The Japanese use a numbering system called "gouw" that they used to size silk thread by its diameter many years ago. They transferred that same sizing system to monofilament and now braided line.

PE is an abbreviation for Poly Ethylene which is what braided Dyneema or Spectra is made from.  A simple way of determining PE ratings is to simply multiply the PE number x 10 to get LB strenght.  e.g. PE5 = 50lb approx.  But you will always have some braid makers whose PE5 breaks well above the nominal 50lb.  YGK Ultra is a good example where its

PE5 = 86lb, PE8 = 113lb!   Apart from being very smooth it is very strong for its diameter and expensive to match. 

 

All/most Japanese rods & reels are rated for PE line.  The confusing thing is that the PE rating is very much the line diameter - not strenght.  So a jig rod may have a rating of PE3-7, just whose line?  It might be 30 -70lb of a regular braid or 62 - 100lb of another.

Caution must be taken when matching a rod to PE line, its published PE rating should be taken as being the lighter of the 2 examples above. 

 

The rod PE rating is a useful guide of the workable braid size/strenght for it but use the x10 rule in working out the braid strenght for you.  This PE rating is not related to the rod's lifting prowess.  This is a totally different thing altogther.

 

The Asian jig masters like to boast of super high levels of rod lifting power.  Obviously high lifting power and strenght is highly desireable in any rod but jigging rods need more that that - they need to jig and fight comfortably.  The Japanese prefer their rods to be very thin and light so that the use of graphite is mandatory in such rods.  Unfortunately graphite is a material that resists bending so the Japanese rod makers developed an "elastic graphite" which is almost contradictory since graphite resists bending.  The use of elastic graphite in jig rods means that the rods can now be built very thin with all the best qualities of being - parabolic, light weight and very strong!  Few non-Japanese rod makers can emulate the light weight, stenght, curvatures of the Japanese graphite rod and this is exemplified in the obscene dry lift tests that Jigging Master put their rods through.   Imagine a rod that is similar to a regular 6kg snapper rod being able to lift over 30kg?  Almost unbelievable!  But now this technology exists and jiggers here are enjoying all the benefits of their JM rods. 

In the smaller line classes to 50lb YGK have 'Nitlon', another top class PE braid like the 'Jigman' and 'Ultra Jigman', not a big fan of the 'Pro Hunter' which is a YGK 4X budget line.

Cam and I are still using some 4yo Jigman 70 and 80lb. 

 

YGK Comparison chart:

 

 

Thanks SJ pretty much what I was getting at