Fishing a Jerk Bait 2024
bassmaster3000 reply :
Hey,
Any of you guys got some tips for fishing smallies on a jerkbait? My waters get around 65 degrees in the summer, and structure is Trees, rocks, grass, docks, etc. THANKXZ FOR ANY ADVICE!!! ;D ;D
justfishin reply :
I think you will get a ton of answers on this one. Myself, I use a MH 6' Gator Rod, a Stradic and #8 line for all my Jerk's with the rod down. For the smallies around here I use mostly a Rapala Husky Jerk in Tenn. Shad in 
a no. 10 and 12. I just throw it out---far--- let it rest for a few seconds ( cold water) and crank it down two or three times and then---Jerk-Jerk-Jerk--let it rest for up to a minute and continue. I alternate my offers at times. Its fun catching them on Jerks.
fishizzle reply :
10 lb floro, 7' med rod
Rapala slashbait 1- 3' and jerk your arm off
smallies like it fast and frantic
4-8' in the spring
rippin_lips reply :
I plan on using jerkbaits for the first time this spring and summer. I was wondering what sizes are the most effective for smallies and what colors work best. Thanks.
Bass-1 reply :
Go BIG.. and use suspending models. 4 to 5 inch baits are what the smallies are looking for. The clearer the water, the more natural you want your bait to be. Jerk, jerk, pause is a good place to start. Let your bait sit for a few seconds and let the fish tell you what "they" want. Always watch behind your bait, as smallies will follow it right back to the boat or shore. If this happens, pause your bait longer and make a quick jerk and pause and hold on. Smallies will be feeding up for the spawn as soon as the ice goes out, so they want a big, easy meal right off. Keep an eye on water temps. As the water gets warm, you can move your bait a little faster and not pause quite as long.
Blade-Runner reply :
Go big(ger)...
In various models I like to use at least the size where it has 3 sets of trebles. In floaters, I really like the Long-A, Original Floating Rapala (F11,F13), Smithwick Rogue, and the Bang-O-Lure.
Suspenders are the one region of specificity where I will spend a little $$$ on a "quality" bait. Particularly if you're smallie hunting the 40-50+ cool prespawn waters with good clarity. I hate to say it because I'm thrifty and not wealthy, but nothing "feels" or looks better (for me) than a Lucky Craft Pointer in a suspending jerkbait. As a result of my high confidence and constant use, I catch bass on a LC...
The LC-Pointer 100-SP in Aurora Black, MS American Shad, or NC Shell White coupled with a 6'6" M/F Browning Medallion GT, a TD-Viento, and 12-lb. fluorocarbon is one of my go-to's when I'm fishing clear smallmouth lakes in pre-spawn. It will definitely be my most used horizontal bait during this time in these conditions.
bassmaster3000 reply :
I was fishing on sunday, and I caught a Brown Trout on a 4 inch husky jerk, tenessee shad color!!!!!!! ;D YAY!!
bass wrangler569 reply :
QuoteGo BIG.. and use suspending models. 4 to 5 inch baits are what the smallies are looking for. The clearer the water, the more natural you want your bait to be. Jerk, jerk, pause is a good place to start. Let your bait sit for a few seconds and let the fish tell you what "they" want. Always watch behind your bait, as smallies will follow it right back to the boat or shore. If this happens, pause your bait longer and make a quick jerk and pause and hold on. Smallies will be feeding up for the spawn as soon as the ice goes out, so they want a big, easy meal right off. Keep an eye on water temps. As the water gets warm, you can move your bait a little faster and not pause quite as long.
Excellent advice!!! Don't be afraid to use big jerkbaits. Slender pointers in size 127 are excellent choices during the summer.
Jig Thrower reply :
deep jerkbaits let it hang in their face this time of year
justinrose40 reply :
I fish several different types of jerkbaits, but my go to would be the X-rap from Rapala. They didn't hit it as good last year on my home lake, but 2 springs ago my partner and I caught a lot of fish in the 4-5 pound range and even a couple over 6 on a clown X-rap in muddy water and silver in clear water.
When I was first learning how to jerkbait fish, someone told me that when the bite is more aggressive and you miss a fish to try and rip the bait away from them as quick as possible. I thought he was crazy, it seemed to me that the obvious thing to do would be to pause and hope he took it again. Turns out he was right. When the bite is aggressive it drives them crazy to miss the bait and see it trying to get away.
Good Luck, and hold on tight.
Pitchinkid reply :
I use a 6'9 MHF E21 Carrot Stick w/ Diawa TDA w/ 10# 100% Trilene Flouro. Im a huge fan of LC Pointers. They have a little wobble when they come to rest on the pause. I think fish really key in on that. Its really hard to beat the Ghost Minnow pattern here on WV waters. But water clarity is a huge factor with jerkbaits in my opinion. The clearer the water the better. I like all sizes of jerkbaits. Baitfish size is my determining factor when it comes to what size to throw. "Match the Hatch" is what im trying to say. As far as candence is concerned, Change it up, to see what they want. But when the jerkbait bite is on, few baits are as fun to fish with.
