Now that I've hung it up for the season and can look back on the season as a whole, I've come to realize just how much I enjoyed fishing the canal. I only put in about a dozen trips there, but now I'm fiending to start the learning process in earnest. However, I'm way undergunned for the job, and I want to put together the ultimate canal jigging rig this winter. I've thrown my firend's 1209 and thought it was quite nice. He had an abu 7000 on it, but I've also seen lots of guys out there with the big nautil spinners that look like they know what they're doing.

What would you canal regulars recommend if you to have just one canal jigging set-up?

I'm watching this one closely... especially with the nautil discontinued (?). Would my 4500 baitrunner be a good choice?

Hmmm. Now, I ain't an expert on fishing the Ditch.

Here's what I think so far...

1) Allstar 1209 *conventional* with an Abu 7500 CT Big Game conventional reel (or levelwind counterpart) loaded with 30 lb. fireline. I would use this outfit for throwing heavy jigs in the 4-5-6 ounce range.

2) Allstar 1208 *spinner* with any suitable reel to throw everything under 4 ounces. Just make sure the reel is braid friendly and has an appropriate gear retrieve ratio. I'll just mention the VS 250 as one example of a reel that one might use. I have seen a lot of Mitchell Nautil 7500's out there that will do the job too. 30 lb. fireline is my preference.

-WW

the only thing id change with wee wee's
recommendation for #1 use 50 # spectron braid . Its the best stuff out there for conventionals .

i use a 1209 and a diawa za reel
works for me
1209 lifts a jig very nice and it whips bass good
I think its the best stick for lead so far
other than cutting down a 136 series rod to fit the bill.....

I have two rods that I built 15 years ago before this Nautil and Van stal and 1083 and yada yada yada crap. Both are J. Kennedy Fisher blanks with size 10 tips and all the hutzpah you need. One is ten foot long and one is 9 foot long. I believe the numbers were like 1087 for the ten footer and somethin' close to that for the nine. Both are cork handled with trigger grip Fuji handle and wrapped in NCP with SIC guides. Thats right, CONVENTIONAL! I will never be convinced that a spinning rod is the right choice. It just means to me you never put your heart into learning the intracasies of learning to throw a revolving spool reel. I will concede that braid kicks ass over mono. But the old hand canal rats always used Micron anyway. I know jkf went outa business but someone recently told me someone else had bought the Co. or the dowels and was making the blanks again I don't know if thats true or not maybe one of you could enlighten me as to the validity of this. I do know this though, if I ever broke one I would be devastated. There is nothing close to those blanks around period.

Steve -

I had a heavy jkf conventional - 10 footer if I recall. It was in good condition.

I had a guy drive up from Delaware on a Sunday afternoon to pick it up and paid me a hefty sum (about what you'd pay for a new vs reel) for it in cash - some people want these rods bad!

-B

" , CONVENTIONAL! I will never be convinced that a spinning rod is the right choice. It just means to me you never put your heart into learning the intracasies of learning to throw a revolving spool reel"


Some of us LEFTIES have never been able to throw a conventional set up. It's the equipment - got nothing to do with the " heart".

I thought it was the Elmo socks that were holding you back. :bshake:

Hey JPowers...how does being a lefty affect conventional casting? Seeing that I'm a lefty, I might have just found the root of my problems.

I'll probably end up wrapping a spinner to start, but I have a question regarding casting. I assume everyone is using braid, and I want to know how you can throw 5 oz. and not slice yourself. Do you use one of those breakaway cannons, a glove, or do you just tough it out?

Don, Yep, a cannon, a glove or rubber finger tip or just tough it out, you got it. Just don't get caught in the brush behind you or you will then need to get a cannon.
I'm not convinced that conventional is the only way to go jigging the ditch. I have never been able to lock my drag on my abu big game 7000 but those Nautils sure can lock down, right JP:D
And I get better distance on my spinner than with the conventional so it works in those spots where distance means catching fish or not catching. I don't want to take the time to learn more intracacies, I'd rather spend the time catching fish.

1209 allstar :btu:

A rat who shall be nameless is teaching me the finer points of the ditch, his set up is conventional. Rats love newells and stiff Arra's. Ten feet or more. Not my cup of tea but rats are very good fishermen. Also 30 lbs. mono. I'm into V. S. plenty stong for the ditch, but you get looks from people.

Don C.

I never found a lefty conv reel big enough ( capacitywise) to do the trick. Had two Penn Squidders ( 140L) but they both broke ( free spool crapped out).

On the spinners ,I cut the fingers from a heavy -duty plastic or neoprene dishwashing glove. In three years I've only sliced my finger once when I caught the jig on a rock on the back cast. Yeow!!! That one hurt for a month.

