Mainstream
jig blank design has predominantly focused on the ability of a blank to power
lift a certain amount of dead weight.
Invariably,
competition between blank manufacturers to come up with the strongest possible
blank to line rating have resulted in jig blanks being built on thinner
diameter mandrels with increasing wall thicknesses to resist hoop compression.
The draw
back with jig rods built with such blanks is that they are not only heavy, but
also insensitive in the hands of the angler. In the long term, these blanks end
up taking the pleasure out of jigging when the novelty of having the strongest
blank has lost its shine.
UFM on the other hand, have never
quite subscribed to this trend.
They have
been in the business of rod manufacturing for more than 60 years and are one of
the oldest fishing tackle companies in Japan.
UFM’s rod
design philosophy (and in particular, the thought process that has gone into
their Power Plus Jerking Stick Extra
jig rod range which debuted in 2010) has never been about dead lift stats.
Rather,
their design philosophy has always been and will always be about ensuring that
anglers derive the maximum amount of long-term fishing pleasure with their UFM
rods.
On this
note, UFM are renown for manufacturing incredibly lightweight purpose built
ultra sensitive rods from the best components and materials that the market has
to offer. They will work with the inherent strength of the materials they use
to get the best action out of their rods even if unconventional with current
jig rod building methodology.
All UFM Power Plus Jerking Stick Extra rods are on built with 40t solid
carbon fibre blanks, using Fuji Titanium K-Series SIC guides mounted on the
opposite side of the blank’s effective spine.
The
collective effect of UFM’s choice of materials, components and design for their
Power Plus Jerking Stick Extra jig
rods, will ensure these rods will come with a fast action and better natural
lifting power with less energy being expended when working a jig.
Caveat Emptor!
In the
pursuit of their design philosophy of ensuring maximum usable pleasure, UFM are
willing to strip away as much redundancy as they possibly can from their rod
designs to meeting their objective, even if it compromises on dead lift
strength and fancy eye-candy thread art.
UFM is
perhaps not for every angler.
It
requires skill and maturity to see past the stats and the veneer.
For those who possess these
attributes, maximum long-term pleasure is a guarantee with every UFM rod.
