Choosing a modern ultralight spinning rod - part 2

Content

1. Spinning ultralight
2. Spinning rod length
3. Spinning rod weight
4. Spinning test
5. Line test
6. Spinning rod structure
7. Rating of the best models. The professionals say
8. Video: Fishing with ultralight spinning rod
9. Find out more about the different models. Reviews about spinning rods

Mastering a new fishing method is not always easy. It’s great if there is someone nearby who will tell you about all the subtleties and nuances, but what if there is no such person? In this case, you have to resort to advice “from the Internet”. This material acts as an “assistant”, which contains not only Internet materials, but also the opinions of practicing fishermen and microjig lovers.

Rod length

When choosing any fishing rod, you need to start with its length. Ultralight fishing does not involve long casting, and fishing usually takes place near coastal bushes. The optimal length of the spinning rod will be within 2-2.2 measures. With such a rod, you can easily navigate around various snags and grass, and also move quite comfortably along overgrown banks.

If you plan to fish on large rivers, you can choose a longer blank. It is important to remember that the length of the rod has little effect on casting distance; rather, the length is a matter of ease of handling the tackle.

Spinning ultralight

A spinning rod for microjig fishing is a very delicate tackle, thanks to which fishermen can use ultra-light baits. Ultralight, or as it is briefly called, UL, literally translates as “ultralight”.

Micro baits are more readily attacked by fish, so even on the most unfavorable day for fishing, the probability of catching fish with ultralight is higher. Of course, a fisherman is unlikely to be able to catch a serious trophy with an ultralight spinning rod, but fish up to 4-5 kilograms are quite capable.

In this article, based on the opinion of practicing microjig fishermen, we will learn how to choose the right ultralight spinning rod and what it affects:

• Length;
• Weight;
• Blank test;
• Line test;
• Build.

How to choose?

An ultralight spinning rod is a rod designed for fishing with light baits in the 1–7 gram range. They come in two types: universal and highly specialized. The former are suitable for fishing with any type of bait, using different techniques. The latter are designed for a specific fishing method or type of predator.

For hunting from the shore, when you need to cast ultra-light baits at a distance of over 30 meters, it is advisable to choose a fishing rod with a height of 2.40 meters. Boat fishing involves the use of short ones - from 1.6 to 2.2 meters. They do not restrict the angler’s movement, are lightweight and easy to use. The same “rods” are suitable for close-range fishing.

For infrequent outings with UL or for business trips, you can buy a telescopic spinning rod. It is compact, easily fits into a backpack or travel bag, and is easy to assemble and disassemble. As a rule, these rods are inexpensive and available to any angler.

By cost, all ultralight “rods” are conventionally divided into:

• budgetary;
• mid-price;
• premium or elite.

Beginners often prefer budget fishing rods made in China. Any Chinese spinning rod from a more or less well-known manufacturer allows you to learn the basics of ultralight, in order to then move on to gear of a different level. Inexpensive fishing rods include products from Mikado, Salmo, Bratfishing, Kaida and others.

The bulk of the mid-price and elite segments are made up of Japanese spinning rods. Their quality is far superior to all other products on the market today. The following brands can be distinguished:

• Tenryu;
• Megabass;
• Daiko;
• Major Craft;
• Graphiteleader and others.

They are in high demand among advanced and professional spinning players.

In addition to the spinning rod, we must not forget about the other components of the gear. Perfect balance is the key to success in ultralight fishing. An unbalanced set will only bring disappointment from fishing, since it will not allow you to effectively use ultra-light baits and advanced fishing methods.

Spinning rod weight

• What is this. Weight of spinning rod without reel, cord and bait.
• What is it measured in? In grams.
• Which to choose. Microjig is working with light bait weights, thin lines, and small reels. All this means that the weight of the spinning rod must match the rest of the equipment. In practice, a spinning rod for microjig fishing rarely weighs more than 120-130 grams. There is no ideal value here. As experienced ultralight lovers say, the lighter the better.

