I'm building a jigging rod from a RodGeeks composite 7'9". I am just looking on what a good guide would be. Most of my tackle is light and this will be the first heavy rod I've built. Probably going to Jig 2-3oz spoons and an occasional live fish. This will be a cast rod with a spiral wrap. My goal would be a very large rockfish or blue in the chesapeake bay. I will probably use braid all the time.

Which model Rod Geeks?

I fish the lower Chesapeake for Rock Cobia, and Bull Reds and I would recommend the American Tackle Virtus series. NIRLVH's or NIRLVL's Either will work, the LVL's are a tick lighter, but both will perform well with technique you described.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2017 11:50AM by Capt. Craig Freeman.

Last year I built a Rod Geeks XC733 spiral wrapped to use with an Okuma 350 low profile level line baitcaster. I used an Alps XN 16 for the first guide then went to 2 MXN 10s for transitions to size 8mm runners and tip top. With a level line reel I had to offset the 16 to the opposite direction of the spiral so the reel can lay the line evenly. I can still use a reel without the level line with this setup. If you are using a bigger reel you may want to use a 20 for the first guide.I like these guides for the $ with 316 stainless steel as well as the American Tackle that Capt Craig recommends. I did see the new E finish from Fuji at the expo and it looks great . They said it is much more corrosion resistant than there polished stainless. That in MN frame with Alconite rings would do very well too once it hits the market.

Hello John.

I'm with Capt. Craig on this one, I use the LVL's (Only Recommended for 20-60#) on Bottom Rods, like my Seeker GTS 60XH, 50-100#, (I know but I have brought in some real big fish using the L's) Wrapped in a simple spiral.
I guess the biggest fish I caught with it was about a 250# Thresher Shark, that's about 12' long IF you count that long tail.

So trust me the l's will be heavy enough for what you are doing.

Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

The rod blank is an SG79HM. When I was at the rod show, I ask if they had any of the composite rods, and this is what he showed me. Probably a misunderstanding, but it still should be a good rod. I will check out the LVL's, thanks a bunch.

Yeah they are a composite ,mainly s glass with carbon in the butt to give power while saving weight. Very nice rod blanks. I am wanting to build some of the xh versions for big catfish.