Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Husky Jerk supposed to be a suspending bait? I threw one yesterday and the thing floated right to the top of the water very quickly.

2nd question: is this bait worth the effort to get it to suspend with either suspendots or heavier hooks? Would I be better off using these as a warm-water bait moving it fast or tweaking them to get them to suspend? I currently have 3 HJ10s and HJ12 and 2 HJ8s

I fish this bait alot in the early spring and do really well with it. I have not tried any of the big $ jerks but I can't imagine the bite on one of those being much better than the HJ. I noticed that it floats right up too so I did some mods to a couple over the winter. Here's a thread on it:

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/153223-yesterdays-tinkering/

 

 

 

HJ are suppose to be suspending. 

 

Did you switch the hooks on them?

Take water temp reading and save the jerkbait for another day.

 

"Suspending" jerkbait don't always suspend in all water temperatures. Cooler water is denser than warm water, so a jerkbait that suspends properly in 60F will likely sink when the water rises to 70F. Jerkbait that suspends at 70F will sink in 50F water.

No jerkbait suspends the same at all water temperatures.  I'm not sure that the husky jerk is a suspending jerk bait anyway.  Either way, that is why suspend dots and suspend dots were made, so that you can adjust suspension pretty easily.

The Husky Jerk is a fine suspending jerkbait. I've caught a lot of smallmouth on that bad boy over the years. As has been said here already though, no jerkbait is 100% suspending in all water temps. So, you have to adjust the rise rate accordingly. I do not like "SuspendDots", as they appear (to me anyway) to alter the body action of the bait when twitched. I now carry a small roll of small diameter soldering wire and, when conditions call for it, I wrap the center, or forward treble shank with a turn or two of this instead. It adequately compensates without hindering the plugs normal action.

 

Remember also, depending on the mood of the fish on any given day, a slow rise may actually be beneficial. As well as a slow sink. That's what fishing is all about - experimentation. Don't expect to just open a box on any lure and go fishing without an open mind.

 

One final note on these Husky Jerks. If you are a CPR fisherman and care about releasing your catch with minimal damage, please remove the center treble! That darn thing has a bad tendency to blind a fish during the fight. It is not necessary and not having it will not cause you less hook ups. I also go so far as to crimp down the barbs on these trebles (as well as on any other lure I use) to further insure a healthy release. JMO.

my HJs rise back slowly, but not right away. i only usually fish it in cold water though. maybe youre pausing too long in the retrieve...

Huskys rise, they dont suspend fully. They are between a suspending and a floating jerk imo.

One final note on these Husky Jerks. If you are a CPR fisherman and care about releasing your catch with minimal damage, please remove the center treble! That darn thing has a bad tendency to blind a fish during the fight. It is not necessary and not having it will not cause you less hook ups. I also go so far as to crimp down the barbs on these trebles (as well as on any other lure I use) to further insure a healthy release. JMO.

Do you remove the middle treble on other 3 hooked baits? It seems like a great idea. I'm just wondering if it can alter the actions on other baits?

I remove the center trebles on all my lures. And I crimp down the barbs as well. I've not noticed any perceivable change in lure action or catch ratio.