Rod for light (1/64th ounce) jigs

[Brad in Texas]

Jrob mentioned buying some gear and tackle from

http://www.finesse-fishing.com

and Chris (there) shows a Daiwa Presso that I think someone mentioned in a post here.

It shows to be rated for 1/64 to 1/8.

Exxpensive . . . but lovely and functional.

Here:

http://www.finesse-fishing.com/finesse- ... -rods.html

Brad

PS. I ordered some of his hooks and I'll report back my results. br

[Alphahawk]

I own quite a few rods rated on low end as follows....1/250......1/100.....1/64. There are a lot of JDM rods that are rated to cast 1/64 and even lower. The Tict Ice Cube Rockin Drift can cast a 1/64 Trout Magnet quite well....it can also cast a 1/8 at the top end. I have a Volkey that is rated for 1/64-1/4...that is quite remarkable if you ask me. Nearly all of my fishing is with a 1/64 ounce Trout Magnet. That is the reason I got into buying JDM gear. After breaking my FineTail Banshee I took the Tict Ice Cube out and used a 1/64 ounce Trout Magnet and caught over 100 crappie with it. The sensitivity is off the charts. The whole top section is all solid.....a 6' 9" rod at a weight of only 2.4 ounces. This whole thing about rods having to be whippy to load up and cast very light jigs does not apply to the Japanese. When I took my first Ajing rod out of the shipping tube I thought "What in the world have I done". It was so rigid I thought no way it could cast a 1/64 ounce jig...I was wrong. If you want to cast a 1/64 ounce jig.....and you go the JDM route, I would say you have a huge selection of rods to pick from. I have looked at dozens I have not bought....I have bought I guess now over 20, and have not been disappointed in any of them. Getting ready buy another one from a forum member. I am in mid 60's and my plan is to try out several dozen more JDM UL rods before I have to give up fishing some day.

Regards

[timinmo]

Well I obtained a 1/64 oz jig and attempted to throw it on my Loomis SJ 6400 IMX. I was only getting about 15 feet or so. This was with 4 lb line on a first gen. Stradic Ci4 1000. Sorry but I did not want to throw away a spool of line just to spool on some 2 lb that I would not use. 2 lb might have added some distance but the rod would still struggle with 1/64. It is just too light to load the rod.

The rod is actually a custom on a Loomis blank when they still sold blanks, which was several years ago. I also have one built on a NFC blank with the same rating, which I am not sure they sell anymore, still 5'4" but built with micro guides. I tried the same reel/line set up on that rod. It seemed to throw 1/64 a bit further but not much.

I guess the end result of the test was that if you want to throw 1/64 you will need to find a different rod. Both of these rods will launch 1/16 and work OK with 1/32 but 1/64 is too light.

[Johnny A]

If money is no object, JDM is the way to fly. Especially if fishing without a warranty doesn't bother you.
Evergreen International

[gillchaser]

Well I obtained a 1/64 oz jig and attempted to throw it on my Loomis SJ 6400 IMX. I was only getting about 15 feet or so. This was with 4 lb line on a first gen. Stradic Ci4 1000. Sorry but I did not want to throw away a spool of line just to spool on some 2 lb that I would not use. 2 lb might have added some distance but the rod would still struggle with 1/64. It is just too light to load the rod.

The rod is actually a custom on a Loomis blank when they still sold blanks, which was several years ago. I also have one built on a NFC blank with the same rating, which I am not sure they sell anymore, still 5'4" but built with micro guides. I tried the same reel/line set up on that rod. It seemed to throw 1/64 a bit further but not much.

I guess the end result of the test was that if you want to throw 1/64 you will need to find a different rod. Both of these rods will launch 1/16 and work OK with 1/32 but 1/64 is too light.

My finding exactly . A 1/64th with soft plastic, no problem especially with two pound line . But a feather or fur 1/64 is almost impossible to cast farther than 20 feet on a good day with any rod I've tried. Gillchaser

[Smead]

Jrob mentioned buying some gear and tackle from

http://www.finesse-fishing.com

and Chris (there) shows a Daiwa Presso that I think someone mentioned in a post here.

It shows to be rated for 1/64 to 1/8.

Exxpensive . . . but lovely and functional.

Here:

http://www.finesse-fishing.com/finesse- ... -rods.html

Brad

PS. I ordered some of his hooks and I'll report back my results. br

I really did not need to see that Daiwa Iprimi 60XUL-4....

[Smead]

My finding exactly . A 1/64th with soft plastic, no problem especially with two pound line . But a feather or fur 1/64 is almost impossible to cast farther than 20 feet on a good day with any rod I've tried. Gillchaser

The impact of just a bit more air resistance can be dramatic.

