Jawjacker rod

[PACMEN]

Took me awhile to find a rod that works with the jacker and I am still not happy with it.  I am using an ugly stick.
I don't feel it has enough backbone for the hook set  Other rods I have were way to much.

Have any of you guys found a rod that seems to suit your needs and you are happy with?

[filletedalive]

My experience with the jackers comes down to two factors.
1. Is my jig presentation as close to horizontal as possible?
2. Are the height, length, and trigger pressure set correctly for either a light or medium action rod.

I can’t point you to a specific rod but previous years I used medium action rods with near perfect hookset (the hook was all the way through the roof of the mouth)

This year I tried a light action rod with the height settings as high as possible and the length setting short to match the rod.
I got equal success. Which, surprised me.
The jacker caught dozens of white bass, perch and a number of trout on the light action rod with one miss at bountiful lake.

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The second part of my response did not post. So here it is.
The first year with the jacker, I went with stiff action rods I had around the house and set them with maximum force when triggered.
This resulted in dozens of miss hooks. A would guess a 2 hookset to 10 trigger ratio. Not good.
I switched to my cheap medium action rods $10-$20 range and set them to medium force (find the maximum then adjust the height settings down one) and switched to horizontal presentations.
That resulted in a huge difference. I would say 8 hooks out of ten triggers.
That’s good.
One note on the rod eyelet. The rods I use on the jacker have the two guides on the side of the main eyelet. This is where the trigger loop is attached. I don’t know if it’s related to it’s success rate. But it bothered me to have the trigger loop in the eyelet where the main line was.
Prior to any trip I take the rod and the jacker and set it up on the table to find the setting one back from the maximum.

I hope this helps. But you may already have the “right rod” hopefully you can save some cash and improve the catch rate.

[DailyAngler]

I have had good luck with the Shakespeare fuel ice combo (red and black). Seems like a good balance of flex to backbone good drag system and guides and only around $15 i just bought 2 more and put braided line on for good hookset.

[PACMEN]

My experience with the jackers comes down to two factors.
1. Is my jig presentation as close to horizontal as possible?
2. Are the height, length, and trigger pressure set correctly for either a light or medium action rod.                   

I can’t point you to a specific rod but previous years I used medium action rods with near perfect hookset (the hook was all the way through the roof of the mouth)

This year I tried a light action rod with the height settings as high as possible and the length setting short to match the rod.
I got equal success. Which, surprised me.
The jacker caught dozens of white bass, perch and a number of trout on the light action rod with one miss at bountiful lake.

---

The second part of my response did not post. So here it is.
The first year with the jacker, I went with stiff action rods I had around the house and set them with maximum force when triggered.
This resulted in dozens of miss hooks. A would guess a 2 hookset to 10 trigger ratio. Not good.
I switched to my cheap medium action rods $10-$20 range and set them to medium force (find the maximum then adjust the height settings down one) and switched to horizontal presentations.
That resulted in a huge difference. I would say 8 hooks out of ten triggers.
That’s good.
One note on the rod eyelet. The rods I use on the jacker have the two guides on the side of the main eyelet. This is where the trigger loop is attached. I don’t know if it’s related to it’s success rate. But it bothered me to have the trigger loop in the eyelet where the main line was. 
Prior to any trip I take the rod and the jacker and set it up on the table to find the setting one back from the maximum.

I hope this helps. But you may already have the “right rod” hopefully you can save some cash and improve the catch rate.

I am jealous of the ten hook ups for 8 triggers.
I have not worked with the length setting at all.  I'll have to try that out.  
I started with stiff rods and would rarely hook up.  When I did hook up and land a fish it would have rips in the tops of the mouth. That's why I went to a slower rod. This did help some.
I also tried a rod where I had to have main line in rod eyelet and I did not like it at all.

 
You mention trigger pressure set correctly.  In my frustration I run the trigger pretty much as light as possible. 
Is this a bad thing?
How do you determine correct trigger pressure?

Next year when they become available again I am planning on getting a jigging base.
Do you have any experience with these?
Are they worth the $100.00?

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I have had good luck with the Shakespeare fuel ice combo (red and black). Seems like a good balance of flex to backbone good drag system and guides and only around $15 i just bought 2 more and put braided line on for good hookset.

I had not thought of trying braid on jacker rod.
I will swap out the reel to one with braid on it and see how it goes.
I will also take a look at try the action of the fuel ice rod.

Thanks

[filletedalive]

Trigger pressure is trial and error for the most part. When I am finding the jacker settings for the rod, I turn the trigger pressure screw to loose, then tighten it up to where it takes just a bit of effort to trigger it. I know that’s a vague description but I think of it along the lines of “ what does a light trout bite look like at the end of a rod”? Then I kinda tug at the line to see how much pressure it takes to make the rod tip have that action. Then I adjust the trigger pressure screw to trigger that that pressure point.
Typically, it’s set pretty light to Achieve that.

I cant speak on the jigging base cause the jaw jacker for me is just for dead sticking. The rod in my hand is the jigging rod.
There was an awesome previous thread on presentations and jig size. I’ll see if I can dig that up and paste it.

[DailyAngler]

Let us know what combo you have success with Pacmen, I like this topic.  I will add that I use the lightest possible setting on the trigger. Sometimes that is even not enough to set it off. I have watched trout at strawberry through the hole taste a baited hook and not set it off.  I have downsized all my hooks to size 14 jig hooks and 16 tungsten on the end using my "three hooks, one line" method. Try combos of plastic and live bait or just live bait to see what gets the best bite. Cover only the hook with bait, no danglers.

[Ryno]

I had to try some different rods until I found one I like as well. I'm currently having good success with a CLAM Voltage rod, 34-inch Medium action. I'm using it relatively shallow (10-30ft) but have caught rainbows, cutthroats, lakers, and burbot on it. My trigger setting is light and I'm rigging it with light baits too. I had people tell me that I shouldn't expect more than 50% success with the Jaw Jacker, but I've had days/nights where it's been 100%.

Hope it helps, Ryno

[PACMEN]

I had to try some different rods until I found one I like as well.  I'm currently having good success with a CLAM Voltage rod, 34-inch Medium action.  I'm using it relatively shallow (10-30ft) but have caught rainbows, cutthroats, lakers, and burbot on it.  My trigger setting is light and I'm rigging it with light baits too.  I had people tell me that I shouldn't expect more than 50% success with the Jaw Jacker, but I've had days/nights where it's been 100%.

Hope it helps, Ryno

Thanks that gives me another rod to look at.
I might be done with ice for the winter.  I've come across some open water that needs to be fished.

[SkunkedAgain]

I built a medium wt glass rod 32" this year that works really well on the jacker, but I also have done well with my ugly stick rods, in fact they are the ones that I have used the most and as long as I don't use jigs with long tails the jackers do pretty well hooking up... I find my jacker ratio is similar to my hand jigging hook up ratio, and sometimes better... If I'm only getting one hit and they are gone, then the jacker does better than I do...

For some reason I haven't done very well with JJ's this year, very few hits on my JJ rods this year, seems like the fish like the random jigging patterns better this year... with long pauses... I do have the jigging bases and have used them all season and haven't done very well with them this year, however on past years they have outfished me many times... I don't know why this year has seemed different for me, but most of my fish have all come on my active rod this year... Maybe the fish are learning what a jigging jaw jacker pattern looks like... Or maybe I'm just psyching myself out... I actually have slowed down on even setting up the second rods lately, because of the lack of success.. but when I head to Strawberry that will change and I'll get them going again... Later Jeff