First post!

My next rod will be a jigging rod for conventional reel. I'm building a narrow Senator 112H (it's called a 112HN) with Tiburon frame and spool, stainless 5:1 gears and stainless sleeve and double dogs. I've also got some Newell bushings for it.I'll fish it with 65 lb braid. I have a 5+1 custom drag that will deliver 18-25 lbs. The jigs will run around 3-8 ounces. I'll be fishing in the Atlantic and Gulf around Florida, 50-120 feet usually, unless I go travelling.

I haven't built, or even fished with a purpose built jigging rod, so I've got several questions about setting up the rod. I'm about an hour away from Mudhole, so I'll be buying the components in person and getting advice as available there, but I figured I would ask here as well.

My observations so far: the rods have fairly long butt grips to help with under-the-arm placement. I envision needing the butt long enough to give me room to comfortably crank the reel. The foregrips appear pretty short, especially since I've built a lot of west-coast style standup rods over the years.

When they're really loaded up, the blanks have a parabolic action, so guide placement is critical if I keep the guides on top. I've been thinking of a spiral wrap, but have only built one rod with that design. That was over thirty years ago, and it was a plugging rod for a pro bass fisherman, so I don't remember much about it.

Mudhole has their line of jigging blanks, and they look really nice. Their website has a video of a guy pulling in a rather large AJ on one of these rods. It's rigged for a spinner, however. Still, you can see how much the rod bends. It's pretty amazing. Here's the same video on youtube:
[www.youtube.com]

My first questions: any tips on guide choices and placement? I probably won't try the spiral, but I'm not sure I can keep the line off the blank with top mounted guides.

Also, what moderately priced guides would be good?

Will a graphite seat work, or should I go with machined aluminum? The reel has an aluminum stand, so there's no concern about galvanic corrosion if I use a machined seat. I'll use the ball gimbal; I used one on my last build and I really like it:
[www.mudhole.com]

Mudhole is now offering a new addition to their jigging rod blanks: two piece blanks. Now I've avoided two piece rods like the plague since I started building rods in about 1980. However, technology has come a long way. Still, this seems like a really extreme application for any blank, one piece or multi piece. Any comments on that? Would you trust a two piece rod for this kind of fishing?

Any other important factors in building one of these rods?

Look into the Bushdio jigging blanks BVJ66250 or the BVJ60325

Mot's Custom Rods and Reels

Thanks for the fast reply. The Bushido blanks look good. They're also double the price of Mudhole's line. I'll only get to fish with this one or two times a year, so that's a tough call.

Rather than holding the rod under arm, have you thought about using a belt? Then you could have a much shorter rear grip, the reel will be right in front of you, and I believe you can deliver much more leverage while pumping the fish to the gaff or net. Just an idea to think about.

The long butt is needed for the jigging, not the fighting...

How can you not jig from a fighting butt???

You can drag race an AMC Gremlin too.

It's the way jigging rods are designed...I'm assuming for optimal performance.

Well, everybody to their own tastes when it comes to fishing.

You are familiar with using knife/butterfly jigs?

It is a style unto its own.

Jay Lancaster Wrote:
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> You are familiar with using knife/butterfly jigs?
>
> It is a style unto its own.


That's what I'm working towards. I hope to finish customizing my reel soon. The rod is next.

I also want to build a rod for the other type of Japanese-style jig fishing. There's a slow retrieve technique for snapper using jigs like the Shimano Lucanus jigs. Their rods are pretty specialized, with very light tips. Much different than the Butterfly jigging tackle. Line weight is a maximum of 25-30 lb braid, on a stout baitcasting reel. I don't see any blanks on the mudhole catalog that look like those rods. I haven't tried Angler's workshop yet. Might have better luck with the west coast shop.