Jerkbaits are coming up as a big topic lately, and I've been wondering about how to use them. I'm in Wisconsin with notorious cold water opening day and I plan to fish the suspending rouge, but how long do you pause between jerks?

The colder the water the longer the pause. I have caught fish after the bait sat for almost a minute and I know people who let them sit even longer.

I will usually start with 3 seconds, but I also try to find what the fish will like and try different lengths for the pause and usually the fish will tell you what they want.

One of the best hard jerk bait bass anglers is KVD, check around for his vedio.

There is no way I could pause a jerk bait for more than 5 seconds, it would drive nuts! For me it's the right size jerk bait at the depth the bass prefer to react and strike.

Reel the jerk bait down , stop and give it a couple of jerks pause a seconds, then a few more jerks, reel pause and repeat. The cadence or number of jerks is determined by the bass. Length of jerk long or short or a mix of long and short, number of jerks; 1, 3, 2 and pause etc.

Soft jerk baits like Flukes can be fished a lot slower and deeper.

Tom

I think cold is relative to your body of water but this winter colder weeks that drop the temps 5-10 maybe 15 seconds but warmer weeks I can do a slow retrieve or a few seconds, guess like 3-5 maybe 10 and catch fish. Just get out and give it a try. Start with 3-5 and wait longer til you get a hit

I usually start with 5-10 seconds with 45-48 degree water. A 5 count was the deal in 46 degree water last week.

This is the method I employ for jerkbaits. Think of it as a subsurface popper. Crank it to the desired depth, then twitch and sweep it much like you would a popper. Sometimes the fish will want a slow cadence and other times they'll go for a more violent approach.

cold water=longer pause

no bites=pause longer

still no bites=pause even longer

cold water=longer pause

no bites=pause longer

still no bites=pause even longer

In a nutshell. I've casted jerkbaits in winter then answered a phone call and have a 5 minute conversation, pick up the rod and WHAM!

I was using a 15-20 second pause last weekend. The pattern that seemed to work was this:

 

Reel down quickly to depth

Pause 

Jerk-jerk, pause

Long sweep, pause

jerk-jerk, pause

Repeat

 

Although it may seem like the strike occurs when you move the lure, in fact almost

100% of the bites happen when the bait is suspending and appears motionless. 

What color jerk baits is everyone using?

For whatever reason, last Sunday it had to have a blue or purple back.

I was using a 15-20 second pause last weekend. The pattern that seemed to work was this:

Reel down quickly to depth

Pause

Jerk-jerk, pause

Long sweep, pause

jerk-jerk, pause

Repeat

Although it may seem like the strike occurs when you move the lure, in fact almost

100% of the bites happen when the bait is suspending and appears motionless.

So do jerk jerk pause reel up most of slack

Long sweep, pause reel up most of slack

Jerk jerk , pause reel repeat.

Wondering how you handle the slack in your line. After I jerk or sweep I'm left with lots of slack. Just wandering how much of the slack you pick up before continuing your next jerk or sweep

I've had enough days where I've been bit doing the "wrong" thing that the colder = slower, warmer = faster conventional wisdom is bunk.  I start at a fast, and slow down until I get bit.  Temperature has zilch effect on what I do.

I've had enough days where I've been bit doing the "wrong" thing that the colder = slower, warmer = faster conventional wisdom is bunk. I start at a fast, and slow down until I get bit. Temperature has zilch effect on what I do.

I too have found this the spring before last I was slamming them on a clown colored smithwick with like maybe maybe a 1 second pause and this was in mid march still snow on the ground but had open water. The bass didn't fight a bit barely knew they were there but the pike well they ended my day taking said smithwick.

What color jerk baits is everyone using?

I use Rapala X-raps mostly in Clown and perch colors and will also throw the silver body black back one as well.

So do jerk jerk pause reel up most of slack

Long sweep, pause reel up most of slack

Jerk jerk , pause reel repeat.

Wondering how you handle the slack in your line. After I jerk or sweep I'm left with lots of slack. Just wandering how much of the slack you pick up before continuing your next jerk or sweep

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

 

The pause should be on slack line. Jerks should start from semi-slack line, just before the line is taunt.

This is the method I employ for jerkbaits. Think of it as a subsurface popper. Crank it to the desired depth, then twitch and sweep it much like you would a popper. Sometimes the fish will want a slow cadence and other times they'll go for a more violent approach.

 

x2.  slack in the line just like you use to 'walk the dog' with a spook

 Temperature has zilch effect on what I do.

that there' is all around great advice, no matter the tactic.