Jerkbaits setting the hook

[Cgolf]

Seeing the thread about a jerkbait starter kit, the question I have for you guys is how do you set the hook when they crush the bait on the pause when you have some slack in the line. While I got a lot of hits on them last year, my hookup percentage was incredibly low. 

Since I use either a snap snap pause or a pull pull pause retrieve, how do you know when to rear back and set the hooks. I am guessing it is more of an art like deep water walleye jigging and I just need to learn it, but I would love some tips to shorten the learning curve. 

[CJ]

There is no "rear back and set" to jerkbait fishing IMO. It's more like a sweeping motion of just a reel down and sweep. Most of the time with the right rod, line, and good hooks, a fish will hook themselves. Jerkbaits can be a more advanced fishing skill. Try to keep the mindset of feeding the lure to them, especially in cold water. Let them take it, don't take it away from the fish. They may just bump it and then come back and get it. As the water warms, they will get to where they crush it. Another thought is to not horse them to the boat once they're on, especially smallmouth and spots. The best day I ever had was on a jerkbait and I was having to free spool the big smallies and let them do what they wanted before I showed them the boat because when they seen the boat, it was round 2. Also know that sometime smaller fish like gills will bump them as well. So you could mistake them for bass. Usually if a big fish makes the move, they mean business. All these fish came on a jerkbait plus around 20 more 3-4 lb. + smallmouth and LM. Jerkbaits are deadly and a whole lot of fun once you get them down.

[Master Bait'r]

I've always thought of jerkbaits as wanting a quick snap of a hookset and then holding light tension from there.  I fish lines with low or no stretch so it transmits very well.  May not work as well with light mono or flouro fwiw

[gardnerjigman]

I use 10# fluorocarbon on my jerkbait set up. Never really set the hook. Always just sweep into it, most of the time it's no more aggressive of an action than I already use for the action to work it. I do the same for crankbaits... really most treble hook baits. 

[smalljaw67]

CJ is 100% spot on, you basically sweep set and it isn't hard either. Jerkbaits are funny, there are a lot of times the fish hit them with closed mouth to kill it, it is why the pros hate snagging laws because you will catch a lot of fish with the bait on the outside of the mouth. Normally when I get bit on slack line the fish either pulls the line straight or you feel a tap or see your line jump, when they pull, all you need to do is sweep the rod so it loads up, nothing more, when you feel the tap or see the line jump, you reel set the fish, reel in the slack and keep reeling until the rod begins to lad and then sweep set, but not hard.  I use to try and pull back too hard and I was fortunate enough to have a good jerkbait angler help me land more fish, because he told me I was pulling the hook out of the fish more than driving it into the fish and the sweep set and reel set have really improved my landing percentage by leaps and bounds.

[Cgolf]

2 hours ago, CJ said:

There is no "rear back and set" to jerkbait fishing IMO. It's more like a sweeping motion of just a reel down and sweep. Most of the time with the right rod, line, and good hooks, a fish will hook themselves. Jerkbaits can be a more advanced fishing skill. Try to keep the mindset of feeding the lure to them, especially in cold water. Let them take it, don't take it away from the fish. They may just bump it and then come back and get it. As the water warms, they will get to where they crush it. Another thought is to not horse them to the boat once they're on, especially smallmouth and spots. The best day I ever had was on a jerkbait and I was having to free spool the big smallies and let them do what they wanted before I showed them the boat because when they seen the boat, it was round 2. Also know that sometime smaller fish like gills will bump them as well. So you could mistake them for bass. Usually if a big fish makes the move, they mean business. All these fish came on a jerkbait plus around 20 more 3-4 lb. + smallmouth and LM. Jerkbaits are deadly and a whole lot of fun once you get them down.

Do you line watch to know if they have picked it up or bumped it? Awesome info, thanks. The two most aggressive hits I had of course we're musky, which of course left me two shadow raps light. 

Do you go with a fast or slow tipped rod? I would guess slow for a softer bait action, but want to do it right this year. 

[Fishes in trees]

I know that most everyone has their own ideas about what is and what ain't a decent jerk bait set-up.  I use a 6'3" Med/Light spinning rod and 14 lb Fireline and an short (foot and a half or so)  fluorocarbon leader - 10 of 15 lbs.  I like the spinning gear because it is easier to deal with in the wind and it is generally windy in the spring when I'm throwing jerk baits.  I get decent distance, I would most likely get better distance if I went to a longer rod, but I got tired of smacking the tip into the side of the boat when I was jerking the bait down.   The 6'3" rod is a compromise, and another one of the compromises is the hook set.   I can't make powerful eye crossing hook sets with this rod, so I don't even try.    When you use a light colored line, like Fireline Crystal, you most often see the strike before you feel it.  You just tighten up asap and sweep set.   If I have time to think about it, I try to sweep in the opposite direction from where the fish is going, but most of the time I don't.  Most of the time I sweep sideways and up and to the left, cause I'm a lefty and that is the easiest, most logical maneuver for me.   I don't feel like I miss a whole lot of fish, but the nature of the bait is such that you are going to get lightly hooked fish from time to time.

That's where the ML rod comes into play, I just keep it tight until I have an idea of the size of the fish.   If it is a slot fish, just get it to the surface and skate it in.   A keeper (15" + in Missouri) and I'll take my time.   Most days, if there is a jerk bait bite going, a pattern happens where the fish bite mostly the same way.   The days where they all crush it and you don't miss any are few and far between, but they do happen.

[CJ]

2 hours ago, cgolf said:

Do you line watch to know if they have picked it up or bumped it? Awesome info, thanks. The two most aggressive hits I had of course we're musky, which of course left me two shadow raps light. 

Do you go with a fast or slow tipped rod? I would guess slow for a softer bait action, but want to do it right this year. 

I always line watch. Especially with a jerkbait because I can even use line watching as a reference for the action I'm trying to get for the bite. But yes I've had the line jump several times or a fish knock it slack. I always use 10# flouro

As far as rod goes, I like my 6' med/mod overall but I do have a 6' 3" med fast. Med/fast will give you a sharper action when you twitch, bump, sweep, or yank. You have better hook up with a med light/mod and more fish will get in the boat, IMO. I like shorter rods to keep from hitting anything when I'm fishing it.

[smalljaw67]

I use a 6'6" ML-M casting rod for smaller jerkbaits and to fish them when it is cold and I'm not imparting much action. When the water gets into the 50s, that is when I go to my 6'3" M-F casting rod, it lets me be very aggressive and still has enough forgiveness that I'm not ripping the hooks away from the fish. Line watching is necessary, you work the bait with a controlled amount of slack so when you stop it, a light bite will often just make the line jump, big fish will often suck the bait in and if you aren't watching the line you'll never know it unless they get a hook stuck when they spit it and then when you go to make the next jerk you'll feel the fish.