Good day:

 

I`ve been doing some research about jerkbait setups so I figured I`d see if there was a rough consensus about what I should be using.  What do you guys think about what kind of rod, reel and line to put together for such a setup? A general purpose setup as I can`t quite justify multiple setups for now.

 

I thank you in advance!

A jerk bait rod is about the most unique in my collection, and while it can do many other things - topwater, spinnerbaits, shallow cranks - it isn't exactly what I'd call general purpose.

I like a shorter rid, with a shirt rear grip in a medium power and x-fast taper. For reels, it simply has to be comfortable to palm. Speed doesn't matter to me.

I use a Saint Croix Avid AC62MXF with either a Zillion or Alphas reel. I like 10# CXX line.

Avid AVC66MF/ Scorpion 1000/ #12 Sunline Super Natural

I like to fish a rod somewhere between 6'8" and 6'10" any longer and I have issues with slapping the water or side of the boat as I work the bait. I work the bait with a straight down snapping action of the rod to impart action on the bait, for this I need a rod with a shorter handle, otherwise the butt end of the rod gets hung up in my heavier cold weather clothing. For power and action of the rod, in depends of the bait, but most baits like the LC 100SP and MB 110 I use a MH / Moderate Fast rod, I like the Moderate Fast action because it is stiff enough to give good action to the bait and get a hookset at the end of a long cast, it is also soft enough that it does not rip hooks out if the fish makes a surge at the boat. I fish jerkbaits on light FC line somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10# test it allows the bait to have the best action IMO. I like a reel with somewhere around 24 IPT as it best fits my style of fishing and allows me to manage the slack line with comfort. I have tried fishing jerkbaits on spinning gear but did not like it at all, I had issues with slack line loops forming in the spool and bad tangles.

A jerk bait rod is about the most unique in my collection, and while it can do many other things - topwater, spinnerbaits, shallow cranks - it isn't exactly what I'd call general purpose.

 

Sorry what I meant by "general purpose" was that it was geared to different kinds of jerkbaits, be they suspending, slow sinking or otherwise.

Sorry what I meant by "general purpose" was that it was geared to different kids of jerkbaits, be they suspending, slow sinking or otherwise.

A nice rod that is under 7ft. Generally 6'6" or smaller. Medium Xtra fast or just Medium fast. Some people use MH xf I am not one of those people.  10# and smaller line. 

A rod that is 66mf can be used for jerkbaits and small crankbaits if you cannt justify buying a 100% dedicated jerkbait rod. 

Legend tournament 68mxf, curado 51e, 10# fluoro or 8-10# mono.

Deja vu. Have a Crucial 6'6" MF baitcaster which I tend to use for jerkbaits. Along with topwater and smaller cranks when at local river. St Croix 6'8" MXF spinning rod is my other jerkbait rod choice. Feels a little stiffer but does good for this technique for me and is used a higher percentage of the time. Use 8# flouro on spinning reel and 10 # rod on Crucial casting rod.

Sorry what I meant by "general purpose" was that it was geared to different kinds of jerkbaits, be they suspending, slow sinking or otherwise.

They're pretty much all fished on the same setup unless you have some really big ones. I'd suggest a 6'6"-6'8" M/F. A St. Croix Avid or Legend Tournament Bass would be a great line to buy from.

Thanks for the assist gents, much appreciated.