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteIm a huge fan of LC Pointers. They have a little wobble when they come to rest on the pause.
I agree, this feature is HUGE!
8-)
Crestliner2008 reply :
QuoteQuoteIm a huge fan of LC Pointers. They have a little wobble when they come to rest on the pause.I agree, this feature is HUGE!
X2 - This is what separates the Pointers from the rest of the pack, I believe. I've had great success on the X-Raps too. But they don't wobble on the pause (?).
8-)
Jig Man reply :
Carry more than one style, size, and brand. Yesterday the fish wouldn't give my big pointers a look. They didn't like my Mann's deep jerk. They would, however, hit my Stacey King size pointers fairly well. But they were really in the mood for a little more wabble and climbed all over the Xraps no matter what color we used.
Yesterday the Xrap out did the LC at least 4-1, but who knows what mood they might be in today.
MJEFF reply :
I have to agree on the LC's I am from MA., ice has just left and its cold out side, water still in the high 30's.
It seems the best water temp for jerkbaits is 50-62, at least in my expierence. Around here once the water gets above high 60's the smallie are heading for the bottom.
Of course you can catch a good number of smallies pre-dawn on shoals etc. My favorite smallie lake is Quabbin Res, in Central MA. , you cannot get on the water till 6am, so a lot of those windows of opportunities are gone, unless its a windy cloudy day....
Those LC just have a great wobble and suspend very well, we also use trout colored Rapalas and a Rapala bait called a Sissy Bait as the color is a mother of pearl finish with soft reds and blues and yellows.
MJEFF
smallieking reply :
im also a huge of the lucky craft pointer. i like the live pointer. try fishing it around deep banks with rock. the colder the water the slower the retrieve, warmer vise versia.
iceintheveins reply :
Quoteim also a huge of the lucky craft pointer. i like the live pointer. try fishing it around deep banks with rock. the colder the water the slower the retrieve, warmer vise versia.
I love the regular pointers but I think the live pointers suck. Hardly any action. Maybe I'm just fishing it wrong though. How do you retrieve it?
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteI love the regular pointers but I think the live pointers suck. Hardly any action. Maybe I'm just fishing it wrong though. How do you retrieve it?
You don't. Once you commit it to the trash heap, leave it there!
Better yet, give it to someone you REALLY don't like.
>
bass wrangler569 reply :
QuoteQuoteI love the regular pointers but I think the live pointers suck. Hardly any action. Maybe I'm just fishing it wrong though. How do you retrieve it?You don't. Once you commit it to the trash heap, leave it there!
Better yet, give it to someone you REALLY don't like.
>
I don't think I dislike anybody that much. ;D
iceintheveins reply :
Most people I know don't like live pointers either.
smallieking reply :
i only really fish for river smallies so idk bout lakes but i dont judge lures based on their action just on there ablity to catch fish, n the live pointer catches more and bigger fish for me than the original pointer. i retrieve it with alot of twitches and pauses
bugman reply :
Hey Smallieking, being from Cleveland I'd like to pile on you about the live pointer, lol but I agree that one mans junk is another treasure. By the way do you ever get up to Presque Isle Bay? If so what jerks do you use?
Keep catching those smallies on that live pointer.
Good Luck
iceintheveins reply :
Quotei only really fish for river smallies so idk bout lakes but i dont judge lures based on their action just on there ablity to catch fish, n the live pointer catches more and bigger fish for me than the original pointer. i retrieve it with alot of twitches and pauses
Very true. If we judged senkos, centipedes, lipless cranks, and some other baits on action alone, nobody would be using those DEADLY lures.
BUCKEYEone reply :
Thanks a lot guys. I now believe that most of you are actually either sales reps for or sponsored by LC! I just ordered my first two pointers off of ebay.
CODbasser reply :
QuoteQuoteI love the regular pointers but I think the live pointers suck. Hardly any action. Maybe I'm just fishing it wrong though. How do you retrieve it?You don't. Once you commit it to the trash heap, leave it there!
Better yet, give it to someone you REALLY don't like.
>
I have caught 1 and 1/2 fish on a live pointer....the first was a two pound small mouth...3 hours later i hooked another small mouth on it...it jumped and the stinking thing broke in half...that fish would have culled a 13 inch keeper and got us in the money...stupid thing cost me a couple hundred dollars...i will never buy another... i dont know if i just got a lemon...but that was all i needed to turn my nose up at them...the other pointers however cant be beat!!!! i prob have as much money invested in lucky craft as i do in rods and reels lol....fav colors are chartreuse shad, ms american shad, ghost minnow and green ayu or whatever u call it...i like the pointer 78 myself 
MJEFF reply :
I use both baitcasting and spinning gear to throw jerkbaits , both suspending and floating.
For baitcastting I usually use my 6'8" AllStar spinnerbait rod or a similar size GLoomis and Shimano or Quantum reels.
Same brands for spinning.
I prefer Lucky Craft suspending and some favorite Rapala floaters.
It seems to me the best water temps are 54-62, over all. There are lots of good jerkbaits on the market, but I have never had much luck with Smithwick's.
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