I'm starting to really get into jerkbaits. Even in the summer, I've been having decent luck. Give me something to do when the jig bite dies.
Anyway, I have a few jerkbaits so far built up. A few Rogues, XCalibers, Rapala's and Strike King.
I'd like to try more and expand on my color and size collection. I really like the Rapala Cracklin rap, but the color selection kinda blows.
I been eyeballing the Lucky Crafts and Megabass brands due to the colors. In the gods honest truth, what does the 15 dollar plus baits have over the 6-7 dollar baits? Other than hardware, what makes one better than the other?
I have been given some of the more expensive baits, but when I buy for myself, it is hard to beat a Rapala or a Rogue. If I need casting distance I also like Long A's. They catch a LOT of fish for me. In the summer doldrums a jerkbait fished at dusk gets reaction strikes.
On 9/13/2013 at 1:56 PM, rockchalk06 said:I'm starting to really get into jerkbaits. Even in the summer, I've been having decent luck. Give me something to do when the jig bite dies.
Anyway, I have a few jerkbaits so far built up. A few Rogues, XCalibers, Rapala's and Strike King.
I'd like to try more and expand on my color and size collection. I really like the Rapala Cracklin rap, but the color selection kinda blows.
I been eyeballing the Lucky Crafts and Megabass brands due to the colors. In the gods honest truth, what does the 15 dollar plus baits have over the 6-7 dollar baits? Other than hardware, what makes one better than the other?
I had a Megabass 110 and a Luck E Strike RC STX custom painted in the same color (Norman Flake). When they came back it was virtually impossible to tell them apart. both visually and performance wise.
The more expensive baits, be they cranks, topwater, etc. tend to have the best quality components and quality controll during manufacturing. This results in a higher priced, better product. Do or will you catch more fish using them? Maybe and maybe not. I don't own any Lucky Craft baits, but I do have a number of Poes cranks. I've never changed out the stock hooks and although a few of them are identical models, because they're wood each has it's own 'personality' in the water.
If you were to equate your baits, to say cars the difference is more personal preference. A Chevy and a Lexus will both get you where you're going. If you can afford either, which would you drive?
The biggest advantage is balance and components. The original Smithwick Rogue is a
VERY effective lure. My biggest issues have been the hooks, balance on casting and
sinking over time. The aerodynamics drive me crazy! Foot-in-mouth disease is a common
complaint, especially if you are fishing at night.
I think LC Pointers were the first to introduce a ballbearing based system for weight dispersement.
Casting is noticably different. The hooks are sharp and do not need to be replaced. Pointers
will suspend perfectly right out of the box. The "secret" ingredient is a slight vibration when the
lure appears to be perfectly still.
Then we have my favorite "collectable". Megabass Ito Vision 110 is a work of art. Perfect in every
way. Besides the beauty the next best feature is the Katsuage hooks. I won't claim they are far
superior to other jerkbaits in terms of "catching", but I just love collecting them!
MeGa bass baits come out of a china factory maybe better hardware but 15-24 bucks?they see you coming a mile away.
On 9/13/2013 at 9:06 PM, papajoe222 said:The more expensive baits, be they cranks, topwater, etc. tend to have the best quality components and quality controll during manufacturing. This results in a higher priced, better product. Do or will you catch more fish using them? Maybe and maybe not. I don't own any Lucky Craft baits, but I do have a number of Poes cranks. I've never changed out the stock hooks and although a few of them are identical models, because they're wood each has it's own 'personality' in the water.
If you were to equate your baits, to say cars the difference is more personal preference. A Chevy and a Lexus will both get you where you're going. If you can afford either, which would you drive?
Thanks
On 9/13/2013 at 10:13 PM, roadwarrior said:The biggest advantage is balance and components. The original Smithwick Rogue is a a
VERY effective lure. My biggest issues have been the hooks, balance on casting and
sinking over time. The aerodynamics drive me crazy! Foot-in-mouth disease is a common
complaint, especially if you are fishing at night.
I think LC Pointers were the first to introduce a ballbearing based system for weight dispersement.
Casting is noticably different. The hooks are sharp and do not need to be replaced. Pointers
will suspend perfectly right out of the box. The "secret" ingredient is a slight vibration when the
lure appears to be perfectly still.
