If you’ve been reading any tournament fishing headlines in recent years, then you probably already know that jerkbaits have made a strong resurgence in competitive bass circuits across the country. In fact the recent Bassmaster Classic winner just won primarily using a Jerkbait! With the advent of forward-facing sonar, the capabilities of these baitfish imitators now goes well beyond the classic cold-water applications for which they were historically known.
In order to maximize the effectiveness of a jerkbait throughout the year, a properly designed rod is essential for bringing these baits to life and there are a few key things to look for in your next jerkbait setup:
- A rod with a soft tip/mid-section
- A relatively short rod (6’6” – 7’2”)
- A line weight rating in the 8-14lb test range
- A lightweight rod setup
7 weight fly rods are the perfect utility rod for a variety of applications. From throwing streamers with heavy sink tips to casting to tailing bonefish in a headwind, a 7wt fly rod can do it.
They are capable of handling larger fish and larger flies without breaking a sweat –the 7wt is the rod of choice for anglers fishing for:
- Large trout
- Steelhead
- Largemouth and smallmouth bass
- Carp
- Bonefish
- Redfish
- Small stripers
- Smaller pike and pickerel
Best 7 Weight Fly Rod
Whether you’re making short, quick casts with heavy sink tip and large streamers or casting shrimp patterns long distances for tailing bones, the characteristics of a great 7 weight fly rod are the same.
The best 7 weight fly rod includes characteristics such as:
- Fast-action
- Powerful
- Accurate
7wt vs 8wt Fly Rod
7wt fly rods are often considered to be a more finesse 8wt rod. They are typically lighter than an 8wt and can deliver more delicate casts and presentations. This becomes important when there is a school of skittish bonefish 60 feet in front of you and an accurate, delicate cast needs to be made to have a chance of hooking one. In situations like these, the 7wt out-shines the 8wt.
7wt Fly Rod For Saltwater
A good 7wt fly rod for saltwater should be fast, accurate, and powerful to make a good presentation – especially when chasing cruising fish on the flats. An angler must be ready and able to throw casts at 30 to 70 feet with 1-2 false casts. In these situations, a fast-action, powerful rod is important.
The Douglas SKY G 9′ 7wt (7904) is an outstanding 7wt fly rod for saltwater.
Why Own A 7 Weight Fly Rod
If you’re looking for a rod that can handle a variety of fishing techniques, specifically for larger fish, then you’ll want to add 7 wt fly rod to your quiver. They excel at casting large flies, streamers with sink tips, handling wind, and casting long distances.
Douglas 7 Weight Fly Rods
We offer several 7 weight fly rods at different price points, including:
- LRS 9’ – 7wt (LRS F7904) – a price-point rod that is reliable and durable.
- DXF 9’ – 7wt (DXF 7904) – a mid-priced, performance rod that is fun to fish with.
- SKY G 9’ – 7wt (SKY G 7904) – a high-end, high-performance fly rod that can handle it all.
Visit a dealer near you to cast and purchase a Douglas 7 weight fly rod, or see our online dealers to have one delivered to your door.
Additional Resources
- The Best 6 Weight Fly Rod
- The Best 5 Weight Fly Rod
- Understanding Fly Rod Action
What Makes a Good Jerkbait Rod:
There are a lot of rods out there that will suffice for simply dragging a stick bait through the water but a great jerkbait rod will truly maximize the action of the bait and keep bass pinned once they’re hooked.
- A Soft Tip: A soft tip/mid-section is essential for making a bait “dance” as you execute your jerking cadence. Something with some “whip” will allow the bait to walk side to side with every twitch of the rod tip and will even throw a little slack in the line each time the bait is worked. A rod that is too stiff creates a dead action with a much narrower walking action. This soft action also absorbs energy on jumps and hard runs where bass are notorious for throwing treble hooks.
- A Short Rod: A “short rod” is a relative term. Someone who is 6’6” tall may consider a 7’2” rod short while someone who is 5’6” may opt for a 6’6” setup for this application. The key here is that the rod can be worked in a downward twitching motion without contacting the water surface.
- Line Weight Rating: Typical line weights for jerkbait fishing range from 8 – 14lb test; much less and you risk breaking fish off, much more and you start to hinder the action of the bait. Having a rod that is designed specifically for the line strength you intend to use is important in avoiding unnecessary breakoffs and maximizing bait action.
- Lightweight: Throwing a jerkbait all day can be fatiguing. High quality rods tend to utilize light weight components which, at the end of the day, can mean the difference between a sore wrist and staying on the water for several more hours.
Jerkbait Spinning Rod:
Don’t be fooled into thinking that jerkbaits can only be thrown on casting tackle. A properly selected spinning rod can be an excellent choice for throwing just about any jerkbait, but especially some of the smaller finesse options that require light line to optimize casting distance and bait action.
Some great options in this category would include:
Douglas LRS:
- LRS S683XF
- LRS S6103XF
- LRS S704F
Douglas Xmatrix:
- DXS 683XF
- DXS 6103XF
- DXS 704F
Jerkbait Casting Rods:
If you favor the more conventional casting rod route for throwing your jerkbaits this season, Douglas offers a variety of options for filling this void in your rod locker. Whether you prefer a budget friendly work horse or you’re a die-hard that will settle for nothing less than the Cadillac of jerkbait rods, Douglas has you covered.
The following would be our top picks:
Douglas LRS:
- LRS C684F
- LRS C703MF
- LRS C724F
Douglas Xmatrix:
- DXC 684F
- DXC 703MF
- DXC 724F
