Do you need a dedicated jerkbait rod or can your MH “do everything” rod serve this purpose just fine?

[Peacedivision]

46 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

How about on handle length of Expride?

Dobyns 704CB, also an excellent JB rod, next to the 610M. It's about a finger of difference.

[WRB]

The 15” handle length isn’t a problem.

Tom

[Bankbeater]

I use a mh for heavier, larger jerkbaits.  For 3" and 4" jerkbaits I use a medium.

[Deephaven]

On 11/12/2024 at 5:28 AM, Ohioguy25 said:

Which specific rod & reel?

Sorry I missed this.  It is a 6'3 MXF St Legend Elite spinning rod built as a 6'8" casting rod with artificial light cork and a lightweight modified JDM reel I bought while in Japan.

[OkobojiEagle]

1 hour ago, Deephaven said:

 6'3 MXF St Legend Elite spinning rod built as a 6'8" casting rod 

I'd love a little more explanation about this rod build?

[Dwight Hottle]

On 10/25/2024 at 1:44 PM, bowhunter63 said:

I was watching a video with Steve Daniel’s and he has a custom made rod with a weighted tip. He said it improves casting and action on his baits. If anyone would know it would be him. One of the best with a jerk bait 

This Steve Daniels?

 

 

[bowhunter63]

3 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

This Steve Daniels?

 

 

Yeppers

[new2BC4bass]

Received my first jerkbaits last week (Megabass).  Just finished reading this thread.  Suggested rods run from jerkbait specific to any rod will do depending on the angler.  Crankbait to XF actions. Spinning and baitcast rods ranging from 6' to 7'3".  Confusing? I'd say so.

 

Watched a jerkbait specific video 1 hour and 36 minutes long.  Their opinion was the same as a few in this thread.  Jerkbaits require a specific action to work the baits correctly.  More so than any other technique.  They used spinning for the lighter lures and said casting was okay for the heavier lures.  I believe 3 rods were mentioned.  Two were Exprides (one spinning, one casting) and they were the cheapest.

 

Another gentleman with 30 plus years of tournament fishing (and his own video channel) said spinning rods (with the correct action) would out catch a casting rod every time.  I don't understand why.  If the rod has the correct action to work jerkbaits properly, why would the reel type make a difference?

 

FYI, the first 2 rods I will try are a 6'3" M-MF casting rod and a 6'10" MLF spinning rod.  Possibly an older model Fuego 6'10" M-EF spinning rod as the guy I bought it from says the action isn't really XF.  Never used this rod yet.

 

Although I have 3 rods that cost over $300 new, I've never paid $200 for a rod.  With tax and free shipping, an Expride would run about $300.  No thanks.  Maybe if I was 20 years younger.

[rangerjockey]

8 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

Received my first jerkbaits last week (Megabass).  Just finished reading this thread.  Suggested rods run from jerkbait specific to any rod will do depending on the angler.  Crankbait to XF actions. Spinning and baitcast rods ranging from 6' to 7'3".  Confusing? I'd say so.

 

Watched a jerkbait specific video 1 hour and 36 minutes long.  Their opinion was the same as a few in this thread.  Jerkbaits require a specific action to work the baits correctly.  More so than any other technique.  They used spinning for the lighter lures and said casting was okay for the heavier lures.  I believe 3 rods were mentioned.  Two were Exprides (one spinning, one casting) and they were the cheapest.

 

Another gentleman with 30 plus years of tournament fishing (and his own video channel) said spinning rods (with the correct action) would out catch a casting rod every time.  I don't understand why.  If the rod has the correct action to work jerkbaits properly, why would the reel type make a difference?

 

FYI, the first 2 rods I will try are a 6'3" M-MF casting rod and a 6'10" MLF spinning rod.  Possibly an older model Fuego 6'10" M-EF spinning rod as the guy I bought it from says the action isn't really XF.  Never used this rod yet.

 

Although I have 3 rods that cost over $300 new, I've never paid $200 for a rod.  With tax and free shipping, an Expride would run about $300.  No thanks.  Maybe if I was 20 years younger.

I'm going to assume the guy your speaking of is Randy Blaukat. We are about the same age and fished some of the same derbies , He is a Table Rock guy also and I see him at the ramp some.

I know he uses a whipsnake to throw stickbaits. 

I respect his fishing ability but when you make a statement that you will "wax' anyone with your spinning rod here in the Ozarks, I have to call it clickbait. 

The stick bait was invented here when guys my Dads age drilled out balsa Rapalas. 

I can tell you that you can shop for whatever rod,change hooks do whatever. It's the Indian not the arrow, You won't become a stick bait fisherman watching you tube.

 

[new2BC4bass]

3 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

I'm going to assume the guy your speaking of is Randy Blaukat. We are about the same age and fished some of the same derbies , He is a Table Rock guy also and I see him at the ramp some.

I know he uses a whipsnake to throw stickbaits. 

I respect his fishing ability but when you make a statement that you will "wax' anyone with your spinning rod here in the Ozarks, I have to call it clickbait. 

The stick bait was invented here when guys my Dads age drilled out balsa Rapalas. 

I can tell you that you can shop for whatever rod,change hooks do whatever. It's the Indian not the arrow, You won't become a stick bait fisherman watching you tube.

 

But between youtube and here, hopefully I can get started in the right direction.

[Motoboss]

Never have been a big jerk bait fisherman but being retired I have the time for more Fall/Winter fishing. Not sure if I made the best decision but I have a new spinning set up that hopefully will work out of the canoe;

 

Diawa Tatula 6’ 10” M/XS(F) rod with a Diawa Procyon 2500 reel, 15# Power Pro braid with a 10# floro leader.
I haven’t had the opportunity to fish it yet but it should work for hard and soft  jerks.

[WaskaCrank12]

I had the same question as the OP - and after a full year of looking at videos, talking with people at the ramp, reading info. here on Bass Resource and trying rods - I recently purchased a Megabass Orochi XX - Ronin (6'8" spinning rod, Med/Fast) for $199 (The Hook Up Tackle sale plus I had a $50 gift card, so $149 out of pocket for me - it's usually a $299 rod) - I would not have purchased it at $299 (too much for the budget) yet at the sale price combined with my gift card it seemed worth the investment - here in MN it's 14 degrees and the boat is winterized, so I hope to give it a go and have some success with it in the spring throwing some jerk baits !

Up to this point I had been throwing jerk baits on a 7'1"  MH/Mod-Fast Evergreen Combat Stick with mixed results - so I felt it was the right time to try a more dedicated jerk bait rod