Best Jerkbait Rod

The twitching and darting action of a good jerkbait is a powerful attractant to hungry fish. The lure twitches through the water and lets the fish know its feeding time. However the success of your jerkbait can be greatly increased by using a good jerkbait rod. Having a better rod will allow you to get the best action out of your lure and get a better hookset when they do bite. Here we will take a look at 5 of the best jerkbait rods.

Best Jerkbait Fishing Rods

  1. St. Croix TRS70MHF Triumph Graphite Spinning Fishing Rod
  2. KastKing Speed Demon Pro Bass Fishing Rods
  3. Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod
  4. Lews Fishing TP159MHF Tournament Performance TP1 Speed Stick Casting Rod
  5. Okuma Rx-C-661MHa Reflections IM-6 Fishing Rod

1. St. Croix TRS70MHF Triumph Graphite Spinning Fishing Rod with Cork Handle

 

Product Features

Brand Name: St. Croix
Rod Length: 5′ – 7’6″
Power: Ultralight – Medium Heavy
Number of Pieces: 1-2

The top spot on our list goes to the St. Croix Triumph Spinning Rods. These rods are made from high performance graphite fiber with alumnium oxide guides, a fuji reel seat, and flex-coat finish. The durability of the rod with its medium flex gives it great action when working, casting, and setting your hooks for your jerkbait. The cork handle is also great because it feels comfortable in your hands for a smooth controlling power. For jerkbaits stick with the rods around 6’6″ to 7′ feet and medium to medium heavy with fast action. This will give you the best performance for your lures.

Pros
  • Strong and durable
  • Comfortable cork handle and fuji reel seat
  • Reasonably priced
Cons
  • You may prefer a stiffer rod

 

2. KastKing Speed Demon Pro Bass Fishing Rods

 

Product Features

Brand Name: KastKing
Rod Length: 6’10” – 8′
Power: Medium – Heavy
Number of Pieces: 1

The KastKing Speed Demon Pro Fishing Rods our are number two spot. These rods are made with carbon blanks and non resin which produces a lightweight rod with powerful strength compared to your standard fishing rods. Overall the rod is designed great with good balance and sensitivity for setting your hook with ease. If you’re targeting bass with these rods, use the 6’10 medium power fast action “spin-drop” model. This one will give you great performance working your jerkbaits.

Pros
  • Lightweight and strong
  • Good balance and sensitivty
Cons
  • They don’t have any medium or shorter length rods

 

3. Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod

 

Product Features

Brand Name: Ugly Stik
Rod Length: 6′ – 7’6″
Power: Medium – Medium Heavy
Number of Pieces: 1-2

If you’re looking for a budget friendly rod, the Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod is a great option to consider. This rod is available in sizes ranging from six feet in length to seven feet and 6 inches long. It is made from a blend of graphite and fiberglass to create a powerful balanced rod that doesn’t sacrifice any sensitivity. The handles feature comfortable EVA grips which also helps provide gripping power in wet conditions. The 6’6″ medium-heavy model is an excellent candidate for jerkbaits.

Pros
  • Budget-friendly
  • Powerful yet lightweight
  • Comfortable EVA grip handles
Cons
  • Great for beginners but you may prefer a premium rod

 

4. Lews Fishing TP159MHF Tournament Performance TP1 Speed Stick Casting Rod

 

Product Features

Brand Name: Lew’s
Rod Length: 7′
Power: Medium
Number of Pieces: 1

The number for spot is the Lew’s Speed Stick Casting Rod. This is a fast action medium power rod made from piece of graphite. It features a unique guide system that improves casting range and accuracy. The grip handles are made for good rod control in a variety of weather conditions. Ultimately you end up with a pretty well-made, reasonably price rod. It offers good control and sensitivity.

Pros
  • Good casting distance and control
  • Good sensitivity
  • Comfortable grips
Cons
  • They don’t have a lot of options in terms of other powers or sizes

 

5. Okuma Rx-C-661MHa Reflections IM-6 Fishing Rod

 

Product Features

Brand Name: Okuma
Rod Length: 6’6″ – 7′
Power: Medium – Medium – Heavy
Number of Pieces: 1-2

The final spot on the list goes to the Okuma Relexions Carbon Freshwater Fishing Rod. This one is available in sizes ranging from 6’6″ to 7′ in length. The rods themselves are made from a responsive carbon blank with a reinforced tip that is designed to increase lifting power. The aluminum oxide guides help your line flow smoothly while the guide frames are slightly sloped to reduce tangling issues. With comfortable cork grips, this is a great rod to add to your collection.

Pros
  • Reinforced tip for more lifting power
  • Responsive and easy to handle
  • Comfortable cork grips
Cons
  • You may want something with more variety in terms of rod power

 

How To Choose a Rod for Jerkbait Fishing

There are a few different things you want to consider when looking for a good fishing rod for using jerkbait lures

  1. Rod Type
  2. Power
  3. Action

Rod Type

You can have good success fishing jerkbaits with both baitcasting rods and spinning setups. Though baitcasters are generally more preferred for jerkbaits, if you’re new to fishing, spinning rods are much easier to use and master. However if you’re comfortable with baitcasting reels, these are little better for jerkbaits.

Power

For optimal performance stick with a medium or medium heavy rod fo ryour jerkbait fishing. This will give you a good amount of strength without ripping lips or jerking the hook right out of the fishes mouth.

Action

The twitching action of the jerkbait is what triggers fish to attack it. Its an innate response hardwired into their system. The rod is what allows you to create this jerk action in your fishing lures. So the action of your rod has to match the action you are fishing your lure with. If you’re fishing a jerkbait that requires fast motion and twitches than a moderate-fast or fast action rod is better. If you want to fish your jerkbaits slow you are moderate action or slow action rod.

Length

Usually jerkbaits are fished with rods between 6 and 7 feet in length. Right in the middle of these two lengths is a good safe bet. Just steer clear of using too long of a fishing rod because you will have a hard time controlling your lure and will exhuast yourself when working it.

Related Posts:
Best Jerkbait Lures
Best Baitcaster for Light Lures
Best Inshore Saltwater Spinning Reel