Jerkbait fishing - am I doing it wrong?

[nicksb]

So I've been trying to get into jerkbait fishing and I am determined to master this technique.

 

However, I have noted that most resources say "jerk on slack line".

 

Does this literally mean that you have slack line lying on the water at all times when jerking and you only reel up some of the slack?

 

I have yet to find a solid answer on this.

[Angry John]

Yes.  You are popping the bait.  You pop the line and there is always slack.  Kvd does a great video on YouTube to explain

[Scarborough817]

yes you reel up some of the slack but not all, as you do not want the bait to be pulled by the reel. this gives the bait a very defined jerk and pause action. now obviously since you have a slack line detecting bites is more difficult.

[Turtle135]

1. you have a little slack in the line

2. you pop your rod (of course in that brief instant when you come tight to the lure your slack will be gone)

3. you finish by moving your rod back towards the bait creating that slack again

 

If you kept you line tight to the lure after you popped it you would slowly drag the jerkbait forward in the water (which you do not want to do).

[A-Jay]

During very late and very early season - basically cool / cold water - I'd highly courage the following technique.

 

Slow pull - pause - slow pull - pause; repeat.

A-Jay

 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Try practicing along side the boat so you can see what your bait is doing as you work it. Sometimes you want to pull the bait along with the rod tip then allow some slack by pointing the rod back toward the bait before moving it again. That will create slack. Long pulls often out fish short jerks depending on the day. Just practice until you get a rhythm going that works. Pauses between jerks & pulls need to vary based on water temp & how active the fish are. You will learn quicker if you can see what the bait is doing as you work it. Hope that helps you.  

[Bankbeater]

If all else fails, try a very very slow retrieve. 

[Angry John]

There are diffrent types of baits and spoon bills are great on the pull technique.  The only one I have right now is a staysee 90.  Look at the lip for action type.  Spoon bills work well for deep and slow.

[Sifuedition]

One of the keys is to not have just one technique. If you are fan casting an area, don't repeat the same presentation in the same line. Vary the length of your pauses. Vary the length of your "pop". Try pulls instead of popping it. Mix it up until you find what is working on that specific water on that specific day. The most commonly effective method, however, is sudden erratic movements. The hits will often come immediately on the stop or start. The slack is what allows the bait to have a complete stop so that you generate the start/stop motions.

[Bluebasser86]

 

[Tucson]

Good info on this post, thanks to the contributors.  I have a better understanding of jerk-baiting now.

[Djohn]

Big believer in 8 - 10 lb florocarbon line for jerk baiting in cold water. 

[Angry John]

Line is another way to tune your baits.  Nylon will help a sinking bait and flourocarbon will help risers.  Kinda like like crank baits.  If you get slow risers they can be tuned the easiest.  Suspension is the goal but sinkers are almost impossible to fix.  This is a discovery after hundreds spent. Heavier hooks are easy to find but when they come with lite wire already all you can do is downsize.

30 minutes ago, Djohn said:

Big believer in 8 - 10 lb florocarbon line for jerk baiting in cold water

[MickD]

Sifuedition has it right, there is no single answer to how to do it.  You have to let the fish tell you whether they want a slow gentle nudge, a sweep, a sharp twitch, etc.  I assure you there are times when one works and nothing else does.  As others have stated , the slack line lets you control the next move.  For example, if you don't have slack line, you cannot execute a sharp twitch.  Rapala just introduced a new lure based on getting a total stop, then the twitch, or sweep, or . . . 

[UPSmallie]

It's hard to fish a jerkbait wrong.  I've caught fish on straight retrieves, erratic twitch retrieves, slow-pause occasional twitch, etc.  The advantage is you can cover water in a really fun way of doing it.  Find the fish and see what retrieve works best for you.  My personal favorite is to power-fish jerkbaits during the Spring and Fall.  Right now you'd do best on a painfully slow death twitch retrieve.  Best of luck.

[Ratherbfishing]

It's hard to describe and perhaps it's just natural for me but when you "jerk" the rod/line/bait, allow your wrist and the rod to "come back" some.  Don't hold the rod so stiffly that at the farthest forward point of the "jerk" it is stiff and unflexible.  If you allow the rod to come back, the bait will "come to rest" in a much more seductive and natural way.

[WRB]

On December 27, 2017 at 12:18 PM, nicksb3 said:

So I've been trying to get into jerkbait fishing and I am determined to master this technique.

 

However, I have noted that most resources say "jerk on slack line".

 

Does this literally mean that you have slack line lying on the water at all times when jerking and you only reel up some of the slack?

 

I have yet to find a solid answer on this.

Change your avatar photo from a spinner bait to a jerk bait.

Tom

[JustJames]

Tom knows how to be funny, that is surprised me.

[Catt]

Rhythm: a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement

 

This is a huge part of establishing a pattern!

 

Y'all should be doing this with every technique!

 

Everyone is talking about changing retrieves & you should but if ya get bit... repeat!

[OkobojiEagle]

Can I have "syncopation" for $100 Alex...