Well after fishing a Pointer DD78 and Jackall squad minnow all day I have decided I need a new jerkbait rod. I am looking for a blank that is 6'3" with enough tip to work the bait, but slow enough not to lose as many ballistic smallies...

I was using a BS706 cut to 6'6" and a 2C66MF. Found both of them to be a bit long. The Seeker was just not comfortable to fish a jetbait with all day and the 2C66mf just didnt feel fast enough to work the bait.

Alright, suggestions please.....

Thanks

I really like the Rainshadow ISB782 for jerkbaits. It has a good tip action with some backbone. You could probably trim a couple inches off it and still be OK. A lot of guys like the loomis CB842 but I personally think it's a little light for anything over a rogue.

Try a St. Croix 3C66MHM cut down 3". I built a 6' 6" jerkbait rod on that blank and like it a lot. It has enough power to work the baits well, but it is slow enough to keep them hooked up pretty well. If you have a hot smallie that's jumping all over, you are going to have a hard time keeping him on any rod... especially with treble hooks.

Scott,

Long ago I learned that a soft rod, jerkbaits and smallmouth do not get along very well concerning hook up and LAND ratio's. What is happening is the SM are holding the jerkbait TIGHT in their mouth, blowing up on the sufrace and spitting the lure becasue you never had a hook IN the fish. You're not moving the lure on the set, they hold it that tight. I've moved the fish and not moved the lure many times. Step up to a cut MH blank like Steve Day suggested.

DR

Castaway 784 MH - 2.5 with Pistol no foregrip and Castaway Fully Exposed Seat

Some of the names are Docker Knocker, Jerk and Twitch, Walk d Dog, Just Plain Jerk

Exactly what is pictured 3rd from top of picture.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Blanks details: Click on picture when it opens for easy reading

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Swamplandrods@msn.com

Thanks for the suggestion guys. Duane, what you are saying makes perfect sense to me now.....I didnt think about that on Sunday. I'm going to look into a few of these blanks.

Scott,

It took me a LONG time to figure that out! ...and thats what got me "into" building rods. I could not find a rod off the shelf that suited my river smallmouth bass in the jerkbait catagory. Once I built a stiff and short enough rod, I started landing those fish that we blowing up and spitting the lure and making me look like a school kid....needless to say I got more than EVEN! LOL Good luck in the jerkbait rod hunt, for me I have never found a "perfect" rod for this.....but a CTS EBT784 cut here and there is dang close!

DR

Scott -- From what I keep hearing you mention, you may want to look at the St. Croix model - 3C62MXF or 3S63MXF. I really like the tip in these two models for working the jerkbait on a retrieve and the back-bone for fighting the fish.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply