Floating jerkbaits?

[5by3]

Anybody still throwing floating jerkbaits like the Rapala original floater and if so, under what conditions?

[NHBull]

Given the amount of topwaters, I just don't see the need. Heck a plastic flute can accomplish the desired effect 

[Primus]

They still work especially while they are spawning or just after they spawn and to me it's a totally different action than fishing a fluke as the above poster suggested. Great bait for clear water when you need a subtle top water bait. That said you will best served throwing them on a medium action spinning rod with 8 lb mono in my opinion. 

[Janderson45]

4 minutes ago, Primus said:

They still work especially while they are spawning or just after they spawn and to me it's a totally different action than fishing a fluke as the above poster suggested. Great bait for clear water when you need a subtle top water bait. That said you will best served throwing them on a medium action spinning rod with 8 lb mono in my opinion. 

 

Whole heartedly agree with everything in this post.  Versatile bait that works best around the spawn in my experience, but it will catch shallow bass all year long.  More subtle and realistic than a topwater or a fluke, largest issue for me is the wind and cover heavily dictate when and where you can throw them.  

[Gundog]

I throw them in areas where I can get snagged easily. The fact that they float helps when they get stuck on a limb or rock. There are times when all you have to do once its stuck is wait and the bait will float to the surface. 

[Fishing_FF]

2 hours ago, 5by3 said:

Anybody still throwing floating jerkbaits like the Rapala original floater and if so, under what conditions?

 

Yep, the Bomber Long A. It gets thrown in the shallows or in areas the hydrilla has grown up to the point there is only a foot or two of water above the hydrilla. Basically its for an area where I can't get a suspending jerkbait like a Bomber Long A SP or Lucky Craft Pointer to run without getting fouled up. 

[JoePhish]

I throw the Zerek Sabre Dance 85 often. In fact, I catch a lot of fish on it. I'll fish it along rip rap, around and above rocks, wood and weed lines. I love it most when bass are popping shad on the surface. My favorite color is BS, whatever that is. I'm guessing Black Silver or Black Shad as the lure is chrome with a black back and white belly.  I will occasionally switch to a floating Yo-Zuri Pin's Minnow when I decide I need a color change to Chartreuse Silver. It doesn't have the same erratic action as the Sabre Dance though.

[Munkin]

Old Smithwick Rogues.

 

Allen

[Dwight Hottle]

Ima Flit makes a floater jerkbait with great action. Like others have mentioned smithwick makes a floating rogue, rebel made some floater stick baits, bomber long A's & rapala floating husky jerks along with the original floater. I use them over weeds beds just under the surface & in shallow areas where a regular suspending bait gets hung up. 

[scaleface]

I also throw the Long A's , usually post spawn in pockets and on points .  Biggest stringer I ever caught was with one .

[Mobasser]

I still throw a Smithwick Rogue each spring, and sometimes in the fall. Quiet or a light chop on the surface. Cast close to shoreline cover and fish slow. Give an occasional twitch to pull it under, and let it float back up. Still a good bait.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I don't, but should!  Thanks for the reminder.  As mentioned, I think what has dettered me is the short casting distance.  Next time I do some pond kayaking, I'm throwing on the old gold #9 my dad gave me years ago.

[scaleface]

The Long A cast  well on bait casting gear .

[smalljaw67]

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 1:01 PM, NHBull said:

Given the amount of topwaters, I just don't see the need. Heck a plastic flute can accomplish the desired effect 

I use them a lot!! A fluke is sometimes useless when the smallmouth here need the bait to be going fast. This happens a lot when the water is clear, they won't commit to a topwater and they will follow a fluke until it gets too close to the surface. Add weight to the fluke and fish it fast and maybe you'll get a follow but it doesn't have the right action to make them hit it. Throw a Smithwick floating rogue or a Bagley Bang-O-Lure or a Rapala Flat Rap or original floater and work it fast, jerk-jerk-jerk-jerk and a 1 second pause and repeat, it will get your arm broke sometimes. They work better than flukes when the fish are slashing at the bait as well and I can't tell you how many times I've caught big largemouth fishing them fast over shallow grass flats in summer going behind other anglers throwing flukes and topwaters without as much as a sniff.

[NHBull]

1 hour ago, smalljaw67 said:

I use them a lot!! A fluke is sometimes useless when the smallmouth here need the bait to be going fast. This happens a lot when the water is clear, they won't commit to a topwater and they will follow a fluke until it gets too close to the surface. Add weight to the fluke and fish it fast and maybe you'll get a follow but it doesn't have the right action to make them hit it. Throw a Smithwick floating rogue or a Bagley Bang-O-Lure or a Rapala Flat Rap or original floater and work it fast, jerk-jerk-jerk-jerk and a 1 second pause and repeat, it will get your arm broke sometimes. They work better than flukes when the fish are slashing at the bait as well and I can't tell you how many times I've caught big largemouth fishing them fast over shallow grass flats in summer going behind other anglers throwing flukes and topwaters without as much as a sniff.

Actually, after reading replies, I am going to buy those exact baits. I have great luck with shallow jerks, but poppers have yielded better results for my surface applications  since I can walk many of them.  Time to revisit, thanks.......

[deep]

I have little use for flukes except on the back of a scrounger.. as far as fast-floating jerkbaits are concerned, they all probably work, but I love both the 110 hi-float and the 110 silent riser. Doesn't hurt that they both cast really well on casting gear. I think I like the hi-float a little better.

 

Shallow grass/ weeds is good. Sometimes, especially in warmer water, I feel the fish respond better to a floating rather than a suspending bait even though I'm working both equally fast/erratically.

[Fishingmickey]

I always have felt the trick to good results with the original floating Rapala was to wait. Fish it subtly and slow. Cast out, wait for the rings to disappear. Then slowly working it back with pauses and twitches. One of the other tactics that works for me is to cast out, let the rings disappear and then couple of twitches (like it is recovering from fall) then slowly bring it back in fast enough to make a wake and so the bait rolls/swims side to side.

FM