Jerkbait/popper rod...

[DitchPanda]

I'm currently using an Abu Garcia vendetta 6ft3 medium fast and its ok for what I paid but I'm looking to upgrade. Willing to go up to 6ft 10in and my budget is $150? Not looking for a true cranking rod but a little softer parabolic tip is fine with me.

[Fishes in trees]

I use spinning gear to throw jerk baits on, for a variety of reasons.   For me, the jury is still out on what to throw poppers on.   Next season I'll probably start out with my old All Star Zell Rowland Top Water Special.   As I recall it is a medium action with a medium/fast tip, but I'm not certain about that.

 

[rangerjockey]

I have the old All Star TWS also. It's a great popper and walking bait rod and I'm sure it would be fine for a stickbait as well.

 The new Kistler Graphite series is on sale for $ 99 bucks from $150 and in the medium or light medium heavy it's a great topwater, stickbait and squarebill rod.

[Russ E]

I recently purchased an Okuma evx medium/fast. 6ft 8in jerkbait/ topwater rod from tackle warehouse.

It cost  around $100.00.

After owning several jerkbait rods, this one has become my favorite.

It is  very light and has just the right tip action for jerkbait fishing.

[roadwarrior]

3 minutes ago, Russ E said:

I recently purchased an Okuma evx medium/fast. 6ft 8in jerkbait/ topwater rod from tackle warehouse.

It cost  around $100.00.

After owning several jerkbait rods, this one has become my favorite.

It is  very light and has just the right tip action for jerkbait fishing.

 

I gave this rod to my son-in-law for Christmas! I think it is firm enough for "all around"

fishing, but ideally suited for jerkbaits, topwater and crankbaits.

 

[Eric 26]

How do you guys think the EVX b would handle spinner baits? Just received a EVX 7’-2” mh for Christmas and really like the feel in hand. Also keeping my eyes open for a sale on kast king 6’-10” speed demon pro as I’m thinking the 2” might help a little with distance on cast.

[WRB]

Major Craft Don Iovino Splash-it rod NAC-T681M/S1 is perfect and under your price point $130

Tom

PS, kept 4 rods, my 3 custom ALX and the Splash-It rod because it’s vey versatile, light weight casting rod.

[DomQ]

Zodias 6'10 M rod, Fantastic rod

[iabass8]

49 minutes ago, WRB said:

Major Craft Don Iovino Splash-it rod NAC-T681M/S1 is perfect and under your price point $130

Tom

This rod is a touch light in power for what I would want to use for jerkbaits and the handle is too long. It is however a fantastic popper rod. I returned this rod for a different nanoace wanting the same thing. The Nanoace line is a very underrated line of rods at it's price point. 

[DitchPanda]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Major Craft Don Iovino Splash-it rod NAC-T681M/S1 is perfect and under your price point $130

Tom

PS, kept 4 rods, my 3 custom ALX and the Splash-It rod because it’s vey versatile, light weight casting rod.

 

12 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

This rod is a touch light in power for what I would want to use for jerkbaits and the handle is too long. It is however a fantastic popper rod. I returned this rod for a different nanoace wanting the same thing. The Nanoace line is a very underrated line of rods at it's price point. 

The power doesn't really bother me but the handle is too long for a jerk bait rod for me. Weight rating and action looked perfect but the handle is a deal breaker.

[iabass8]

2 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

 

The power doesn't really bother me but the handle is too long for a jerk bait rod for me. Weight rating and action looked perfect but the handle is a deal breaker.

Their ratings are optimistic to say the least and rate more than what they actually are but they are great rods but handles are too long. I'll always recommend the MB 110 special variant as the benchmark for a jerkbait rod but being you're on a budget, I would contact Alex over at ALX rods. He makes a an awesome jerkbait rod that gets alot of praise in his zolo series. Price They're a hair over your budget but he makes some awesome. The rod i'm referring to is "out of stock" but if you contact him he could work with you on getting something built.

https://alxrods.com/collections/zolo/products/zolo-jerkbait-69-medium-fast-casting

 

 

[WRB]

Handle is listed as 15 1/4”, to the center of the reel seat is 12 1/2” for reference. 

