Jerkbait choices... yuour preferences

[Nick]

I really like to fish suspended jerkbaits, and the dominant season for them is just around the corner in the Ozarks. Maybe I've overlooked a couple of the lesser known makes and or colors so I am interested in your favorites. I've moved up the scale from the Rebel Spoonbills, Smithwick Rogue, Rapalas Husky Jerks and X raps, the Lucky Craft pointers, and the Megabass 110's. This year I'm going to try the Ima Flit and some smaller Yo Zuri models.  I fish in highly competitive tournaments and I am amazed at how a small difference in sound, color, depth or size can make a big difference in the money won. Also if you have a favored way of weighting your bait to suspend or sink a little, tell us about it.

[mk49]

My favorites are

OSP Rudra

Megabass Lates

Megabass 110

Ima Flit

Pointer 100

The Rudra and the Lates catch bigger fish.  The Lates is a floater, though.

[SJex]

Ima Flit

Pointers 78 and 100

Megabass Vision 110

Jackall Squadminnow

I really like the erratic action of the Ima Flit, excellent lure.

[J. M. Richardson]

I take a more budget friendly approach then the above and mostly use an X-rap, works all year round. Or the smithwick rogues

[KYntucky Warmouth]

My favorite jerkbat is an Owner Cultiva Rip-n Minnow 68 SP which I think has been discontinued  :'( .  I have caught more fish on that bait than any other jerkbait.  I also like the smaller pointers but the Cultiva is unmatched in my book.

[J Francho]

I have a ton of Pointers and X-Raps, but my favorite is a Flash Minnow.

[Steven Ladner]

Pointer 78s and 100s mainly. I like using a rogue in the rivers though.

[The Bassinator]

I like to use floating rapalas a lot in shallower water and of course pointers and x-raps in deeper water

[Bryce C]

I love the xraps......but I've yet to take the plunge on pointers so that could change, lol.

[ww2farmer]

X-raps and Husky Jerks. I like the Husky Jerk in cold water, were less aggressive jerks and longer pauses seem to get more bites, and the X-rap in warm water were a more aggressive retrieve triggers fish. BUT both have worked in either situation. I would really like to try the Spro McStick.

[Quillback]

All of the above 

I would add the LC Bevy Shad to the list.  The Spro McStick 85, which is supposed to be on the shelves soon, looks interesting, dives to 8-10 feet.  I'll be picking up a few.

[bryand82487]

Pointers and jackal DD squirrel

[bunkerbstr]

Colder water, 35-45 deg., I like Husky Jerks, more subtle than the X-rap or Pointers which I'll use in water above 45 deg.

Just my opinion, between the Husky Jerk, LC Pointer series should have you covered.  LC makes a bunch of different Pointers (XD, DD, Slender, and the Flash Minnow) which all have different action/depths. 

Like others have said, the Ima is a sweet bait too, I only have a couple of those but they work. 

[Nibbles]

Yozuri Sashimi Jerkbait!

[Shane Procell]

If I were only limited to 2 baits in my box one would be a Rapala Husky Jerk in Tenn. Shad. Model #'s HJ-08, HJ-10, HJ-12. Everglades bass dig em'.

[Primus]

I don't have anything new to add except the HKML K-0 Minnow 115 which has  been a good bait. I can see a lot of guys are mentioning the Ima Flit, I've done very well with their Ghost & Chartreuse Shad colors.

[Nick]

Quillback,

Funny how one bait gets hot in a lake while it's not such a big deal elsewhere. Word the last couple of years on Table Rock was the success with the McStick esp. the Norman Flake color. I took several McSticks to Lake O. and did not catch a fish on them. Went back to a LC and Megabass, and caught them. I can't figure any of this out, but it's fun to try to get it right.

Because our streams run a little colder, I caught a few smallies on Husky Jerks #8 last week.  River was so clear that I saw 5 bass in about 15 casts come to eat the bait some as close as 15 feet away. The amazing thing was that I did not feel any of these strikes, and had I not seen these bass bump into and mouth the bait, I would have never known they were there. Makes me wonder how many 100's of strikes I've missed over the years from bass just mouthing and nosing the bait. I'm fishing quality equipment with flourocarbon line as well, and been fishing and guiding for most of my life. I caught some jerkbait bass that day, but the ones that slammed it were largemouth. Nothing like clear water to show us how much we're ignorant of in fishing.