Ok…. So pre-season is opening up here shortly with the ice melting and I’m itching to get out.   I’ve never had luck with jerkbaits.   I am literally the worst at fishing them ever because I can’t stop finding snags.  I can legit cast into 20ft of open water with absolutely no chance ever to get snagged and I’ll manage to find the only spot possible to snag and lose/fight the lure free.    Anyways working on my set up for the year I have a 2016 steez SV 7.1 and a St Croix LTB jerkbait rid (6’8 MXF).   I am not sure on the line.   I was thinking yozuri hybrid 12lbs test unless I go with a fluorocarbon.  Was thinking 12lbs sunline invisible shooter.  Any recommendations on fluorocarbon from the experienced jerkbait anglers out there that might work the lure better or should 12lbs YZH work just fine??  
 

also any tips or tricks I should work on with working the bait?  I have a pile of Vision 110s and 110 jrs that are screaming to be tossed out there and snagged or munched on.   I do have a few jr +1 and +2.  
 

what would get me the most action and usage with this bait?    This year I planned to really step out of my comfort zone and work on other techniques that I’ve failed at.   So this is just the start with the warmer days ahead of us.  
 

any other cold water techniques I should be looking at next for April and May?   (Seasons closes May 10 until 3rd Saturday in June)

I am fishing in northern lower Michigan and  can openly admit to being a big time jerkbait user and abuser; especially early & late season when the water temps are below 50.

The SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE advice I can offer is to work your bait

as Mark Zona describes in the video link posted below.

In it he is specifically mentioning deep diving baits,

which are awesome & I use a ton.

However this approach works really well in cold water with most all jerkbaits,

regardless of the depth they run.

Shallow, deep and anything in between.

As for gear & line, I mostly use medium fast spinning gear with 10 lb braid mainline and a long FC or Mono leader depending on the conditions and the bait.

I will use casting gear as well, but that's often relegated to larger size jerkbaits like a LC 128.

https://youtu.be/XQPCll1NNfA?feature=shared&t=31

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

On 3/18/2025 at 6:29 PM, A-Jay said:

I am fishing in northern lower Michigan and  can openly admit to being a big time jerkbait user and abuser; especially early & late season when the water temps are below 50.

The SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE advice I can offer is to work your bait

as Mark Zona describes in the video link posted below.

In it he is specifically mentioning deep diving baits,

which are awesome & I use a ton.

However this approach works really well in cold water with most all jerkbaits,

regardless of the depth they run.

Shallow, deep and anything in between.

As for gear & line, I mostly use medium fast spinning gear with 10 lb braid mainline and a long FC or Mono leader depending on the conditions and the bait.

I will use casting gear as well, but that's often relegated to larger size jerkbaits like a LC 128.

https://youtu.be/XQPCll1NNfA?feature=shared&t=31

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

thanks for the video!  I’ll have to give that a try for sure.   Hoping this year is my year.

  I certainly don't have the record as @A-Jay does, but Zona and KVD are good friends, fish the same water together, and complete opposite in their jerkbait retrieves.  My bass catching retrieve is the aggressive slack line hit more similar to kvd.  I want the bait to be dead still, instantly roll, dart, flash and dive, then dead stop again.  All in all, my bait is traveling just a few to six inches per hit.  This also catches cold water bass where I fish.  Highly erratic but slow enough to give them time to slowly rise up to inspect, then when they are close enough the next jerk makes them bite, often hooking themselves and me not knowing unless the line jumps or I go to hit again and there's weight.  I'm also gonna follow the A-Jay/Zona model and mix it in.  You need every advantage.

  My point is put in the time, you'll find it.  It's a great technique in cold water and often the best way to catch em.  My rule of thumb is to pick a bait running depth about half way down.  If you're fishing 12' fow a jerk that gets down to 5-7' is usually best, 20' fow a +1 style should get you to 8-12' fow.  For me, cold water needs a true suspend or an ever so slow sink, like 1' every 5 seconds.  Slow float isn't very effective for me below 55. 

  I throw pe 1.5 to 20-30' of 10lb sniper.  I think light floro is an advantage for both action and depth.  Random thought; a large net and good pliers are almost a must, you're gonna eventually be landing a 35"+ northern with a face full of teeth and trebles.

  

scott

I fish a jerkbait with three different retrieves.  I'll fish it with a pause in between jerks, a retrieve with small steady jerks, and finally with a steady retrieve with no pauses or jerks.