Then we have my favorite "collectable". Megabass Ito Vision 110 is a work of art. Perfect in every
way. Besides the beauty the next best feature is the Katsuage hooks. I won't claim they are far
superior to other jerkbaits in terms of "catching", but I just love collecting them!
Gotcha. I have several of the Rogues but I have only been fishing them since around December of last year so I didn't know their longevity.
On 9/13/2013 at 10:13 PM, roadwarrior said:The biggest advantage is balance and components. The original Smithwick Rogue is a a
VERY effective lure. My biggest issues have been the hooks, balance on casting and
sinking over time. The aerodynamics drive me crazy! Foot-in-mouth disease is a common
complaint, especially if you are fishing at night.
I think LC Pointers were the first to introduce a ballbearing based system for weight dispersement.
Casting is noticably different. The hooks are sharp and do not need to be replaced. Pointers
will suspend perfectly right out of the box. The "secret" ingredient is a slight vibration when the
lure appears to be perfectly still.
Then we have my favorite "collectable". Megabass Ito Vision 110 is a work of art. Perfect in every
way. Besides the beauty the next best feature is the Katsuage hooks. I won't claim they are far
superior to other jerkbaits in terms of "catching", but I just love collecting them!
Now I'm kinda confused on the all the models now lol What do you recommend for a suspending bait under 5" that dives to around 6 feet
Being a certified jerkbait fanatic I have a selection for both warm water and cold water so I 'll let you know what I see in the different baits and give you opinions on which to have. The first thing is the expensive jerkbaits, there are a lot actually but the 2 biggest are Lucky Craft and Megabass, the one reason why I forked out the money for a LC Pointer is the suspending properties, the pointer is a good cold water bait and one I believe should be in your tackle arsenal if you fish in sub 50 degree water. The Megabass 110 is strange to me as I can't put my finger on why it works but it does seem to get bit better when fish are selective, for example I had a day when the smallmouth would just slash at my X-Raps and even changing the color and size didn't do to much, I'd get a few but losing a lot as they weren't eating it. Enter the Vision 110, I tied my bait on and the fish were really eating it, this has happened a good bit and I bought a 110 high float, to this day it is the only floating jerkbait that I caught fish on in cold water without putting weight on to make it suspend. My arsenal for the summer months is the Rattlin Rogue, the ARB 1200 series, I suggest going to lure net for rogues as they sell all the different types and there are a lot, the one I mentioned is a shallow diver that can be worked slow like a topwater bait or worked aggressively at the 1.5' to 2' range, and that is when it works best for me when I'm on smallies. I also have been using with great success the Bagley Bang-O-Lure, both the 4" and 5" sizes have been productive, the rogue gets more bites while the Bang-O-Lure seems to get bigger fish on average. The Rapala Flat Rap, this is awesome because it has a real subtle roll but it responds well to angler input letting me fish it fast but instead of hard darting and slashing, it is more of a side to side walk the dog action, very good for schooling fish or post frontal conditions. For the cold water periods I like the Lucky Craft Pointer as it suspends out of the box really well, I'm also becoming a big fan of the Storm Twitch Stick, these look like a Pointer and even have the same little wobble when paused but the suspend better in the upper 40s to 50 degree range so I prefer the Pointer at low temps. The X-Rap is one I do use year round because it doesn't go deep but it does have a hard slashing action that triggers fish in warm water but it also has a subtle action at slow speeds and it suspends making it a good cold water bait. Next spring I'll be trying the Baker jerkbaits and I'll be looking to find some Erratic shads at a discounted price since the pro who the bait was made for is with a different sponsor. BTW, I like the Xcalibur Erratic shad as well as the Xt3 and Xs4 baits, they are really good so grab some if you find them, I didn't include them on my list because they do come out with great jerkbaits but then they discontinue them and what is bad is they flat out work great, the deep diver Xt3 rund about 7' deep on 12lb line, it is a killer when the fish are staging at the first drop off of a flat, but this is just a short list of all my baits but these are my goto jerkbaits, welcome to the sickness!!!
