What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
Blacktail 8541
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What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by Blacktail 8541 » Wed Jan 16, 2019 12:08 pm

Curios what every one is using for a jerk bait reel. What Inch per turn do you like for different types and sizes?

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Wed Jan 16, 2019 12:19 pm

I have used many different reels for jerkbaits. I currently have an Alphas SV and a Steez SV TW I throw jerkbaits with. With 10lb and 12lb FC. The FC isnt as snappy as braid but, I can feel those light walleye bites on the pause better with the FC.

Overall, I like a 7 or faster reel. The speed helps pick up slack line between jerks easier. I also generally use fast reels for techniques that the rod moves the lure, not the reel, like topwater, jigs and such.

I like Daiwa's SV reels. I generally fish jerkbaits a lot in the spring and especially the fall, both of which are windy times where I live. The added control helps a lot.
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by Blacktail 8541 » Wed Jan 16, 2019 12:31 pm

Thanks for the detailed reply Hobie-Wan Kenobi. I have just started jerk bait fishing. I collected around 40 baits over the last year and throwing them on a glx 842 and a gl3 783. I have a few different reels and wanted to get a general consensus as to what people tend to prefer to help me narrow down my selection.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by Jeffbro999 » Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:49 am

I’m loving my Stile SS HG’s for jerkbaits. Spend a lot of time with a jerkbait tied on and this reel has been very impressive, a lot of fun to use. I have used Metaniums, Aldebarans, Chronarchs, Cores, Steez etc... and this reel has quickly become my favorite for jerkbaits. Very small, light, aluminum frame, brass gear swap, finesse VBS braking, carbon clicking drag, and the big handle make it a fun reel to fish.

Everyone loved the Curado/Alde 50s, and I’d say this reel is as close to the old 50s with the addition of Xship, while palming even smaller than the 50s, and casting farther, as it’ll get. Smallest baits I throw are Flash Minnow 85(3/16oz) and up to 1oz twitch baits and topwater. I use 30lb 832 tied to a 16lb Shooter leader on NRX 842c.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by TK_duluthbass » Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:18 am

I used an old td-z last year and thought it was great. The lower gear ratio was no problem.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by wilddog66 » Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:43 am

Using Chronarch MGL HGs spooled with 11, 13, and 15lb Armilo. The 7.1 ratio is fast enough to pick up the slack, but not so fast they can’t be used with Spinnerbaits and squarebills. I switch out the spools for “G” spools loaded with braid and use them in the salt.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by cndbasshunter » Thu Jan 17, 2019 1:46 pm

Aldebaran BFS XG
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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by OhioChamp183 » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:15 am

at least a 7.1:1 ratio

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by lape0019 » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:38 am

If there is anything I have noticed, jerkbait gear seems to be very very different from person to person.

Gear ratio? I have used and 7.3:1, 6.2:1 and 6.4:1. I much prefer a slower ratio as I am more concerned with presentation than I am with picking up slack. I use braid as a mainline so too fast of a reel will pull the bait towards me if I am not careful. My jerkbiat reel right now is a Shimano Bantam MGL (6.2:1) and I love it. I do not foresee moving this reel off of my jerkbait rod anytime soon.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by HobeyBaker » Fri Jan 18, 2019 7:35 pm

lape0019 wrote:If there is anything I have noticed, jerkbait gear seems to be very very different from person to person.

Gear ratio? I have used and 7.3:1, 6.2:1 and 6.4:1. I much prefer a slower ratio as I am more concerned with presentation than I am with picking up slack. I use braid as a mainline so too fast of a reel will pull the bait towards me if I am not careful. My jerkbiat reel right now is a Shimano Bantam MGL (6.2:1) and I love it. I do not foresee moving this reel off of my jerkbait rod anytime soon.
I'm the same way. I use an Aldebaran 50. I also like the ergonomics of the reel.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by Heddonfrog » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:42 pm

lape0019 wrote:If there is anything I have noticed, jerkbait gear seems to be very very different from person to person.

