Best Jigging Rods

If you’re doing research trying to learn about the various features of jigging rods at different price points, you’ve come to the right article. This article will talk through different rod specs and why they are beneficial for different types of jigging. I’ll also discuss how certain features drive the price point way up, and where you may want to choose the second best.

The rod is undoubtedly the most important part of a jigging setup for working the jig. The fight to land the fish is often won by the best reel, but the art of working a jig is achieved by the rod. This article will discuss high speed vertical jigging rods, slow pitch jigging rods, and butterfly jigging rods.

High speed vertical jigging is a technique in which a long and narrow jig drops quickly to the ocean floor and then the angler twitches the rod up, and pauses every so often during the retrieve. The exact twitch-pause pattern is flexible, so anglers can do what feels rhythmic and natural. The idea is to mimic a healthy, fleeing baitfish. When these jigs are struck by predatory fish, they are often struck hard and fast, driving the need for heavy power rods and high strength line.

Slow pitch jigging has more finesse to it. In slow pitch jigging, the rod is very flexible to help the jig’s movement stay rhythmic. A wide jig falls slowly to the ocean floor while wobbling, then gets jerked up and allowed to fall again on slack line. The rod is flexible so that the jig can stay in a freefall when the angler’s movements change from jerking the rod up, to bringing the rod tip back down. The jig’s behavior imitates a dying baitfish which predatory fish will strike out of convenience. This convenience strike is often much milder than the strikes in speed jigging, so light line and light rods are used. To read specifically a slow pitch jigging rods, read my article Slow Pitch Jigging Rods: How to Choose the Right One.

Butterfly jigging is another jigging style where the jig is imitating an injured baitfish. The jig is worked in various patterns such as a yo-yo or a spiral and necessitates a strike somewhere between the power of a speed jigging strike and the convenience of a slow pitch strike. These rods tend to be versatile and fall somewhere in the mid-range of power and action.

The table below shows several different jigging rods. The links in the table will take you to the product page on Tackle Direct's website.

Rod	Technique	Power Range	Action	Guides	Guide Count	Max Lure Rating	Max Braid Rating	Length
Daiwa Saltiga	Slow Pitch	ML-XXH	M	Fuji Titanium	10	200-800g	25-65 lb	6’1”
Shimano Game Type J	Slow Pitch	ML-MH	MF	Fuji SiC	Not listed	180-300g	30-50 lb	6’0”
Daiwa Harrier Slow Pitch	Slow Pitch	M-XH	M	Fuji Fazlite K	12	250-500g	30-65 lb	6’6”
Shimano Grappler Type J	Speed	ML-XXH	MF	Fuji Alconite + SiC tip	Not listed	180-400g	30-100 lb	5’6”-7’0”
Shimano Trevala PX	Speed	L-XXH	F	SeaGuide Zirconia	Not listed	50-350g	20-100 lb	5’8”-7’0”
Star Paraflex	Butterfly	MH-XXH	Not listed	Fuji Concept w/ alconite rings	6-9	200-325g	80-200 lb	5’9”-6’6”
Shimano Trevala	Butterfly	L-XXH	M-MF	Fuji Alconite or Fuji O	Not listed	90-325g	30-200 lb	5’8”-7’0”

Conventional vs Spinning Jigging Rods

A jigging rod can be either conventional or spinning. The choice is mostly determined by the reel because different types of reels are used for different types of jigging.

Slow pitch jigging is best done with a conventional setup. In this style of jigging, the reel is palmed and the angler’s thumb is on the spool controlling the rate of freespool. Once the jig reaches the bottom, the angler will apply more thumb pressure, jerk it up, and then decrease thumb pressure while the jig falls again. This would be very difficult to do with a spinning reel since there is no easy way to control the rate of freespool.

Speed jigging and butterfly jigging rely on keeping the line taut. The jig is worked on the way up with various twitch, jerk, and pause patterns. There is no need to use thumb pressure to control the rate of freespool. Because of this, a conventional or a spinning setup work equally well for this technique. I tend to recommend a spinning setup for speed or butterfly jigging simply because spinning setups are easier to use. You won’t have to worry about another angler using your setup and ruining the line by getting a bird’s nest. However, if you’re not planning on sharing your setup and you’re jigging in deep water, you may want to go with a conventional setup because they tend to have higher line capacity for the reel size.

Jigging Rod Length

The length of a jigging rod is typically between 5’9” and 7’2”. Anglers will be jigging off the side of a boat and they’ll need a rod big enough to keep the jig a safe distance from the side of the boat, but not overly long that it requires a two piece rod. Rod storage on a boat can also be a concern, which often causes anglers to go for a 6’ or 6’6” rod.

Slow pitch jigging can be done with a rod between 6’ and 7’ long. The length is not nearly as important as the action in a slow pitch rod. Many times, anglers who see a slow pitch setup for the first time are shocked at how small and dinky the appropriately sized slow jigging rod is. I remember the first time I went offshore with some friends and brought my new slow pitch setup, several people chuckled and couldn’t believe I was seriously planning on targeting snapper with my smallest rod.

