Keys to Jerk Baits

Keys to Jerk Baits

As we move into the fall fishing, I start to remember the success I have had fishing jerk baits over the many years they have existed. I can easily state that jerk baits have been a consistent performer of my fishing over many years especially as the water conditions cool off as we progress into fall. To me there are some important tips that make a jerk bait work for you.

There is without a doubt some performance differences with jerk baits, many are subtle so as you choose your favorite make sure your jerk bait, has plenty of side-to-side movement, that it responds to subtle tip movement and that you can cast it into the wind. I like SPRO McRip and McStick products as they are curved just enough to slide through the wind where you can get long casts and great movement while fishing it. The difference in the two SPRO products is depth the McRip goes deeper 6 to 8 ft. while the McStick stays shallower in 3 to 6 ft. of water. Depth can be a difference maker with jerk baits as the fall puts the fish near the top of the water line in an aggressive feeding pattern. As they feed up for the cold of winter.

The key performance of a jerk bait is all controlled by your rod performance, reel speed and wrist action. You just have to make sure your rigged properly, medium heavy rod, 6:3:1 reel speed and the ability to move your wrist sharply, quickly and precisely. The next key is your pause; I find that in the fall the more aggressive you are the more fish you catch. I also make sure that I vary the tip action so the movement changes constantly through the retrieve process. Many times, I do quick snaps in a row, other I leave a pause in-between the snaps, and I vary the pause allowing cadence change giving the bait time to attract a fish. Lastly I change the depth of the bait with tip presentation; the higher you hold your rod tip the shallower the bait will go. Hold it down it goes deeper, keep it up it stays shallow, all part of finding a retrieve that catches fish!