Do you guys have a cadence when retrieving either like a jerk bait, or do you just walk it directly back to the bank/boat?

I always have a rythm or cadence, and tend to change it up frequently until I start getting strikes. 

 

So many strikes come on the pause or right at the start that I'm not a fan of walking it straight back, I save that as a last resort before giving up on the technique and trying something else.

I always have a rythm or cadence, and tend to change it up frequently until I start getting strikes. 

 

So many strikes come on the pause or right at the start that I'm not a fan of walking it straight back, I save that as a last resort before giving up on the technique and trying something else.

Precisely!       

I always have a rythm or cadence, and tend to change it up frequently until I start getting strikes.

So many strikes come on the pause or right at the start that I'm not a fan of walking it straight back, I save that as a last resort before giving up on the technique and trying something else.

Ok so the pause then, is that a blink of the eyes or more of a 2-3 count?

Often, I'll stop and slowly count to 10 before starting again, especially after bringing the bait up to any structure sticking out of the water.  Just keep changing it up..... the fish will let you know!

Thanks guys. I'm really enjoying this technique and am catching bigger quality fish when they do strike, but the strikes come slowly and that may be due in part to me not walking it erratically enough. I appreciate the information!

Just like Back Country said, and I know its not the easy answer, but keep changing it up and the fish will let you know. 

 

At times, when I feel like "gosh a fish should strike right there" I might let the bait sit for close to a minute.  I've had fishing partners ask if something was wrong or if I felt ok even!  But its paid off before, so I do it.  Other days the "blink" pause you mention might be the trick. 

 

The beauty of the sport right?

I usually do 3 rod pops and pause. I vary the pause from half a second to 5 seconds...sometimes in the same retrieve.

I always try to be as random as I can be in one retrieve. If using popper frog I'll twitch and walk...pause half second then 2 small pops and pause for a few seconds. Some days doing the exact same retrieve over and over won't draw strikes...Some will follow and seem to get bored.

What others have said....

What I do also is that after walking and then pausing , I'll try to walk in place right after a pause before walking it back to the boat. Sometimes just a quick turn back and forth in place will trigger a strike.

Mike

My old mentor told me that each day has it's own rhythm and a good bass fisherman's job was to find the right rhythm for the day - experiment -

There is a cadence/rhythm to every lure & it is subject to change often!

I see a lot of guys fish a frog way to fast. The other mistake is that they reel in before the cast is over. Unless you have found them up tight finish the cast.