Blackfish

[Gremlin2009]

I want to try jigging for blackfish. Any tackle recommendations in regards to rod, reel and line ? I have a budget of 200. Thanks

[psant]

Not an expert but here's my recommendation: when jigging for blackfish, use a spinning rod/reel. I would recommend a Daiwa BG 3000 reel paired with a Tsunami Classic Spinning Rod 7ft MH (or H if you prefer) with 20lbs braid. Both are great value and should be under budget. Pocket the savings or use it towards jigs. In a few years, upgrade to a fancier pole (like a slow pitch jigging rod) if you think you need something more stylish.

[Jigman13]

With the BG, be sure to rinse it well after use. It is not sealed like the more expensive Daiwa reels and it wont last, especially with the beating nice tog will apply to your equipment combined with saltwater.

Re: rods. I've used a few of the "fancy" slow pitch rods. They're nice. Light and manageable...but I sold them all after a few uses. Went down to Bogan's in Pt. Pleasant last fall, chatted with him about what I was looking for and placed an order for a custom 6'9 spinning tog jig stick. No bells and whistles, all black with a really nice rear and fore grip wrap on it. It's a sweet stick. I havent had the pleasure of wrecking a big fish yet but it has done the job on roasters on the boat and from shore. I tested the rod's potential this past weekend on an offshore canyon trip. While pot hopping for mahi I definitely tested the hell out of it.

The rod put a whipping on 20+ lb mahi and I was decking fish quicker than others on the boat who were using heavier gear.

If I recall correctly, the rod was in the $200 ballpark, but that's due to the lack of decaling, colored wraps, etc. It's one of my favorite meat sticks Perhaps an option to consider later on down the line...

[Gerry Zagorski]

Lightweight rods and reels are the key here so you can feel the subtle bites and ticks you get when jigging. Fish with a broom stick and a heavy reel and you might as well be home on the couch.

I would recommend you try and add a few dollars to your budget if you can. I’m using the Shimano Stradic CI4 plus and have a few friends and they’ve been problematic. I’d recommend the Diawa Ballistic if you can scratch up some extra cash, if not, then the BG.

Lots of guys using black hole challenger spinning pole either the 701L or 731M but they are pricey... A few guys I know also using the Tsumai's but I've never fished one and you can't go wrong with a Bogan custom built to match the reel of your choice, just make sure it's a composite since you want it as light as possible.

[hammer4reel]

While many guys are going to tell you to use spinning equipment IMO it’s not,even close to being the best set up.

Most spinning rods can’t handle,big double digit fish, and most drags on reels being used don’t cut it.


Instead many of us are using low profile bait casters on light rods simaler to,what we use fluking, that have a lot of backbone.

Set up I’m using is a penn battalion 12/20 casting rod.
Paired to an Abu Garcia low profile beast 40.
20# Berkley X9 line.

A low profile reel drops the jig with less effort on line payout.
Allows you to feel a fish swim by your bait.
IMO it allows you to fight a big tog easier than on the spinning equipment.

.
I have had many people who couldn’t feel the bite on the spinning equipment change to the bait caster and tear tog up with those outfits .


.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

While many guys are going to tell you to use spinning equipment IMO it’s not,even close to being the best set up.

Most spinning rods can’t handle,big double digit fish, and most drags on reels being used don’t cut it.


Instead many of us are using low profile bait casters on light rods simaler to,what we use fluking, that have a lot of backbone.

Set up I’m using is a penn battalion 12/20 casting rod.
Paired to an Abu Garcia low profile beast 40.
20# Berkley X9 line.

A low profile reel drops the jig with less effort on line payout.
Allows you to feel a fish swim by your bait.
IMO it allows you to fight a big tog easier than on the spinning equipment.

.
I have had many people who couldn’t feel the bite on the spinning equipment change to the bait caster and tear tog up with those outfits .


.

Funny that I have the opposite experience then you Dan... I have a Abu Revo low profile and a fish it on a Loomis GL2.. Maybe it's the Loomis rod but I don't get the feel like I do on my shimano stradic CI4 and challenger 731M.

