Greatest Jerkbait Rods of 2023

Immediately’s jerkbait rods get much more use than their predecessors did. Traditionally, critical bass anglers tended to fish jerkbaits solely throughout a restricted pre-spawn window, however now it’s thought-about a year-round method. That’s partially the results of forward-facing sonar’s introduction, however the enhance in utilization got here earlier than that occurred. Merely put, anglers realized that the elongated form of a jerkbait is a common baitfish imitator and that by altering dimension, shade, or cadence, it’s potential to duplicate what the fish are consuming at any time and set off them into biting.

Up to now, I solely wanted one jerkbait rod, however because the lure choices have expanded, so too have the rods that I take advantage of, particularly since I typically have two or three on the deck of my boat at a single time. The identical rod used to flick 3-inch fashions gained’t work effectively with massive 6 inchers that weigh over an oz., and gained’t help the identical line selections or hook set methods. Thus, my arsenal of jerkbait-specific sticks has grown, and yours most likely ought to, too.

So when you’re out there for the very best jerkbait rod to throw your favourite Oneten or Shad Rap, listed here are six nice choices to select from. 

How I Selected the Greatest Jerkbait Rods

I acquired most of those rods on the tail finish of the pre-spawn interval, and was lucky sufficient to place them to make use of on some larger-than-average largemouths, each domestically and in Mexico. I additionally took them north for smallmouths to check what they’ll do with these leaping, bulldogging beasts. Even after I fished grassy areas the place a treble-hooked jerkbait wouldn’t run correctly, I put them to make use of throwing smooth jerkbaits like Zoom Flukes, in addition to topwaters and smaller ribbed swimbaits. I needed to get a really feel for the way these rods stood as much as stress and whether or not I might fish all of them day—with the final word take a look at being whether or not I reached for them repeatedly.

Greatest Jerkbait Rods: Evaluations & Suggestions 

Greatest General: G.Loomis IMX Professional Medium Jerkbait 812 JBR

Key Options

• Size: 6 toes, 9 inches
• Lure Ranking: ¼-3/8 ounce
• Full cork deal with
• Method-specific taper

Professionals

• Fuji guides and reel seats
• Additional sensitivity
• Restricted lifetime guarantee

Cons

• Shorter-than-average size could also be polarizing

The IMX Professional sequence will not be the highest-priced rods within the G.Loomis lineup, however they’re constructed for efficiency and with confirmed parts like Fuji guides and reel seats. Whereas the rod’s sticker mentioned it’s solely rated for jerkbaits from ¼ to three/8 ounce, I discovered that declare to vastly underrate its versatility. I might use it for little, 3/16 ounce lures and nonetheless had management when fast-ripping suspending baits that pushed the 1-ounce mark. It has a little bit sooner motion than some anglers would possibly choose, however I nonetheless discovered that I might throw enough slack into the road to create a fascinating and triggering side-to-side motion. Cosmetically it’s nothing particular, however that understated look hides a racehorse beneath.

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Baitcasting Reels

Greatest Premium: Megabass Destroyer P5 Oneten Particular

Key Options

• Size: 6 toes, 11 inches
• Lure Ranking: 3/8-3/4 ounce
• Cork cut up grip deal with
• JDM styling together with new Destroyer 3D emblem

Professionals

• Tremendous-crisp motion
• Customized parts constructed for optimum efficiency
• 5-panel graphite system permits for ultra-precise taper

Cons

• Could also be out of some anglers’ worth vary

When the Megabass Imaginative and prescient Oneten first got here to the U.S. market, anglers had been keen to promote their firstborn to get one within the “proper” colours. Now the baits are ubiquitous, and even a newbie can function them flawlessly. However the best rod helps activate them, maximizes hookups, and subsequent landings.

Megabass constructed this rod from the bottom up, and every element from the pinnacle locking system, to the SiC guides to the tip balancer, are constructed with each other in thoughts, in order that the rod seems like a light-weight extension of your arm. There’s even a proprietary reel seat that helps you retain your grip but in addition really feel the faintest of strikes. Like all Megabass rods, it’s a chunk of artwork, however perform corresponds with style on this case.

Greatest Price range: Academy H2OX EVO

Key Options

• Size: 6 toes, 9 inches
• Lure Ranking: ¼-1 ounce 
• Break up grip EVA deal with
• IM8 graphite clean

Professionals

• Extraordinarily light-weight
• EVA foregrip and carbon fiber rear grip make it stand out from the competitors
• Some anglers could choose the reasonable motion

Cons

• Anglers preferring cork handles might be dissatisfied

As a self-professed gear snob, I’m a bit proud and a bit ashamed to confess that I’ve been wowed by the entire H2OX merchandise I’ve used, together with a bulletproof sub-$50 baitcasting reel and this distinctive worth rod. They really feel like far more costly merchandise, and I’m not fairly positive how they slot in so many premium options. On this jerkbait rod these embody semi-micro Kigan SiC guides and a cushty exposed-blank reel seat. I reached for this rod with a variety of jerkbaits, however what actually makes it a cut price is that I additionally discovered it to excel with mid-sized poppers and walk-the-dog topwaters, in addition to in close-quarters spinnerbaiting. The reasonable motion permits it to load up and prevents treble hooks from working free throughout a final minute surge, however there’s additionally sufficient spine to drive residence a single hooked lures. No surprise high professional Stetson Blaylock makes use of them for all of his match fishing when he might use far more costly merchandise if he so selected. That versatility makes the H2OX a straightforward selection as the most effective jerkbait rods. 

