Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

I love fishing jerkbaits. Especially in early spring and in the fall . But they are great all season. Nothing like fishing a wind swept point in the summer!

What is a jerk bait?

Floating Rapala minnow lures are great but are not what I consider a jerkbait because they float

To me , a jerkbait is a minnow type diving lure that when reeled to depth, suspends when at rest.
The good ones stay right where they are , or rise very very slowly .

The action is , once you get it down , jerk it. Hence the name.

The jerk action is generally with rot tip straight out pointing at the lure then a sharp jerk straight down , as if you were smacking the water surface . Though try not to actually smack the water. If you do occasionally, no big deal.
The cadence of the jerk vary, and I’d recommend trying a variety till the fish tell you what they like that day
Sometimes 2 short jerks and a pause. Sometimes up to 4 jerks and a pause. Agressive or more passive. Really depends.
It’s important to have a little slack in the line for the jerk or slash as I like to call it to really work right.
Never reel and jerk at the same time.
It’s equally important to pick up the slack during the pause.

The pause is probably the biggest variable. Jerk jerk pause. Jerk jerk pause. All the way back to the boat.

In really cold water or after a cold front , a long pause is the ticket. Some guys will say “ pause for a minute”. I don’t have the patience . For me a 15 second pause is long.
Warmer water, the pause can be 5 seconds.

It’s easy to get brain dead using this technique. Autopilot .
Pay attention. Visualize this
Your a bass , just hangin out, it’s cold and you don’t feel like runnin around chasing something to eat , but it’s lunch time.
A minnow shows up at the limit of your visual range. It’s acting crazy , dart left , dart right , then stop. Hang out a while , then do it again.
Hey let’s saunter over there , see what’s this thing doing ?
Well you are close , eyeballing this guy. It stops. Glides and quivers a little.
Too much! I’m eating this.

With jerkbaits , you rarely feel the bite. When you go to jerk again, you are loaded up.

There are many different jerk baits on the market today.
I’ve got a bunch of smith wick suspending rogues I’ve custom painted.
Lucky craft pointers are solid
Rapala makes good ones

My favorite is the megabass vision 110 but they are rediculois expensive.
I’ve managed to sneak 32 of these past the wife at $25 a pop
And I’ve got 50 more that I bought as blanks and custom painted.
What I like about these is they make 3 models. The vision 110 thru the 110 +2.
The regular runs 5-6 ft
The plus 1 runs 1 meter deeper and the + 2 runs a meter deeper than that. Or about 12 ft.

If you are a seasoned pro or just got a first rod for Christmas and can’t wait till it gets warm enough to fish .
Get you a couple jerkbaits and give em a try.
First fish, you are hooked for life.

Blackdog Loc: Round Rock, TX

Thanks Ben B!
Great Description of your (the) jerk bait technique.
Most folks might think you need to be in a boat to do this but I actually do this from the bank.

How's the body doing after your affair with gravity?

Thanks again, great stuff!

BD

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Ben: An excellent essay on jerk baits. I have caught specs in the winter and also summer time with jerk baits. If there are 'newbies' they should read this carefully and probably cut it out and save the information. Just Sayin...RJS

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Gotta tell ya I’m jammed up.
Came home and found some old pain killer pills. Took a couple , watched a documentary on Netflix and took a drug induced. Nap.
Woke up and still hurtin.

Thanks for askin

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Ben, have you tried the Rapala Rip Stop or their Scatter Rap models? They have some great action to them and are my go to baits to start with.

Ryp Hankins Loc: N Michigan

One of my faves that I also use icefishing is the Cotton Cordell “Super Spot”. It sinks, lipless, chrome and bluegill likeness also has a rattle. Attracts pike and bass.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Yea. That’s what I mentioned in passing I guess when I mentioned Rapala.
Scatter rap is an affordable pretty good jerkbait. Lots of guys swear by em. I think they are ok. Not first choice but ok.
I haven’t tried the rip stop but it looks interesting. I’ve read up on it. Might pick one or two up and fish em so I can make an educated eval.
Ain’t gonna be till spring. It was a whopping 12 degrees this morning

Jeremy Loc: America

Older pills can lose effectiveness.

I thought jerk bait is when my buddy tells me he has good pizza beer and super bowl will be on. Baiting me over.

No I liked your post and it makes good sense.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

The percosets were Probly 4 years old.
2 of them did the trick.
Put me to sleep for a couple hour nap. Which I needed , but woke up still hurting.
Jerk baits are kind of the “underdog “ that don’t get talked about much.
They have turned a so so outing into a pretty good day more than once for me.
Not just bass.
Walleye eat em too on occasion. As do sheepshead and pike.
Had a pike punch a hole in one and it sank like a stone.
Got it home and repaired the hole with a little plastic glue.
Like new !!!

Jwid Loc: Lake Killarney, Ironton, MO

Thx Ben. Getting long winded. Just saying!

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

I’ve fished jerk baits from the bank and convinced my nephews I know what I’m doing.
Also good choice fishing fan tail races.
Hit a bunch of saugeye doing this.

J in Cleveland Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Thanks again Ben! I’m learning so much from these technique posts you’ve been doing as of late. I’m actually going to print them out and make myself a little reference book out of them. Your concise explanations of how to make the presentations can only help my LOFT.

Jarheadfishnfool Loc: Woodlake/Tulare ,Ca.

Thanks Ben excellent instruction, I too don't have that much patience but still trying to learn at 67 !!🐂

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Great description of the plug and how to.. .

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

I've got a couple KVD Strike Kings, an unfinished one from Jann's that I put rings and hooks on, a Smithwick, a Mystic Minnow, a Rapala Husky Jerk, and a Ripstop, and one Yozuri Crystal Minnow. I probably don't fish them often enough, but when I do it's for Bass. I can vouch for Pike liking them, as I lost 2 Husky Jerks to being bit off by Pike at Bantam Lake.