Differences among jerkbaits

[Micropterus salmoides]

I've been using Lucky Craft jerkbaits - Pointer 100, Staysee 90, Flashminnow - for several years now with great success, but am considering branching out and gaining confidence with other manufacturers. I'm specifically looking at Megabass' Ito Vision 110, Daiwa's TD Minnow Type SG, Smithwick's Rattling Rogue, and Rapala's X-Rap. I would like to know how these compare to the Pointer 100. What are there actions like? Do they work better with hard rips or more gentle rod movements? Are there certain conditions/situations that one would be used over the others. I guess I would like some type of guideline that I could refer to, so that when I'm out on the water I can make the appropriate choice. I know that when it comes to bass fishing there are no hard and fast rules. Often it's a trial and error process where we let the fish tell us which lure they prefer. I just want as much information about these jerkbaits so I can make my initial decision with confidence. Thanks.  

[Guest avid]

Since your not afraid to spend money on baits, I can highly recommend the Ito Vision 100 from Megabass, great action and a great fish catcher for me.

But don't forget that rattlin rogue.  It's classic and it gits em fer sure.

[jomatty]

for me nothing beats a pointer.  i also like the x raps a lot and usually fish them with fishing from shore, where it can get expensive to fish pointers.

[Lucky Craft Man]

I have used every jerkbait you have mentioned and in my opinion, none of those are as productive as the Pointer.  The Megabass Vision 110 is not bad, but for the money, I don't see it outproducing the Pointer.

[roadwarrior]

Each brand has a different action and other specific characteristics. Jerkbaits are my favorite (though not most productive) class of lures. I have accumulated a collection of Pointers (128, 100 & 78), Staycees, Smithwick Rogues, Rapala Husky Jerks & X-Raps (08). Lucky Craft Pointers do not necessarily produce more fish, but the are the most user friendly.

Pointers have top shelf compnents, are well designed, engineered and the craftmanship is outstanding. The internal balancing promotes long casts and the lures rarely foul hook themselves (the other jerkbits tend to tumble). Most importantly, the Lucky Crafts suspend perfectly, or almost perfectly. They also emit a slight vibration even when they appear to be motionless. These are my favorites.

However, I have caught lots of very nice fish on the Smithwick Rogue and Husky Jerk. Sometimes the slashing action of the X-Rap is absolutely killer. (One day last year I caught nine bass on ten casts and fourteen in a little over an hour at one of my pounds. Fishing the X-Rap one night last summer on the White River, I caught four brown trout over 5 lbs and had seven bites in less than two hours.)

So, it's not so much about "better" action, but "different" action.

[cart7t]

I also have pointers, Xraps, Rogues and Husky Jerks.  If there's a jerkbait bite going I've got enough rods that I can put at least 3 of those on and try each one to see which is biting best. There are basically subtle differences between the actions of the baits and how they suspend and move through the water and those differences are what will cause one bait to work better on one day than the next.  

[CyBasser]

Hi there,

I noticed no-one is mentioning Yo-Zuri jerkbaits. People in the US don't try them, or they just don''t work over there??? Although really designed for saltwater use, all of them (whether floating or sinking) do catch bass regularly for us. Now, how do they compare to the other brands mentioned is hard to tell...

[Guest avid]

Yo-zuri is very popular.

Interesting but down here in Florida is considered a great bait for inshore species - FYI - these are fish in brackish water characterized by flats. Snook, speckled trout, redfish, are the big three.

I have several in my bass box, and there are days when they are the "go to" bait.

but your right, they do not have the popularity they deserve for bass.

[CyBasser]

Yo-zuri is very popular.

Interesting but down here in Florida is considered a great bait for inshore species - FYI - these are fish in brackish water characterized by flats. Snook, speckled trout, redfish, are the big three..

You are quite right Avid, they are excellent saltwater lures over here in the Mediterranean as well. I first learned to use them in the sea, catching various species of jacks (crevaille, amberjack etc) and especially sea bass (a European species belonging to the same family as the striper).

I have several in my bass box, and there are days when they are the "go to" bait.

but your right, they do not have the popularity they deserve for bass.

Well, we live in parallel worlds. I have had the unbelievable experience last May that the largemouths would refuse any of the rapalas and other jerkbaits I have had with me, while they would hit like crazy on Yo-Zuris - and my Yo-Zuri collection was sitting on the back chair of my car, too far away to go and get it!!!

[Lightninrod]

LC Pointers have been productive for me lately; both for Bass and gills but I just discovered this new jerkbait from that review.  I bought two and have just tried them out today, catching 4 or 5 Bass but no big ones.  They really do 'stop' and quiver..

Dan