Jerkbaits

[McCarter]

if you are not throwing them right now, your missing out!

McCarter himself

[karol]

 hey mcCarter,what do you do when the fish are 12ft down over 30 ft deep hanging out from the dropoff? found a lot of that saturday in 60 degree water and also at birch lake in 70 degree water on the 12th of september.
do you throw cranks or jerkbaits at this time? thanks ..karol

[Lightningboy]

LC Staysee, or Jackal DD Squirrel.  Both hit 8-10 feet on a long cast, and have great action jerked deep.  Both are modern versions of the old Rebel spoonbill minnow, the first deep jerkbait.

The LC Bevy shad will give a more shad like appearance.  Looks like a cranks, but it's really a jerkbait.  Real sleeper.

I throw cranks if I'm gonna make any kind of bottom contact.  Jerks for working open water.

[McCarter]

I would start with a lucky craft pointer 100 as that is my jerkbait of choice, or an XRAP, Rogue, Squad Minnow, whatever your fav jerkbait is and if i couldnt get them to come up for it, i would start messing with deeper running jerkbaits like pointer dd or xrap dd.  if the water is clear they should come up for a regular 100.  if the water temp is cold you will really have to pause the bait for long periods.  you want that thing hanging over there heads for a long time.  i am convinced that deeper fish will come up and eat a jerkbait simply because they are sick of watching it dart around over top of them. 

McCarter himself

[thedude]

the hard to find spro minnow45 is an ultra-slow floater, dives 4-5'. I've caught 10 fish to every one i've caught on a pointer.

[PIGSMALLIE]

Throw them now until ice up!!!!!!!!!! They will hit them!!!!!!!!!

[TritonTR20]

karol
On Birch lake those suspended fish could very well be trout. Although that lake has schools of small bass that chase minnows in open water every morning till the water cools off.

[TCook]

I cant wait to start jerkin

[McCarter]

LOL.  I bet you cant

[McCarter]

We need to find you a woman

[karol]

 hey mcCarter , do you use mono or braid with a floro leader for jerkbaits like the pointer and x-raps? 7ft medium heavy spinning be good for this? thanks again..karol

[thedude]

don't go too heavy on the rod. you want something like a crank bait rod, but with a little faster action. I prefer a moderate action crankin rod so a moderate to fast action on jerkbait rod. good rule of thumb, the LIGHTER the power, the faster the action you can get away with.

[Bender]

I have been using braid with a fluoro leader on a lighter rod, 6'6" Crucial Medium and 10# Fluoro on a 6'6" MH GLX for heavier jerkbaits, seems to be good combos, both casting. The Crucial is probably ideal, it is pretty light action but with the braid you can still work the bait.
I am thinking about trying a steel leader on mine, the pike around here are fierce. I know it would be visible but might help keep the nose down a little. With jerkbaits costing up to $30 I can't afford to lose any more. Anybody try this?  

[McCarter]

i will use mono most of the time (10 lb unless the pike are present in which case i use 12lb big game) but will use flouro if i want the bait deeper or if fish are slashing at the bait.  flouro has less stretch and will help you hook more fish if they are half assing it.

I never use braid, you want some stretch in your line becuase it helps you to not over work the bait.  plus, when you are dealing with treble hooks stretch is key to not pulling the bait away from the fish or out of the fish.

i base rod selection on the jerkbait itself.  for pointer 100s i have a st croix avid rod.  its a 6'6" medium with a fast tip.  pointers are pretty big baits and have a stout lip so i feel that the medium fast is just enough rod to pull that bait.

for smaller jerkbaits, like rogues and xraps, i use a 6 ft medium light fast action rod.  it doesnt take much to move those smaller baits and this rod works perfect for me.

remember when you are fishing a jerkbait, you want your line to do most of the work.  in other words, use your rod to work your slack line rather than pulling the bait on a tight line.  it gives it way better action...and when a fish is waiting for you on the other end, you will feel him long before he feels you giving you plenty of time to sweep into him.


McCarter himself

[Lightningboy]

I'm gonna give a minor dispute on the low stretch fluoro.  Studies I've seen show fluoro stretches just as much if not more than mono.  In fact, I quit using triple fish fluoro because it seemed too stretchy.

What fluoro does very well is transmit bites.  It's more dense than water, and substances with greater density transmit vibrations better.  Fluoro will help you fell those bites that come when the line is semi-slack; a common thing with a jerk bait.  The fluoro will also sink, so baits run a few feet deeper on fluoro.  I do most of my jerkbaiting with fluoro.

Braid has such low stretch, that its easy to pop the bait too hard.  You can make up for it by using a softer rod.

My jerk rod is 6-9, cut from a Rogue 7llSJ3 blank.  I guess I'd have to call is a medium for comparison.  I like my jerk rods similar to a topwater rod; slightly stiffer than a cranking rod.  I can't seem to get a similar darting action when using a softer rod.

If they don't eat my pointer tonight McCarter, you'll be getting 20 lashes with my jerkbait rod.     I fully expect to come to weigh in tonight after wearing out my arms with the jerk to find you were killing 'em on something else.  LOL

[McCarter]

if you want proof that flouro (at least seaguar carbon pro) stretches less than mono, go drop shot the st clair river with both.  good luck getting a hook into a fish in 45 fow with mono

btw, when fishing jerkbaits.....ALWAYS WATCH YOUR LINE!!!!

i have a good story to share with you later, but right now i have to give fish the KLBA.

McCarter himself

[motocross269]

I have read also that Flouro has as much stretch as mono....Either way..I think the benefits of flouro are that it sinks..This gives you a straighter line between your lure and your rod...With less slack the rig is more sensitive...
KVD is constantly praising the benefits of Flouro with crankin and Jerkbaits, but I have seen it argued both ways...Personal preference should rule out..If you are confident with it, use it..

[baggerslimm]

Can you guys tell me what kind of sticks your useing??  I've never thrown jerkbaits before...  Thanks Slimm

[djkimmel]

Lucky Craft Pointer 100 and DD 78, Rattlin' Rogue, Husky Jerk, Bomber Long A. Variations of the above and a few more lesser known brands of jerkebaitsl

[McCarter]

as long as they suspend, they will catch fish.  some are easier to cast than other, some have better 'walk the dog' action than others, some have better finishes and color selction than others, some suspend better than others, some cost more than others and vice versa.  but if they suspend, they will catch fish.