I'm looking improve my jerkbait presentation this year and was wondering if any of the veteran jerkbait gurus on this site could help. What type of rod action do I want for this technique? I notice some of the models I've seen for sale are 6'9 or 6'10. Are they shorter so that when you're pointing your rod tip down and jerking it don't hit the water? Also wondering medium or medium hvy, fast or medium tip? Also one more thing, a friend of mine was telling me that instead of harsh jerking, more gently pull a foot or so at a time and pause. What do you guys think?
No guru by any means. Rod will depend on manufacture. I have a couple different brands and they have different action. I have a shimano Crucial rod which is 6' 10" medium fast. However this rod is more like a medium heavy, fast rod made by BPS. Any 6'6" to 7' medium to medium heavy , fast rod will get the job done.
Retrieve depends on water temp and bass mood. The colder the water the more violent the jerk and the longer the pause works for me most times. I have caught them ripping it pretty hard with long pauses, ripping it hard with short pauses twitching it with long and short pauses and then just a long pull and pause. I usually start out with the fastest retrieve and then let the fish tell me if its what they want or not. I then proceed down my lists of retrieves till I find the one they want. I always try these retrieves again throughout the day from time to time to see if it changes or if a different retrieves triggers bigger fish especially if 1 retrieve is working but producing smaller fish.
Cadence is just as important as speed and pauses . My most successful cadence is a jerk, jerk pause, jerk, pause, jerk jerk pause, jerk. Hope this helps.
Retrieve depends on water temp and bass mood. The colder the water the more violent the jerk and the longer the pause works for me most times. I have caught them ripping it pretty hard with long pauses, ripping it hard with short pauses twitching it with long and short pauses and then just a long pull and pause. I usually start out with the fastest retrieve and then let the fish tell me if its what they want or not. I then proceed down my lists of retrieves till I find the one they want. I always try these retrieves again throughout the day from time to time to see if it changes or if a different retrieves triggers bigger fish especially if 1 retrieve is working but producing smaller fish.
Cadence is just as important as speed and pauses . My most successful cadence is a jerk, jerk pause, jerk, pause, jerk jerk pause, jerk. Hope this helps.
I may be the odd man out here but I toss mine, which are usually Husky jerks RC or Erratics, on a 6'6" Spinning rod med light with 10lbs Fireline or 8lbs Floro. Usually Fireline with a Floror leader.
So far so good for me like it better than the Med and Med Heavy Spinning rods I used to use. Like the action I get and the sensitivity.
This rig also doubles as my drop shot rig.
So far so good for me like it better than the Med and Med Heavy Spinning rods I used to use. Like the action I get and the sensitivity.
This rig also doubles as my drop shot rig.
I use a St Croix legend tournament topwater rod 6'9" medium. soft enough in the tip that it can cast a light bait far and it won't pull the bait away from a fish the barely has it. I like to work them with a hard strike and super long pause. when you think you're pausing long enough pause twice as long.
