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Old 01-01-2009, 09:55 AM   #5
taggermike
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chula Vista
Posts: 1,589
There are many fine rods and reels you can use. But keep in mind that yo-yo iron is not finesse fishing in any way. The out fit I have used for years is pretty old school, a 7' all class CalStar. I wrapped this rod a long time ago and I don't remember what blank it's on. It's rated for 40 lb and is stiffer than a normal bait taper. My yo-yo reel is a narrowed Penn 4/0 with a Tiburon conversion kit. The gearing is 4:1. It's a great and very functional out fit but it's very heavy. There are newer reels that will work as well and be easier to use. As for rods I'd recomend some thing in the 6-7 foot range. They should be stiff with decent back bone but not too stiff. That's a bit confusing but on a yo-yo retrieve you're winding away nice and fast so you want a little give in the rod when the fish hits the jig. That's why for iron fishing in general I like glass rods over graphites. For reels you want some thing decent sized, think Penn 4/0 or Diawa SeaLine 40, Trini 30 or 40. Taller, narrower reels are perfered over wider reels usually. Retrieve speed is always a factor in the yo-yo. Reels with bigger spools pull more line per crank than smaller spooled reels. That's why I like the taller 4/0 style at 4:1 enstead of a smaller reel at 6:1. That's me. I've never used spectra for yo-yo mostly for the the same reason I like glass rods, you want some give in the out fit. If you're partial to spectra you might want to use a softer rod. For line I like 40 lb mono. Others may repeat this, because I'm repeating it here, but the most critical aspect of yo-yo fishing and when most fish are lost is on the strike. It's not like bait or plastic fishing. When the fish hits, whether it's a crushing shot or it just gets heavy, just keep winding. Don't stop, don't slow down, and DON'T SWING. Just keep grinding the handle like you're trying to crank the jig out the top of the fish's head. Becasue you are. I hope that helps. Mike
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