Throwing jerkbaits requires the right gear to truly do it right. A lot of techniques you can get by with an “all around rod and reel combo” but with jerkbaits, you’ve got to have the right gear. I’m going to explain in depth my set-up and why I choose it.
What do I mean by jerkbaits?
In this article I am not talking about soft plastic jerkbaits. I'm specifically talking about hard jerkbaits like the 6th Sense Provoke line up of jerkbaits.
ROD
I choose the 6th Sense Sensory 7’2 casting rod. This rod is a medium action, fast flex and can throw lighter baits with ease. This rod is truly an all around rod and specifically designed for a lot of techniques. You will be able to use this rod for other techniques than a jerkbait. The 7'2" length is a little longer than some other fisherman's jerkbait rod, but anything in the 6'9" - 7'2" length range will work. The most important thing to pay attention to is the actions of the rod.
The medium action allows it to cast the light weight of the jerkbait, and the fast tip helps get good hook penetration with a lot of line out into the water and the slack line you often get when fishing a jerkbait.
The medium action allows those treble hooks to stay in the fish on the fight back to the boat, the medium action enables the rod to take the brunt of the fight, and isn’t too stiff and causes the hooks to pull out of the fishes mouth.
REEL
The reel I go to the most for jerkbaits is a Daiwa Tatula SV TW103 in a 7.1:1 gear ratio. I like a faster gear ratio reel for jerkbaits because it allows me to pick up the slack line you sometimes get when letting the jerbkait pause, and it allow you to get fish away from cover faster as well. I feel this is important, because often I am using lighter line, around 10lb test with jerkbaits, which also means a smooth drag is very important too.
LINE
Line is another key element to jerkbait fishing. Right now I have 10 lb test fluorocarbon. Typically I’m throwing either Sunline FC Sniper or Seaguar InvizX. Fluorocarbon is important in my opinion because it sinks, which will help your jerkbait get deeper where monofilament and braid float and won’t allow the bait to get to its maximum depth. Monofilament or braid may also make the jerkbait rise while it’s supposed to be suspending.
I believe the lighter line is very important when fish a jerkbait. The lighter line with allow for maximum depth, and action of the jerkbait. It will also be less visible to fish during those long pauses you sometimes need to have with a jerkbait. Retying often is very important because the 10lb test will get nicked and can be susceptible to breaking if you don’t pay attention.
I fish the 6th Sense Provoke 106 line of jerkbaits. They have the 106X model, which is a shallower running depth and suspends, they have the slow sink model, and a deep diving model as well. Basically you need to choose the right model for the depth you are targeting.
COLORS
I fish a lot of clear water so color does matter to me quite a bit. My favorite color is the Ghost Sexified Shad color. It has a great subtle color to it and flat out gets bit. Matching the hatch is critical when picking colors for your jerkbaits. Keep it simple, and for the most part keep it natural.
If you get these products, the links to them have been throughout the article, but I also created a product list below, along with discount codes. Some of these links are affiliate links that will earn me a commission off of sales, so your support by using the links and/or codes would be incredibly appreciated. If something linked is out of your price range, that's ok, get gear that mirrors the main priorities that I outlined in this article. This way you’ll know that you have the right gear that will enable you to be as successful as possible. If you want to learn more about jerkbait fishing, click the link here: https://youtu.be/YmPrtp4XWsQ.
PRODUCT LIST: Use code Luna10 at 6thsensefishing.com.
Other Reels I use - https://www.mattlunafishing.com/post/reels-i-use
Other Rods I use - https://www.mattlunafishing.com/post/rods-i-use
Tackle Storage I use - https://a.co/6YJa0AU
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