On 9/14/2013 at 6:15 AM, smalljaw67 said:Being a certified jerkbait fanatic I have a selection for both warm water and cold water so I 'll let you know what I see in the different baits and give you opinions on which to have. The first thing is the expensive jerkbaits, there are a lot actually but the 2 biggest are Lucky Craft and Megabass, the one reason why I forked out the money for a LC Pointer is the suspending properties, the pointer is a good cold water bait and one I believe should be in your tackle arsenal if you fish in sub 50 degree water. The Megabass 110 is strange to me as I can't put my finger on why it works but it does seem to get bit better when fish are selective, for example I had a day when the smallmouth would just slash at my X-Raps and even changing the color and size didn't do to much, I'd get a few but losing a lot as they weren't eating it. Enter the Vision 110, I tied my bait on and the fish were really eating it, this has happened a good bit and I bought a 110 high float, to this day it is the only floating jerkbait that I caught fish on in cold water without putting weight on to make it suspend. My arsenal for the summer months is the Rattlin Rogue, the ARB 1200 series, I suggest going to lure net for rogues as they sell all the different types and there are a lot, the one I mentioned is a shallow diver that can be worked slow like a topwater bait or worked aggressively at the 1.5' to 2' range, and that is when it works best for me when I'm on smallies. I also have been using with great success the Bagley Bang-O-Lure, both the 4" and 5" sizes have been productive, the rogue gets more bites while the Bang-O-Lure seems to get bigger fish on average. The Rapala Flat Rap, this is awesome because it has a real subtle roll but it responds well to angler input letting me fish it fast but instead of hard darting and slashing, it is more of a side to side walk the dog action, very good for schooling fish or post frontal conditions. For the cold water periods I like the Lucky Craft Pointer as it suspends out of the box really well, I'm also becoming a big fan of the Storm Twitch Stick, these look like a Pointer and even have the same little wobble when paused but the suspend better in the upper 40s to 50 degree range so I prefer the Pointer at low temps. The X-Rap is one I do use year round because it doesn't go deep but it does have a hard slashing action that triggers fish in warm water but it also has a subtle action at slow speeds and it suspends making it a good cold water bait. Next spring I'll be trying the Baker jerkbaits and I'll be looking to find some Erratic shads at a discounted price since the pro who the bait was made for is with a different sponsor. BTW, I like the Xcalibur Erratic shad as well as the Xt3 and Xs4 baits, they are really good so grab some if you find them, I didn't include them on my list because they do come out with great jerkbaits but then they discontinue them and what is bad is they flat out work great, the deep diver Xt3 rund about 7' deep on 12lb line, it is a killer when the fish are staging at the first drop off of a flat, but this is just a short list of all my baits but these are my goto jerkbaits, welcome to the sickness!!!
Thanks a million man!!
I am not a jerkbait guy, but I enjoy reading about them.
EVERYONE, and I mean everyone, especially those that are known for jerkbaits all rave about the Lucky Crafts and Megabass jerkbaits.
If I was to consider using the technique, those 2 would be the only baits I would even consider throwing. I own nothing from either company at the present.
Here's a comparison of the two in question. I've fished them both and done well on each. Very similar, yet some differences.
-T9
On 9/14/2013 at 10:42 AM, Team9nine said:Here's a comparison of the two in question. I've fished them both and done well on each. Very similar, yet some differences.
-T9
Thanks for that chart.
A LC Pointer 110 in chartreuse shad is the best cold water smallie bait up here. Good bait for clear water (you can bomb these). The LC Flash Minnow is a bit more subtle and doesn't go as deep (3-5 feet) but seems to be a good follow up when the Pointer has lost its magic (you've caught nearly the entire School and want those last 4 fish).
The LES Clunn works better in water that is warmer. But contrary to what has been claimed, you should still change out the split rings and hooks even on the newest production runs. Doing that makes it a very good bait otherwise you'll get back a bait missing hooks and that stinks for you and could kill the fish.
Bomber suspending long a is a fish catcher for sure (any color with orange on the belly).
One of the deep diving suspending rogues should be in your box too. Work it by raising you rod as opposed to sweeps or downward.
I've tried them all but the most consistent one for me has been the Xcalibur XS4. I SLAYED bass and trout in march and april of this year with it.
I have had so much success with an Pointer SP 78/100 that I rarely spend time fishing anything else. I will switch between two colors one is always chatruese shad and the other is some type of yellowgreenish ghost color. I would highly recommend LC Pointer SP 78, dont stress out about the price because its not like your banging it into the rocks to the same extent as a crankbait. You dont lose jerkbaits. By the time you wear a pointer out so much that it breaks you will not cry because of the price of the bait, but because of how much sentiment it has earned over its tenure.
