Author Topic: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout  (Read 7435 times)

Offline james

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Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« on: Aug 13, 2010, 12:29 PM »
I'm in the market to purchase two heavy duty jigging rods for lake trout.
Their sole purpose will be for togue only. I have the rods kinda narrowed down to a Thorne bros heavy duty in 42" custom rod, unless someone can recommend a better rod?

The biggest problem I'm having is what kind of casting reels should i put on these rods? there seems to be hundreds of different reels to choose from, and i have no idea about any of them.

can anyone recommend a good reel for under three hundred dollars apeice ?

Thanks in advance.

james


surflizard

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #1 on: Aug 13, 2010, 04:44 PM »
Hey James, how goes it ? I've got an Okuma inshore level wind bait caster I bought in Florida years ago for Snook and Permit fishing. The reel has had a hard life, caught many different species and not once did I ever have any kind of parts or mechanical failure in the 9 years I've owned it. I'm using it on my 42" HT extra heavy Ice Blue rod for lakers now and it hasn't let me down yet ! Give the Okuma reels a look see, you won't be sorry ! I picked up a Okuma Level Wind Sea Demon for Cod fishing this spring and it took everything the Marathon trips threw at it and kept on crankin em up ! I use my equipment hard, but I don't abuse it and for me that speaks volumes ! I think they are underrated ! Good luck in your search and let me know what you think about the Okuma's
                                            
                                                                                                                                                                              Surf

Offline duck doctor

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #2 on: Aug 13, 2010, 07:49 PM »
James,

My meat rod is a 30" Ice Blue Heavy action coupled with a daiwa 17 line counter. The line counter is great when I am in search mode. I will set my trap and then start searching various depths of water and I find it much quicker with a line counter reel than anything else. In the past, I have use a Penn 9M and it held up great. My cousin landed a 19.49lb laker with the same setup and fought the fish for over 30 minutes before icing it. The reel held up fine!

Offline jasond37

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #3 on: Aug 13, 2010, 09:45 PM »
I have personally never used this rod, but from what I hear it is a really great rod for icing those large lakers.  It is a Jason Mitchell Elite Series 36MH Mackinaw.  You can do a search online and find a few retailers that will ship this rod for a good price.  I've also heard that BPS has some decent bait casters that will work on this for ice applications.  I have one of his rods for walleye, it has great balance and sensitivity. 

Offline slipperybob

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #4 on: Aug 15, 2010, 10:32 AM »
I would cosider the following

Shimano:
Curado 300EJ, Calcutta 200 GTB, or Cardiff 200A.  I would swap out for the live bait power handle on the Calcutta and Cardiff, (personally never tried it on the 200 reels but only on 400 reels).

Diawa:
Luna 253

Abu Garcia:
Revo Toro 50
For more information read my MN nice journal

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #5 on: Aug 15, 2010, 11:04 AM »
Thanks for the help guys. :)

Right now im kinda leaning towards either a shimano cardiff 400, or a abu garcia record series 60 high capacity, with the power handle.

Any opinions on either of these reels? is one better than the other ?

http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/reels/abu_garcia/record.html

http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/reels/shimano/cardiff.html


Offline slipperybob

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #6 on: Aug 15, 2010, 11:36 AM »
The Record reel is gonna be smoother than the Cardiff.  However the Cardiff will sit lower on the rod making it overall appear as a smaller profile.  ARB bearings is another plus going for the Cardiff when it comes to lot's of temperature change and moisture.
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Offline tbfisherman

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #7 on: Aug 15, 2010, 12:23 PM »

 I agree with surflizard about the Okuma Reels being tough and reasonably priced.
 Myself I use a Okuma Magda Pro 30 DX Line Counter Reel that runs around 40 dollars.
 One thing I like about the Okuma Reel is that you have the option of the DX right handed reel or the DLX left handed reel,
most level wind reels don't give you that choice they are all right handed reels.
 With the line counter if I see a suspended Lake Trout I can get to the exact depth and up my odds of catching it by knowing
exactly what depth my lure is.

Bob
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Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #8 on: Aug 15, 2010, 01:45 PM »
Thank you all again, :) I researched everyones advice, and between the weight of the reels, and availability of left hand reels, and line capacity, we ended up ordering a pair of Thorne bros professional rods in 42 " graphite, with the abu records.

and don't get me wrong, I do like the okumas, as i have them on all of my surf rods,but i kinda wanted something a little lighter & smoother for the ice. ;)

Now lets bring on some ice. ;D

surflizard

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #9 on: Aug 15, 2010, 06:13 PM »
Good luck with the new set up James, I'd like to see your face the first time that drag starts to scream, that picture will be worth a thousand words !  :roflmao:  I set up my Meat Hook today with one of DD's FCGS-121 ex/long Jigs, Now I feel like I'm armed and ready ! 3 WEEKS AND WE CAN HAVE OUR LAKES BACK, YEEHAAAA !!! September 7th, I'm hitting the 109 ' bowl and look out Lakers, this kid comin for ya !! I may not have ice, but at least I'll be JIGGIN !!!  :thumbsup::icefish: :icefish: :icefish:  :roflmao: :roflmao:
Here is the Meat Hook in all its splendid glory !!  ;D

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #10 on: Aug 16, 2010, 12:24 PM »
Thanks Tony, I cant wait. :) Thorne bros called me this morning and told me that they are whipping up a couple of fresh rods as we speak, and they will have them done in a couple of weeks. :thumbsup: :icefish:

Offline duck doctor

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #11 on: Aug 16, 2010, 12:46 PM »
I just picked up a Eagle Claw BRV-202 3' spinning rod. It is a medium action and looks promising with it's sensative tip and stellar backbone!

