Very popular in Japan. Look at what Shimano Europe is doing with them.

[fish.shimano-eu.com]

I am sure now that Megabass now in the US as Megabass USA will have some vertical jigging models. Here is some info, on some of the new items they are bringing in from Japan

[www.tackletour.com]

Could be an profitable venture. We carry the Vertical jigging blanks. [www.ackfishing.com] Retail only. Call toll free 866-285-0673 for pricing.

Pete




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2006 09:08PM by Peter Maltby.

Is this going to be teh new buzzword of the year? What is Vertical jigging, the links didn't help me with any info?

Billy, lets hope the Vertical Jigging is a buzz word this year..we got to plan a trip..and give the Jigging Master Blanks a try

This is the thng where you need $25 jigs or else the "system" doesn't work, right?

No not at all.... the Jigging Master Blanks work Great even with the CHEAP Jigs...you will see

Ok left out the part on what vertical jigging is. You can do a Google search for Vertical jigging and you'll get a lot of good results. Here are some of them

[www.fieldandstream.com]

[www.dto.com] Look for jigging for bottom fish.

[marc.poirier.com]

You don't need any expensive jigs to do vertical jigging. Depends on your choice of jigs. I'm looking at it from a rod building perspective. Something new to try, play with, sell whatever. It could be the buzz as the Japanese companies (particularly Megabass) and Shimano bring them our way and begin to market vertical jigging rods. Make your own buzz before they do.

As and example look at the Shimano Butterfly Jigs, and what a fuss has been made over those since Shimano brought them in. Just some thoughts and ideas.

Looking ahead rather than looking behind and saying, wish I got into that. after the fact.

Pete
ACK Fishing

Here's the thing that gets me - Vertical jigging is NOTHING NEW, it's been done for probably 100 years + and it is the way hundreds of thousands of people have been jigging up here forever. A few examples of VJ from the waters I fish up in NY are Cod jigging, Striped Bass jigging, Fluke Bucktailing, Sea Bass jigging, and Tuna jigging.

I really don't understand how these blanks are and improvement over standard jigging blanks currently in use for decades?

You asked the question what is vertical jigging? Provided you with some info. Yes, it's been around for many years. The blanks are just unique direct from Japan, rather than the same old. If you haven't already read the descriptions on each model, you can find more information on the Sushi Stick Page. [www.ackfishing.com] If you build rods particularly in the region where vertical jigging is more popular, you've got a different, unique blank available to work with.

Just providing info.

Pete

Thanks for the links. I must be missing where an explanation is given on how these blanks differ from the current blanks? Is it the Biofibre material used? The length, the action? I'm all for trying new things, but I'd like ot know what I'm buying and why it's better.

I asked the Q what is VJ becasue I wasnt' sure if it was the Shimano Butt erfly system, or actual VJing.

Billy,
I am pretty new to rodbuilding but have been jigging fish off the ocean floor for the best part of 30 years and I agree with you that there is nothing particularly new about the new Japanese sticks... certainly nothing that the Lamiglas CGBT841 or Seeker CLB 708 blanks can't match.

clyde

I don't want to discount them, I've never had one so I dont know. I WANT TO learn more about them,and what makes them so special.

I'm partial to the Calstar 7 & 800's for jigging, and I have recently fell in love with the GUSA's for this same application.

Salt-Water Vertical Jigging and "tight on the bottom" Sinker Bouncing from a boat have a lot in common as far as the RODS are concerned, and are often used interchangeably.

Vertical Jigging or Sinker Bouncing, I think, is among the best exercises in developing an angler's sense of FEEL that there is. Because every moment your hook is in the water, you have information to interpret. Bottom composition; Current; pecker bites verses quiet inhales. Your mind had better stay in gear, because it's "snooze, you lose."

Plus you have to learn how to tie every useful knot and terminal tackle configuration there is. Sinker bouncing is a great gateway (drug!) to the rest of the wonderful world of angling prowess. ...

I would dare say that if you show me a good bottom fisherman, I'll show you a guy who is worth fishing with, whatever your walk in life or angling is. ... I think Jesus had the right idea when he picked the fishermen for his mission: Peter, James & John, ... iHN, -Cliff Hall+++

I would like to build a vertical jigging rod for use in the midwest. The water would be about 30' deep and the fish range from large catfish to walleye. Would the weight be best balanced in the hand or slightly behind to make the tip light? Is a shorter rod more sensitive? A bit more flex is needed to handle the potentially large cat at 50+ lbs, so what material would you suggest or what type of blank? Thanks

Mike Shepherd: For a vertical jigging rod, (Mid-Western USA), in ~ 30 feet of water, for walleye and large catfish up to 50+ lbs.

