I have a few suspending jerkbaits that have a really great action, but they sink in warmer water instead of suspending. Would removing one of the treble hooks (front or back) affect hookup ratio to a large degree? Which hook (front or back) do fish tend to hit the most?

 

Removing one of the trebles isn't the answer as it will alter the attitude of the bait during the pause and it likely will rise rather than suspend.  An alternative would be to replace the stock hooks with light wire trebles and check how the lure suspends. You can add SuspenDots if the bait rises after the switch.

As a side note:  A jerkbait is normally worked with very short pauses in warmer water and I don't think one that sinks in warmer water is going to run any deeper when worked quicker, although I normally use floaters once the spawn is over.

I use floating style jerkbaits in the warm water months, they seem to just draw more strikes but they are primarily shallow water baits. Rather than mess with a good jerkbait, find the ones you have that rise in cold water, when the warm water period comes they will most likely suspend then.

16 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Removing one of the trebles isn't the answer as it will alter the attitude of the bait during the pause and it likely will rise rather than suspend.  An alternative would be to replace the stock hooks with light wire trebles and check how the lure suspends. You can add SuspenDots if the bait rises after the switch.

As a side note:  A jerkbait is normally worked with very short pauses in warmer water and I don't think one that sinks in warmer water is going to run any deeper when worked quicker, although I normally use floaters once the spawn is over.

 

7 hours ago, smalljaw67 said:

I use floating style jerkbaits in the warm water months, they seem to just draw more strikes but they are primarily shallow water baits. Rather than mess with a good jerkbait, find the ones you have that rise in cold water, when the warm water period comes they will most likely suspend then.

Are there any good floating jerkbaits you guys can recommend?

Smithwick Rouges are available in both floating and suspending models,different sizes and color options,  Rapala Originals and Bomber Long A's are a few.

Smithwick Rattlin Rogue in the floating model, the Original Rapala Floater, I also really like the Rapala Flat Rap, they are getting harder to find but are an absolute killer in clear water.

5 hours ago, PennBass said:

Are there any good floating jerkbaits you guys can recommend?

 

Original Rapala balsa minnows in the "F" and "J" series (straight and jointed).  They are the lures that made Rapala who they are in the US today.

Tight lines,

Bob