Jerk Bait Fishing

By: Scott Smith

There is one thing that all fishermen know and that is there are certain times of the year when one technique will out shine all others. Fisherman that pursue musky, large mouth bass, small mouth bass, walleye, striper and hybrid stripers all agree that there are times when a jerkbait will elicit tremendous strikes when no other technique will. Panfish, trout, and even catfish have been known to get fired up when a jerkbait comes by.

Many tournament bass fishermen know to go to a jerkbait when the water temps are in the 45 to 65 degree range. The jerkbait will work in warmer waters, but it really shines when the water temps are in that 45 to 65 degree range. These water temps are usually in the spring, winter and fall. In the spring, the fish are either getting ready to spawn or have finished spawning and are getting fired up with the warming water. They are looking to regain strength and put on some weight after going through the rigors of spawning. This can make them very aggressive. In the winter, the water gets to its lowest temps. The fish don’t want to chase anything and are looking for an easy meal. In the fall, the fish know that winter will be there soon and they know that now is the time to put on the feedbag and do some serious weight gain before the water cools. The jerkbait technique works great in all these situations.

I know personally that a small mouth bass in the spring can’t stand to have a jerkbait go over his head. Musky fishermen know that top water lures, buzzbaits, crankbaits, inline bucktail spinners all work great, but the musky have seen these lures over and over and in some instances, are conditioned to these lures. This is the time to throw something that is just asking to get whacked. They can’t stand it when a big fishy looking lure comes by acting all injured. Walleye, stripers and hybrid stripers are known to get zeroed in on a specific type of bait or to a specific size of bait. One thing that can get their attention is an irratic moving lure.

There are several ways to work a jerkbait. The situation dictates weather the lure should be worked fast with an irratic jerking motion, or slowly with long pauses between jerks. The warmer the water is, the faster and more irratic the lure can be worked. The colder the water is, the slower and less irratic the lure should be worked allowing the pauses to generate the strikes. As the lure is allowed to pause, it gives the fish time to look the lure over. This is where the Gizz series of lures shines. When these lures are paused, the predatory fish will see an injured or dying shad. The lure will be either rising or sinking very slowly, depending on water temps, telling the predatory fish that this is an easy meal. This alone can trigger strikes.

A few characteristics of the Gizz series of lures are the realistic shad look, the shifting weight system, and the vibrations given off by the knockers. The realism is obvious when you see a Gizz lure in person. The weight system is unique to our Gizz series of lures. They are designed in a way that casts can be made without the possibility of tangling. It also allows for a longer and more accurate cast. One thing that is not obvious until you do some experimenting is that when these lures are worked with an irratic action, the lure does all kinds of crazy things. There isn’t any set specific action. The lure can be worked so that the lure does loops, circles, and darts side to side triggering explosive strikes.

The next time you are on the water and none of the traditional techniques seem to be working, try a jerkbait. This technique can work when no others will.