I also like the spinner a lot better when casting lighter jigs since it casts lighter stuff easier and I always try to use as light a jig as possible.

The other thing I tend to do is use my fore finger on the line coming off the spinning reel with the same hand I use to cast to feel bites better. Can't do that with a conventional either, at least with one hand..

The one thing we can however agree on is the low profile conventionals and conventional rods definitely give you an advantage on larger fish over spinning. Much easier to pull and lift a big fish out of the wreck for sure... The shimano stradic does have 24 pounds of drag so it's very capable but the spinning rods just can't give you the leverage and comfort you get with a conventional...

I think the other thing we can also agree on is to be sure whatever rod you choose has a nice long foregrip... This really helps when you're trying to get some leverage on a bigger the fish... Move one hand up on the foregrip and lift as opposed to trying to lift the rod with only your wrist...

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Funny that I have the opposite experience then you Dan... I have a Abu Revo low profile and a fish it on a Loomis GL2.. Maybe it's the Loomis rod but I don't get the feel like I do on my shimano stradic CI4 and challenger 731M.

I also like the spinner a lot better when casting lighter jigs since it casts lighter stuff easier and I always try to use as light a jig as possible.

The other thing I tend to do is use my fore finger on the line coming off the spinning reel with the same hand I use to cast to feel bites better. Can't do that with a conventional either, at least with one hand..

The one thing we can however agree on is the low profile conventionals and conventional rods definitely give you an advantage on larger fish over spinning. Much easier to pull and lift a big fish out of the wreck for sure... The shimano stradic does have 24 pounds of drag so it's very capable but the spinning rods just can't give you the leverage and comfort you get with a conventional...

I think the other thing we can also agree on is to be sure whatever rod you choose has a nice long foregrip... This really helps when you're trying to get some leverage on a bigger the fish... Move one hand up on the foregrip and lift as opposed to trying to lift the rod with only your wrist...

I can cast the bait caster as easily as any spinning rod.
I hold the rod in one hand palming the reel and use the same finger as you to feel for bites, difference is I won’t cut my finger setting the hook like happens ona spinning reel if you don’t slide the finger off.
I like vertical presentation most and find the bait caster gets the line off. Faster with less scope.
I don’t need to cast around as much as the boat is sitting on tiny pieces where you want the line to stay closer to the boat..

Another thing you will find is a 701 and 73m built as a caster have way more backbone than when built as a spinner.

Fore grip is needed on spinner because the handle bites you on a big fish.
No fore grip,needed on the bait caster as the reel,is palmed in my hand

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

I can cast the bait caster as easily as any spinning rod.
I hold the rod in one hand palming the reel and use the same finger as you to feel for bites, difference is I won’t cut my finger setting the hook like happens ona spinning reel if you don’t slide the finger off.
I like vertical presentation most and find the bait caster gets the line off. Faster with less scope.
I don’t need to cast around as much as the boat is sitting on tiny pieces where you want the line to stay closer to the boat..

Another thing you will find is a 701 and 73m built as a caster have way more backbone than when built as a spinner.

Fore grip is needed on spinner because the handle bites you on a big fish.
No fore grip,needed on the bait caster as the reel,is palmed in my hand

I gotcha and might give it another try with my conventional Revo...Old habits do die hard though..

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

I gotcha and might give it another try with my conventional Revo...Old habits do die hard though..

Here you go.
Might catch you up to Joey lol

One hand revo 40 beast.

Can feel every little scratch with same finger you use with a spinning reel

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

Here you go.
Might catch you up to Joey lol

One hand revo 40 beast.

Can feel every little scratch with same finger you use with a spinning reel

Hey Dan - Joe's only double digit so far this season was right at 10 pounds and was caught on, guess what..... A spinner

BTW - Joe had lost his Mojo there for a while but he's made a recovery now that he's back to jigging... Seems like we've had a very light bite lately and the jigs have been out producing the rigs by a very wide margin. Another jigger fishing with us had a 13 pound fish and his PB as well..