Swimming a jerkbait

[stk44]

I caught one LM bass yesterday in 48 degree water swimming a HJ10. Water was lightly stained but overall pretty clear considering it has been muddy in the past few weeks.

My question is, does anyone just swim jerkbaits? If so, with what success?

The reason I ask is because I fished a particular area for about an hour and a half with a jerk-jerk pause 5-30 seconds ( and also a jerk-jerk-jerk pause 5-30) with no bites. It wasn't 'til the very end of my retrieve that I began to swim the bait in that the bass crushed the lure. I switched to a brighter color, I downsized, upsized, and switched to various moving baits and no luck after.

[Munkin]

This works really well with those segmented LC baits.

 

Allen

[00 mod]

I only swim a jerkbait if I have been working the bait, given up on that cast and get bit once I starting reeling in. I then give it a chance and if that is what the fish want, that is how I work it.

Jeff

[Dwight Hottle]

There are days when a straight retrieve works better than traditional jerk bait retrieve absolutely. 

[Raul]

Nowhere is written like if it were a commandment: THOU SHALL NOT SWIM JERKBAITS. 

Actually I have caught maybe twice more fish reeling in them STEADILY than jerking the bait.

[roadwarrior]

20 minutes ago, Raul said:

Nowhere is written like if it were a commandment: THOU SHALL NOT SWIM JERKBAITS. 

Actually I have caught maybe twice more fish reeling in them STEADILY than jerking the bait.

It's illegal and voids the "Guaranteed To Catch A Fish" warranty. The package is clearly labeled "jerkbait" not steady retrieve!

 

[buzzed bait]

19 minutes ago, Raul said:

Nowhere is written like if it were a commandment: THOU SHALL NOT SWIM JERKBAITS. 

Actually I have caught maybe twice more fish reeling in them STEADILY than jerking the bait.

you're right, it's actually thou shalt not jerk swimbaits....  

but seriously though, my dad doesn't know the difference in a deep crank, shallow crank, squarebill, jerkbait, anything with a lip bait....  to him, they're all plugs.  and to him, all plugs get a pretty steady retrieve.

[Raul]

Just now, roadwarrior said:

It's illegal and voids the "Guaranteed To Catch A Fish" warranty. The package is clearly labeled "jerkbait" not steady retrieve!

 

No kiddin´ ? oh man, now what I´m gonna do ? 

[roadwarrior]

Potential fine of $250,000 and up to 10 years in jail. Ask for probation and pray for mercy from the court. Or flee to Mexico with an American wife and become a veterinarian!

[A-Jay]

7 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Potential fine of $250,000 and up to 10 years in jail. Ask for probation and pray for mercy from the court.  Or flee to Mexico with an American wife and become a veterinarian!

Wow ~ Sounds worse than removing a mattress warning label.

A-Jay

[buzzed bait]

5 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Wow ~ Sounds worse than removing a mattress warning label.

A-Jay

the American wife part?  no joke!!!!   

[stk44]

17 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

It's illegal and voids the "Guaranteed To Catch A Fish" warranty. The package is clearly labeled "jerkbait" not steady retrieve!

 

My question was does anyone JUST swim a jerkbait.

Everyone's a tough guy and a comedian on the internet.

41 minutes ago, Raul said:

Nowhere is written like if it were a commandment: THOU SHALL NOT SWIM JERKBAITS. 

Actually I have caught maybe twice more fish reeling in them STEADILY than jerking the bait.

That didn't answer my question.

1 hour ago, 00 mod said:

I only swim a jerkbait if I have been working the bait, given up on that cast and get bit once I starting reeling in. I then give it a chance and if that is what the fish want, that is how I work it.

Jeff

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[A-Jay]

12 minutes ago, stk44 said:

My question was does anyone JUST swim a jerkbait.

Everyone's a tough guy and a comedian on the internet.

Sorry about that - there's something in the air today . . . .

For Me the answer is Yes, sometimes I do swim a jerkbait without any pauses at all, but it's kind of a rarity. 

I'll do it more for other species (Walleye, Pike & Trout) than for LM & SM bass.

 When the bass are on it, a slow sweep and a pause or a cadence of a couple of skillful twitches to walk the bait and then pause, is tough to beat.