Greatest for Mild Jerkbaits: St. Croix Legend Match Casting Rod 6 toes, 8 inches

Key Options

• Size: 6 toes, 8 inches
• Lure Ranking: ¼-5/8 ounce
• Break up-grip cork deal with
• Tremendous Excessive-Modulus carbon fiber SCIV+ Clean

Professionals

• Completely balanced
• Excessive-quality cork personalized for jerkbaiting
• Fuji reel seat and guides

Cons

• Some anglers could choose an extended rod

St. Croix’s Legend Match jerkbait rod handles a variety of jerkbait selections, as much as and together with some actually massive ones, however the place it stood out was on the mild finish of the spectrum. I might precisely throw ¼ and even some ⅛-ounce lures over lengthy distances, and maintained management all through. I even dropped all the way down to 8-pound take a look at fluorocarbon a number of instances to assist it shine in finesse purposes. It’s mild and completely balanced in order that with the correct light-weight reel it gained’t tire you out, but in some way it could manhandle massive, prespawn largemouths and cartwheeling summertime smallmouths equally effectively. The Fuji Ok-Collection tangle free guides are particularly good, constructed to deal with tough boat rides and tough therapy whereas including minimal weight.

Greatest for Smallmouth: Fenwick World Class 6 toes, 8 inches Medium

Key Options

• 6 toes, 8 inches
• ¼-5/8 ounce lures
• Break up grip cork and EVA deal with
• Medium reasonable quick motion

Professionals

• Cork and EVA mixture deal with with tapered fore and rear grips
• Titanium information frames with skinny zirconia inserts
• Clean taper is a superb mixture of energy and finesse

Cons

• Could also be too dear for some anglers

Whereas conventional prespawn jerkbait shows are sluggish and meandering, smallmouths—significantly throughout summer time—demand a quick cadence. It may be tiring to maximise the side-to-side motion of a flashy jerkbait, so the sunshine weight of Fenwick’s top-of-the-line rod is a large plus, however so are its different options. These embody a super-grippy deal with that gained’t get ripped out of your fingers on a wet day when a giant bronzeback decides to freight practice your jerkbait. I discovered that I might get a strong hook set with trebles, however that the taper on the high had simply the correct amount of give to forestall a shortlined spastic fish from pulling off. Should you’ve ever tried to pin a smallmouth to the aspect of the boat, or cup its stomach, when it’s nonetheless not able to give up, that’s when a lot of them escape. This rod minimizes the probabilities of heart-braking boatside losses.

Greatest Mid-Priced for Match Anglers: Shimano Curado 6 toes, 10 inches Medium

Key Options

• Size: 6 toes, 10 inches
• Lure Weight: 1/4 – ¾ ounce
• Break up grip EVA deal with
• Carbon tape across the clean for elevated energy

Professionals

• Locking foregrip for optimum clean really feel
• Superior styling in a mid-priced rod
• Bolstered in a number of methods for further sturdiness

Cons

• Very mild, however not fairly pretty much as good at throwing smaller lures than some others

The Curado title has connoted high quality, sturdiness, and efficiency for a number of many years, however whereas the reels get plenty of love from anglers of all stripes, a number of the rods have flown underneath the radar. That’s a mistake, particularly with this one, as a result of it has superior Japanese styling in a jerkbait rod that’s constructed to promote and to outlive. Shimano makes use of Fuji tangle-free Ok guides with Fazlite inserts to guard your line, regardless of how mild and the rod is a pleasure to fish. As with another rods on this survey, I discovered that it additionally excelled with some topwaters, and I even put it into service with a finesse swimbait. Should you’re prepared to maneuver as much as a premier device with out a super-premium price ticket, it is a strong selection.

Issues to Think about Earlier than Shopping for a Jerkbait Rod 

Size

As a result of correct jerkbaiting usually requires a swift and even violent downward stroke, hitting the water is a large no-no, as it could interrupt the fluidity of your actions. Most anglers have settled into the 6-foot, 8-inch to 7-foot vary, however taller or shorter anglers ought to alter accordingly and be according to the peak of the craft they fish out of. Longer rods usually imply longer casts, however when you’re fishing in tight quarters generally going a little bit shorter helps.

Energy

Weight switch programs in lots of trendy jerkbaits assist them punch greater than their weight when it comes time to solid them, however you’ll nonetheless need to just remember to can get ample distance with smaller lures, particularly balsa or different light-weight fashions which will catch wind within the air. On the identical time, it’s essential to not overpower the lure in your retrieve—maintaining a good quantity of slack within the line whenever you pull is what creates the lifelike walk-the-dog motion.

Motion

As famous above, slack is essential to getting the best motion out of your jerkbaits, so a broomstick-like rod doesn’t have the correct “snap” to maintain it transferring. You’ll additionally want a good quantity of give close to the tip in order that fish surging at boatside don’t pull free.

Deal with Size

Relying on the place you maintain the rod, or how violently you pull, an extended deal with is usually a profit or a detriment. It shouldn’t get in the way in which, nevertheless it ought to present sufficient leverage in an effort to make the lure dance with a mixture of pulls, twitches, and pauses. It will rely closely in your peak, the dimensions of your fingers, and whether or not you’re fishing open water or round cowl.

Last Ideas on the Greatest Jerkbait Rods

Conducting this survey jogged my memory of simply how far we’ve include jerkbaits prior to now couple of many years, and the previous 10 years specifically. Once I began off fishing, they had been the province of a secretive band of Ozarks old-timers who weighted the lures by hand and examined their suspending qualities in 5-gallon buckets. Immediately, there are seemingly countless selections of lures made to drift, sink, or droop, and we’ve gotten over the notion that they’ll solely be utilized in restricted time home windows. That makes the selection of rods much more essential, whether or not you personal only one or a dozen, as a result of some deal with totally different lure courses and speeds in another way, which might make an enormous distinction.