In clear water, there’s probably no lure as effective as a jerkbait.
That’s a strong claim, and we need to back it up.
Because jerkbaits mimic the movement of injured baitfish, when fished right, they trigger a primal reaction in bass. And as pros like Kevin VanDam will tell you, they’ll come farther to hit that jerkbait than they will with any other lure you might throw.
A good jerkbait is probably the most effective clear-water lure you can throw.
But that’s the trick – they need to be fished properly to deliver on that promise.
If you’ve got a jerkbait in your tackle box that’s just not delivering, its high time to reinvestigate how to fish it.
Want to know how the pros fish a jerkbait?
Keep reading!
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Related:
Jerkbait 101
Whether you prefer Strike King’s KVD, Yo-Zuri’s 3DB, Rapala’s X-Rap, or one of any number of other excellent jerkbaits out there, they all have a few design elements in common that separate them from crankbaits.
Strike King’s KVD is a winner.
A jerkbait will typically have the lip you’d expect, causing it to dive. But in combination with its body shape and a carefully engineered channel filled with just the right amount of tiny metal balls, jerkbaits are designed to run through erratic, darting turns.
They may wiggle like a crank if you crank them, but that’s not at all what they’re designed for.
Final Thoughts
I started this article with a strong claim – that a good jerkbait is the most effective clear-water lure you can throw.
Consider that jerkbaits offer simply unbeatable action when fished properly, that they’re easy to cast long distances, and that they really do summon bass from greater distances than any other design, and you can see why I’d stand by that praise.
So if you’ve got an unloved jerkbait in your tackle box, give it another try.
I’ll bet it’ll turn into a winner right away.
Source: usangler.com