The best length for a proper rod for our application is between 6 and 6 1/2 feet. The visible base of the rod should be between 3/8" and 5/16".

Pick up the rod you are interested in purchasing and whip it from side to side. There should be no bending in the rod. That's right, it should stay completely stiff. But, don't worry, when you get a fish on you will get plenty of action to fight it. This great action is build into the rod , and remember you are buying a small diameter rod, not a casting outfit.

There are several reasons why you want such a stiff rod. The most important is FEELING. With a stiff rod that is much more sensitive, you can feel the bottom better and you can even feel the fish inhale your jig. If you were to walk blind folded through a room full of obstacles, you would find it much easier to feel your way through the room with a stick or cane rather than with a weight tied onto a string. You would 'sense' better with the stiffer aid just as you can sense fish better with a stiffer rod.

When fishing for crappies, you should use a matched reel that is rated for about 100 yards of 10 lb. line. The heavier the line, the more sensitive it is. However, I recommend using 6 lb line because it is easier handle with 1/32oz, 1/16oz and 1/8oz jigs. You may want to back your line with a braided line, then put about 70 to 100 feet of your "leader" line on top. You won't have to use so much of your 6 lb. line when you change your line (changing your line should be done at least every 10 times you use your rod, as sun, water, and line stretch will weaken it).

Probably the most important piece of fishing equipment you should invest in is your rod. Your rods can be likened to an artist's paint brushes -- the right brushis used for the right job. Or use the surgeon's instruments (what a grand selection) as another example -- the right instrument for the right job. It's important to realize that each type of rod is made for a specific purpose. Using the wrong rod for the wrong purpose will greatly hinder your ability to maximize your fish-catching potential.

I also recommend a high-visibility line, like Berkley Tri Max. High-vis' line is necessary for line watching, an important factor in jig fishing (we will cover line watching in the following articles on Jigs).

Another important factor to consider when choosing a rod is the speed at which a crappie, walleye, bass, etc. can spit out a jig or live bait: I would say as fast as a 1/4 of a second. Fast. Real fast! Whether you are using a vertical presentation or a falling jig presentation when fishing, it's important to remember that a fast action rod will catch twice as many fish than a metabolic rod. A metabolic rod must be lifted two to three feet in order to set the hook But a fast action rod requires only a wrist-snap to raise the tip one to three inches. Therefore your hook will set ten times faster, enabling you to catch 50% more of the fish that take your jig. I have showed this presentation to several fishermen and they couldn't believe how it increased there fish-catching percentage.