Reels for ultralight

When giving preference to one model or another, you need to take into account its weight in order to achieve optimal balance of the gear. So, if the light spinning rod is over 2 m, then a light-weight reel will not work here; you will have to choose heavier versions - with a weight of 200 g. In addition, you should pay attention to such parameters as:

1. Spool size. Since ultra-light spinning rods use thin lines, delicate baits, and the size of prey rarely exceeds 1-1.5 kg, it is optimal to choose a product with a size of 1000–2500. Reels from Daiwa and Shimano have proven themselves the best. For ultralight, a 2000 size spinning reel is perfect, equipped with a low-profile spool oriented towards thin cords. If you plan to hunt a toothy beast, chub, asp, then it is more rational to choose a “meat grinder” 2500, which can withstand the resistance of the treasured trophy.
2. Quality of laying of fishing thread. A reel for a lightweight rod should ideally place a small-diameter thread on the spool, there should be no hints of dips, there should be no humps. If such errors are observed, this will provoke not only the loss of loops, but also the appearance of beards and damage to the cord. A high-quality reel for ultralight is characterized by a smooth operation; during its operation, extraneous sounds and gaps are eliminated.
3. Friction brake. Thanks to the sensitive friction mechanism, which is very fine in adjustment and operation, it is possible to effectively dampen the jerks of the prey during the fishing process, letting the cord loose and preventing it from being damaged. It also prevents the thread from breaking if it gets caught on aquatic vegetation and other obstacles at the bottom of the reservoir. As practice shows: the more expensive the product, the higher the degree of sensitivity of its clutch.
4. Number of installed bearings. The optimal solution is 12 bearings on an ultralight reel.

In order for fishing to be as productive as possible, you should not choose models made of plastic; it is not advisable to save money here. It is better to purchase a high-quality reel from a trusted manufacturer.

Spinning test

• What is this. This is the weight range of lures that the spinning rod “works” comfortably with. It throws easily, you can feel the wiring.
• What is it measured in? The minimum and maximum values ​​are grams.
• Which to choose. Fishing with microjig is an ultra-light type of fishing, which involves using a weight range from 1 to 5 g. Let’s add a couple of grams to the bait. In general, no more than 6-7 g.

Universal ultralight rods

Relatively speaking, the design of ultralight fishing rods may tend toward microjig fishing or twitching with microwobblers. A spinning rod is universal and can be successfully used for fishing using all types of bait. The main condition for the bait is its weight, which should be within the limits of the rod test results. A universal rod requires comfortable fishing for all types of bait.

Rods with a medium-fast action with a test result of 1-7 grams can be considered universal, which is slightly higher than the recommended values. The optimal length, as for all ultralight spinning rods, is 1.8-2.1 meters. In the middle price category, you can easily choose the appropriate fishing rod.

Line test

• What is this. A parameter showing which cords/lines the rod will work comfortably with. If you put a cord thicker than specified, then the spinning rod will break on the hook/pull/fast fish, and the cord will not break, as it should be.
• What is it measured in? Meaning Linetest (from the English. Line test). It is usually indicated in pounds (1 lb = 0.453 kg).
• Which to choose. When fishing with a micro jig, it is best to choose a fishing line or line with a medium tensile strength. This will protect you from breaking the spinning rod while fishing or hooking.

Spinning rod structure

What is this. Bending of a certain part of the form under static load.

What is it measured in? There are three main categories: fast, medium, slow. However, there are also subcategories (slow, medium-slow, medium, fast, super-fast, ultra-fast, etc.)

Which to choose. Let's look at the main categories and find out how to define them.

• Slow parabolic (slow). It bends well along its entire length, from the tip almost to the handle.
• Average (medium or moderate). Bends from the tip to the middle of the rod.
• Fast. Only the tip bends.
• There is another category - ultra-fast. This is a spinning rod that practically does not bend.

The classic ultralight microjig spinning rod is generally recognized as a fast rod with a glued tip.

The spinning rod structure for microjigging is often chosen to be fast - it is a fairly rigid blank and a relatively soft glued-in tip.

Examples of ultra-light spinning rods

Let's take a closer look at two ultralight whips from different price categories.

Maximus Legend Ultras MULSLU18UL

This is an inexpensive plug-type spinning rod, made of composite material, has a test for lures of 1 - 7 grams, and has a fast action. With a length of 1.8 m, its weight is 91 grams.