Tom

[FishTank]

6'8'' M Fast St. Croix Mojo.

[DitchPanda]

34 minutes ago, FishTank said:

6'8'' M Fast St. Croix Mojo.

This is actually an option I'm considering pretty seriously. I have a 7ft1 medhvy fast I use for jigs and I love it. Does the medium have a soft tip?

[FishTank]

3 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

This is actually an option I'm considering pretty seriously. I have a 7ft1 medhvy fast I use for jigs and I love it. Does the medium have a soft tip?

 

To tell the truth, I have not fished this particular rod.  I have the Avid and the Legend Elite. Both have a softer tip than other St. Croix Fast rods I have.   I would think St. Croix would have passed this through to it's other rods....  But....

 

I have also fished the older Legend Tournament and it was a little stiffer but worked great for jerkbaits.

 

 

[DitchPanda]

11 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

To tell the truth, I have not fished this particular rod.  I have the Avid and the Legend Elite. Both have a softer tip than other St. Croix Fast rods I have.   I would think St. Croix would have passed this through to it's other rods....  But....

 

I have also fished the older Legend Tournament and it was a little stiffer but worked great for jerkbaits.

 

 

Fair enough..guess I will go somewhere and see if I can get my hands on it. The vendetta I currently use is a little short for my liking and the guides are way over sized so its not great to fish with. I also have an older All star I've used but its an extremely fast so the tip has almost no bend to it...its actually a good rod for light Texas rigs.

[FishTank]

21 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Fair enough..guess I will go somewhere and see if I can get my hands on it. The vendetta I currently use is a little short for my liking and the guides are way over sized so its not great to fish with. I also have an older All star I've used but its an extremely fast so the tip has almost no bend to it...its actually a good rod for light Texas rigs.

 

If you can't find one to pick up and hold it in hand, try Amazon or American Leg. Fishing.  They both have it in stock and they both have a pretty easy return policy if you don't like it.  A.L.F. also has it $10 cheaper than most places.  You can save another 10% if you sign up for their emails. 

[DitchPanda]

One other rod I've been considering is the Abu Garcia ike delay 6ft4in...its got a shorter handle than the vendetta so its a little longer in front if the reel seat which I like. My only concern is it is a moderate and I'm not sure how well that works with jerkbaits.

[zell_pop1]

If you can find one Lews recently had a 6'7" medium mod fast rod with a short handle listed as a jerkbait rod. It was in the $150 range.

[Bluebasser86]

I use an Okuma TCS 6' 9" MH/MF for jerkbaits and it would work well for poppers as well. I've used a lot of jerkbait rods looking for one I really like, and I really like this one.

[Drew03cmc]

For the jerkbaits I fish the most, 3/8oz and under, I use a spinning rod, 6'6" M Deep South Elite Tubes rod. I use 8lb Invizx on it and have no problems. For a casting rod, it would need to be a similarly powered casting rod, more of a ML. I am a proponent of a shorter handle, as I am a kayak angler and the longer handle just gets in the way. I'm looking for a rod, 6'6" or under, shorter handle, ML or a lighter medium, that can double as a walking bait rod for the lighter walking baits I like (Damiki Dolphin, Zip Baits Fakie Dog, Duo Pencil 85 and others in this size range).

[Born 2 fish]

On 12/25/2020 at 8:03 PM, DitchPanda said:

I'm currently using an Abu Garcia vendetta 6ft3 medium fast and its ok for what I paid but I'm looking to upgrade. Willing to go up to 6ft 10in and my budget is $150? Not looking for a true cranking rod but a little softer parabolic tip is fine with me.

My favorite jerkbait rod is a bass pro crankin stick 7’ medium action. It’s also perfect for top water.

[NorthernBasser]

Check out the Lew's TP-1 Black. Their jerkbait rod is 6'8" med/moderate-fast. Very well received, especially at that price point. 

[FryDog62]

I’ve seen some of the Dobyns Champ rods on sale recently close to your price range... availability may be the issue. I use their crankbait rod specifically for jerkbaits and poppers:

 

Dobyns Champ XP Cranking Rod 6’8” Med-Heavy 685.

 

Awesome rod for 110’s, Cover Pops, etc.