Congrats James on your new rods!

Offline troutsdaddy

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #12 on: Aug 16, 2010, 03:28 PM »
I've fished the same two heavy action 44" ht ice blue rods now for 8 seasons....i have no problems handling double digit lakers in 5 or 105 feet of water.  My rods are teamed with Abu garcias because they have a great drag, no thumbar, and no eyelet in the front to get froze up...and they will rather quickly just reeling in line when its 20 below!!!  I fish 10 pound original stren and break very few fish off...last year alone between these two setups< my brother and i landed 40plus lakers over 30 inches with 10 of those being over 40! You"ll be very pleased with the performance of your reels...just remember to always check your drag, even several times throughout the day, because the temperature variances will affect your reel...congrats....tro utsdaddy!

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #13 on: Aug 21, 2010, 12:00 PM »
Ty Ben good luck with your new setup as well. :)

Ty troutsdaddy for your advice, its well appreciated. :)

Offline duck doctor

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #14 on: Aug 21, 2010, 02:05 PM »
Ty Ben good luck with your new setup as well. :)

Ty troutsdaddy for your advice, its well appreciated. :)

Hey no problem James! I missed the mail with your jigs today so they will be shipped out Monday morning! I was on the phone with Eagle Claw Thursday at work and I asked them if they could make the rod in a 24" model. They asked me why I would want that and I told them it would make jigging in a portable much easier.  My suggestion was brought to the rod designers! We shall see what happens next! If they say they will make them in a 24 or even a 26" version, I told them I would order 6 or 8 on the spot!

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #15 on: Aug 21, 2010, 07:48 PM »
Hey no problem James! I missed the mail with your jigs today so they will be shipped out Monday morning! I was on the phone with Eagle Claw Thursday at work and I asked them if they could make the rod in a 24" model. They asked me why I would want that and I told them it would make jigging in a portable much easier.  My suggestion was brought to the rod designers! We shall see what happens next! If they say they will make them in a 24 or even a 26" version, I told them I would order 6 or 8 on the spot!

I can't wait to see them. hopefully these are going to help ice my first ever togue on a jigging rod. ;)

The swedish pimples & the JigAwhoppers jigging poles, just havent been doing the job. ;D

surflizard

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #16 on: Aug 21, 2010, 09:47 PM »
I hung my last swedish pimple on my key ring 3 years ago and haven't looked back since !  :roflmao:

Offline duck doctor

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #17 on: Aug 22, 2010, 05:29 AM »
I have not jigged a pimple in a couple of years now since I have been tying my own bucktails. I can tell you though that the silver/glow in any size was my "go to" jig when I could not raise a hit on anything else! I have landed the majority of my lakers on that single color pattern/jig!

Offline Chris Raymond

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #18 on: Nov 01, 2010, 05:11 PM »
My go to deep water rod is a Thorne Bros Professional Glass chopped to 36' with a C4 Abu loaded with 20' Power Pro and a 12' floro leader. 
Chris Raymond

Offline dsids

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #19 on: Nov 16, 2010, 02:54 AM »
Go with the thorne bros. professional graphite in the 42" and 45" sizes in MH action spinning. I use 12 pound fluoro for lakers.

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #20 on: Nov 16, 2010, 07:34 AM »
Go with the thorne bros. professional graphite in the 42" and 45" sizes in MH action spinning. I use 12 pound fluoro for lakers.

That's just what we did. only we went with Abu bait casters because of the line capacity they have, and we put them on 42" tb rods.

Thank you everyone for your advice.

These are the setups we went with.




surflizard

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #21 on: Nov 16, 2010, 07:46 AM »
Hey James, did TB resolve the rod issue for ya ?

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #22 on: Nov 16, 2010, 07:55 AM »
Hey James, did TB resolve the rod issue for ya ?

They did Tony, after a few phone calls, and finaly speaking with the right person, they took back the broken rod,and sent me out a new one at no cost to me. :) 

surflizard

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #23 on: Nov 16, 2010, 09:40 AM »
I got just the spot to test em out James !!  ;)2 :whistle:

Offline james

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #24 on: Nov 16, 2010, 01:16 PM »
I got just the spot to test em out James !!  ;)2 :whistle:

Can't wait Tony! ;)

Offline AdamT

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Re: Need help setting up a jigging rod for lake trout
« Reply #25 on: Nov 21, 2010, 02:16 PM »
Eagle Claw made an ice rod specifically for Lake Trout, it was called the Arctic Ice Eagle by Bernie Keefe. I believe that it was only sold locally, Bernie is a local, well respected Lake Trout guide. It was a 36" MH made in both casting and spinning. I have 3 or 4 of them and they are the only rods I use anymore. On the two casting rods I use a St Croix Avid 250(highly recommended) and a Ryobi vm36L that I got as a freebie with some other used ice gear that I bought. I wish that I could find a couple more of these rods, they come up occasionally as used items and they usually sell for a lot more than the $15 they cost originally.
If any of you talk to Eagle Claw, ask them about the Bernie rods. They'll either laugh or hang up, I'm pretty sure that they get a lot of phone calls from the Denver Lake Trout guys ;D.



Adam

 



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