It is considered a very practical and reliable fishing rod.

FAVORITE Synapse SYS-662UL (16933013)

This is an ultra-light carbon fiber spinning rod. With a length of 1.98 m, it weighs 80 grams. Test 1 – 5 g, its action is medium-fast.

Designed for experienced fishermen.

Rating of the best models. The professionals say

Today on the fishing tackle market there are a large number of spinning rods that are designed for ultralight fishing. At the beginning of the article, we talked about the fact that when choosing a spinning rod for yourself, you need to rely not only on “Internet knowledge”, but also on the advice of real fishermen. We have selected for you several expert opinions on this matter to make your choice of spinning rod as simple as possible.

Evgeniy Edynak (pon4ik666), member of the AngryBeavers team:

— I will build my TOP spinning rods for microjig according to price categories.

In 3rd place I would put Aiko Izabella 3 692ULS.

• Test: 0.7-5 grams
• Length: 2.06 m

At a low price, the spinning rod has good performance. The rod casts light baits well, and the solid tip allows for good control of the bait’s action on the lower test. A good tool for a person who is starting or wants to try microjigging.

In 2nd place I would put the Crazy Fish Ebisu Gold 602SUL spinning rod.

• Test: 0.6-3
• Length 1.83 m

This is the most delicate wand I have ever held and I fell in love with it almost immediately. The spinning rod has a very sensitive tip, which allows you to use ultra-light weights on micro jigs and jigs. Despite its short length, it has very good throwing qualities. The sensitive tip allows you to record the most accurate bites of the perch, the fishing of which is an insane pleasure.

In 1st place I would put the Team Salmo Tioga Small Game 712MF rod.

• Test: 0.4-5
• Length: 2.16 m

To put it in a nutshell, it’s a great rod. First of all, it looks great. Secondly, it shows excellent performance. Unlike the previous ones, this spinning rod has a tubular top, which allows it to be used with various baits. On a microjig, the rod hits the hand with a 3 gram worm bait on a 0.4# line. There is nothing to say about sensitivity when biting, everything is perfectly felt by hand. The only thing is that a skeleton reel seat does not fit everyone’s hand, but this is individual.

Vadim Marochkin (Altezz), member of the AngryBeavers team:

— My rating of good spinning rods for microjig is as follows.

4th place. Norstream Blaze.

I will not indicate a specific model, since I caught two different ones, and you will find other models in the series. The whole point of Blazes is spinning rods with thin tips and a thick butt. Ask why? Fishing with a microjig in conditions of snags, debris on the bottom and “thick fish”. When, after a bite, you can’t give the fish a chance and quickly reel in the fish. Plus, I prefer when the spinning rod is not of one direction, but can cope with something else. In this case, Blazes can, if necessary, be fished with jigs. Yes, it’s not ideal, but sometimes there are situations when it’s necessary. For beginner anglers with a small budget, this is a very good option.

3rd place. Aiko Isabella 3.

Here I’ll point out model 692UL - the youngest in the Isabel line. As the manufacturer points out, the difference from the previous version of Izabella 2 is in the redesigned handle. I didn’t catch the second one, so I can’t compare. But again, as an option for a budget spinning rod for microjigging for a beginner, it’s definitely worth paying attention to! First of all, I paid attention to the casting range - it was on point! According to the so-called sense of smell, a spinning rod can easily detect the fall of a bait weighing one and a half grams, and cautious bites of a perch.

2nd place. Aiko Tirrel 215 UL-S.

I don’t know how relevant this information will be now, Tirrells have been on the market for a long time, and I think everything has been known about them for a long time, but! For me, ultralight fishing began with this spinning rod. And if there seems to be nothing special to say about casting - it’s not a catapult, but it’s not underfoot either, then by “feeling”... It was the only spinning rod at the tip of which I could easily see a Cheburashka weighing 0.8 grams and a small worm fall to the bottom . This has never happened anywhere else with other spinning rods. From time to time I think about finding such a model, even if it’s used for sale, and restoring it in my arsenal. I still recommend it first when asked what to take for this type of fishing.

1 place. The clear leader on my list is the Norstream Provokator 582UL.

