So I ordered a Live Target Baitball Emerald Shiner Jerkbait 3.5" because I needed to make my order $100 to get $25 off. I ordered a new Ego 2 Slider clear rubber net, which is awesome btw.

I've never owned a Jerkbait before. I'm assuming you cast it out, let it sink, and retrieve it by reeling it in whole giving the rod jerks.

Is that right?

What kind of jerkbait: floating, suspending or sinking ?

 

Deep runner, shallow runner, super shallow runner ?

It is a suspending jerk bait, you will have to reel it down to depth, usually 4-5 slow cranks of the reel, then you can fish it anyway you want, steady retrieve, retrieve with jerks, stopping on the retrieve letting it suspend and hang in the fishes face, there really is no wrong way to fish it, my only advice is usually faster retrieves work bwtter in the summer, but as the water cools, slowing down can be key.

Out of all the baitball series lure that is my favorite, be prepared to catch many fish on that bad boy.

River rat hit the nail on the head, there isn't a wrong way to fish it, find out what works... Its a great suspending bait and can be killer when the bass are finicky looking for that easy meal!

ever walk the dog with a spook?  jerks are the same thing. you want to snap them on a slack line so they jerk side to side. it's walk the dog but underwater. youtube has tons of vids.

Look at KVD YouTube videos.  He is the king of Jerk Baits.