I got water  around 68- 72 clear for about 4 ft. is this a good time to use a jerkbait ?

 

I caught two on a jerkbait yesterday. One as soon as it hit the water. The other swam up to it after the cast and took it as soon as I started to retrieve it. 

thank you 

'

 

Yes, I would use a jerkbait in that situation. I use jerkbaits in all seasons since they are my favorite lures! I got this fish in a culvert in the middle of summer 2 years ago. And I got my PB on a deep diving jerkbait in a very clear river.

I dont use a lot of jerkbaits "but"  one summer day I had bass slashing at crankbaits . The ones I caught were either barely hooked or snagged in the face . I switched to a suspending jerkbait and that was the ticket . 

For smallies we usually stop throwing jerks when the water warms up but lately Ive been running a vision 110jr on super hot days and doing pretty good.

I love jerkbait fishing

 

I will throw a JB year round grass permitting. If you have enough space to work one, they will entice reaction strikes in the heat for sure, both shallow and deep. The places I fish most won't allow me to fish one often once the salad gets thick.

3 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

The places I fish most won't allow me to fish one often once the salad gets thick.

The soft jerkbait (fluke) rigged weedless is a good alternative in this scenario.  

   There's only one situation where you won't benefit from using a jerkbait.

 

 

 

   I just haven't found out what it is yet.                jj

I use them with two different retrieves in the summer. The first is quick, repeated jerks with short pauses and the second is the same way I fish a crank in open water; crank it with pauses, or twitches. That minnow profile will get bit when a fat body crank gets ignored.

Don't forget the deeper diving, spoonbill, jerkbaits in the summer.  Once it gets down to running depth, quick pauses and softer jerks will get some 'rip the rod outa your hand' strikes.

Yes. I fish a jerkbait year round, and practically in all conditions. It is probably my biggest confidence bait, even in 1-2 inches of visibility or freezing/hot water. If you have really good visibility a silent jerkbait is absolutely deadly. In warm water, don't stop working the lure and if that doesn't work give it 2-3 pauses to help draw strikes. 

no reason it wont work in the right depth and cover situatution. its a dying or wounded bait fish. bass are opportunistic no reason they wont eat it. when i fish one in warmer conditions i usually dont pause it as frequently or as long as in cold water.

yup as long as there isn't grass, especially on rivers for smallies.

Still working for me at dinkfest.

I fish them year round. In the summer I fish them fast and either go with a smaller bait or a bigger bait, don't seem to have as much luck with the standard sized ones. 

Been catching them lately in our low to mid 80 degree water by weighting standard suspending JB's to slow sink. Just casting it out over 20 - 30 FOW and give it a upward twitch occasionally. Water clarity is 8 - 10' and it's a blueback lake.

I have caught many bass on jerkbaits in weather similar to what you described.

Jerkbaits are good all year round. As long as you find where the fish in shallow water are and the area is not too covered in weeds for a jerkbait, then it should be effective.

A lot of people think of cold water with jerkbaits, but it can be just as good in the summer when the water is hot to trigger a reaction strike