A spinning rod that rightfully deserves first place. Despite its rather short length - less than 1.8 meters, I don’t experience any problems with casting. In terms of scent, everything is also great, I always start fishing with two grams and, if necessary, I can go down to a gram + a small bait without problems or loss of quality. Need more weight? 4 grams + bulk bait also goes into the water without any problems. Should I fish with a jig? Not a problem at all for the Provocateur. Very small and stubborn wobblers - and it can handle it! With difficulty, but nevertheless. The only negative I can name is its price - now retail is about 16 thousand.

In general, the list could have been compiled from a much larger number of spinning rods. One simple tip - choose according to your fishing conditions and your budget!

Mikhail Zharov, (Shakespeare), host of the video blog FishingSib.ru:

— I’ve been looking for a microjig rod for quite a long time, from time to time, trying a variety of sticks from the top segment to budget options. Literally, quite recently, I found happiness by closing this question for myself.

As often happens, he closed with two fishing rods, one of which I had not even managed to purchase yet. But having borrowed it for competitions, I managed to understand that microjigging on reservoirs without a current, with a soft bottom - it simply covers me in the best possible way. This is Crazy Fish Ebisu Gold 602SUL.

• Test: 0.6-3 g
• Length 1.83 m

A fishing rod that I first tried on a big river and was disappointed that again I was not holding in my hands what I needed. In addition, my first impression of it was completed by the inserts of the rings, which were so wide during the extra-ultralight modification of the spinning rod that one might think that they were mixed up at the factory, taking those that should be on marine spinning rods, which are required to maintain the friction of the cord with a breaking load 100 kg when landing marlins.

But everything changed, oddly enough, exactly the opposite, after I arrived in the ChSFO in Omsk with the only spinning rod in the form of a CF Ebisu Gold 602SUL. Already during training, I realized that in Novosibirsk I simply did not meet the conditions. On the pond, this fishing rod opened up in a microjig so that I realized that same day that I did not need to further search for a fishing rod for pond and lake perch. This is just what the doctor ordered.

The second spinning rod turned out to be a one-piece Spinning Tict Sram UTR-61 One Lgd.

• Test: 0 - 3.5 g
• Length: 185 cm

I bought this ultralight spinning rod quite recently, mainly, again, for competitions in the format of 1 fish = 1 point, in which, as a rule, perch fishing is relevant. And a competitive bass is either an MJ or a jig.

The conditions of such an extreme event dictated fishing with a jig and the matter never came to Tikt. I didn’t want to experiment that day and took another fishing rod into battle. But after that, I spent several fishing trips with her on the rivers and here again the joyful signal “The search is over” occurred. This is exactly how I imagined its purpose - a fishing rod that, in the best way, covers the best fishing conditions in the current and without it, including in the wind.

Incredibly strict (which is quite a rare occurrence in XUL), weighing 58 grams, super-sensitive, having a very special glued top, in a one-piece design, it works wonders. I think that it is destined to open up during other fishing, but it works in an exemplary manner on rivers, in coastal areas, where traction is often present.

There is some discomfort during transportation, but the plumbing pipe partially resolves this issue.

Thus, after a long time of wandering, with two fishing rods, I completely covered the issue of XUL mj fishing. Sram and Ebisu are what I have been looking for for a long time. It remains to wait until free money appears to put Ebisu in line. And then the search for a fishing rod for a jig will continue...

Find out more about the different models. Reviews about spinning rods

Friends, using our forum, you can find even more information for yourself on the issue of choosing an ultralight spinning rod for microjig.

• Norstream spinning rods
• Spinning rods Graphiteleader
• Aiko spinning rods
• Maximus spinning rods
• Spinning rods Pontoon21
• Evergreen spinning rods
• Ayashi spinning rods (Opus Japan Co., Ltd)
• Spinning rods Favorite
• Spinning rods Black Hole
• Spinning rods Major Craft

Dear fans of #microjig fishing, we hope that all the techniques, facts, secrets and tips described above will help you catch the long-awaited trophy using a spinning rod.

As always, if you have any additions, advice or personal experience, share it in the comments, perhaps it will be useful to beginning spinning players.