Slip & JP & BM,

I've been contemplating having my buddy build me a 1209 spinner for jigging the Canal. What lenght would you suggest? Or should he build it as it comes out of the package? I'm not familiar with blanks and which ones you should cut down etc.

Currently, I use a 9' conventional but want to use a spinner some more.

Thanks!

Mine are all 10' . Does the trick for me.

I built myself a Arra 1205 conventional on the suggestion of Saltheart and it I used it this season without any problems.
I matched it with a 6500CS Pro Rocket and 50lb Power Pro.
I have been advised that I should try the Spectron but that will cut down on line capacity. I had a 7000 but just didnt feel comfortable with the frame size. So until I get spooled I will use my 6500!
I am in the process of building a Patriot 1209 spinning that will be teamed up with a 7500 Nautil.
This way I will have both spinning and conventional for fishing the canal.
I was never a fan of jigging with a spinning rod when I fished freshwater. I hope I can adapt to it in the salt?

JP> Have you seen the new line of Ambassadeurs that are coming out? Maybe they would be more comfortable for ya?

Ah Slip,you know I love you man but conventional is the way, the light and the truth. Abu 7000's suck, always did. To heavy and too slow and fussy. I got along for years with Shimano GT200's. The reel cost 85.00 bucks and you could lock it down tight. I use a Quantum, that's right, a Quantum Big Iron IR 420CX AND IT HAS A 6.2 to 1 retrieve and you can lock it down. Except for a new set of bearings it never let me down and it and the GT200's sport level winds. Now for distance, a few years ago me and Dave Peros, now Capt. Dave Peros who was with and still writes for OTW, did some field tests in Crane over in Falmouth for the mag and the results were published in May issue 1996 in Dave's column then . We set up a grid out to 500 feet and we tested The shimano Calcutta 700 with and without the level wind and the GT200 and the Big Iron. Guess what all easily achieved 400 feet with my ten foot JKF and a hookless 3.5 OZ Gibbs polaris. I did the casting and the 700 Calcutta was best with a cast of 460 feet, next was the 700 with the levelwind and we only lost 20 feet. The Big Iron and the GT200 tied it up at 420. Not bad if I say so myself. Line was 30lb Big Game mono in green. A guy who knows how to throw one has no problem whatsoever with "casting and being able to catch fish". Also,many manufacturer's make left handed conventional reels. The Calcutta is available in lefty for example as well as Newells and Penn.

I use a arra 1205 with a ABU BG 7000CL with 50 LB spectron. . Very good for the 2 to 4 I usually use. a little weak IMO for the very rare 5. I think the Allstar 1208 fills the same slot for less money.

If I threw 4 to 6 OZ regularly , I would use an arra 126 1 MH or an Allstar 1209. I would still use the BG7000CL reel with50 LB spectron.

I would not use a spinner at the canal myself. Wouldn't even consider it. However , if someone does want to go spinner , i would go with the Arra 126 1MH. I guess I would use 65 lb Whiplash if i could get it. Anyway , thats a mute point for me. The reason i would choose conventional has nothing to do with casting and everything to do with what happens after I hook up.

One thought I always had was that if you really want distance at the canal , I'd throw 5 and 6 OZ jigs using an Allstar 11'9" rod.

Saltheart: " ......what happens after I hook up. "

??????? I don't understand. How's conv a better option after hooking up ?

On a conventional , I control my spool with my thuimb , adding to a drag which is set at the max it will handle without sticking. I never lock down a drag on any reel. I can't control the spool on a spinner with my thumb that way so (maybe some people can) although I do admit that for just a drag alone , the spiiner drags have more area and are better.

The next thing I prefer about conventional when fighting a fish is that the line does not have to make a right turn at the roller guide. Maybe its just my perception based on using a Penn 850 SS for 16 years before I went conventional but that point where the line turns the right angle corner is something I want to keep out of the line that runs to my 80 pound fish (someday) :)

If you ever run into me jigging the Canal, you'll find me with 2 set-ups. A 10' JKF (cut 5" from the butt) for throwing jigs up to about 4 oz and most of the plastic I throw, with a Penn 525 Mag and 65# Whiplash, or an Arra 126 1MH with an Abu 7500C3 and 50# Spectron for the real heavy jigs.

Flap I think the blank numbers on your Fishers are 8720 for the 10' and 8708 for the 9'. I've heard the same rumors about someone buying the mandrels and starting to bring back the blanks soon, but nothing definite as yet.

Pat Abate, who sold me my JKF, says they're very durable because they actually are a graphite/glass composite. Very small amount of glass, just enough to give it more hoop strength.