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

For me the answer is no, I never swim a jerk bait and have never had a strike after I have given up on the cast and simply retrieving for the next cast.  Although most guys think the strike occurs when you move the bait, that is not generally the case. The strike occurs on the pause, but you may not feel the fish until you move the lure. Although this is not my most productive lure class, it is my favorite technique.

My dedicated rig is a St. Croix Avid AVC66MF with a soft tip; Scorpion 1000 and #10 Sunline Defier Armilo.

I fish Megabass Ito Vision 110, Lucky Craft Pointers, Rapala X-Rap, Smithwick Rogues and McSticks.

 

[IndianaFinesse]

Not really, but that doesn't mean it don't work.  The exception is after the jerkbait is out of the area where the fish are, I will reel it in quickly and occasionally catch one while cranking it in for another cast.

[Raul]

57 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Potential fine of $250,000 and up to 10 years in jail. Ask for probation and pray for mercy from the court. Or flee to Mexico with an American wife and become a veterinarian!

California girl please. 

 

[Hogsticker]

Sounds like your fish was following your bait, and hit it at the last moment as you picked up the pace because he didn't want it to get away. I don't agree that the strike generally occurs on the pause either. It's all situational. 

[Fishin' Fool]

20 hours ago, stk44 said:

I caught one LM bass yesterday in 48 degree water swimming a HJ10. Water was lightly stained but overall pretty clear considering it has been muddy in the past few weeks.

My question is, does anyone just swim jerkbaits? If so, with what success?

The reason I ask is because I fished a particular area for about an hour and a half with a jerk-jerk pause 5-30 seconds ( and also a jerk-jerk-jerk pause 5-30) with no bites. It wasn't 'til the very end of my retrieve that I began to swim the bait in that the bass crushed the lure. I switched to a brighter color, I downsized, upsized, and switched to various moving baits and no luck after.

To me it just sounds like the fish wanted a faster cadence than what you were using.

[stk44]

2 hours ago, Fishin' Fool said:

To me it just sounds like the fish wanted a faster cadence than what you were using.

That's what I was thinking, so that's when I tried some other moving baits what would typically have a faster cadence, like a lipless crank and a squarebill. I'll give it another shot tomorrow and I'll see what works. Thanks for the help.

[smashinsmalliestv]

23 hours ago, stk44 said:

I caught one LM bass yesterday in 48 degree water swimming a HJ10. Water was lightly stained but overall pretty clear considering it has been muddy in the past few weeks.

My question is, does anyone just swim jerkbaits? If so, with what success?

The reason I ask is because I fished a particular area for about an hour and a half with a jerk-jerk pause 5-30 seconds ( and also a jerk-jerk-jerk pause 5-30) with no bites. It wasn't 'til the very end of my retrieve that I began to swim the bait in that the bass crushed the lure. I switched to a brighter color, I downsized, upsized, and switched to various moving baits and no luck after.

I have done this with sucess, one lure if you want the sme profile and don't want to swim an actual jerkbait is a Rapala Original floater, same profile of most jerkbaits but is meant for straight cranking (mainly). I've caught plenty of fish straight cranking X Raps.

[scaleface]

Yes . I have caught some big , springtime bass swimming a Bomber Long A Minnow as fast as I can reel . 

[Nate Stonefish]

Yes, it dose work.  I find they like the tight wobble or action they have on a steady retrieve.( This time of year)  I have reeled in x-raps and original 10" floaters and the smallmouth just crush them on a steady retrieve. Also, catch big walleye once in a while doing this as well. Just pay attention to what the fish want.  1 time is a fluke, 2 times is a pattern and, 3 times tell your buddies what you are doing "THAT DAY".  Hope this helps you out. Remember to pay attention to what the fish are telling you how they want the lure.   Tight Lines and Heavy Bags! 

[EvanT123]

Isnt another name for a jerkbait a twitch bait? While your reeling that baby is twitching. Forget about trolling one that doesn't have a place in fishing

[Frenchman83]

I have had times where a standard retrieve with jerkbait works well.  Although, if targeting bass when this happens I'll normally switch to a square bill.

[mrmacwvu1]

For some reason on two of the rivers that I wet wade that is the preferred method. I have had 50 fish days with steady retrieves in less then 4 foot of water.