How does one utilize jerkbaits of this type? Jerkbaits aren't something I'm familiar with, other than the Rapala minnow.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_100_Jerkbait/descpage-SKKJ1.html

 

It’s fished similar to a spook or walking topwater bait, it’s just in the middle of the water column. You jerk it on slack line, and it causes the lure to dart back and forth. They typically suspend, so you can pause the retrieve and the lure will hold its depth. They are very effective in cold water but will work any time of year.   

It's the same as the rapala minnow.

 

Jerk baits are affected by line type and diameter and water temperature. So even though manufacturers will tell you that certain ones float or sink or swim, I always try to be prepared to modify them to do what I want. Because with the line choice or water temperature I find that the manufacturer claim is often false on any given day.

 

Lighter line also lets them kind of dart around more easily and move more erratically whereas heavier line will keep them moving tighter and require you to hit the bait harder to make it move.

 

The jerk bait is pretty much a pure reaction bite if there ever was one. 

 

You're just twitching the bait around and something is whacking at it and typically they hook themselves. 

 

It's pretty fun! 

 

You can use them deep or shallow but I like them in the shallow to mid depth range and I like them around pretty active fish. It's not my favorite bait for a slow day where it's tough to get a bite.  But if the wind is blowing and a front just moved in and you know they're going to be chewing, sometimes a jerkbait is the best way to catch a pile of fish.

 

 

I love the rapala x-rap in early

spring. Size 10. Erratic enough but still stays tight. Not all over the place. Jerk-jerk with a long pause. It suspends well. Literally just fan casting. 

Thanks all. I found one of these last year and have yet to use it. 

Cast it out, give it 2 or 3 turns of the reel handle to get it down and give it a couples jerks and let it pause and repeat. The length of the pause and the number of jerks between them will vary.

It's much more complicated but that will give you the basics.

I personally put them away when the water temp gets above 65. Now with FFS guys are fishing them year 'round but it's not for me.

One of my favorite ways to fish.

Jerkbait accounted for two of my three biggest smallmouth this season thus far.  Snap, snap, pause.  Then the rod doubles over with a hefty prespawn brownie on the end of it.