Twitching Jig Rod Question

[Wetswinger]

I'm wanting to get a new twitching rod. Right now I have a cheap Ugly Stix salmon rod. l hate the long handle on the salmon style rods as they get in the way of my body when twitching. What would you all recommend for a good Coho twitching rod. Lengths, power etc. I fish from shore not from a boat. Thanks....

 

[Evan B]

I run a 7'1" baitcaster ML bass rod. Been using that for years and haven't found one I like better. Seems to be the perfect length and action. Even landed about a 30lb chinook bycatch on it last fall somehow.

Here's a VERY girthy coho it bested last fall

 

[Wetswinger]

Nice outfit. I didn't realize a ML was strong enough for Salmon.

 

[Evan B]

Nice outfit. I didn't realize a ML was strong enough for Salmon.

This one is plenty.

Different rod types have different real world power. Kind of like spey vs single hand. A 7wt spey can handle way more than a 7wt single hander.

My tuna jigging rods are all M action Shimano Trevalas, and have plenty of backbone for the job.

 

[ThomasM]

I do a lot of this in the fall as I can literally do it in my backyard. I find a short spinning rod to be much better for twitching jigs all day than baitcasters. I hate spinning reels and this is really the only thing I use them for myself. Most twitching specific commercial rods are one-piece 7'6" - 8' fast action spinning rods.

I have used both Loomis twitching rods extensively (owned by a friend) and they are both great. I pulled in a couple 20lb+ fall kings as bycatch with no problem. I prefer the heavier model in later fall when the water is running high and fast for twitching heavy jigs. https://www.gloomis.com/products/imx-twitch

I own the Lamiglas "The Twitch" and it's OK but doesn't thrill me. Works great with heavier jigs later in the season but I felt the lighter Loomis to be the better rod for lighter jigs. It's my 'loaner' rod for guests. https://www.lamiglas.com/products/infinity-iss-79-mts-the-twitch-obs?variant=58876119435

I also own the NFC/EDGE HSR 760 which is my favorite commercially available twitching rod that I've tried. It's a little heavier than the light Loomis. Rated the same as the Lamiglas but feels better to me. https://edgerods.com/product/bws-hsr-760-1

My absolute favorite twitching rod isn't available any more as far as I can tell. It's a custom by a fellow who used to build custom rods out of Oregon City under the label Eagle Creek/Elite Styx. I've tried to track him down but I don't think he's making rods any more as far as I can tell. Silly marketing aside, he built me a couple super lightweight two-piece rods that were just killer for twitching jigs and handled the accidental fall king too. I broke the tip section on one last season casting under branches so I'm being very careful with my last one. I bought the EDGE to replace the broken rod.

Have fun. Fishing for them with jiggy flies and a one-hander is the most fun but often not possible on my water due to casting constraints (meaning I can't cast worth a damn). Twitching runs a close second.

 

[Evan B]

I do a lot of this in the fall as I can literally do it in my backyard. I find a short spinning rod to be much better for twitching jigs all day than baitcasters. I hate spinning reels and this is really the only thing I use them for myself. Most twitching specific commercial rods are one-piece 7'6" - 8' fast action spinning rods.

I have used both Loomis twitching rods extensively (owned by a friend) and they are both great. I pulled in a couple 20lb+ fall kings as bycatch with no problem. I prefer the heavier model in later fall when the water is running high and fast for twitching heavy jigs. https://www.gloomis.com/products/imx-twitch

I own the Lamiglas "The Twitch" and it's OK but doesn't thrill me. Works great with heavier jigs later in the season but I felt the lighter Loomis to be the better rod for lighter jigs. It's my 'loaner' rod for guests. https://www.lamiglas.com/products/infinity-iss-79-mts-the-twitch-obs?variant=58876119435

I also own the NFC/EDGE HSR 760 which is my favorite commercially available twitching rod that I've tried. It's a little heavier than the light Loomis. Rated the same as the Lamiglas but feels better to me. https://edgerods.com/product/bws-hsr-760-1

My absolute favorite twitching rod isn't available any more as far as I can tell. It's a custom by a fellow who used to build custom rods out of Oregon City under the label Eagle Creek/Elite Styx. I've tried to track him down but I don't think he's making rods any more as far as I can tell. Silly marketing aside, he built me a couple super lightweight two-piece rods that were just killer for twitching jigs and handled the accidental fall king too. I broke the tip section on one last season casting under branches so I'm being very careful with my last one. I bought the EDGE to replace the broken rod.

Have fun. Fishing for them with jiggy flies and a one-hander is the most fun but often not possible on my water due to casting constraints (meaning I can't cast worth a damn). Twitching runs a close second.

