Hi I am new on the site but have been fishing since I was 5. just starting getting serious and bought a "all-star su 1209". I have heard it is a great rod and Im planning on using it to jig the cape cod canal. I have a "gsb 120 1m" lamiglas with a Diawa Emblem Pro 5000 spinning for the canal. It can throw small jigs but I need something to throw bigger ones, hence the 1209 ;) With my new rod I don't know whether to go with a conventional or spinning. Even if I did know what kind of reel to go with I don't know what kind to go with, i.e. Van Staal or another daiwa emblem.:conf: All I am asking is for your opinion. and what you would use for a reel on this beast

Thanks

canalboy

Welcome to the site, Canalboy. I'm not trying to be a smart alec, but is the rod a spinning rod or a conventional set up? That should help you with your answer.

Actually I have to have the rod customized. I don't know what to have it customized too. I forgot to add that. Sorry.

Definately conventional for the ditch & heavy stuff! :fishslap:

if you're jigging it might as well be a convench w/ an abu7000cl

Believe it or not, most of the pro Canal jiggers now use heavy duty spinning reels, like the Van Staal 275 and the Daiwa Saltiga 6000-Z, on their 1209s.

Having both a spinning and converntional built on that blank, I can tell you that it is much more difficult to load the 1209 for a decent cast when you use a conventional. The rod is very stiff and hard to load effectively--a "snap cast" works best and that is very difficult with a conventional--a snap cast is a prescription for a backlash on conventional.

The drags on those two reels will absolutely smoke most conventionals--especially an Abu.

If you think that a spinning reel can't match a conventional for distance--come down to the Canal and watch Slipknot one night. There isn't a guy this side of Ron Arra who can throw a 5 oz jig on a conventional as far as Bruce can on his 1209/Saltiga combo.

10 years ago, the breakdown among reels with Canal sharpies was, 90% conventional, 10% spinning. With the advent of braid, and the better performing/casting spinning reels of the last decade, the breakdown right now is about 65% spinning, 35% conventional.

Trust me on this--you will not enjoy throwing a 3 oz jig with your 1209 set up as a conventional. 5 oz and up, fine.

Thanks Mike. I think I will go with spinning. I rather not explore the new turf of conventional till I can put aside alot of time for practice. Thanks to you guys who put input to my decision but I have made my choice. Spinning it is and probably with the Van Staal 275.:thanks:

good decision ^

If you can afford a $600 spinner , that will work and be a lot easier. If not , go with a $150 to $200 conventional. A cheap spinner will not cut it.

Go with spinning.

Believe it or not, most of the pro Canal jiggers now use heavy duty spinning reels, like the Van Staal 275 and the Daiwa Saltiga 6000-Z, on their 1209s.


If you think that a spinning reel can't match a conventional for distance--come down to the Canal and watch Slipknot one night. There isn't a guy this side of Ron Arra who can throw a 5 oz jig on a conventional as far as Bruce can on his 1209/Saltiga combo.

Good advice. I've been using spinning more and more with stuff up to 3.5 oz. Still using conventional above 3.5. One of the guys I fish with regularly is considering a saltiga 6000 for heavier stuff. He's my guinea pig for full fledged spinning. If I could only have one rod to jig with it would be a spinner. There is no longer any advantage to conventional as far as distance goes.
I just need one of those Michael Jackson gloves you guys wear and I'll look like a real canal pro..:hee:

Mike P - quote:

"... come down to the Canal and watch Slipknot one night. "

But don't stand too close. Scary as hell when he launches one. Even scarier to hear that 1209 whistling by in the dark - whooooosh!

CBOY If you want to try a conventional rod to see how you like it give me a pm

Mike P - quote:

"... come down to the Canal and watch Slipknot one night. "

But don't stand too close. Scary as hell when he launches one. Even scarier to hear that 1209 whistling by in the dark - whooooosh!

:eek:

go with a good spinner . that rod is a beast and like mike said is better for casting a spinner . And if your not good at a conventional you will end up with birdsnests too often .

Hey JP your no slouch yourself when it comes to gorilla jigging .

All roads just keep leading me back to spinning....:kewl:

Although my calcutta 400 got a workout throwing eels to dinks this past weekend.:crying:

Jim, stand to my left

Mike, I get it out there where the fish are, it's when the line is no longer attached that it might compare to close to a Ron Arra cast. I do OK with conventional too, 4 oz cripple herring with a 1205 xra .

canalboy, you'll do fine with spinning, try the breakaway cannon release thing instead of a glove, you might like it better once you're used to it. good luck

ditch, you say 65% of canal jiggers use spinning reels now adays. most of the guys i see are still using conventional...

Mike P - quote:

"... come down to the Canal and watch Slipknot one night. "

But don't stand too close. Scary as hell when he launches one. Even scarier to hear that 1209 whistling by in the dark - whooooosh!

I can tell you what's even scarier--fishing across from him, knowing he's there, and hearing "CRAAAAACCCCKKKK":eek: :err:

I give that a solid 8 on the 1 to 10 "Oh, %$%$%$%$" scale". :humpty:

I'll throw in a shameless plug for Conventional. I fish/have fished both, and generally like fishing with a conventional better. Obviously just personal preference, but I would at least give it a try before you make up your mind.

Granted, since you have already purchased a blank, you might be best with a spinning setup if thats what that blank performs best with.

Slipknot - quote:

" Jim, stand to my left "

Tried that - Still scary. ( besides, you strummed on my line from that side once) :spin:


Mike P confirmation on scary factor.

Just adding to all of the above info - and I'm not a Ditch regular. There is a learning curve to conventional and tossing 5 ounce jigs AND learning conventional with braid might be a good way to wreck your line, injure a finger, trash a reel and loose some jigs. Stick with the spinner for now but pickup a nice 9' stick and conventional down the road some point with an Abu C4 or equivalent to see if you like conventional. You can try it out on other fishing trips. No sense getting all this gear and breaking down and NOT being able to fish as you learn to fish conventional. Believe me as I learned the hard way picking more than my share of backlashes instead of listening to those that knew better than I did.

Thanks for all the input. I think that I am really going to go with spinning with a Van Staal 275. Maybe down the road I will try out conventional and if I am good at it I will get a nice blank and customize it to conventional. Thanks again.:grins:

I've definitely noticed a surge of spinning reels in the ditch in the past few years. I am guilty of using a penn squidder conventional on an old 10" harnell blank. Nothing like the 1 to 1 ratio of a squidder. Have been straying away from that though, as I have an 8 ft All Star paired with an Abu 7000 I use with light jigs now 1.5-3oz. There is still a place in my heart for the harnell and 3-5oz. canal jigs. Normally tip my jigs with a red pork rind, but have had success with white sluggos and chartruese curly tail grubs. Go with the spinner though, especially if you want to use braid. Would love to have a VS myself....lil jealous.