fish this summer. lol.