Jerkbaits in a Kayak

[LrgmouthShad]

For you kayak fishermen out there, do you have any tips for fishing a jerkbait when you’re in a kayak? Do you opt to stand when you are fishing them? Any tips for working the bait? How do you manage if you are moving when trying to fish the bait? A big reason why jerkbaits are not my strong suit is they’ve always seemed like a pain in a yak

[WRB]

Can’t help answering questions regarding kayaks, never fished from one.

Jerk baits I always stand fishing them using a 6’8” MF bait casting rod. 
Started with a Heddon Corbra, Smithwick Rogue and changed to LC original SP Pointer Pro Blue since the 90’s. 
 Now that I am a back seater discovered  Megabass X-Nanahan +1 Pearl can be worked setting. The Nanahan has a small flat belly that helps the lure side to side action without ripping/jerking it sharply.

Pricey but worth the $.

Tom

[A-Jay]

Don't have a kayak but a canoe.

Sometimes I stand (unit has a 40 inch beam),

but sometimes I sit.

The number one factor for me being effective with a jerkbait from a small craft

and in a seated position . . . . IS THE BOAT NEEDS TO BE STATIONARY.

So I ANCHOR. Otherwise the drift of the boat, however slight, jacks up 'the pause' sequence of the presentation and I get far fewer bites. 

Other than that, the seated jerkbait presentation is the same as standing,

might be a little harder to get used to at first, but basically the same.

I do prefer spinning gear but have done fine with casting gear as well.

Good Luck.

A-Jay

 

[Brian11719]

I use them a lot in mine and never stand. Just make sure you reel it down a bit so it's at the depth it's supposed to be at before you start twitching it and aside from that I haven't had any issues. I personally use a kaden 6104cb with a lews kvd reel and like to use lucky craft pointer 100s and have had good luck w/ this setup. One thing that's nice about a pedal kayak is you can go backwards and then get more out of each cast than you would if you just threw it and stayed in the same spot...realize everyone says the megabass vision is the best out there but I really like the lucky craft pointers...

[Smirak]

I stand in my kayak about 80% or so of the time, regardless of what I’m fishing. I just got a new 6’6 jerkbait rod that I’m going to use this year. That’s a full 6” less than what I normally use. So, we’ll see. That said, if I am fishing a JB, I drop my anchor wizard…

[FishTank]

I fish from a kayak most of the time. I have a Hobie PA 14 where the seat sits up fairly high. I can stand on it but my favorite lake is pretty windy and standing is just dangerous. Being able to sit up higher, I can pop a jerkbait pretty easily. I just set myself up with the bait at a slight angle off the front of the kayak (see the pic below) and reel in some slack, stop and pull, then reel in a little slack, let it sit, and repeat. 

 

Worked all day the last time I was out.....

 

[lunkerboss923]

It freaks me out to stand up on a kayak. So unless you stand, jerkbait techniques are not recommended. The only way I see you being able fish a jerkbait is using a short rod like a 6'6" or something 

[RAM3139]

I fish them in a kayak quite a bit.  Standing is preferred, but not always possible/safe (think 40-50 degree water temps).  They can still be fished but the "jerk" is more of an upsweep than down when you are seated.  Still make sure to keep slack in the line so its a pop and not a sweep.  I usually fish a deeper diving jerk when I'm seated to make up for the difference in angle.  Its probably a very slightly different action, but I cant say I've noticed a difference in catch rate.

[Huckfinn38]

22 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

For you kayak fishermen out there, do you have any tips for fishing a jerkbait when you’re in a kayak? Do you opt to stand when you are fishing them? Any tips for working the bait? How do you manage if you are moving when trying to fish the bait? A big reason why jerkbaits are not my strong suit is they’ve always seemed like a pain in a yak

I am very different. I stay seated as i suck at balancing.  I have discovered that I can throw perpendicular to the bank opposite of my reeling and work a jerkbait perfectly.

[Fishingmickey]

I fish them pretty regular in my kayak especially in the winter.  I use a medium/fast 6'10" rod w/12# fluoro for them and I do the jerk (sitting) with the rod out horizontally.  The tip is maybe a couple of feet off the water. 

FM

[Smirak]

20 hours ago, lunkerboss923 said:

It freaks me out to stand up on a kayak. So unless you stand, jerkbait techniques are not recommended. The only way I see you being able fish a jerkbait is using a short rod like a 6'6" or something 

I just got a new 6’6 just for jerkbait fishing in my kayak. I do not mind standing one bit in my kayak, and actually prefer it most times, even in rough water. I also tell myself while doing it (in the rough water) that it isn’t a good idea and I could get hurt or die…to which my response in my head is generally …and? 😂😂
 

@LrgmouthShad I will see how the action is while seated if you want (from a 6’6)? Probably this week/end…?

[LrgmouthShad]

@Smirak up to you. I will be back out on Stillhouse this coming weekend. I will be highly stupefied if a jerkbait is not wet over the course of the weekend. Definitely a big thank you to everyone who has responded so far. I don't ask questions all the time but when I do, it's Dos Equis. Actually it's because I'm really looking for feedback. 

[Smirak]

You bet…

[Bigbox99]

I do it all the time.  It's how I got bit last Saturday.  I jerk from left to right with a right hand reel while seated in a kayak.  The only difference is that my jerkbait rod is a Levante JBS and it's tip heavy.  It's perfect for tip down working while standing but then seated the tip heaviness will wrench the little nub trigger out from between my fingers and then stab with in the finder with it sometimes.  The same nub trigger on my topwater tip floaty Otomat doesn't do this so it's a combination of the nub trigger, a tip heavy rod and jerking across my chest while seated.  It's an odd thing I discovered with this rod and kayak fishing.  

[Bluebasser86]

I fish a jerkbait out of my kayak a lot during the winter. Sometimes I stand, sometimes I sit. My kayak is rarely stationary while I'm doing it due to the wind or my impatience. I hold the rod off to whatever side is most comfortable while sitting and twitch to that side. I'll often use one hand and turn the reel handle with the same hand, never putting 2 hands on the rod unless I hook up or until it's time to cast again. I think it keeps me from moving the bait too fast most days or over fishing it. 

[Crow Horse]

On 12/9/2024 at 12:21 AM, lunkerboss923 said:

It freaks me out to stand up on a kayak. So unless you stand, jerkbait techniques are not recommended. The only way I see you being able fish a jerkbait is using a short rod like a 6'6" or something 

I'm not a jerkbait expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I only fished jerkbaits this past season and had a killer year. I plan on doing the same next season. I have a small sit in yak and use a 7' MF spinning rod, and only sit (for obvious reasons).  It was rare for me to drop anchor and I have used a drift chute on occasion but most times I get pushed around by the wind. In short, I pretty much do the opposite of what those with more experience have suggested. For whatever reason it works for me.