Light Slow Pitch Jigging

[sharkman]

Can I upgrade 4600 or 6500 for light slow pitch jigging

[Swami805]

It would depend on how deep and how big the fish are. Should hold enough 20lb braid to fish up to 200'. After that something with a taller spool and higher gear ratio to increase IPT so  it doesn't take so long bringing the jig up. I thinking of rockfish on the west coast.

[sharkman]

What modifications would you recommend

[Swami805]

I upgraded the drags to Greased CF and added new handles I got from eBay, didn't cost much. I put on 20lb yozuri braid   Would be great for jigs up to 100 grams but haven't been on a trip fishing shallow enough for that yet, hopefully this year before it closes

[sharkman]

Thanks for response. I am new to Abu ambassadeur and trying to learn numbering. So I have 4600 and 5600. So they are in 4000 and 5000 series the 600 means push button. So does that mean when ordering part order for 5000? I know there is a 5000 reel. I am going to put new drags in the reel. Does the C4 come with steel main gear if not do they make one. What do you think about frames and level wind delete kits. If keeping level wind are the bearing kits worth investment.

[Swami805]

The numbers are more about the width of the spool in the 4000-6000. The insides are about the same if they're from the same time frame. A 4500C,5500C and 6500C from the same era would be the same inside. Over time the insides change though so it's important to get the right drag washers. I'm far from an expert, there's so many variations, it's very confusing.
Look online for hot rod parts, axios makes some nice stuff as do some others

[jurelometer]

I was vertical jigging for rockfish with a 6500 ambassador and a short bendy bass rod several decades before I knew that was what I was doing was pretty much like slow pitch.  Mostly scampis and swimbaits, but small irons too - and with more or less same jigging strokes as slow pitch. I would use this rig in late season when we would be fishing in 100 feet or less, and I got a lot of grief about my "Snoopy outfit". 

So assuming that your reels have the same guts as my  6500c, they will get the job done, but won't hold up under constant use. The issue is going to be dropping in/out of gear and grinding against weight and current. The fish won't kill the reel.  It is the internal parts and  spindle size that you have to worry about the most.  I don't think the frame is going to be your primary problem. 

With all the jigging motion, it is a pain to pack the line tightly, so I would leave the level-wind on. 

We were talking about the old ambassadors on a recent Zoom call.  I was bragging about that 6500, which  has also caught a sailfish, a couple roosters and dozens of football tuna on a couple trips to Baja and one to Costa Rica.  It has been retired, but still works like new except for all the clanking and grinding noises   

-J