The length of a speed jigging rod tends to be towards the longer end of the spectrum for a boat rod. Speed jigging is a fast and tiresome activity, so these rods are typically also used for bottom fishing too. The same is true for a butterfly jigging rod. Somewhere around 6’6” to 7’2” should be plenty of length for butterfly and speed jigging setups.

Lure Rating and Power Rating for Jigging Rods

The power rating of a rod is closely related to the lure rating. The heavier the jigs, the heavier the power of the rod will be. Generally, you can estimate the right sized jig by using the 100 grams to every 100 ft of water rule of thumb and you’ll choose your rod power based on how deep you think you’ll be fishing. I recommend making sure to choose the right range, especially when it comes to slow pitch jigging. If you choose a lure rating and power rating too high for your most commonly used jigs, you won’t be able to impart the type of slow, rhythmic movements you’re after.

Also, buyers beware, that one rod’s lure rating at medium power is not necessarily similar to another rod’s lure rating at medium power. Be sure to check the lure rating before purchasing.

Line Rating for Jigging Rods

When it comes to selecting the line rating for jigging, there are a few general guidelines. For slow pitch jigging, most likely you’ll be using 30 lb test braid. Although that may seem shocking to use offshore in deep water targeting big reef fish, remember that slow pitch jigging is a light tackle technique. I would not advise upping the line strength to 40 lb test unless you’re experienced with slow pitch jigging and you have the right reasons for it. 30 lb test braid will give you the right diameter line to cut through the water and help your jig wobble without being held back by a slow moving line.

For speed jigging and butterfly jigging, the line rating can vary. Heavier line is needed for targeting big fish in deep waters because of the expected hard immediate strikes. Your leader line should be used to withstand encounters with the reefs and wrecks, but the main line must have to strength to horse in a hard fighting big fish. Between 40 lb test and 65 lb test should be enough for someone learning how to do these techniques.

Jigging Rod Action

When thinking about what action to choose, remember the philosophy behind the methods. For slow pitch jigging, you’ll need to be able to work the jig slowly and methodically up and down. This is achieved with a bendy rod that we call slow action. These rods tend to make a big parabolic bend when there’s tension on the line.

For speed jigging, the jig is allowed to fall rapidly to the bottom and then is very quickly worked back up to the top. You need a rod that has fast twitchy movement. This is usually called fast action and will look more like only the tip of the rod is bending. To learn more about speed jigging, read my article Speed Jigging: Everything You Need to Know.

Rod action can be tricky to choose online since “fast action” can vary quite a bit from different rods and brands. Think of rod action as a spectrum for that particular rod series. The “fast action” will be that rod’s version of the tip bending and “slow action” will be that rod’s version of the whole rod bending all the way through the grip.

Blank Construction for Jigging Rods

Blank construction is a key factor to consider and I recommend choosing the best blank construction you can for your budget. The most advanced rod construction techniques and materials tend to be the strongest, lightest, and also the most expensive.

The cheapest rods will have a simple manufacturing process where the carbon fiber sheets are laid in the same direction in each layer. These rods also tend to use a lot of resin, adding to the weight of the rod. This method of laying carbon fiber results its rods that have a hard time holding up to force from different directions.

Rod manufacturing companies have created proprietary strategies for laying carbon fiber sheets in directions that improve the torsional strength to hold up far better against angled forces. Examples of these technologies are Shimano’s Spiral X and Hi Power X. Daiwa has X45 and HVF nanoplus. In addition to the better torsional strength from improved carbon fiber sheet laying, they are able to minimize the required resin and further minimize the weight of the rod.

Guides for Jigging Rods

Rod guides are similar to blank construction in the sense that you should be looking for highest strength for lowest weight and finding the best value at your budget. Rod ring guides have 2 parts, the frame and the ring. Typically the frame is titanium or aluminum and needs to be corrosion resistant. Titanium frame guides are more expensive.

Ring guide inserts need to be durable and low friction. The durability is required to minimize the chances that your ring guide insert breaks if you set your rod down too hard, or cracks from your braided fishing line. The friction needs to be low so it doesn’t damage your fishing line. There are a variety of materials used, and it can be hard to really know what material you’re getting because of the proprietary names often used, such as Fuji Fazlite. Often times, if you choose a rod at the top of your budget, you’ll be getting the best guide frame and material available at that price point.

Grip and Butt Styles for Jigging Rods

The grip and butt style of a rod is often angler preference. You can choose EVA foam grips or cork or some other material you may like. A trigger grip is often used on a conventional rod because it’s helpful to have something to grip onto when your palming the reel and thumbing the line.

Slow pitch jigging rods will have a split grip. This means that you’ll see something like the EVA at the butt of the rod and on the bottom side of the reel seat. There will be exposed rod blank in between. This is because the rod is often pinched under your armpit when slow pitch jigging and these rods need to be extremely lightweight.

Speed jigging and butterfly jigging rods don’t need to be split grip and in fact, often aren’t. My speed jigging setup is also my bottom fishing setup and has a full EVA grip on the bottom.

Some reel seats can be a high sensitivity, lightweight material, such as Shimano’s Ci4+. This helps anglers feel a soft bite during slow pitch jigging and also keeps weight minimized.

I’m glad you came here to read this article and I’m hopeful it will help you choose the best jigging rod for you. To find a reel to pair it with, check out my article Jigging Reels. Tight lines, y’all!