Ask The Pros
Rods
Q. What is the most sensitive rod out there for throwing a jig, Carolina rig, etc? I want to feel the bottom of the lake I am fishing. Suggestions?
Kevin Lovato
A. The rod can be anything you’re comfortable with in Med/Heavy or Heavy. I love Lamiglas for their sensitivity. But I find that if you use a braid for your main line (a line with no stretch) you will feel every little tick and bump. If using Carolina rigs and jigs you want a rod with a little back bone too. I never use anything lighter than a Med/Heavy rod for my jig and Carolina rig fishing. I use Power Pro in Red and use a Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon leader. I use a swivel if using baits that twist and turn on retrieve to avoid line twist down in my spool. But for jig fishing I use the Fluorocarbon leader tied with a Uni to Uni knot, no swivel. I like very light sensitive rods for most all my fishing and have found Lamiglas fits the bill for me.
Dominick Greco
South Atlantic Pro
A. You might as well have asked the question who makes the best truck?! Each pro has their personal preference as to who makes the best rod. The question should be who makes the best rod for the money? Like everyone else, I have a preference and it's Daiwa. I do have a couple of tips for you: when looking for a new rod and reel set up place most of your focus on the rod. The rod gives you the feel, the hook-setting power, the action to fight the fish and it must be comfortable to have in your hand all day. The reel does play a part in holding the line and cast- ability. For the applications you have described I would recommend a Med/Heavy with a fast tip. If you’re on a tight budget Bass Pro-shop has some rods that will get the job done and for the price they are nice rods. But if you’re going to get serious about fishing and want to take your fishing to the next level, check out Daiwa.
Don Roberts
Midwestern Pro
A. Everyone will have their vote (mine would be a GLoomix GLX which will set you back something over $350) but we're voting about the wrong thing. Sensitivity doesn't all come from the rod, and sensitivity isn't the only, and likely not the most important thing to look for in a rod.
As already pointed out, the most critical link to a lure is the line. Line stretch is the enemy of sensitivity and if you use a stretchy monofilament even the best rod will feel like a pool cue.
Braided or fused lines offer the lowest stretch and some say that they take it to an extreme. While I personally love feeling every blade of vegetation down there, others find it distracting and feel it interferes with detecting a subtle tap. If you ask GLoomis, they will say that the GLX series that I prefer should not be used with braid at all, (they would recommend the IMX.)
And the variables don't stop there. How heavy a jig do you want to throw? How deep are you fishing? Is your bottom rocky or muddy? Are you going to use a leader? If so, what type? I could go on for hours but you get the idea. When you choose a good rod, match it to the reel, the line, the lure, and your local conditions. You really don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a premium rod to simply feel the bottom. The high end rods combine sensitivity with hooking strength, feather like weights, excellent playing actions, and exceptional balance with high dollar reels. Get yourself a good, sensitive graphite rod in the 6 1/2' to 7' range that matches your budget and your reel. Add in a premium line, braid, fluorocarbon, or even a high quality co-polymer monofilament and tie up a 3/8 oz jig. You shouldn't have any problem at all feeling either the bottom or a fish. Work on feeling things with the line, (night fishing is an excellent summertime way to establish line feel), and don't worry about line watching. Before long you'll be counting the scales on the fish before he hits.
Paul Crawford
South Atlantic Pro
A. To agree with everyone else, we are talking about personal preferences and combination of line and rod. I prefer for the mentioned techniques a combination of straight quality fluorocarbon such as Gamma Edge and a Med/Heavy Lamiglas rod such as the XC 705 Certified Pro. The proper set up of flouro line and a quality rod will do you just fine, just do not drop below Med/Heavy with a fast tip. Last word is find a rod that you feel is adequate and if you try enough of them, you will find the one that fits perfect in your hand.
Nick Barr
Northwestern Pro