Jerkbaits. Good?

[Backwoods bassin]

Never fished a jerkbait. Never caught off one.  Are they as successful as people say they are? What's the best way to use a suspending jerkbait or a Rouge style bait?  Any brand or style recommendations? 

[JustinU1X]

Can't catch anything if you don't try. This time of year is perfect time to start learning, pre-spawn and fall is when a jerk bait can really shine. They work all year round though but mainly when the water is cooler and the bass are more lethargic. Each brand has its own unique action but they all catch fish. Rapala, smith wick, megabass, spro, etc

[flyingmonkie]

I was in the same boat a few years back and had to devote some quality time to using jerkbaits.  Now I rarely leave home without them!  Like everything else, there is a confidence factor: focus a couple outings on jerkbaits only and get to know them a little better.  Fall is my favorite time to use them.  For the money, Smithwick Roques are near impossible to beat.  I've also had good luck with Jackall, but they cost a bit more.

If you're a bank fisherman, expensive hard plastics with three trebles can be a little frustrating.  A weightless, t-rigged Senko or Fluke is a great substitute and can be fished with similar retrieves.  Mastering them will set you up for jerkbait success. 

[MDBowHunter]

Check out this link, there's a lot of awesome info in here for someone getting into jerkbait fishing:

 

[Backwoods bassin]

5 hours ago, flyingmonkie said:

I was in the same boat a few years back and had to devote some quality time to using jerkbaits.  Now I rarely leave home without them!  Like everything else, there is a confidence factor: focus a couple outings on jerkbaits only and get to know them a little better.  Fall is my favorite time to use them.  For the money, Smithwick Roques are near impossible to beat.  I've also had good luck with Jackall, but they cost a bit more.

If you're a bank fisherman, expensive hard plastics with three trebles can be a little frustrating.  A weightless, t-rigged Senko or Fluke is a great substitute and can be fished with similar retrieves.  Mastering them will set you up for jerkbait success. 

Thanks for all the good advice.  I'll get out on the lake next weekend and put it to use. Hardly a place I can't go on my gator tail. 

[WIGuide]

Jerkbaits are definitely a go-to presentation for cooler water. They can also be great smallmouth catchers year round. I use a few different brands of jerkbait depending on what I'm looking for that day. Some brands I use regularly include Rapala, Luck-E-Strike, Smithwick, and Xcalibur. I really like the suspending variety. Jerk them down, twitch them and then give them slack right away. If you experiment with them boat side, you want them to dart erratically from side to side followed up by a pause. 

 

[primetime]

I agree with the above advice as well, I still am not that confident in suspenders, but a rogue is pound for pound a really good jerkbait. I also use the Long A Pro suspender for longer casts, wider roll, and the XRAP for more action, but it takes practice, it is no doubt a skill that you need to take the time to learn, I hope to one day have more confidence with suspenders,but sometimes it is as simple as just finding the right depth....I would look at some videos or articles on why some jerkbaits work better in situations, and why some work better than others depending on water temps etc...Rogues and Bomber are $5 lures that have won tons of money on tours....

I don't buy alot of expensive suspenders since I don't think I would do any better with a Mebabass over a similar knock off, but some guys who love to fish them, can put on a 2 hour seminar of why and how and they tinker with every detail from angle of suspension, rate, etc...

It looks easy, but it can be frustrating, it helps to fish with someone who is really good to help give you some tips, I have gained confidence after fishing with a few people over the years who were experts, but they put time in, lots of time to get that good.