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In my other articles, I've talked about the different types of jigs and their actions, water clarity, and places you'd throw them. Now I'd like to talk more about the equipment.
When I'm throwing a compact 3/8-ounce finesse-type jig around clear water, the line that I throw the most is a 15-pound fluorocarbon. I really like the Seaguar Tatsu and InvizX lines. For a rod, I really like to use the Team Lew's Signature Series Mark Rose Jig Worm Rod. Several years ago, the folks at Lew's got with some of their pro staff to create some technique-specific rods. These would be rods with good action that are very universal. The Mark Rose Jig Worm Rod is a 7'2" heavy action rod and, in my opinion, it's the perfect all-around jig rod. I can throw anything from a quarter ounce up to a one-ounce football jig with this one rod, and I can throw anywhere from 12-pound up to 25-pound line. Very rarely do I go above 22-pound Seaguar Tatsu, and 15 and 17 are my preferred jig sizes. I'll often throw 20 when I'm throwing a pitch and jig around clear water, but I throw braid a lot of times too.
I recently fished a tournament where I was towing 50-pound braid and throwing a half-ounce jig. I really like braid when I'm around vegetation. Vegetation is the one time that I throw braid almost exclusively. There are times when I'm around vegetation offshore and I'm not around reeds or pads. In those circumstances, I will throw fluorocarbon. Otherwise, if I'm fishing shallow, I'll throw a braid. 50-pound Smackdown is my preferred.
A 7' to 7'5" heavy action rod is a good all-around jig rod. 15 and 17-size jigs are staples in my jig lineup. The 15 is more on the finesse side, and the 17 is more of an all-purpose jig. A size 20 jig is my third choice. I throw it a lot also, but 17 is my preferred size. You can throw just about every jig that we've talked about on the Team Lew's Signature Series Mark Rose jig worm rod, available from MidwayUSA.
--Mark Rose
