Does anyone have recommendations for a jigging blank for lake trout in Lake Superior. They are usually on the bottom in up to 250' to 300' of water, and can get good sized, like up to 30lbs. I am thinking something short and fairly stiff, but I have only jigged for them in the winter with a handline. So if anyone has experience or recommendations I would like to know.

Vertical jigging at 300 feet. That's a pretty crazy technique. I think this is the same thing my cousin did on Eerie with what was basically an oval shaped handle that they wrapped a heavy wire around. Seemed like WAY too much work to me. I've vertical jigged at 100' just off San Diego once on a charter and I gotta say I HATED using the longer pole they had out. The shorter one felt a lot less exhausting.

-jb

Haven't jigged Lake Superior, but Lake Tahoe has Mackinaws in the water depths you mentioned and rods like the G Loomis MBR 783 or 843 worked very well there.

Jeremy,
I have made a few rods for Lake Superior deep water jigging, and most of the users were using 1-2 oz jigs.
Whether you are jigging in 30 feet of water for a certain fish, or 300 feet, the technique is the same and the weight requirements are similar. i.e. the jig still needs to have the same action; whether it is jigged in 30 feet, or 300 feet.
So, it is not like you are making a rod that will be jigging 2 or 3 lbs; as is the case when fishing for halibet 300 feet of water in Ak. with a 15 mph current. There you need the weight to keep the jig on the bottom in the heavy currents where you are fishing.

Having said that, the rods that I made for these clients were either 5 1/2 or 6 feet - in a medium to medium heavy action with a fast tip.
Basically, you want be to able to drop the jig to the bottom, and then impart a nice swimming action to the jig as it sits near the bottom. You want to be able to feel the fall of the jig, with the rod and see the action of the jig in the tip of the rod.

I mainly used the St. Croix series of rods in the SCII or the SCIII models meeting these requirements.

Remember, this is a simple vertical jigging stick - with just a heavier weight requirement than would normally be used for smaller fish in shallower water.

Most of the folks will be using braid in the 20-50 lb test. So, guide the rod accordingly. The braid is needed for its non stretch character in these deep waters.

Good luck
Roger