Jerkbait Tip

[MidwestBassin]

I fish as a co-angler here in the Midwest, and I am trying to get ahold of this jerkbait. When fishing the back of the boat, you are at mercy of the guy in the front, which all of you know, so you don't really get to choose which side of the boat he puts on the fish.  My question is, when fishing a jerkbait, with the reel handle on the right side of the reel, how do you guys jerk it when the left side of the boat is facing the bank/fish?  I find myself letting my right and free of the rod and twitch twitch pausing with my left arm alone. It doesn't feel right beause when I try to use both hands (as I would with the right sde of the boat closest to the bank) I either hit the water with my rod tip, or hit the side of the boat.If I was in the front, I could easily place my rod on either side of the bow, and I wouldn't have this problem. I see some guys jerk the rod tip up, but I didn't know if that alters the depth of the bait and doesn't allow it to dive properly.... I hope I described my problem well enough to get some good answers. Thanks in advance

[Bluebasser86]

I don't change anything regardless of the direction I'm facing. I keep my right hand on the reel handle throughout the retrieve, it just takes a little more practice to twitch away from the reel handle as it does against it. A shorter rod might help if you're hitting the water, I have a 6' 2" and 6' 8" that I use for jerkbaits. I don't like twitching the rod up because it does effect the diving depth of the bait but sometimes I have to snap it over the top of my trolling motor, but that doesn't seem to effect it much. 

[smalljaw67]

I use a shorter rod as I work the rod straight down, from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock and long rods end up in the water. If you twitch it this way your bait gets to maximum depth, I don't know how some guys do it but I see it all the time, 7' rods working the bait sideways, I just never knew you can get bites like that.

[deep]

I'm not sure I agree with you on the maximum depth part. I cast it out, crank it down, and that's where it stays for the most part (suspending/ slowrisers).

 

I don't have too many problems working the rod at at angle to my side either. Fishing off a tiny plastic boat that's not too stable- I learnt some new tricks to fish jerkbaits with a 7.5 footer while mostly sitting down. Braid or fluoro helps, but IMO not essential.

 

Here are a few of the many bites I got this fall. Not giants of course, but should illustrate my point.

 

7'6" Kistler or a 7'5" Loomis or a 7'6" BPS. Can't recall which fish were caught on which. Too bad I don't have any rods shorter than the Loomis. If I did, maybe I would have seen Smalljaw's point!

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Shore or cover on the port side use your left arm to work the bait. Shore or cover on the starboard side use your right arm to work the bait. If the boater is covering water with frequent use of the trolling motor cast your bait to the edge of cover & leave it in the water, working it as you go. You don't have to be holding the reel because you're not reeling. Don't waste time casting & retrieving. Your success will surprise you. 

[Bluebasser86]

Another option that isn't often used but very effective is to switch to a spinning rod when the boat is moving to the left (if you reel left handed with a spinning reel anyways). 

[WIGuide]

It sounds like in that situation you have a few options. If you don't cast at an angle as far ahead so you can still twitch your rod downward. If you reel a little more slack out of your line you won't have to jerk your rod as far either. The other option would be to jerk it back handed. It might feel weird at first, but most fish that hit a jerkbait in the fall/winter don't fight nearly as hard so you don't have to worry about one ripping the rod out of your hand. It's a good idea to keep at least a decent grip on it though.