Gear ratio? I have used and 7.3:1, 6.2:1 and 6.4:1. I much prefer a slower ratio as I am more concerned with presentation than I am with picking up slack. I use braid as a mainline so too fast of a reel will pull the bait towards me if I am not careful. My jerkbiat reel right now is a Shimano Bantam MGL (6.2:1) and I love it. I do not foresee moving this reel off of my jerkbait rod anytime soon.
Agree with what you’re saying about retrieve speeds. I’m pretty methodical in my retrieve cadence, whatever it may be that day and expend 0 mental energy on reel ratio. One jerk rod has a 6.8:1 Lew’s Tour Pro Magnesium (5.3oz) the other a Curado 70 7.1:1 (6.5oz) because those just happen to be in my ratio sweetspot for most all my reels. The most important things to me are reel weight and ergonomics and that’s where I respectfully differ from your set up. My Bantam didn’t register as a candidate for my jerks rods because of its weight and because it’s metal, it’s absolutely freezing to hold in sub 40 temps and yes I do wear gloves but I always need a finger or two through the split fingers for feel and even with gloves my hands get colder much faster. If it gets anywhere near freezing with a decent wind it literally ices up. Obviously if you don’t live in frigid temp climes that’s not an issue but try a small profile sub 6oz reel out one day and I can almost guarantee you’ll be a convert. Ald 50’s seem like a killer choice as the other posters have said. My Steez flex lite rod and Tour Pro weighs less than an ounce more than my Bantam does by itself and believe me, my wrist and forearm thank me at the end of full day jerkbaiting.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by mark poulson » Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:00 am

Heddonfrog wrote:
lape0019 wrote:If there is anything I have noticed, jerkbait gear seems to be very very different from person to person.

Gear ratio? I have used and 7.3:1, 6.2:1 and 6.4:1. I much prefer a slower ratio as I am more concerned with presentation than I am with picking up slack. I use braid as a mainline so too fast of a reel will pull the bait towards me if I am not careful. My jerkbiat reel right now is a Shimano Bantam MGL (6.2:1) and I love it. I do not foresee moving this reel off of my jerkbait rod anytime soon.
Agree with what you’re saying about retrieve speeds. I’m pretty methodical in my retrieve cadence, whatever it may be that day and expend 0 mental energy on reel ratio. One jerk rod has a 6.8:1 Lew’s Tour Pro Magnesium (5.3oz) the other a Curado 70 7.1:1 (6.5oz) because those just happen to be in my ratio sweetspot for most all my reels. The most important things to me are reel weight and ergonomics and that’s where I respectfully differ from your set up. My Bantam didn’t register as a candidate for my jerks rods because of its weight and because it’s metal, it’s absolutely freezing to hold in sub 40 temps and yes I do wear gloves but I always need a finger or two through the split fingers for feel and even with gloves my hands get colder much faster. If it gets anywhere near freezing with a decent wind it literally ices up. Obviously if you don’t live in frigid temp climes that’s not an issue but try a small profile sub 6oz reel out one day and I can almost guarantee you’ll be a convert. Ald 50’s seem like a killer choice as the other posters have said. My Steez flex lite rod and Tour Pro weighs less than an ounce more than my Bantam does by itself and believe me, my wrist and forearm thank me at the end of full day jerkbaiting.
A light spool really helps with casting lighter jerkbaits with a baitcaster.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by domthewon » Sat Jan 19, 2019 8:25 am

I prefer 8:1 reels for jerks. To me I have to turn the reel handle less compared to the amount of pops I make with the rod. Plus I don’t need the higher torque of a lower geared ratio with the small treble hooks and lighter line usually 10 lb for 110s and 14 lb for magnums. Also the lighter and more balanced the combo the easier to use without fatigue. I now use a Daiwa SS sv with upgraded brass 8:1, carbontex drag, zpi bearings and nrc m spool.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by iabass8 » Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:18 am

I've used quite a few different reels and found that if I used a high gear ratio with my cadence that I was popping the bait and not the slack. Used a stock tdz type R+ last year and my catch rate seemed to improve. Felt the "lower" gear's helped me keep the bait where I wanted to easier with how I work it. Gonna roll with it again this year. Had no issues keeping up with river current smallies.

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Re: What is your prefered reel for jerkbaits

Post by Blacktail 8541 » Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:35 am

This is a great discussion and what I had in mind when I started this thread. Lets keep it going.

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