One thing I can tell you is that Xcalibur and Reaction Strike both made pointer clones XT3 and XRM100 that are very accurate. I believe both are discontinued but would be worth a look on the web. I own a few of each, most of the colors are reflective which is a feature I like in jerkbaits only when the weather is gray (not so common in eastern WA).
I had a couple situations this season where I really wish I had shallower running floating jerkbait to stay above the rocks and grass, like in the 0-2.5 foot range. Anybody recommend anything for that application? A high running bait that fishes very fast?
On 9/24/2013 at 12:04 PM, NathanW said:I have had so much success with an Pointer SP 78/100 that I rarely spend time fishing anything else. I will switch between two colors one is always chatruese shad and the other is some type of yellowgreenish ghost color. I would highly recommend LC Pointer SP 78, dont stress out about the price because its not like your banging it into the rocks to the same extent as a crankbait. You dont lose jerkbaits. By the time you wear a pointer out so much that it breaks you will not cry because of the price of the bait, but because of how much sentiment it has earned over its tenure.
One thing I can tell you is that Xcalibur and Reaction Strike both made pointer clones XT3 and XRM100 that are very accurate. I believe both are discontinued but would be worth a look on the web. I own a few of each, most of the colors are reflective which is a feature I like in jerkbaits only when the weather is gray (not so common in eastern WA).
I had a couple situations this season where I really wish I had shallower running floating jerkbait to stay above the rocks and grass, like in the 0-2.5 foot range. Anybody recommend anything for that application? A high running bait that fishes very fast?
Thanks. I went ebay crazy and got a bunch of them. I got some Live 80'S, Pointer 100 SP's 97 MR's, Staysee 90Sp Ver 2's. I caught two on the Live Pointer that were two of the most violent hits I've ever had.
The 78 pointer and 97 slender pointer MR are two of my favorites. The Luck E Strike RC stix are a great bait, I really can't tell a difference in appearance or performance from my Megabass. The Erratic shad is a great bait too and seems to catch bigger fish than my other jerkbaits for some odd reason. I have high hopes for my Perfect 10 Rogue but haven't gotten to fish it much yet.
On 9/13/2013 at 9:06 PM, papajoe222 said:The more expensive baits, be they cranks, topwater, etc. tend to have the best quality components and quality controll during manufacturing. This results in a higher priced, better product.
You'd think so. But the MB 110's have a rep for being pretty fragile. Lips breaking off of them is VERY common. Tails breaking off is reported too, and I've had that happen to one of mine. I have a lot more MB 110's than I like to admit, but have pretty much stopped fishing them since the SK STX came out. For me, in the Ozarks, they just work better. The fact they are 1/3 or less the cost is just icing on the cake.
I also own a lot of LC jerkbaits, and they are great also. The SP78 in regular and DD catch me a lot of fish. Spro McStick is another winner in this area.
But I rarely tie one on in warmer weather. The little I have done it yielded no results, but I think about it every now and then. Very realistic lures, so you'd think they'd work any time of the year.
Good buy Rockchalk. I have tried a bunch and like the Lucky's the best. I am not big into buying expensive lures but these are worth it IMO.
I mainly use the SP100 and the Staysee 90 for a lil deeper.
As you noticed suspending baits get hit hard.
On 9/25/2013 at 4:42 AM, Comfortably Numb said:Good buy Rockchalk. I have tried a bunch and like the Lucky's the best. I am not big into buying expensive lures but these are worth it IMO.
I mainly use the SP100 and the Staysee 90 for a lil deeper.
As you noticed suspending baits get hit hard.
Yepper. It's like a topwater high but better lol. I haven't paid over 7 bucks for one yet and all were new!
Check out OSS custom baits. I don't have anything to do with him other then he makes all mine. For the same price as a lucky he can make you anything you want. he makes some SICK stuff!
Jerkbaits that are more expensive also probably has a lot more R&D behind it.
I don't know what makes it happen, but have you seen the quiver of a pointer at the end of a rip? Or perhaps how some jerkbaits suspend head down tail up? We're honestly at a time where there's so many good baits out there that you have to pick and choose ones you really like, gain a ton of confidence in them and just go out fishing.
