I was recently asked what kind of gear do you need for football jig fishing, and how is it different from the gear you use when fishing with regular jigs.
First of all, the ideal gear for football jigs is different from that needed to pitch/flip or even cast regular jigs.
The Rod - For football jig fishing, you're going to want a very sensitive rod. Most of the time, your jig will be casts very far from you and you want to be able to feel everything it does. I prefer a 6'10" to 7'2" rod for football jig fishing. I also like a rod that is MH or H power and XF action.
The Reel - While a normal speed baitcaster (6:1 gear ratio) reel will work fine, I prefer a "burner" with a gear ratio of 7:1. Because your jig normally be far from the boat, you'll want a reel that will pick up a lot of line to get the jig back faster. The faster you get the jig back to the boat, the faster you can get it back in the strike zone.
The Line - I prefer fluorocarbon for football jig fishing. Normally, you'll be fishing a football jig in open water, like on a ledge. I don't like braid for this because of it is more visible in the water. Fluorocarbon has more sensitivity than mono, so you'll be able to feel more bites. Also, most fluorocarbons have less stretch than most monos, so it will make setting the hook on a long cast easier.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
What to Look for in a Flipping Stick (2 of 2) | Abu Garcia Vendetta
In the last post, we talked about length, power, and action of a flipping stick. Now we're going to cover a few more details.
Handle Length - Now, this may not seem important to some, but when flipping, you want a bit of a longer handle to take some of the weight off your wrist. I prefer a handle of about 12". I think a handle that comes to your elbow is good.
Guides - Most likely, you'll be fishing with braided line when flipping so you want guides that aren't going to wear out. Most guides on todays rods won't wear out quickly, but they will eventually. The toughest and best guides for braid are SiC or Silicon Carbide guides. Alconite guides would be my second choice. Some rods have titanium recoil guides which will also stand up to braid good.
Weight - Most people want the lightest rod they can get. But when it comes to flipping, I want a rod that is balanced more than light. Now, most longer rods are not very well balanced, but some had balancing systems that allow you to add weights to custom balance them. You can also purchase a plastic sleeve that hold supplied weights or quarters and then slides over the end of the rod. If you're flipping stick isn't balanced well, and you flip for a long time, like all day or two or three days, you may develop tennis elbow.
Now some of my recommendations. The new Abu Garcia Vendetta series of rods includes a couple rods that would work great as flipping sticks (the 7'6" MH and 7'6" H) and offers a lower cost option. I like Shimano's rods for the money and find the Crucial Flipping Sticks are good rods in the medium price range. And for high end rods, a G Loomis IMX (FSR904X IMX) or GLX (BCFR894 GLX) flipping stick is hard to beat.
I hope this guide helps you when picking out a new flipping stick!
Handle Length - Now, this may not seem important to some, but when flipping, you want a bit of a longer handle to take some of the weight off your wrist. I prefer a handle of about 12". I think a handle that comes to your elbow is good.
Guides - Most likely, you'll be fishing with braided line when flipping so you want guides that aren't going to wear out. Most guides on todays rods won't wear out quickly, but they will eventually. The toughest and best guides for braid are SiC or Silicon Carbide guides. Alconite guides would be my second choice. Some rods have titanium recoil guides which will also stand up to braid good.
Weight - Most people want the lightest rod they can get. But when it comes to flipping, I want a rod that is balanced more than light. Now, most longer rods are not very well balanced, but some had balancing systems that allow you to add weights to custom balance them. You can also purchase a plastic sleeve that hold supplied weights or quarters and then slides over the end of the rod. If you're flipping stick isn't balanced well, and you flip for a long time, like all day or two or three days, you may develop tennis elbow.
Now some of my recommendations. The new Abu Garcia Vendetta series of rods includes a couple rods that would work great as flipping sticks (the 7'6" MH and 7'6" H) and offers a lower cost option. I like Shimano's rods for the money and find the Crucial Flipping Sticks are good rods in the medium price range. And for high end rods, a G Loomis IMX (FSR904X IMX) or GLX (BCFR894 GLX) flipping stick is hard to beat.
I hope this guide helps you when picking out a new flipping stick!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
What to Look for in a Flipping Stick (1 of 2) | flipping stick
With the release of our new Venon Flipping Jigs on the horizon, I though it would be appropriate to cover another question I see jig fishermen asking: "What's a good rod for flipping?"
When I hear questions like this I assume that most people want to know what characteristics make a good rod for a specific technique, not what brand, model, etc. rod to use. While if that is what they want to know, I have no problem just telling then what I use or recommend. But I'd much rather help people learn what they need or want in a rod, and then give them my recommendations.
That being said, here's what I look for in a good flipping stick.
Length - For flipping, a longer rod is definately a plus. It helps you gain distance and accuracy. Most flipping sticks on the market will be 7'6". A lot of flipping sticks are also telescopic, which means the rod shortens, usually by pushing the top portion of the rod down into the handle section of the blank. These rods are if your space is limited, but I prefer a non-telescoping rod because they are slightly more sensitive.
Power - This largely depends on the cover you are fishing. You can use a MH up to an XH rod to flip. If you're on the west coast flipping to dense mats of vegetation, then an XH may be best for you. But if you're flipping to fairly thin submerged weedbeds, a MH will be fine. I normally use a MH or H rod.
Action - There are a few different views on this. I've heard anywhere from MF to XF. Personally, I generally like a F action rod for flipping, but have had times when a MF could have helped flip lighter baits more accurately.
In the next post, we'll cover more specs of the rods like handle length and guides.
When I hear questions like this I assume that most people want to know what characteristics make a good rod for a specific technique, not what brand, model, etc. rod to use. While if that is what they want to know, I have no problem just telling then what I use or recommend. But I'd much rather help people learn what they need or want in a rod, and then give them my recommendations.
That being said, here's what I look for in a good flipping stick.
Length - For flipping, a longer rod is definately a plus. It helps you gain distance and accuracy. Most flipping sticks on the market will be 7'6". A lot of flipping sticks are also telescopic, which means the rod shortens, usually by pushing the top portion of the rod down into the handle section of the blank. These rods are if your space is limited, but I prefer a non-telescoping rod because they are slightly more sensitive.
Power - This largely depends on the cover you are fishing. You can use a MH up to an XH rod to flip. If you're on the west coast flipping to dense mats of vegetation, then an XH may be best for you. But if you're flipping to fairly thin submerged weedbeds, a MH will be fine. I normally use a MH or H rod.
Action - There are a few different views on this. I've heard anywhere from MF to XF. Personally, I generally like a F action rod for flipping, but have had times when a MF could have helped flip lighter baits more accurately.
In the next post, we'll cover more specs of the rods like handle length and guides.
Venom Flipping Jigs Photos
Photos of our Venom Flipping Jigs (coming soon!) are now in the photo gallery on our website!
Go check them out!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Year! | Cabin Fever Lures
We here at Cabin Fever Lures would like to wish all of you a happy, healthy, and safe new year!
May your lines be tight and your livewells full!
May your lines be tight and your livewells full!
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