Starting Vertical Jigging-equipment?

[Lazaros Tsenesidis]

Dear all

I am thinking to make a start in vertical jigging, up to now i have been doing only shore jigging.

The equipment i am thinking to buy in order to start are the following:

Reel: Shimano Twin Power 8000PG SW

Rod: Xzoga Taka-Si 6615 L:6' 6",  action:FAST, PE 5, max drag:12 KG, ideal drag: 4-6 KG, jig weight:   Max 350g.

I would like to have your comments and your suggestions from your experience, in oder to help me to start.

[Sam Colvin]

Depending on what your jigging for will determine your outfit.

The SW Twinpowers are a great reel, and have the drag capacity of running up to PE6 lines quite sufficiently. For the extra $100 or so you may be better off with a Stella for the long run.

As for the rod, the Xzoga's are a good valued rod. The model your looking at is a touch long for vertical mechanical jigging. For the heavy line classes i run a maximum length of 5'4" (Preferably around the 5'0 - 5'2"). You'll find it much easier jigging the heavy jigs and controlling fish with a shorter rod. I field tested the Xzoga's a few years back and was quite impressed with a few of their rod, so no doubt they will have something in there range that will suite.

[Lazaros Tsenesidis]

My target group is tunas and amberjacks

So you think that the 8000 series is good enough for a starter like me on vertical jigging.

Do you have any other recommendations on rod and reel, keep in mind i am working on a limited budget.

[Andrew Pennisi]

I use the xzoga 500g rod and really like it. I would be looking at a shorter modle for jigging but they do have a wide range so there will be somthing that suits. Make sue you go in to a shop and have a feel and load one up. I run mine with a bigger Stella and personally if you can I would pay the extra and get the Stella     

[Mark Harris]

Where in the world are you Lazaros?

Budget depends on location with large variances in the same products around the world.

Twinpower 8000 pg is a nice reel for sure and has enough capacity for PE5 jigging.

Xzogas are good value functional rods in their price range as are Shimano Jigwrex in theirs. The Xxoga model you mention is too long for mechanical jigging though - limit your search to max 5 ft 5 ins would be my advice.

Upping the budget to mid-range, you will find a lot of fans of the Smith AMJ series. The AMJ S56M would pair well with an 8000 pg. Depending on where you are in the world you might find a really good deal on one of these.

Given your comments about budget, I will not bother with higher end options that that .

[Lazaros Tsenesidis]

Hi again

Originally i come from Greece but the past years i live all around the world, at the present i am in East Asia and more specifically  in south Korea.

I ll visit Japan in March so i need to collect info and advances about the equipment i need to buy so i can have a look in Japanese shops also.

I am thinking to go for a jigging trip while i ll be in Fukuoka Japan and test my new gear, i dream about that long time now.

Thanks for the advances guys means a lot to me 

[Chris Webster]

Mate spend the extra $$$$ and get a Stella (or a Saltiga if you like Daiwa's).

I would reccommend you get a Jigging Master Power Spell jigging rod (weight depending on target/s). You cant go wrong in my opinion (it only an opinion guys...... don't hammer me to hard for saying that). It has an awesome parabolic action or if your boat has high gunwhales you could consider the Jigging Master Three Kings as it has a faster action to get over the sides.

Cheers,

Chris

[Damian Fantozzi]

here is Alan Hawks comparison of the twinpower vs Stella SW
There is a world of difference between TPSW and STLSW

1) The gearing of the STL is a cold forged drive gear with bronze surface treatment and a hardened stainless steel pinion. TP has the same drive gear but without the surface treatment, and a brass pinion.

2) Stella's gearing and internal parts and rotor are fitted to the main body that has the reel's stem as an integral part (12383). then the side cover is is screwed on. On TP, the parts and rotor are attached to a gear box (13327) that is separate from the part that carries the reel's stem (13313), before they are screwed together. Needless to say that the Stella's design is way stronger and more reliable.

3) The missing bearing in the nut of the TP is responsible for the floating shaft, which is a feature reducing friction between the rotor and the shaft. It means nothing when you are winding the handle freely, but when you reel under load the difference is obvious in more torque and smoother action in case of the STL.

4) The line roller of the STL has a unique anti-scratch black coating that the TP lacks.

5) The anti-reverse clutch of the TP is the old style used in 1998 Stella F. The one in the STL is far superior.

6) In STL, the screw in cap (12355) provides better protection against water and an added lock to keep the pinion assembly in place if a massive pull was delivered to the rotor. In TP the whole assembly is held only by three screws.

[Lazaros Tsenesidis]

Thank you all very must it means a lot to me since i am a beginner on this fishing technique

Best regards to all
Lazaros

[Kasey Leong]

Lazaros,

You should be able to find alot more reputable and better built rods in South Korea and Japan than the heavy and over-hyped Xzoga's. Majorcraft are one, and Golden Mean are another that do medium-heavy jig rods for very good value. I'm sure if you looked around you could find many more.

Kasey