I don't fish jerk baits much at all but have wanted to learn a bit more about them including the wide price range
this has been a wonderful discuss: thanks all for sharing !!
Pointer 100 and 100DD, ghost minnow when I fish the res! In December and January, like bass candy! Smaller bodies of water or bank fishing, I'm all about the pointer 78. When you get into them good, when you give it to them just the way they like it, it is my favorite way to fish. Nothing like that giant thump and the steady head shake of a giant that's got both trebs in her face, steady pulling drag!!
Not so, sorry. All genuine Megabass lures are made and painted in Japan. Not one comes from China, hence their sometimes troublesome availability. There's a difference in the baits that is pretty incredible. I've caught a lot more fish on a Vision 110 than I have any knockoff, period. And I've given them a fair shot. Part of what you pay for is the finish of the baits, as well as the components and the overall balance of the lures.On 9/14/2013 at 5:02 AM, tgm said:MeGa bass baits come out of a china factory maybe better hardware but 15-24 bucks?they see you coming a mile away.
Are they worth what one pays for them? Depends on how you look at it. If you value craftsmanship and quality, as well as repeatability and reliability, then it isn't too high a price to pay. If none of that matters to you, replace the hooks and rings on cheaper baits, and let the finish come off after a couple hours fishing and let them break in half or not suspend at all.
To me, every Pointer or Megabass is worth every penny.
The 110's are great baits, but don't be fooled into thinking the "knockoffs" aren't great baits also. A lot of fishing jerkbaits has to do with confidence and ability, a $7 bait in the hands of a good jerk bait fisherman will do just as well as the $25 version.
In some situations, yes, they will. But there are things that the more expensive baits do without fail, that many people will not be able to get a lesser quality bait to do. Many, many of the STX baits do not suspend at all, no matter how they are tuned. It can take an expert jerkbait angler quite a bit of time to get them to run right and catch fish. An inexperienced angler would almost never be able to get them sorted.
Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree that they catch fish, because they do. I use them a lot under certain situations as they excel at certain aspects of presentation when compare to a 110 or a McStick. There are things that a 110 does better than the other two, and a Pointer or a Staysee are in a totally different class.
Just save yourself the time and frustration, get yourself 3 or 4 pointer 100 and 78 SP a couple of MB 110's and fish them until you know them inside and out. They suspend better, have a better finish, and often catch fish when nothing else will.
I have often heard many anglers on here state that I wish I would have just bought this higher end gear instead of the entry level equipment, I would have saved myself a lot of money. Trust me, this is the same situation and an opportunity to benefit from the experience of others.
In my experience, the STX's suspend far better "out of the box" than ANY MB110 I've owned. And I've got at least 20 of the MB110's. The hooks are weak on the MB110's, also. I've broken several, so now just replace them. And of course there are the well known MB110 issues of bills breaking and tails breaking off. The finish on the MB110 is a bit more durable though, I'll give them that.
Split rings on the first STX's were not good, but they've long since remedied that issue. Trust me when I say I wish the MB110's worked better than the STX's. I have a lot of money tied up in them. But they rarely see the water these days as the STX's just work better for me.
On 9/29/2013 at 11:05 PM, aavery2 said:Just save yourself the time and frustration, get yourself 3 or 4 pointer 100 and 78 SP a couple of MB 110's and fish them until you know them inside and out. They suspend better, have a better finish, and often catch fish when nothing else will.
I have often heard many anglers on here state that I wish I would have just bought this higher end gear instead of the entry level equipment, I would have saved myself a lot of money. Trust me, this is the same situation and an opportunity to benefit from the experience of others.
I can see that logic, for someone that hasn't fished a jerk bait a lot, buy a 110 in a "hot" color and you've got something you can fish with confidence while learning the ropes. But the 110's aren't a magic bait, I wish they were, I've got a bunch of them. I've had many days where other, less expensive, baits have worked and the Megabass did not.
On 9/30/2013 at 8:00 PM, jeb2 said:In my experience, the STX's suspend far better "out of the box" than ANY MB110 I've owned. And I've got at least 20 of the MB110's. The hooks are weak on the MB110's, also. I've broken several, so now just replace them. And of course there are the well known MB110 issues of bills breaking and tails breaking off. The finish on the MB110 is a bit more durable though, I'll give them that.
