After I wrote the tips on jig fishing I received several e-mails about what rod and reel to use for jig fishing. Well just like jig fishing there are several different outfits that can be used. I will discuss the basic ones used on long range trips. Please use these as a guideline. You can use similar components; the key word is similar.

    Let talk about reels first. You will need a reel that can handle 40-lb. or 50-lb. line. The reason for the heavier line is to increase your chances of hooking and landing fish. So look for a reel that can handle at least 300 yards of line. You also want it to have at least a 3 ½ to 1 gear ratio. Do not go much higher than 5 to 1.

    You also want a reel that cast well. The reels that I mention below all are easy to cast. The reel should also be comfortable for you to use. Throwing iron can be an all day event. You want the reel to work with you and not against you. It should become "part of you" and not be a hindrance to fish.

    The reel's drag should hold up to a day’s fishing and not give you any trouble. To make your drags last longer have the drags set very tight. If the fish can not make any fast runs your drag will not heat up and thus last longer. Heat is the main cause for drag failure. Be sure you start off with new drags and not the ones from last years trip.

    With at these parameters which reel will work. I go with a long time favorite of jig throwers, a Penn 4/0 Yellowtail Special (YT for short) with 4 to 1 gears. This reel is great for fishing the "iron" with either the countdown or yo-yoing method. If you want to fish surface iron I would try a Newell in the 500 size. They are lightweight and cast great which suits surface iron well.

    You can improve on the 4/0 YT conversion by adding Accurate Sideplates. The sideplates will improve the reel’s performance but do require additional maintenance over the stock sideplates. Another reel to consider if you have the cash is a 12T Penn International that has been 2 speeded and blueprinted by Cal Sheets. This is state or the art for many jig throwers. There are also aftermarket reels like Pro Gear that can be used.

    Do not use an undersized reel like a Penn 500. This reel is for 25-30-lb. line and not suited for long-range jig fishing. Save these small reels for one-day trips. Also try to avoid 6 to 1 gear ratios be cause they an extremely hard to crank under a load.

    When it comes to grabbing a jig stick you have to choose between casting distance and lifting power. If you plan on using surface iron than an 8-foot rod is the way to go. The long rods will help you improve your casting distance. They will also make it easier to keep your surface iron skipping across the water. Calstar has several rods as well as even more blanks that will fit the surface iron fishermen’s needs.

    Besides the length of the rod there are other factors that aid in casting distance. I have already mentioned using a reel that "spins freely" but there are rod components that will help too. First and foremost are the types of guides you use. Fuji SICs has a super slick ring that allows for optimal casting distance. Size of guides, also matters, larger are better. The placement of the reel seat can increase your casting distance. If the reel seat is too close to the butt cap then you can not apply enough power to cast the rod. If the reel seat is too far then you can not apply enough pressure to land the fish.

    If you are planning to fish the yo-yo iron then six footer the way to go. Since you are not casting, a short rod will help you pull that yellowtail out of the rocks or kelp. Blanks like the 6460-H or 760-L are perfect for yo-yo iron.

    If you want to pull hard on those wahoo and tuna; try 6-½ or even six footer. Fishing the countdown method works the best for these fish so a compromise between a surface stick and a yo-yo stick would fit in nicely. I fish a 760-L because I do not worry too much about casting distance. This rod with a good casting reel will work fine for fishing the countdown. If you want a little more casting distance then try the following: 765L, 6465 or a 6470.

    So what will you see me using on a long-range trip? Well, it will be a Calstar 760-L with an Accurate 4/0 Yellowtail kit with 4 to 1 gear ratios. I like this set up enough to bring two. There are times that I leave one of the 760-L rods behind and bring a 765-L rod. As much as I like the surface iron action I hate to carry an 8-foot rod. Besides usually one of the deckhands has one that I can borrow. And if I hook a big fish on that rod I hand it off quickly to another passenger. First time long-range anglers are always willing to try the long rod.

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