On 3/18/2025 at 5:43 PM, MiceNReets said:

I’ve never had luck with jerkbaits.   I am literally the worst at fishing them ever because I can’t stop finding snags.

Firstly, how deep is the pond you’re fishing? Most shallow jerkbaits run 3-5’ deep. I find Rapala Shadow Rap and Damiki Slim Jacks run really shallow.

 

As far as getting started, Tactical Bassin has a really good jerkbait 101 video. Look them up.  ReelNorthernBass is another YT’er from NH that produces very good teaching videos.

 

Like others above said, just get out there and try different retrieves. The fish will tell you what works. Start by bringing ONLY your JB rod and jerkbaits.

 

Best of luck, you’ll get it, and you’ll be glad you did. Jerkbait bites are some of the best.

Ok Jerkbait Gurus…. I have come for assistance.    I am not sure what I’m doing wrong here.   Could possibly be why I’ve had no luck on Vision 110s.    So I’ve noticed that when I jerk the tip of the rod, the bait just pulls ahead and does not go side to side.   I’ve tried it with slack in the line, less slack, it still doesn’t slash side to side but just pulls forward.   I’ve tried 4 different vision 110 and JRs and it’s all the same so it must be me.   Using a St Croix LTB 6’8 MXF rod, the newest generation.     Maybe jerkbait fishing isn’t for me?  I’ve done the fast snaps, medium snaps, slower snaps, long pulls for colder water and nothing.   Help

54 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

Ok Jerkbait Gurus…. I have come for assistance.    I am not sure what I’m doing wrong here.   Could possibly be why I’ve had no luck on Vision 110s.    So I’ve noticed that when I jerk the tip of the rod, the bait just pulls ahead and does not go side to side.   I’ve tried it with slack in the line, less slack, it still doesn’t slash side to side but just pulls forward.   I’ve tried 4 different vision 110 and JRs and it’s all the same so it must be me.   Using a St Croix LTB 6’8 MXF rod, the newest generation.     Maybe jerkbait fishing isn’t for me?  I’ve done the fast snaps, medium snaps, slower snaps, long pulls for colder water and nothing.   Help

IMO. You need no change with how you're fishing.

But there's a decent chance you need to change where & when.

Good Luck 

A'Jay

 

18 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

IMO. You need no change with how you're fishing.

But there's a decent chance you need to change where & when.

Good Luck 

A'Jay

 

I’ve been moving around trying different areas.   Should the bait not go side to side instead of just coming forward?   I’ve caught a few on the Rapala Shadow Raps.   Just these Vision 110s I can’t get going. 

Certain jerk baits operate differently than others.  The megabass ones are the gold standard and they run the most neutrally buoyant out of the box IMO.

 

The erratic nature you're looking for will be largely dictated by the operator.  The more wildly and aggressive you snap, the more erratic the jerk bait will run.

 

If the water is still pretty cold, my guess would be that you're trying to do too much.  Generally speaking, the colder the water, the less action you should be applying to it.  Bass are cold blooded and they are a warm water species; so in cold water they aren't going to chasing at high speeds.  Mix up the pauses and pause time with your snaps too.  The longer you can wait sometimes, the better.  It can be tough to pause as long as possible, sometimes painfully tough.  But it might be what the fish is looking for.

 

Then once you catch a bass or two, keep emulating that cadence.

 

It took me nearly 3 whole seasons to become convinced with a jerk bait.

1 hour ago, MiceNReets said:

I’ve been moving around trying different areas.   Should the bait not go side to side instead of just coming forward?   I’ve caught a few on the Rapala Shadow Raps.   Just these Vision 110s I can’t get going. 

First off, IME, it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to fish a vision 110 totally Wrong.

So get that out of your head.

As long as the bait is doing some moving and some pausing, you are good to go.

Now it's time for the factors that matter.

Like water clarity, water temperature, is there bait around, is there any cover present (rocks/weeds)

Water depth you're fishing, time of day you're fishing, conditions you're fishing in - 

sunny, flat calm, windy, cloudy - this stuff matters.

Just because you moved around doesn't mean you've found the fish.

Doesn't matter if your jerkbait does back flips if there isn't a bass around for 1/2 mile.

Still means no bites.

Note the stuff listed above in the places you've not contacted bass - call that eliminated water.

And don't fish that stuff again. 

Look for something else or perhaps places you've caught fish early season before. 

Then duplicate that best you can.

Good Luck

A-Jay