I realize this subject has been worn out on Crappie.Com but I catch on slow. I'm going to buy an Ozark jig pole. Which one and why? 10 ft. or 11 ft. and why? Where can I find one?
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I realize this subject has been worn out on Crappie.Com but I catch on slow. I'm going to buy an Ozark jig pole. Which one and why? 10 ft. or 11 ft. and why? Where can I find one?
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/arkan...ozark-rod.html
2nd post on the thread above has Don's number. I bought my wife a pink Ozark rod and that is a fine jig pole. My next purchase of a jig pole will be an Ozark.
If I was going to verticle jig I would go with 11'. The 12' is great but a little on the heavy side. If your not verticle jiggin I would go shorter if you cast much. Here I fish most of the time 6 to 10' of water. I seldom cast and can reach brushpiles better. Also like being able to use rod to unhang my jigs. We have two guys on here that sell Ozarks , Conway and MEATGETTER.
Let me know and I can bring both for you to try if you need a fishing partner some day.:fish
I prefer the 11' long handle for vertical jigging. It has a great feel and you can really jerk them out to the brush. I also use an 11' rear seat for shallower water.
11' rear seat works best for me. If I hold my 11' rear seat and 12' poles side by side so that they are balanced, the tips touch. So just figure that you will get an extra foot of reach with a rear seat no matter which length you get as long as you put the right reel on it. Plus they are much lighter.
I use the Ozark 10' rear seat, and for jigging trees and brush piles, I wouldn't trade it for all the longer or shorter rods in the world, or more expensive ones either...... got two more new ones for back up, but been using the one I have for over 3 years........
I sent you a pm call me
I have both, and they each have their place. I use the 11' in open water vertical jigging and the 10' for fishing in tighter places, such as Lake Conway cypress trees. Both are rear reel seats, and I like that. When two poling, those rear reel seats are a little hard to sit on one with a fish on the other. :yikes Forward reel seats are way better for that, plus if you're fishing all day, the extra length down your forearm makes it easier to hold the rod. That's just my opinion. I would certainly go with the Ozark rods though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Possum
x2 and the rear seat is AWWWEsome for jigging. I've got both styles in 10' and CMJ is right, you'll get almost a full foot of extra reach with the rear seat.Quote:
Originally Posted by olesilverside
10 ft rear seat has as much reach as 11 forward. Feels better to me and does work better in tight places with more control. If I fished open water I might feel otherwise.
The 10 foot rear seat Ozark rod is the finest small boat timber jigging pole there is in the world...The 11 foot Ozark Rod is the best larger boat open water brush buster in the world. Both rods have their place on different waters in different boats. I enjoy the lighter 10 foot rod most tho with a lightweight small spinning reel attached. It's like holding a feather throughout the day and sends lightning bolt strikes right up the pole to your hand. The 10 foot rear seat has the perfect mixture of backbone, rod bow, lightness, and sensivetivity. The soild Titanium tip is the bomb for punching and saving your jigs, no rod eyelet popouts...It's the rod I use here on Conway to bring you guys all these great posts... LOL If you love jigging timber your missing out on the 10 foot rear seat reel from Ozark rods. Get ahold of your closest ozark dealer and "Get Ya Some" TurtleMan
I will agree with ski on this one. I like the front seat for counter weight on forearm. I use a 11' and it is very sensitive. I also use the 14' trolling rods and that yellow tip cant be beat. If you have plenty of room to set the hook they are great. If you are limited to hook set room like fishing under docks or inon wood or just that thick stuff wadding you might look at a BnM Brush Cutter. It will break their neck when you set the hook. You cant beat Meatgetter or Conway on the Ozark Rods and Grizzly Jigs for BnM
Ok guys you sold me on the rear seat rods. Now what type of reel?? I fish shallow water and was thinking about using braid. please feel free to give me your input and your opinion. thanks pat:highfive
Any small spinning reel will do , just depends on how much you want to spend, as for braided line I wouldn't use it , I like vicious fluorocarbon in 8-10 lbs strong and very abrasive resistant , also use mr crappie line which is much cheaper but very good line for the money as well
I like baitcasters on my jig poles. They are more compact, easier to strip line and help balance the rod better. This is just my preference tho, I have a quantum Optix 20 spinning reel on one of my 11'ers and it works fine too.Quote:
Originally Posted by waterdog57
X2 on the Mr Crappie hi/vis also. Excellent line for vertical jigging.
