Hard Jerkbaits - Best Water Temp Range ?

[ChrisD46]

Many state the best time to throw a hard jerkbait is from Fall through Spring - which can depend greatly depending on where you live ? Therefore perhaps a better way to ask the question is to ask : What is the best water temperature range to throw a hard jerkbait ? Lastly do you ever through a jerkbait in the Summer with any success ?

[ww2farmer]

I like them in the spring from ice out until about 60 degrees or so, then I switch to soft jerkbait...it's more about weed growth than anything. The soft jerkbait is just better around thicker cover. Then it doesn't seem like I pick a hard jerkbait back up again until the fall, usually when the water has dipped back into the 50's, but again not so much based on temp, but when the weeds have started to thin out.

[slimshad]

I have been on a good jerkbait bite this year.  Now the temps are mid to high 60's and even hit 70 sat.  I found a riprap bank with some wind hitting it at the end of my tourny.  I caught several just shy of the size limit and had some BIG bass chase those short fish to the boat.  I would think in the right place it would still be effective.  Just throw it and see!

[jhoffman]

ive caught 95% of my fish this year so far on a 78 size LC

[J Francho]

Above 32* F. It's mor about cover and where the fish are positioned for me.

[Crestliner2008]

I toss them all year long. I just fish them differently at various times of the year. Cold water means I'll be fishing it a lot slower. In summer, I keep it in motion more.

[J Francho]

I think that's what makes them such a good cold water bait - the ability to fish them as slow as needed.

[Stingray23]

I fish them year round. Just change up the retrieve. Slower in cold water to faster as it warms up.

[BobP]

To me it's mostly about water clarity.  The clearer the better, vary the retrieve according to water temp and fish mood.  I choose something else when clarity is less than 3 ft.

[Hogsticker]

All really good answers. I don't throw them in the dead of summer. That's about it. Different baits (action, depth), different retrieves till you give em what they want, or don't get anything at all. 

[smalljaw67]

I throw them all year long but there are differences. For hard suspending jerkbaits, I'm using them in 40 degree water until 60 degrees, after that I begin to use a floating style jerkbait like a shallow diving Smithwick Rogue or Bagley Bang-O-Lure. I won money in July on a clown colored rogue fishing it aggressively over submerged weed beds, but if the fish are following you stop it and let it float to the surface and retrieve it with short twitches like a topwater bait. If I need to go into grass or around tree limbs then I will use the soft jerkbait like a fluke.

[IAY]

Its a great bait all year round like everyone has been saying because it mimics a injured/dying bait fish, which bass are attracted to. You just have to worry about the water clarity since the fish has to see the bait for them to hit it.

[iceintheveins]

40 - 55 degrees

[kickerfish1]

I like them in the spring from ice out until about 60 degrees or so, then I switch to soft jerkbait...it's more about weed growth than anything. The soft jerkbait is just better around thicker cover. Then it doesn't seem like I pick a hard jerkbait back up again until the fall, usually when the water has dipped back into the 50's, but again not so much based on temp, but when the weeds have started to thin out.

I couldn't agree more. Very well said!

[ChrisD46]

Thanks for the replies - the hard suspending jerkbait has more versatility than I previously thought !

The ability to fish slow in cooler water and faster in warmer water is a plus - also can't forget about surface jerkbaits when the water warms .