I wanted to try some suspending jerk baits this winter, what are some of the best ones? I was looking at Bombers jerk baits. dont want to pay over $10 per bait if possible Also I've heard they only work in clear water, how clear does it have to be for them to work? I fish water with about 3ft visibility. Any color recommendations would be great also ;D

Lucky Craft Pointers are $15 dollars but are the best and worth every penny IMO. You could could try some Rapala X-Raps which run about $7-8. I've never tried any Bomberr jerkbait.

Pointers are the most popular jerkbaits today @ $15

In addition to the pointers I like:

Xcalibur XS4 jerkbaits @ $12

New Spro McStick @ $11.50

Bass Pro Shops XPS suspending jerkbaits @ $4

Strike King KVD Wild Shiner @ $5

Lots of guys like Rapala Husky Jerkbaits or Rapala X-Raps. They run between $5-8. I dont like them at all however.

3 feet of visiblility is enough to use a jerkbait. Use brighter colors like Sour Grape or Firetiger in muddy or stained water.  Stick with natural colors in clear water.

Thanks guys!

"Red Eye" suspending jerk baits:

Black or sliver colors best.

"Clown" (gold body with red head and white belly) good for clear water.

Try to get the ones with the white belly.

Rapala

Rattling Rouge

AC Shiner

Bagley Bang-A-Lure

Bomber Long A

BPS High Back Shiner

BPS Top Knocker

Try some jointed ones, too, like the Red Fin.

Remember, best water temperature for suspending jerkbaits is 40* to 50*.

Use lighter line, like 8 to 10 pound test.

If temperature under 40* consider using 6 pound test.

Be sure to pause longer in cold water.  Use rod tip to make four or five jerks then pause, giving the bait loose line and then reel in slack and jerk.  Move rod about six-inches each jerk.

And be sure the jerkbait has red eyes as those are suspending.

Have fun and stay warm.

Happy Thanksgiving.  

get yourself a couple LC pointers and staysees for deeper water- losing them can be done but there is usually a good chance you will come home with your bait as jerkbaits are mainly used in open water so buy good ones like LC

the LC Pointers are by far the best out there but as said they cost $15.

Spend $15 on 2 pointers and that is bascially all you need to catch some fish. They aren't crankbaits so you won't lose as many.

Chartruese Shad and Ghost minnow are the 2 colours you need.

I buy x-raps and Lc pointers for jerkbaits, but for crankbaits, I buy them cheaper because I will lose a couple here and there and can't afford to lose one thats $15 bucks.

So far a lot of good suggestions, I would like to add the IMA Flit as another great choice.

TrippyJai,

Great color choices.

Love 'em both, especially that Ghost Minnow. Dynamite!!!

Try the Sexy or Foxy Shad, too.  

Just find a windblown bank with rocks and you will catch fish with a jerkbait. Experiment with actions, I generally find the more chop/wind, the faster I work it.

When the fish are keying on smaller shad I have had great success with the Cultiva Minnow RM 65.  Just be sure to swap out the hooks . I like the Owner Tournament Treble size 8. Golden shiner a great color.

Thanks alot guys! guess Im gunna have to break down and buy some Pointers then ;D

I've never tried any Bomberr jerkbait.

I have, and they are very good. In fact, I'd go so far as to say they are the standard jerkbait my which all others are judged.

I've caught a lot of fish on Bomber Long As. Particularly good are the Tim Horton Long As - nice finishes and great hooks. They have a tight wobble and you can get them going very easily. They suspend where they stop.  They also jerk very widely, more so than any Lucky Craft I've tried.

Mostly, I've been buying Japanese baits at 3X the cost of the Bomber Long A. But I doubt any of the ones I've bought will ever produce as well as the inexpensive, "lowly" Long A. It's a classic, and it's a classic because it flat-out works.  If you've never tried one, you're missing out on one of the great lures of all time.

I have a couple of the Bombers and they suspend well, the only thing I don't like is that they don't cast as well as the LC Pointers, Flits......

I also got a couple Spro McStick. Haven't tried them yet.

Another good bait is the LC Flash Minnow.

Spend $15 on 2 pointers and that is bascially all you need to catch some fish. They aren't crankbaits so you won't lose as many.

Chartruese Shad and Ghost minnow are the 2 colours you need.

I buy x-raps and Lc pointers for jerkbaits, but for crankbaits, I buy them cheaper because I will lose a couple here and there and can't afford to lose one thats $15 bucks.

Amen. You only need chartreuse shad and ghost minnow in size 100 sp. Use chartreuse shad for darker water and ghost minnow for clear water. I have about twenty lucky craft pointers but I would say 90% of them are either ghost minnow or chartreuse shad. The other colors are pretty much irrelevant, at least for smallmouth.

TRIG, I agree with you on the Flash Minnows, I've had some great days with that bait, a great complement to the Pointer especially when you want a more shallow running jerkbait.

I have a couple of the Bombers and they suspend well, the only thing I don't like is that they don't cast as well as the LC Pointers

Are you comparing suspending models?  Castability with the suspending Bombers is very good and one of the thing I like about them.  The floating models, obviously, don't cast as well.  

Are you comparing suspending models?

Yes. The 100 pointer can be cast further then the suspending Bomber.

The Bomber does not have a internal weight transfer system.

TRig, do you like any of the Jackall jerkbaits?  I see they make a soft-bodied jerkbait and wonder if you've tried it.

Micro, you mean the Jackall Mask?

I had one and somehow it got in contact with some softbaits. Boy, what mess I tell you! The thing melted. ;D I didn't like the bait anyway. The action was "boring".

I do like the Smash Minnow and the Squad Minnow. The Mag Squad 128 works well for Zander around here.

In clear water I like the Megabass Vision 95. This bait is silent and works well for spooky fish.

Yes, the Mask.  Looked sort of gimmicky.  I've been wanting to try some Jackall jerkbaits.  The Smash and Squad look interesting.  What about the Squirrel?  I really like the size of that bait.  Have you used that?

Micro, I got the squirrel in all sizes. 61, 67, 76 and 79. There also is a Super DD Squirrel 79. Great bait!

There are dozens of good jerkbaits out there. Couple of my favorites are the Evergreen Sledge 6 and 7, Imakatsu Killer Bill, Super Killer Bill.