Jerkbait Retrieves?

[*Hank]

I was wondering what retrieves to use with jerkbaits during different months of the year and why to use them?

Thanks!

[camo]

Figure out what the fish want. We can't tell you everything, some thing's are best left for your mind to figure out. Not trying to sound like a ****** but I see a lot of posts here asking questions that we can't really answer unless we were fishing right next to you.

Also read every page in the jerkbait sticky it will give you some influence on what you could be doing and the rest is just going to be your style

[papajoe222]

A general rule is longer pauses in colder water along with shorter twitches, but don't be afraid to experiment. I stumbled on a straight/ fast retrieve last March when I was reeling in after a nasty backlash. You never know.

[WIGuide]

Like pap said generally the colder the water the longer the pause. I've also found that a lot of times when the water gets really cold and the bass are lethargic that a pull-pause retrieve works better than a jerk-pause retrieve. It's all about figuring out what a fish wants that day.

[ww2farmer]

You just have to find what works on the water you fish.  As for the pause, even in cold water I don't like too long of a pause..........#1 I fish really clear water, and I have found even in 42-45 degree water a 10-15 second pause will get me just as many bites as a 20-30 second one. I think they come up and get too good a look at it when it sits too long. #2 I just can't stand letting it sit that long LOL. I still "jerk" in cold water but it's more of a "twitch", as the water warms up my "jerks" get snappier and harder. My cadence doesn't very much.......usually it's "twitch twitch 10-15 second pause, twitch, pause, twitch twitch, pause" in cold water....and  "snap snap, brief pause, snap, pause, snap snap, pause" in warmer (50-60 degree water) Sometimes just for the heck of it I might through three snaps or twitches between pauses. I'll pay close attention to where in my cadence I am getting bites...........and change as needed.

[Dwight Hottle]

Lots of good info below. The advice given above is good too. Think of water temps effect on bass metabolism to determine how slow or how fast you work a bait. When bass are active they will chase. When they are in the chasing mood the faster & more irregular you can work the bait will get more attention/bites. This is especially true of smallmouth.
When colder temps slow the bass down you need to slow your bait down. You also need to learn for yourself through practice watching how a bait reacts to you input. Short strokes, long strokes, pauses, slow pulls. fast pulls, steady retrieves and stop & go are just some of the ways to work a jerkbait.. The whole idea behind jerkbaits & ripbaits is make the bait look alive but irregular in motion to get a bigger fish's attention. The more you can make a bait look like it is struggling to swim the more productive you will be with jerkbaits. The change in action is what triggers most bites. It is just like retrieving a crank bait thru cover or bumping bottom. The deflection off of wood or rock or other cover is when most bites occur. That is why baits that hunt are so productive. The sudden motion to the left or right or kickout of a bait attracts attention. Big fish like easy meals. When a bait looks sick or injured it triggers a response from most predators. So remember when working your bait you need to make it do something different. Something different can be speed of retrieve. change of speed, change of direction, change of depth, change of movement or anything else you can do make your bait look different.

Practice, practice and practice some more.
 
 
http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/108594-jerkbait-help-advice/

[primetime]

I try to find out what the shad and baitfish or even fry near the shoreline look like. Are they darting or just in a ball not moving at all...If water gets a certain temp the shad start to die, it is never the same everywhere or for every shad so reading articles about Jerkbaits, and understanding the forrage in the water you fish will determine how you will fish your jerkbait....If they are dying them often all you want to do is crank or snap it down to the desired depth, and cadence is always changing and everyone usually has little tricks they learn to do over time that works for them. Most Strikes comes when the bait is at rest, and often 30 second pauses are what is needed to trigger a strike, some people wait a minute, but I find waiting that long to be unproductive from my experiences, I would rather be making more casts, or tyring to fish a different depth or find a model that either falls slowly, rises slowly, or suspends nose down...Sounds crazy but it all matters. I love fishing Jerkbaits, I try to fish them as much as I can and if I could texas rig and flip a jerkbait I would try it, I just feel that next to a jig and flipping heavy cover, nothing catches bigger fish than jerkbaits, but they are super complex and reading helps alot, but you just need to practice, it starts to become an instinct, and you are always learning new little tricks...if you are getting short strikes, try adding a tail feather and the type matters as it all breathes differently and changes the action but you will get bit more while deadsticking many times, not always, but if you notice you are only hooking them on rear treble, then try changing colors or size, or go silent to rattle...Once you catch one fish in the cold, usually they group together and you can hammer them and have a day to remember....Hard part is getting the first strike....but that is what makes it rewarding when you start to catch em after hours of nothing happening.

[Ozark_Basser]

I just like a jerk pause jerk jerk pause retrieve with longer pauses in colder water. 

[aavery2]

For me, I generally find that when I use a more rhythmic cadence it is good with smallmouth.  When I am targeting largemouth bass my cadence is more erratic.  I start with this, where I end up is where the fish want.

[Angry John]

Jerkbaits are the most complicated bait in my box.  Playing with the weight alone and tuning how it sits in the water is a game all of its own.  I use the size and weight of the split rings to change both.  I think matching the hatch is most important in this bait as well.  The fish are not starving and they get all the time in the world to check out the bait.  In very clear water like i have its even worse because you cannot use speed to help you out.  This is a learn as you go affair and not a bait to try and cheap out on.  The cheapest one i like is the RC sticks.  Lucky craft, DUO, and megabass are the other major players.  I Limit choices to these as i need the bait to have clear sections and only plastic baits offer that. Line type is also important.  I use 6-10lb fluorocarbon.  How you try and impart action will have a lot to do with the stretch in your line and the action of rod you prefer.  I like my 66MF avid, but a lot of people like cranking moderate action rods.  This is just a fraction of the knowledge and you will spend a ton of time to get good with them.

[Bluebasser86]

I usually stick to a jerk, jerk, pause cadence. How long the pause is and how sharp or soft the jerks are will depend on what the fish want.