Try casting a Rapala Countdown CD-1 compared to a Rapala Floater F-3...they both weigh 1/16 oz...the CD-1 has a smaller profile.

[uljersey]

My finding exactly . A 1/64th with soft plastic, no problem especially with two pound line . But a feather or fur 1/64 is almost impossible to cast farther than 20 feet on a good day with any rod I've tried. Gillchaser

The impact of just a bit more air resistance can be dramatic.

Try casting a Rapala Countdown CD-1 compared to a Rapala Floater F-3...they both weigh 1/16 oz...the CD-1 has a smaller profile.

Does the CD have an internal weight of some sort ? I know I get a pretty good distance from my CD-1.

[Smead]

I assume that it does, it's supposed to sink at that 1' per second rate; still, it weighs the same as the floater...it's just smaller, with less air resistance.

[Brad in Texas]

I am SOLD on finesse-fishing.com's little .7 gram (1/40th ozs.) jig heads built on a #8 hook, this one with the two tie options: one at the nose, the other mid lead. So often, things built this tiny being molded or stamped have rough edges if you look at it closely. Not these . . . top quality.

I have caught several species now using a little black grub with concentric rings, a twisty chartreuse tail that gives it nice action through the water. Bluegills seem to like it lifted and dropped repeatedly while it is reeled in; bass seem to prefer a straight slow reel in.

The very tiny .001" diameter Nanobraid is incredibly light, incredibly strong. I wish I had a scale capable of weighing the jighead and the plastic.

Casting distance on a 6'9" St. Croix ultralight fast tip, PFS69ULF, with a Shimano Ci4+ 1000 series reel? In dead air, usually 75 to 90 feet using a strong but modest effort, no Tarzan swing.

Photo

Brad

[JB in SC]

I own quite a few rods rated on low end as follows....1/250......1/100.....1/64. There are a lot of JDM rods that are rated to cast 1/64 and even lower. The Tict Ice Cube Rockin Drift can cast a 1/64 Trout Magnet quite well....it can also cast a 1/8 at the top end. I have a Volkey that is rated for 1/64-1/4...that is quite remarkable if you ask me. Nearly all of my fishing is with a 1/64 ounce Trout Magnet. That is the reason I got into buying JDM gear. After breaking my FineTail Banshee I took the Tict Ice Cube out and used a 1/64 ounce Trout Magnet and caught over 100 crappie with it. The sensitivity is off the charts. The whole top section is all solid.....a 6' 9" rod at a weight of only 2.4 ounces. This whole thing about rods having to be whippy to load up and cast very light jigs does not apply to the Japanese. When I took my first Ajing rod out of the shipping tube I thought "What in the world have I done". It was so rigid I thought no way it could cast a 1/64 ounce jig...I was wrong. If you want to cast a 1/64 ounce jig.....and you go the JDM route, I would say you have a huge selection of rods to pick from. I have looked at dozens I have not bought....I have bought I guess now over 20, and have not been disappointed in any of them. Getting ready buy another one from a forum member. I am in mid 60's and my plan is to try out several dozen more JDM UL rods before I have to give up fishing some day.

Regards

Nothing prepared me for the difference in the Presso 1025 and AGS 54 XUL-S and the USDM offerings....

[Bryin]

A rod that can truly throw 1/64th will never be a "fast" rod... it has to flex to throw the lure and it you are going to have to use light line which will require flex in the rod to protect the line.

[gillchaser]

A rod that can truly throw 1/64th will never be a "fast" rod... it has to flex to throw the lure and it you are going to have to use light line which will require flex in the rod to protect the line.

I think we have a winner .
I feel the rod can't be too long or it'll be too much of a noodle and rod recovery will slow the line speed . I found my five foot moderate UL's with two pound line to be the best at casting the lightest of lures and maintain accuracy. Gillchaser

[Bryin]

I have found that most rods below 6 foot are either too slow to too fast... I think it is hard to manufacturer a rod that has a nice action below 6 foot... it can be done but it is rare.

One of the most ignored parts of the rod when it comes to casting very light lures is guide selection. As much as I love my collection of solid tip, JDM Ajing rods they all have micro guides and if you use a braid/mono combo with a knot small guides and the braid knot hurt casting distance with a very light lure.

The best rod I have for casting light jigs, one that will really throw the lightest jigs I use (and I tie my own jigs that are essentially flies, so no plastics to add weight... when you add plastics to a jig it really adds weight and helps casting distance, try throwing a bare 1/64th oz jig head sometime it is enlightening) is a Diawa Area Bum 5'6"XUL-S. It is a JDM rod with a solid but the guides are a bit bigger than normal on a solid tip rod.