Of course, when I feel like really going "retro" I can ise either my Lami 121 3M or my Harnell 542 and a squidder with 50# Micron :D

Thanks Mike, I think you are dead on with those numbers.

speaking of canal setups, bruce, do you still have the conventional setup? im still interested. PM me to discuss about the meeting setup

Saltheart,

I completely agree with you on the " right angle - roller guide" thing. I've looked at that Nautil roller guide many times when I've had it in pieces and I don't like how whimpy the whole thing looks - A tiny screw holdin' the thing together in a plastic/graphite housing. Doesn't look like that thing will take a lot of pressure ( especially if ya got Slipknot twangin' on your line while your reeling) - and even a 40#er concentrates a LOT of pressure right at that device.

However, from that roller bearing to the fish's jaw this is what I've got:

1) a palomar knot - braid to swivel.
2) swivel.
3) a clinch knot - swivel to flourocarbon.
4)a clinch knot - flouro to jig.
5) jig hook.

I've broken every one of those connections( except the swivel) at onetime or another on a fish. Roller guide hasn't exploded YET. But it did cross my mind while I was haulin' in a couple fish.

Uh, Slip, just out of curiosity...what did you catch your 40 lber on?

Spinning or convench?

-B

I think our boy was ridin' a Nautil. ;)

But he wasn't wearing Elmo socks...

NO. But much worse. Did you see those cutoffs he was wearing ?

Yikes ! :D

Bruce in cutoffs? :err:

Slip should have played the lottery the night he got the 40 pounder.

last minute change of spots.
Jig tied directly to the braid , no leader.
first cast in that spot !........BAM

Good thing he was wearing the shorts or he'd have never gotten the lucky horseshoe out of his butt after landing the fish!!

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy though! :)


Anyway , my honest opinion on canal rigs is that as a beginner you should follow other peoples advice. After you've done it for a fe wseasons , you'll develop your own style and get equipment that best matches up to that style.

JPowers , I still tie the braid right to the leader. no swivel. Only thing that I changed since we played knot tying school under the light at pole 20 about 6 years ago is that i can no longer tie an albright without great difficulty. Stopped being able to cinch them Albrights down properly after I broke my index finger inside the reel spool trying to break free of a bottom snag a few years ago. Sometimes I still do it but mostly now its the opposing uniknots. So now I use opposing uniknots for the braid to my 50 or 60 LB Ande leader and tie a uniknot at the jig.



I still believe the absolute best way is to bimini the leader to the braid and polamar the jig to the leader. No swivels , etc. Drawback there is I'd be breaking off the snags in the braid all night instead of at the jig knot or leader knot. But If were going to hang from an airplane on the rig from 10,000 feet , that's how I'd tie it.

Oh BTW , for those who use the 50 LB spectron. Have you noticed the new "improved" (yeah right!) cortland spectron with the clear plastic fiber running through it now is no where near as good as the old cortland spectron was? Huge difference now in casting and a very big drop in strength/toughness performance. I still use it but as they say "the don't make it like they used to"!

Originally posted by Saltheart
...JPowers , I still tie the braid right to the leader. no swivel. Only thing that I changed since we played knot tying school under the light at pole 20 about 6 years ago is that i can no longer tie an albright without great difficulty. ...

Saltheart, either you have held a lot of knot tying lessons under that pole, or youv'e confused JPowers with ScottB. The memory is the first to go, they say! ;)

BTW how long has the new Spectron been out? I have not had to change mine in a while, but I suppose I will have to for next year.

You would be amozed how often i give all kinds of lessons under that light Scott. And no i'm not confusing you and Jim. He wears pretty shirts! :)

Hey Don
I have that exact set up u are talking about

there is no perfect Canal setup you need highly specilazed equipment and how could you make 12 trips to the canal in one season I cant stay away

Great---first they screw up Whiplash, now Spectron :wall:

Yeah , no kidding Mike.

I spool up a couple of reels this year with the New Spectron and have nothing but trouble. I start playing with the spool tension etc but still just tons of trouble. i loose more line in a month than i had in two years before. so finally i need a refill . I didn't have any more of the new stuff or anything new for that matter so i take the line off a cod reel i had spooled two years before with the original spectron but never used. All of a sudden everything is back to normal and I can open uop the reel again and I go back to breaking at the jig or leader knot when snagged.


What kills me is that we already pay about $25 bucks for a reel full. If they had to Raise the prise to $26 who cares?/ Instead , they do some cost reduction which saves them about 50 cents and totally changes the product for the worse.

So the net result is I can't buy my favorite line anymore (original Spectron) and I can't put it on my favorite reel anymore (BG 7000CL) I just can't figure out what these people are thinking!! :confused: