Trolling and Jigging Rod Setup

[Foursteps24]

Now that I will be doing some trolling and jigging for the first time from a kayak this year I was wondering what kind of setup do you guys use as far as rod, reel, and line type? I have an assortment of rods and with the winter months being pretty slow I wanted to rig some rods for all types of fishing. Thanks guys for your responses.

[DOGFISH]

I use meduim/heavy to heavy casting rods for trolling, with 20 lbs test. I use casting reels on those rods. That way the rods will do double duty.

For spring tropy season, I have two IGFA 20 trolling rods, spooled with 20 lb test, which were left over from my boating days. The only reason that I use the stiffer rods are for the larger lures. You will need the stiffer rods to work the larger lures properly.

As far as jigging, one of the casting rods could do double duty as a jigging rod. A heavier spinning reel would also work jigging. Carrot stick, Shimano and Ugly Stick make rods that would do the trick. I have always liked Shimano reels, Sustain and Stradic spinning, and Calcutta TE and Curado casting reels. There are probably as many opinions on this as there kayakers on this subject. If you go back to some other threads, you will see titles about rods and reels. There are quite a few discussion on this subject. You should probably read those also. There is alot of good information in those replies. Remember, that with a kayak, if you go with tackle that is too heavy, you are just being towed. I like rods in the 7' to 7.5 ft length. Sometimes you do need to work a fish around the bow of the kayak. Bass Pro or Dicks have a good selection of rods. They should be able to fix you up.

Good luck.

[tufnik]

I think I need to get some. So what are the specs (for trolling/jigging rods) should I look for? (for our Bay fishing)

I saw some Penn Torque rods (20-50#) at Cabelas. Seems sort of stiff.

[DOGFISH]

I would go somewhere where I could look at the rods. I would probably go with something that would be in the 20-30 lb area, such as something labeled 17 to 30 lb. They will tend to be lighter. You can use 20lb test on that, which is sufficient to handle most anything in the bay. However, remember, you are going to use the rod not me. So get something that is comfortable to you. While you are holding the rod, sort of as you would be fishing, have someone hold the tip of the rod and you pull back and up on the rod, as you would when fighting a fish, to test the power. You can also place the tip of the rod under an overhang or shelf and flex the rod in the same way. This gives you an idea of what the rod will feel like under pressure. If you have a certain reel in mind, go up to the counter and ask to put that reel on the rod to see how it feels. Remember, you are going to have the rod for years to come. Hey, with the price of fishing tackle today, take your time and get what feels right.

Some of the new blank materials allow for less taper than in the past. So you may see 20lb to a higher lb test, such as 50 lb. Last time that I was at Bass Pro, I was really impressed with the new line of Shimano rods. They really seem to have alot of quality. The light boat or heavy casting rods would work perfect for trolling and even jigging. They are also in the 7' to 7.5' range. If budget is a concern, you can't go wrong with Ugly Stick. They seem to last forever.

Also keep in mind that trolling from a kayak is alittle different than trolling from a boat. It tends to be lighter. You will not need to use as much lead to get down deeper. So the rods tend to be lighter. That is one reason that I like to troll crankbaits. There is no lead involved, just a lip that pulls the lure to the desired depth. You will come to adjust to a style for trolling from your kayak. Not everyone trolls the same, just as not everyone fishes the same. This is true from a boat and from a kayak.

If I don't mention the brand of rods that I use, it is because I build my own. I generally use StCroix, Lamiglass or Loomis blanks, even though Loomis has stopped selling blanks for the custom builder. To give you an idea, I am now building two custom rods for trolling from my kayak. I am using flippin strick blanks. They are 7.5 foot long and will give some separation to the lines when trolling. I position my rods out like outriggers when trolling from the kayak. This keeps the lures apart. Nothing is worse than when the lures become tangled together. It is like a twisted mess that will need to be cut out.

Good luck with those selections.

[ictalurus]

There was a good discussion on this forum a month or two ago, but I can't find it.

For jigging, I like a 6'6" medium to medium heavy, fast or extra fast action rod. I have a couple split grip rods that I really like, and I don't think I'll be going back to conventional grips. I think my hands are tone deaf. I seem to have difficulty detecting subtle bites even with braid and fluoro, so I need all the help I can get from the rod. For casting rods, I really like having an exposed blank by the trigger--the more, the better. There aren't many spinning rods that use the Pac Bay Minima reel seats, which I like, but more and more are showing up.

I have a 6'6" MH Bass Pro Extreme spinning rod that is my do-everything rod. It'll cast everything from 1/8oz to 1.5oz. It'll jig 2-2.5oz pretty well. It's not as sensitive as some other rods, but it's versatility makes up for that. You can find them on sale for ~$60, and a combo with a nice Shimano reel can be had for around $120 or less. The Extreme casting rods are heavier powered than their listing. I have a 6'6" MH rod that's more like a H. It really only casts things 3/4oz-1.5oz easily, but it can jig over 2oz.

I also have a 6'6" M, extra fast Cabela's Prodigy rod that I got on sale. I don't think it's as sensitive as a St. Croix Mojo or Avid, but it's pretty well-balanced with either of my reels, and it cast things pretty well. 5/8oz is the sweet spot for casting, but it'll cast things from about 3/8oz to 7/8oz. For jigging, 1oz is pushing it.

I do most of my trolling with a 6'6" medium power Ugly Stik spinning rod. It's a good bottom fishing rod, too. If I'm pulling deep diving crankbaits, I might use my cheapo Shimano rod, which is a little heavier and can handle the added drag a little better. I like the action of fiberglass for trolling, but I've trolled my fast action rods, too, with no problems.

I just got an old model Carrot Stix, but I haven't tried it out yet. It's a pretty sweet rod, and I'm hoping I'll be able to sense more with it.

[tufnik]

Looks like I want something like 7', 17-30#, 3/4-3 oz, conventional. Cabelas has a couple rods like this that I may pick up, but only after I visit the Pasadena Fishing Flea market. Going to use it with my Abu 6500 C3 or Sealine X20SHA.

[Memory Maker]

Go to the one at Tri State this weekend ........ ALWAYS found my best deals there ........ Pasadena's good but it's usually loaded with commercial guys ...... Tristate in the past has been mostly Joe's ......