Hi my name is PJ Stevko and I'm a new resident to Central Cali (Sequoia National Park) who moved from Florida. I was big into all sorts of fishing in Florida and am hoping to do a little here in Cali.
I'll be fishing from head/party boats and want to get into vertical/yo-yo jigging. I'll only be able to go a couple times a year so spending a lot of $$$ on gear isn't in the cards right now. That being said I picked up a Jigmaster 500 for $10 at a yard sale and sent it to my reel repair guy who said it was in perfect shape and that the drag washers still had a lot of crosshatch on them. I know from checking out this site that there are a bunch of different models and submodels and I was wondering anyone could tell me exactly what model I have?
I was also wondering what upgrades would be necessary to make this into a good reliable vertical/yo-yo jigging reel for rockfish and lingcod?
Thanks for helping out a newbie to the site!
PJ
Looks like your basic solid, reliable, altogether excellent Jigmaster 500... with an aluminum spool, which is perfect. Ten bucks for something that good is a steal. Welcome to CA, and go get 'em! :)
~A~
P.S. Of course you can find ways to spend an almost unlimited amount of $$$$ adding upgrades and bling (Reelhead "Pennicitis"), but it isn't strictly necessary. ;)
I think you will be very happy with your jigmaster 500 for fishing rock cod. Over the last 10 years I have experimented with 10 to 12 different reels, with various gear ratios, for fishing rock cod. The last couple of years I have settled on using a couple of jigmaster 501's. The 501 is a narrow version of your 500.
John
Hi PJ --
The Jigmaster is one of the finest, most dependable reels out there.
Quick change thumbscrew to switch out spools --
4:1 gears
Basic, and proven. The reel that won the West.
There are an almost endless amount of items you could do to this reel -- and nearly an unlimited amount of $$$ you could spend.
If I were getting into Rock Fishing -- this reel would require a complete disassembly, cleaning, new CF & SS drags, new under gear washer, grease the drags with drag grease, grease the inside parts with Shimano or Penn MARINE grade grease, oil, adjust, spool with 30 pound mono -- and that is it. You might find some parts that need to be replaced -- but I doubt it.
There are many tutorials on this site -- and plenty of folks to ask questions of.
As you get more into the reels -- you may decide to do other things to this reel or other reels -- but it is not necessary. This reel will catch plenty of fish with just a service and drag upgrade -- without spending very much money.
Enjoy!
Just my opinions.
Best,
Fred
PJ welcome to mine and Fred's neck of the woods...I have a few jigmaster's in several different forms, there are many modifications you can do to this reel,but if you listen to Fred you will save money and have a very dependable Rock Cod reel. Mine ave caught many fish over the years.You send me a message when you want to go fishing and if I can go I will let you try a few modified jigmaster's..Look at Virg's Landing for the best Central Coast fishing.
Big Tim ;D
(http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/fresnotim/100_2682_zpscc5fb693.jpg) (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/fresnotim/media/100_2682_zpscc5fb693.jpg.html)
Thanks for all the great info. I just got the reel back from my service guy and it cleaned up amazingly well, it looks brand new!
Can these reels be spooled with braid or is there too much of a gap between the spool and housing?
If I wanted to use this reel strictly for vertical jigging, no casting, would it necessary to change out the gears from 4:1 to 5:1?
Sorry for all the newbie questions....
PJ
I would say that it really depends on your reel. I have seen some that the gap between the spool and side plates that you could fit 30# mono between them and others where the gap would allow 6# mono. You would have to gauge it for yourself.
Regarding changing gears out, I personally would stick with 4:1 gear ratio. The amount of line you gain by switching out 4:1 with 5:1 is minimal, and 4:1 is easier to crank with a fish on the other end of the line.
I haven't had problems with JB 60#.
For vertical jigging consider getting a power handle # 24-56 aprox $20 at Scotts looks like Tims handle. The handle is a great improvement over the original and gives you a little more speed if you use the bottom hole the top hole will give you a little more leverage and a little less speed, in any case its much more comfortable to use. Doug
24-56
(https://www.mysticparts.com/Assets/images/pennparts/parts/24_56.jpg)
Here's a link to the 24-56.
https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/24_56handle.aspx (https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/24_56handle.aspx)
All handles that fit the Jigmaster.
https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Handles/TypeA.aspx (https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Handles/TypeA.aspx)
"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"
for central cali coast fishing the handle is a must...4:1 are perfect & 30# mono on that reel will be a non issue... We are restricted to 240' or less water depth, and only a few have the capacity to travel to the base of the restricted Big Sur preserve area where I would use braid an a top shot due to structure. Up north at White Rocks and beyond you want braid and a stiff fast rod to jig thru the current and structure, not for the fish size, just for protection from rocks.
How deep are you fishing for lingcod Tim? We fish them 30'-60' most of the time and I have been using Surfmaster 100 reels, this year a Monofil 25 converted to a 27. Some "offshore" reefs are 90'-125', there I use a 501 or a 60. Deeper, 600'-700' for Pacific halibut I go to my 113HN Tank or a 349H. I should think about selling my collection of 2 speed Avets but I won't.
Lee, everything in 240 or less, the big Lings were 100-240 and some in the shallows as well. We have been so monitored over the last 2 decades or so that you can't even get to the nice 5-10# reds we enjoy so much over the years as the Lings have taken over. Many trips last season we tossed back 7-10# lingcod because limits were reached. Now the fishery opens April 1, a month early and it's possible the limit on Lings will be 3 instead of 2 where in the 80's +/-it was 5 and we thinned them out a bit. I still have hope we can reach an agreement to open the big 500-600' reefes for the big yellow eyes and chilli peppers we used to get
Most of the year we have a 40fa closure too but they open it up for all depth to target butts. We have had zero retention for canaries and yelloweye for years but are getting limited retention on canaries this season. We lost quillbacks and china rockfish and are limited to 3 blues a day starting this year. The biology does not indicate the need for any of this, if I wanted to I could fill the boat with yelloweye.
Have you seen what I do in my spare time?
http://www.oceaned.org/ (http://www.oceaned.org/)
http://oceaned.org/files/Release_Methods.pdf (http://oceaned.org/files/Release_Methods.pdf)
We are trying to get 100% use of barotrauma devices and give them away.
Lingcod responded well to the closer we had, yelloweye take much longer but we do not have a problem with them other than biologists with agendas or political pressure. I could take you to some deep drop offs and rocky humps and we could fill the boat with 10#-15# yelloweye. Canary rockfish are pests that cover the bottom in some places.
we suffer from the department of Fish N Schwarzenegger >:( >:( >:( I'm in favor of the deep release devise too get back at the deep but not enough captains will or can buy into the program, That being said and now a new faction of the native american Indians wants to shut down more fisheries it seems we may be doomed to fight or retreat. I miss those big chilli's and yellow eyes we had .