KVD Jerkbait Reviews/Opinions

[bma3]

I want to get more into jerkbaits this year and was wondering what everyone's opinions are on the Strike King KVD jerkbait? Worth the buy? Does it suspend well? Quality for the price? Maybe another jerkbait that you like more? Etc. 

Thanks

[bowhunter63]

I use KVD and Storm thunder stix.Rapala is a good choice also check out Academy sports brand.There not real expensive and fish pretty good.

[RichF]

They work pretty well for KVD. 

[A-Jay]

I fish jerkbaits quite a bit.  The smallies up here seem to prefer them and I've had decent success with many different brands & models.

I started fishing the KVD baits I think two season ago.  I got bit early & often. 

Are they better than others maybe, maybe not.  I will say the more I fished them, the more smallies (and LMB) I caught. 

So for less than $10, I'd say that they are a solid bait.  (I do change out the hooks but I do that to most every treble hook bait I fish. )

Finally @bma3, I'd recommend getting a couple each of the shallow & deep versions, in colors that perhaps match your local forage.

Fish them with confidence and have the net close by . . . .

Good Luck

A-Jay

[CroakHunter]

I'm a big fan of the berkley cutter 110 and 110+ but kvd hard baits to seem to catch fish just as well as the others. 

[bma3]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I fish jerkbaits quite a bit.  The smallies up here seem to prefer them and I've had decent success with many different brands & models.

I started fishing the KVD baits I think two season ago.  I got bit early & often. 

Are they better than others maybe, maybe not.  I will say the more I fished them, the more smallies (and LMB) I caught. 

So for less than $10, I'd say that they are a solid bait.  (I do change out the hooks but I do that to most every treble hook bait I fish. )

Finally @bma3, I'd recommend getting a couple each of the shallow & deep versions, in colors that perhaps match your local forage.

Fish them with confidence and have the net close by . . . .

Good Luck

A-Jay

Sounds great! Yeah, I just picked up one today to try out and it looks good. I mostly fish from the bank so do you think the deep diver version will be worth it?

[A-Jay]

16 minutes ago, bma3 said:

Sounds great! Yeah, I just picked up one today to try out and it looks good. I mostly fish from the bank so do you think the deep diver version will be worth it?

 

I have two thoughts for you.

1. In most situations I prefer to keep the bait 'above the fish', especially SMB.  They seem to prefer to come up for it rather than go down to it.

2. I do fish a few places with a sand bottom (usually a long point) where bumping the deep model into the sand has gotten me many nice fish.

I would not suggest this in places where weeds or wood cover are present while bank fishing.

Here a clip of this very deal (all on the KVD deep btw) 

 

Hopefully, you can take that info, digest it, and apply it to your own water. 

A-Jay

[bma3]

@A-Jay Makes sense, thanks. In my local lake, the fishing is pretty weird at times. One minute they smash a buzz-bait in the morning then 20 minutes later they don't eat anything. I have also never caught a fish on a hard bait in that lake, only spinnerbaits and senkos. Do you think the jerkbait will coax them into biting more than say a crank would? There is mostly largemouth in the lake so does the same principle apply for keeping the bait above them? 

[A-Jay]

53 minutes ago, bma3 said:

@A-Jay Makes sense, thanks. In my local lake, the fishing is pretty weird at times. One minute they smash a buzz-bait in the morning then 20 minutes later they don't eat anything. I have also never caught a fish on a hard bait in that lake, only spinnerbaits and senkos. Do you think the jerkbait will coax them into biting more than say a crank would? There is mostly largemouth in the lake so does the same principle apply for keeping the bait above them? 

   What you're calling "weird' I call Bass Fishing - happens everywhere I've ever fished at one point or another.

This is why this sport demands us to be adaptable.  It also pays to know that there are days where no matter what we do - the bites will be few and far between - just the way it goes. 

 

   When it comes to jerkbait presentations, for me, seems water temps (as well as the mood of the bass) usually play a role.  The cooler the water the longer it usually takes any type bass to get to your bait.  So fishing it a little slower and with a decent pause, often pays off when it comes to jerkbaits.  The reverse is often the deal in warmer water.   

 

So to answer your question, Yes - I usually prefer to keep the bait at least a little above the bass.  And the other factor that is pretty important is water clarity.  Most effective jerkbaiting demands it.  If the water has not got good vis - I'm throwing something else.  And btw - good vis for me here is at least 10 feet.  Less than that, the jerkbaits usually stay dry.

A-Jay

[38 Super Fan]

I'd pick up a few Luck-e-Strike STXs too, they're a little cheaper than the KVD, and I personally like them better.

[bma3]

8 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

good vis for me here is at least 10 feet

My area has relatively clear water but it fluctuates a lot. If it rains even at all the water turns to chocolate milk but other than that it's about 4-7 feet of visibility. In another lake near me, the visibility is probably 15 feet but that lake is extremely tough. The fish there super finicky and it seems like the only thing they want to eat is a popper in the evenings. 

[Bluebasser86]

I like them, but they seem a little pricey to me for what they are. I have a few I found on sale for $5 and have done pretty well with them. I'm a big fan of the Berkley Skinny Cutter 110+

[Chance_Taker4]

On ‎7‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 1:06 PM, A-Jay said:

I fish jerkbaits quite a bit.  The smallies up here seem to prefer them and I've had decent success with many different brands & models.

I started fishing the KVD baits I think two season ago.  I got bit early & often. 

Are they better than others maybe, maybe not.  I will say the more I fished them, the more smallies (and LMB) I caught. 

So for less than $10, I'd say that they are a solid bait.  (I do change out the hooks but I do that to most every treble hook bait I fish. )

Finally @bma3, I'd recommend getting a couple each of the shallow & deep versions, in colors that perhaps match your local forage.

Fish them with confidence and have the net close by . . . .

Good Luck

A-Jay

I agree with this. They are my favorite sub $10 jerkbait. But I also like the Rapala X-Rap and Shadow Rap to

 

(P.S. @A-Jay I'm pretty sure I just followed you on twitter based off your profile pic)

[BuzzHudson19c]

I like the KVDs but only own a couple. They catch fish. Most of my jerkbaits are rapala or yo zuri.

[Attila]

I picked up a couple of the Ayu coloured baits and they work well in the situation's that @A-Jay explained above. I also tend to use Rapala Shadow Raps and Shadow Rap Shads as I find the colour patterns match the forage up here really well.

 

Much like you I fish from shore and I've spent a lot of time learning about the structure that is available within casting distance of my spots. Sometimes there's a bass boat passing by and I'll ask about the depth I'm fishing at and they'll usually be kind enough to provide that information if it's a new location. Look for shoreline indicators like pebble rock or sand leading out to the lake that'll help you understand what you might be finding where you're casting.

 

Echoing A-Jay's advice, when the water turns colder don't be afraid to lengthen your pause during your retrieve. It really does impact your bite.