Cheap Yet Effective Jerkbaits

[tbone1993]

What are some cheap yet effective jerkbaits? I love using spro mcsticks or a megabass jerkbait when I get the chance but I honestly can't afford to buy  a ton of them in different depths, actions and colors. What are some good alternatives?

[Cgrinder]

I've always liked Storm Thundersticks. $4 a pop and they are good if you want a floater.

I also use X-raps with success.

[Dwight Hottle]

smithwick perfect 10

[DirtyDeuceGoose]

You can find xraps on sale at DSG. Definitely one of my favorite jerks out there.

[derekxec]

any floating crank bait is good really...i use the kvd cranks as jerk baits

[paul25]

luck e strike rick clunn jerkbaits aren't to bad a price, and they are really good jerkbaits

[Crappiebasser]

I like the xcalibur eeratic shad and smithwick rogues.

[BradGuenette]

Pretty hard to beat the spro mcstick at its price.

[flyfisher]

I like the xraps too but i change out the hooks for a little heavier to help them suspend perfectly.  Seems like out of the box they always sloooooowly float to the surface

[mnbassman23]

Xraps, mcstick, and eeratic shad have all produced for me.  

[wisconsin heat]

mcstick is alright but I prefer the EEratic shad and the Rick clunn one. I like the EEratic shad in cold water and Rick clunn's when the weather is warmer.

[ww2farmer]

I like the Strike King KVD slash bait, and the Storm Twitch bait. The KVD suspends perfectly for me out of the box with the stock hooks on fluorocarbon, but it lays a little flat. With a change of the hooks from the stock ones to #4 Mustad KVD 2x short shank, heavy wire triple grips, it still suspends perfect but in a nose down position like I like. The Storm is a slow riser with the stock hooks, and suspends or rises ever so slowly with a change to the same hooks I put on the SK. A suspend dot just forward of the front hook hanger keeps it suspended, and a little nose down. I used to really like the eeratic shad, It seemed to be a slow riser for me, no problem, just add a suspend dot or two, BUT once the stock hooks got trashed I had a heck of time, and never did quite find a combination I liked, almost every single hook I tried, light wire, heavy wire, VMC, Gamakatsu , Excailiber, Mustad etc....made them sink..........not desirable IMHO. The Clunn's were just OK for me, I got way too many bad ones that either sank, took on water, the weight transfer would stick, or they would just fall apart after a fish or two. I can't say anything nice about Rapala x-raps, so I just won't say anything at all.

[roadwarrior]

smithwick perfect 10

 The Smithwick Rogues are all effective.

[Jrob78]

I like the Rogue Perfect 10's and the XCalibur EEratic Shad for cheaper jerkbaits.  I rarely lose jerkbaits though, so I don't mind throwing the expensive ones most of the time.

[Quillback]

The RC STX.

[FishingMastah1]

Baker lures suspending jerkbait seems to have good reviews.

[RandySBreth]

Every seems to jump on the "new" but like Raodwarrior said the Suspending Rogues still work, and the Rapala Husky Jerk is still one of my favorites. In either the silver/Blue or Tennessee Shad in size 10 it's one of my all-time best Bass producers in winter at Table Rock or Beaver. I also like the "Helsinki Shad" which is basically "Sexy Shad" color. The size 10 has two trebles and I like to dress the rear one with feathers like the XRap - I think it helps a little.

 

I almost forgot - my current avatar - look close and it's an original Suspending Rogue.

[BradH]

Husky Jerk or Rogue

[Siebert Outdoors]

For the more affordable ones this year I used some of the Rick Clunn STX.  Overall performance is as good as an LC.

[smalljaw67]

Smithwick Rattlin Rogue, it works everywhere!! I love the new Storm Twitch Stick, don't be fooled by the price, it is a killer. Rapala X-Rap, these work all year and are probably the most versatile jerkbait as they have a super aggressive action with worked fast but they suspend and they have a subtle roll when barely moving them in cold water. The Rogue has models to fill any depth now, the perfect 10 gets down deep, then they have the medium diver and the super rogue which get down around 6' and they have the shallow ones that float that go down to 4' and finally the really shallow floaters that go down to just 2'. I'm a jerkbait fanatic and I have xpensive baits along with cheaper ones and the past spring I did well on 2 baits, the Storm Twict Stick in threadfin shad was the winner for the shallower fish as it worked in the 3' to 5' zone and my Smithwick Super Rogue Jr. in clown, that bait gets down to 6' on 10lb mono and it accounted for the bigger fish this spring.

[MCS]

Daiwa DB minnow. Suspends with a slow sink and a steal for 6.99 comes in some great colors too. Pearl white, prism shad, rainbow trout, bluegill, and baby bass are all killer. My other ones I have used but wouldn't recommend would be the xrap and bomber suspending long a pro. both failed to suspend out of the box. well I should say the xrap was more of a moderate rise and they bomber floated up. I caught fish on the xrap but it had to be worked at a quicker pace. the daiwa can sit there all day long on the pause. That is my 2 cents.  I have read and heard good things about the Luck E Strikes, Xcaliburs and the Strike King KVDs as well as mixed reviews on the spros. I will be trying some of these brands myself this winter probably the xcalibur due to their lipless baits I have used have been well made and running good out of the box.

[Munkin]

Husky Jerk or Rogue

 

These are inexpensive and work really well. The other bait that has been discontinued but can be found is the Xcaliber XS4.

 

Allen

[Dave P]

Here's a dirty little secret from back in the day. Before they were jerkbaits, there were called "Rapalas" (at least around here). Back then the term "Rapala" covered any minnow type bait there was because there weren't hundreds of different ones like there are today. The greatest of them all was not the true Rapala. No, it ran straight and floated properly. The king of the cheap baits was the house brand plastic knock off Rapala in chrome silver and black sold by K-Mart. Why? Because it wouldn't run straight. The slightest twitch would make it dunk under and roll onto it's side giving off a nice chrome silver flash. It would wallow it's way back up to the surface and then right itself. Utterly lethal. I remember one day of over 100 fish between two lakes. Sadly, the last one I had has been gone for 20 years.