Split rings on the first STX's were not good, but they've long since remedied that issue. Trust me when I say I wish the MB110's worked better than the STX's. I have a lot of money tied up in them. But they rarely see the water these days as the STX's just work better for me.
I went ahead and bought 3 to try out. Thanks.
Check out the Duo Realis Jerkbait 100Sp & 120SP reasonably priced and they catch fish.
And although I have yet to use them, the Swithwick Perfect "10" Rogue is quickly gaining fans is a few select Jerk bait fishing circles.
A-Jay
Hey, hey, hey. There no reason to Bring DR into the conversation here. Nothing to talk about, just keep moving.
The P10 is a really fantastic bait. I got to spend enough time with it this spring that I gained a load of confidence with it.
The Katsuage hooks are fragile, of that there's no doubt, but they also are phenomenal for sticking fish.On 9/30/2013 at 8:00 PM, jeb2 said:In my experience, the STX's suspend far better "out of the box" than ANY MB110 I've owned. And I've got at least 20 of the MB110's. The hooks are weak on the MB110's, also. I've broken several, so now just replace them. And of course there are the well known MB110 issues of bills breaking and tails breaking off. The finish on the MB110 is a bit more durable though, I'll give them that.
Split rings on the first STX's were not good, but they've long since remedied that issue. Trust me when I say I wish the MB110's worked better than the STX's. I have a lot of money tied up in them. But they rarely see the water these days as the STX's just work better for me.
It's odd that you say that you've had better luck with the STX suspending. I literally sent 144 baits back that sank straight away, not slow sink, but like a rock, or that were floaters to the point of needing 1/4 ounce or more lead. Of the 196 baits I had, 144 were sent back and another dozen broke writhing hours of use.
I maintain that if you get a good one, they're great. The problem has been, and continues to be, inconsistency.
I know the incestual nature of the fishing industry, everything is a copy of something else. I just have a hard time buying baits that are a direct knockoff of a well known, high quality bait. It's bad enough that the shape is the same but they copied the eyes and color patterns too. I'm sure I own other baits that are copies but the STX rubs me the wrong way, I will never own one. It will never be a 110.
On 9/15/2013 at 1:01 AM, Stingray23 said:I've tried them all but the most consistent one for me has been the Xcalibur XS4. I SLAYED bass and trout in march and april of this year with it.
I am glad I stocked up on these before everyone let the secret out!
On 9/24/2013 at 12:04 PM, NathanW said:
I had a couple situations this season where I really wish I had shallower running floating jerkbait to stay above the rocks and grass, like in the 0-2.5 foot range. Anybody recommend anything for that application? A high running bait that fishes very fast?
LC pointer 78 SR = Shallow runner, it just looks like a 78sp with the bill shaved down some.
Jerkbaits are my weakness so I have a lot of them! I won't get into all the different high dollar ones from Japan but will address the common ones. LC pointers and slender pointers are the best cold water jerkbaits I own period. I have a little pointer 65sp that has caught so many fish they have not only worn the paint off the plastic is getting thin. Oh I have to add it is on its 13th set of hooks so it may have to be retired soon.
The Megabass are works of art but to me they are just an average lure IMO. Those STX will catch fish but all 5 of the ones I have are no where near the Megabass bait. None of them actually suspend and they all sit differently in the water for some reason. Most nose down to different degrees but one tails down and one sinks straight out of the package. They will catch fish like I said and are worth the price but if you are thinking they are the same as a 110 lower your expectations.
Allen
On 10/1/2013 at 7:33 AM, Hooligan said:The Katsuage hooks are fragile, of that there's no doubt, but they also are phenomenal for sticking fish.
It's odd that you say that you've had better luck with the STX suspending. I literally sent 144 baits back that sank straight away, not slow sink, but like a rock, or that were floaters to the point of needing 1/4 ounce or more lead. Of the 196 baits I had, 144 were sent back and another dozen broke writhing hours of use.
I maintain that if you get a good one, they're great. The problem has been, and continues to be, inconsistency.
I've yet to have an STX not suspend well out of the box. Maybe some of the newest ones I just got will not, have to wait until winter to find out as that's the only time I fish hard jerk baits. So for me, they've been very consistent so far.
So have the MB110's, though. They all float up, and take different amounts of weight to get them to suspend. So consistently inconsistent.