Yeah, definitely a preference thing. I've done both spinning and baitcaster for this, and very much prefer the baitcaster. Pretty much my only real use for spinning reels is on a few of my tuna/bottomfish jig rods.

 

[ThomasM]

Yeah, definitely a preference thing. I've done both spinning and baitcaster for this, and very much prefer the baitcaster. Pretty much my only real use for spinning reels is on a few of my tuna/bottomfish jig rods.

Agreed 100%. The twitching action feels better for me with a spinning rod but a 'jillion bass guys use similar action with baitcasters including me growing up in AL/GA bouncing 'rubber worms' across the bottom.

You've got my gears turning - I tend to do a fair amount of 'swing twitching' where there is current with deep lots and being able to slip line with a baitcaster like with a spoon would be a big advantage. I may be rationalizing the need to purchase a new rod and engage in 'retail therapy' as I'm looking out the window at a closed river.

 

[Paige]

I'm 100% baitcaster when it comes to twitching, way more control on the cast to get that jig back in under the we trees, and to stop it when it's headed for that squirrel!

For the rods I like a stiffer tip, been using a Sage gear rod and a Batson rod that's 9' but would like to get something in the 7-7.5 length.

 

[Wetswinger]

Great replies guys, thank you. Do you have any favorite jig patterns? I've found a standard hoochie in all white the most effective from my local beach. I'd like to expand my arsenal and tie up some feather ones but not sure what to do..

 

[Evan B]

Great replies guys, thank you. Do you have any favorite jig patterns? I've found a standard hoochie in all white the most effective from my local beach. I'd like to expand my arsenal and tie up some feather ones but not sure what to do..

A thing that's a color that drops to the bottom and twitches around.

 

[Evan B]

More specifically: Get some jigheads on fleabay, paint them black, purple, whatever, and tie some bunny strips to them.

 

[Stonedfish]

I’m in the spinning rod camp, but definitely a personal preference.
A 4” hootchie skirt over a jig head has killed a number of western wa coho for me.
You can tie in some flash if you’d like underneath to get a flash tail affect.
SF

 

[ThomasM]

More specifically: Get some jigheads on fleabay, paint them black, purple, whatever, and tie some bunny strips to them.

^^^ This. I used to spend waaay too much time tying twitching jigs. Now I put the jig in the vice, lash on a rabbit strip with a tail about the length of the jig, palmer it the rest of the way to the head and tie it off. Done. If I'm feeling inspired, I'll add a piece of flash or two.

My close friend, guide and general fishing savant often just uses a small rubber worm and changes the color out during the day based on some voodoo that I don't understand.

Weight is more important as it gets the jig in front of them. If coho want to bite, they'll bite.

 

[Paige]

Putting a hoochie on a jig head is 5X faster than tying, just say'n!

 

[Aleforme]

I have a Lamiglass X11 7'9" 8/15lb spinning rod. 1/4 to 5/8oz lures. Not the best out there but it has served me pretty well. Seems like it was around $100?
Model LX79MSGH Twitch/Drift.

And I agree on jigs, simple is just a good. Seem like Black and also bright colors work well. I know people use different colors for various conditions but I think in reality it just comes down to placement and whether the fish is in the mood that day.

 

[Creatch’r]

I like a spinning reel for twitching personally. Just feels right on the rivers I fish and how I am generally fishing. That said, I don’t feel like the rod matters a whole lot, my twitching rods are cheap 8’6” okumas and I have several. My father in law has several “twitch specific” rods and I can’t tell a difference honestly but they are shorter and fancier. I gravitate to rods similar in length to fly rods because, well, I use em a lot. It works for me. All I know is I like having several of the same rods/reels/lines with jigs rigged and ready, so if I bust one off or want to change I just set it down and grab another rod and keep sending it without missing a beat. I’d rather have 3 cheap setups then 1 top shelf outfit in that regard. I do tie all my own jigs. Do they work better? Hard to say sometimes? Do I get more satisfaction out of it? Absolutely. They aren’t complicated but they are purposefully built and they catch fish. You can fish one color all day every day and catch fish but sometimes just showing the fish something different drives em absolutely crazy. You won’t know if you don’t try. It takes two minutes to cut and retie a different color and usually 3 casts to see if it made a difference. Even faster if you are just reaching down and grabbing another rod. Worth it IMHO. Too many “I was about to pull the anchor and then….” for me to not be a believer. If you do tie, consider tying some with bucktail. Much different look and profile then bunny or hoochies and they really can crush when the bite isn’t all that hot. No self respecting beach fly fishermen would go to the beach without a stonefish clouser in their box yet no one is twitching one around the river? GTFO!