BATSON RAINSHADOW RX4-GRAPHITE / COMPOSITE SWS / SW Models: - My suggestions below are guessing at the POWER, TAPER & LENGTH rod that you would prefer. But these two Models, and the lighter or heavier models in the SWS / SW Series, are worth a look. ... And are a good price for the balance of quality and ruggedness that they offer.

Rainshadow Salt-Water Blanks (SWS / SW):
[fishsticks4u.com]

SWS-70-MH ... Matte Clear ... 7'0" ... 1-piece ...
15-30lb. ... 1-4oz. ... 0.670" ... 6.0 / 64ths ...
Moderate ... Med-Hvy ... 4.14oz. ... $50.00 - Add.

SWS-597 ... Matte Clear ... 7'10" ... 1-piece ...
15-30lb. ... 3/4-3oz. ... 0.875" ... 6.5 / 64ths ...
Fast ... Hvy ... 4.90oz. ... $55.00 - Add.

Features:
• RX4 graphite / fiberglass matrix
• Uncompromising strength, yet light weight
• Moderate thru Fast-Action designs
• 3 Year Limited Warranty

BOTH of these Models, and the rest of the SWS Series also comes in a Transparent Black (-B) finish (SWS-70-MH-B and SWS-597-B).

PLUS with FS4U being a full-line Batson Dealer, you can get all your rod components from FS4U, and all your parts on one shipping charge. For a package price that would just begin to cover a fancier rod blank by itself. B)-.

Happy Rod-Building, -Cliff Hall+++, Gainesville, FL-USA*****



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2006 04:06PM by Cliff Hall.

Mike Shepherd asked:
"Would the weight be best balanced in the hand or slightly behind to make the tip light? - As rearward as practical.
Is a shorter rod more sensitive?" - Yes, but within reason.

How you configure your rod handle really depends on if this will be used with a spinning reel or a revolving spool reel. And if you want a longer handle or a shorter handle. I can imagine this rod as a (long or short handle) x (spinner or caster or spiral), so that is up to six configurations, only one or two of which you may find agreeable to you. It all depends on the way you'll fish your jigs; how you like to hold the rod; and how much of a work-out you want to give yourself fighting these fish.

If you give yourself more rod in the handle to control the fish, you hold a heavier rod all day, and that makes a lighter tip more attractive, IMO. That would be my preference. Remember that you can lighten the tip by reducing overall mass in the tip and / or shifting the reel forward a few more inches and / or holding the rod blank in front of the reel (by the fore-grip). I tend to try to do all three things, because a low tip-mass jig rod is a much better fishing tool than a wobbly tip with higher mass, IMO.

IMO, your rod balance should be rearward. Using the shortest length of rod in front of the reel that lets the rod do its other functions well (cast, hook-set sweep, move a fish around the boat, etc) will help you preserve as much "sensitivity" as your rod can muster. Any rod over 8 feet LOA for a vertical jigging rod would be unnecessarily long, IMO. (Detroit River Walleye "cane-poling" excluded, of course.}

A spinner would be ~7 foot long, with a long rear handle (10-12"). (I'm ~70" tall.)

A conventional would be ~ 7.0 - 7.5 foot long, with also with a long rear handle (12-14"). The longer handle is because of the way I hold a rod like this. Rear grip tucked between my upper left arm and rib cage. Left hand cradling the fore-grip. Right-sided right-hand crank for the revolving spool.

Mike, you may hold a rod like this totally differently, holding the reel like a FW-LM bassfisherman, in which case my long handle would annoy you and be heavy. ...

What I'm driving around to is that once you decide what handle configuration suits you and your reel style, about 5-6 feet of rod in front of your reel is about all you'll want or need to mess with. And any more could give a large fish more leverage over you than you want to bear up under.

Good luck, Mike Shepherd, ... -Cliff Hall+++



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2006 05:10PM by Cliff Hall.

We have a series of blanks ranging from 5'6" - 8'6" that we have been developing with Nicola Zingarelli from Spain for the last 2 years. This is the first year that we have offered the blanks. They are listed in our blank catalog under "Heavy Jiggin' & Saltwater Composite".

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Cliff,
Your description of the Rain Shadow SW blanks make them sound just about perfect for Chesapeake Bay eeling for striped bass. Thanks for the good info.

clyde

Clyde Thomas

Clyde Thomas - I'm glad all this has got your ingenuity going. There are some stripers around the lower St. John's River (toward Jacksonville). But the hardest part is getting the eels !

I just wish I was out salt-water fishing with my son today. Gainesville, FL (where I live) is a great town, but it's 50-75 miles to the nearest salt-water, and 25-50 miles to the nearest body of fresh water whose fishery hasn't (almost totally) collapsed from the previous 7 years of drought.

Now you know one reason why I am Posting more and fishing less.

GO GATORS all the way to become the National Basketball Champions!
-Cliff Hall+++, Gainesville, FL-USA*****