When spider rigging I actually just lift the rod due to the rod tip being so close to the boat. I've never found any more than that to be necessary in that instance.

If my float has been cast and is further away from the boat, I take up any line slack and give it a quick light flick of the wrist.
I actually got some practice in yesterday doing this with some bait stealing, hook swallowing little panstinkers. Their only redeeming quality is that they may grow up to be nice slabs one day.