Billy I also handle b'n m and hi-tec!!!
I have come to require the zebco t11 spooled with 6 pound fluorescent stren. nice balance and the trigger makes it a snap to pitch a minnow under a slip floater accurately into fishy looking hole that you can't quite reach. They can serve to cast a jig on days when crappie are slow but white bass are schooling. happened to me at midway one day and saved an otherwise crummy day. They are cheap but last me a couple of years or 5 and are worth the 15 bucks. I have used several spinning reels in my days but find the t11 to be about perfect.
Glad they work for you , seldom last a season in my boat. Tried the Shakespeare with same results. I'm now trying open face reels made by Mitchell. I like bait casters but have not found a high quaility small and light enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gomer Snerd
By the way do you need a pile of junk Zebco 11 underslung reels for parts?:twocents
started out with a Mitchell 300 went to several variations of cardinals jumped over to shimanos then t11s. Tried some daiwas went back to t11s. They mainly just serve to hold line for me. Will cast in a pinch. They work for me. Got a few in use that are 6-7 years old. I have at least 5 generations or variations on rods now. Of course you get about 5 times the use on yours since I have a job that requires my being there.
A hint for folks thinking about going into business with a partner. Make sure he has hobbies. Mine only lives to work. No hunting, fishing, golf or anything else. He works all the time. He also expects me to do the same. Even when the carpet business is slow he expects me to be there.I saw a guy interviewed that had met with Warren Buffet to try to get him to partner up. First question Buffet asked"what's our exit strategy?"
I have 2 10 footer and like them a lot ,I have also a 11' and fish with all equal and like them. I almost say if a Ozark not in the boat I stay home
as far as reels go, I been using some little mitchell spinning reel on all my rods, and then I picked up my buddy's pole for some reason and started fishing with it. He uses the little cheap plastic reel made by bnm. With that rear seat 10' er, its perfect . Now lots of follks ain't gonna like em, cause its too much trouble to pull the line, and reel it back it, and what not, but the way I like to fish, with 2-5' of line out most all day, jigging in some old fallen tree top, its perfect! Its light as a feather, and I can save my back for crossing crappie eyes. Its $5 so if ya don't like it, send it to me, and I'll use it. Oh yeah, get you some 6lb mr. crappie hi viz too. Most them reels come prespooled with it now.
I met Conway at the Maumelle city exit off I-430 and picked out a 10 ft. Ozark with rear seat. Wanted to try it out on crappie today but didn't want to deal with whitecaps so I dunked crickets in my boat slip. The first fish was a 2lb. Channel. That was fun!!! Gonna get a buddy and go on a guided trip with Conway later this month.
I prefer the B&M poles but the Ozarks are good too. I'm not much into the longer ones. Clearer water when fish are shallow and spooky, maybe getting your jig loose are about the only pluses I can see to longer poles. My biggest problem with them is they are heavier. I like the light feel of the 10-12' poles at most and their super soft tips. I know guys that swear by poles out to 16' but they can hold them heavy #Y$&#& up all day too! I go with the pleuger spinning reels in about the smallest size they make for less added weight and cause they are super smooth too. Now that being said the last one I got the bail won't stay all the way closed and your line will pile up on one end of the spool???? Don't like that about it but they have super smooth drags. As I've said before on here I like cajun red line in 6LB test too for it's visibility and strength.