Here at Johnny Jigs we love all things slow-pitch jigging, which got us to thinking: what advice can we offer our customers that will improve the ergonomics and performance of their slow pitch outfits? Specifically, what slow pitching jigging rod and reel upgrades and mods can we suggest that will improve comfort, leverage, and practicality?
These are the top five we came up with.
Add a Gomexus Power Handle
The single biggest, most impactful upgrade you can make to your slow-pitch jigging outfit is to the reel, and it comes in the form of a Gomexus T-Bar Power Handle.
The Gomexus T-Bar Power Handles we carry here are available in a variety of finishes and are compatible with many spinning and conventional reels, so no matter your tackle, there’s a way to upgrade it.
But it’s the upgrade itself that makes the difference, and the Gomexus T-Bar will massively overhaul the ergonomics and leverage of your reel.
You will be able to fight harder, for longer, and put more pressure on the big fish with a reel, upgraded by a T-Bar Power Handle, and it’s just more comfortable overall for working the jig. Either way, whether you jig for 8 hours or have a big one on for a solid hour of hard fighting, you’ll get fatigued at a less accelerated rate.
Built of tough, corrosion-resistant aluminum, the Gomexus T-Bar Power Handle is low maintenance, easy to care for, and can revolutionize the performance and handling of your favorite slow pitch jigging reel.
Fish longer, fight harder, and swing fish over the rail more easily with one of these power handles, arguably the best upgrade you can make to your slow pitch jigging outfit.
Add a More Comfortable Fighting Butt
Some slow pitch jigging rods already come with comfortable fighting butts, and others come with a butt that sports a gimbal that will secure it in a rod holder without it swiveling or twisting around.
All the same, there are oversized aluminum, foam and cork rod fighting butts that, like a Gomexus Power Handle, can transform the handling and ergonomics of your slow pitching jigging rod.
You’re unlikely to use a fighting butt on a slow pitching jigging rod in conventional fashion, but if you have a fighting belt, you can secure the fighting butt in the belt’s recess and really put the pressure on it to winch in the big fish.
This, paired with an oversized reel handle is a great upgrade you can make and a solid combination.
Add a Hook Keeper
Most rods are going to come with a hook keeper integrated into the design, either in the rod blank exposed by a split grip, or at the front of the fore grip of the rod.
If your rod has an integrated hook keeper, and most do, you can move right past this suggestion. If, however, your rod does not have one, you should seriously think about adding one.
This is not just a feature that is “nice to have.” If your rod doesn’t have a hook keeper and you use the eyelets to store the hooks, you can easily damage your rod. It’s just a matter of time at that point.
For one thing, never use the eyelet insert to secure a hook. Whether it is made of some ceramic or of a steel alloy, you can scratch or break the inserts. If you use the support for the eyelet, that’s a little better, but those supports are not supposed to be load-bearing and over a while they will bend and break, and then your rod will be missing an eyelet anyway.
So do the easy thing and just get a hook keeper for your rod and put it on there rather than hooking your jigs to the eyelets or using the grips as a makeshift hook keeper.
Add a Trigger Cover
Most slow pitch jigging rods have a trigger under the reel seat, which helps increase control and leverage over the rod. There are many ways to position your hand or split your fingers with respect to the trigger, and there’s a lot of flexibility for you to hold the rod that way that works best for you.
However, after a long day of jigging and winching up fish, the trigger can become a hot spot that creates discomfort and potentially even blisters. Yet, you wouldn’t want to part with the advantage that the trigger offers.
Rather, the solution is to enhance the trigger with a trigger cover. These are basically small sleeves that you slip over the trigger that either soften them or make them broader so they don’t rub as aggressively against your fingers.
Just a small upgrade here, but every little bit can potentially help.
Seal Your Cork Grips
Lastly, if your slow pitch jigging rod has cork grips, one of the best things you can do to preserve the cork is to seal them.
Over time, sunlight will damage your cork grips. First they will turn gray, and then they will start to crack and crumble.
The best thing you can do is to keep them sheltered and not leave your rods out in the sun when you are not using them, but other than that, you should clean them after every trip.
Also, applying a cork sealant product to the grips will help protect them from water related damage and may be able to help forestall UV-induced damage as well.
While this upgrade won’t offer a performance enhancement to the rod, or improve ergonomics, it will protect your investment in your fishing tackle.
Shop Rods, Reels and Upgrade Parts Here
Here for some rod and reel upgrades, or just in the market for a new reel or slow pitch jigging rod? Take a closer look through our entire catalog and if you have any questions get in touch with us. We will be more than happy to make personalized recommendations based on what you are looking for.