Good range of replies - thank you ! I look to use Smithwick Rogue , Rapala X-Rap and Shadow Rap jerkbaits that dive / suspend no deeper than 4' or so . 

Alx zolo jerkbait/alphas ct sv/20lb berkley x9 

I had been throwing them on a Dobyns Fury 704CB but just picked up a Lews KVD 6-8” jerk bait rod and love it. Short handle, light, fast tip with a lot of backbone. And pretty inexpensive at about $130. 
Reel is an old Citica with 12# big game. 

Anyone have the XXX Oneten or Black Elseil II?

Main set-up is a 6'11"medium+ Shimano Poison Adrena with a Shimano Chronarch MGL.

 

If I have 2 jerkbaits tied on at the same time, my other set-up is the 6'11" Megabass Levante Jerkbait Special with a 13 Fishing Concept C.

 

Line is 10# or 12# Sniper fluoro. 

6'6 medium daiwa tatula rod paired with a tatula ct 6.3.1 reel and 12lb fluoro

6'11 M/F Megabass Levante Jerkbait special with a Shimano SLX MGL 7.2 with Sunline Supernatural or a Copoly line on it. 

 

I also run a spinning setup about half the time I'm throwing a jerkbait, it just depends on the application. The Levante is good at what it does though. I also use it for spooks and lipless crankbaits. Yet to find a setup that can launch a MB 110 farther than this one. 

My main one is a 6' 9" MH/F Okuma TCS with a 6.3:1 Daiwa Fuego SV with 10lb Sufix Advanced mono.

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

My main one is a 6' 9" MH/F Okuma TCS with a 6.3:1 Daiwa Fuego SV with 10lb Sufix Advanced mono.

hmmm... tell me about this rod's power, action and taper to the tip.  My first thought is a MH rod would be too stiff to load with a Pointer 78, but I like the idea of more control of a 4lb smallie than the M power rods I've been using.

 

oe

19 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

hmmm... tell me about this rod's power, action and taper to the tip.  My first thought is a MH rod would be too stiff to load with a Pointer 78, but I like the idea of more control of a 4lb smallie than the M power rods I've been using.

 

oe

I misspoke I guess. It's actually a MH/MF. I fish 78 pointers on it no problem up to SK 300s. I would say that the MH rating is heavier than what it fishes like. It fishes much more like a M/MF and it's specs reflect that (10-17lb test and 1/8-3/4oz).

 

It handles big fish very nicely as it does have a good backbone that kicks in about 1/3 of the way down the rod. 

13 Fishing Medium Fast action rods have been an absolute pleasure for me, I started with a 6'7" MF Fate Chrome.  That rod now handles close topwater applications.  I upgraded my jerkbait setup to a 6'7" MF Muse Black and a 7 3:1 Daiwa Tatula 100.  Most of the spool is braid to keep it light, but then I keep a fresh topshot of 10-12# fluoro on it.

 

The 13 rods have enough backbone to really snap the bait but load up well enough to absorb the fight on #6 hooks.

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I misspoke I guess. It's actually a MH/MF. I fish 78 pointers on it no problem up to SK 300s. I would say that the MH rating is heavier than what it fishes like. It fishes much more like a M/MF and it's specs reflect that (10-17lb test and 1/8-3/4oz).

 

It handles big fish very nicely as it does have a good backbone that kicks in about 1/3 of the way down the rod. 

Ahhh... thank you.

 

oe

Expride M 6'10" and Curado 150MGL 

As a co angler my combos have to do double or in a few specialized cases triple duty. 
Anyway, I use an original Phenix M1 mh/f with 12# Sniper. Its action is comparable to a mh/m from other lines. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Expride 6'10" Medium / Metanium MGL / 12lb. Sniper

13 Fishing Omen Black 2 7'1" MF / Shimano Chronarch CI4+150HG / 10lb Sufix Advance copoly

 

Daiwa Tatula XT 6'6" MF / Daiwa BG2500/ 15lb PP SS to 10lb leader

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

13 Fishing Omen Black 2 7'1" MF / Shimano Chronarch CI4+150HG / 10lb Sufix Advance copoly

 

Daiwa Tatula XT 6'6" MF / Daiwa BG2500/ 15lb PP SS to 10lb leader

This man knows what I'm talking about.

I use a G Loomis Bronzeback in MF with a Shimano Curado reel (can't recall the gear ratio right now).  I prefer to use 10 or 12 pound mono with a jerk bait to have some give when I'm snapping the rod.

 

No spinning tackle with a jerk bait for this guy.

GLX 783c with a Tatula 103 7 speed

casting - Orochi FSS

spinning - Steez AGS M 

Dobyns Champ 704CB + Zillion SV TW  10 lb P-Line Fluoro 

Shimano Scorpion DC---St Croix Legend Xtreme 68Mxf

 

Daiwa Fuego HL---St Croix Avid 69MLxf

Shimano Curado 70 HG on a 6'8" MH x fast Curado rod spooled with 12lb Invizx

Dobyns Fury 705cb with 12 lb yo zuri

Will also is a Dobyns 713 . Braid to 12lb yozuri

 

St. Croix Mojo Bass 6'8" MXF paired with a Shimano Curado 70 MGL, and anywhere from 10-20lb Sunline Assassin FC depending on what I'm trying to do, overall I am pretty pleased with this combination, and I have found myself using this technique a whole lot more than I thought I would.