Jerkbaits... for toothy fish?

[Musky.Chaser]

So, I'm from the North Eastern USA and we do very well for both purebred and tiger musky using large bass jerkbaits. I have had good luck with the xrap12 and other similar rapalas. I recently lost one of my favorite jerkbaits, a strike pro jumper 110sp, which is no longer made. This bait has a very similar action to what I've seen in videos from the megabass jerkbaits. Can megabass jerkbaits hold up or is there a different bait I should look to?

[gim]

Never really tried a jerk bait for muskies even though I regularly fish for them.  I use more of a slash bait like a suick or a big plastic like a bulldawg.

 

That bottom one in the photo is a nice fish BTW.

[Musky.Chaser]

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Never really tried a jerk bait for muskies even though I regularly fish for them.  I use more of a slash bait like a suick or a big plastic like a bulldawg.

 

That bottom one in the photo is a nice fish BTW.

All of the big fish in my area are tigers, pures have only been stocked since OCT. of '19. Anyways, tigers will refuse all big musky baits in my area. Our best producing baits are big bass jerkbaits, 5-6" musky glidebaits, and also small musky spinners like the micro double cowgirl and twin drone from chaos tackle.

[gim]

6 minutes ago, Musky.Chaser said:

All of the big fish in my area are tigers, pures have only been stocked since OCT. of '19. Anyways, tigers will refuse all big musky baits in my area.

 

They are notorious for taking smaller bass size lures instead of the bigger ones intended for pure strains.  Technically they are half northern pike.

[Musky.Chaser]

Just now, gimruis said:

 

They are notorious for taking smaller bass size lures instead of the bigger ones intended for pure strains.  Technically they are half northern pike.

I remember seeing pictures of you holding tigers when I first started fishing for them and googled and read everything I could find on the subject haha. When you fish em, what do you usually use?

[A-Jay]

Nice Musky ~

I don't target them however this one slurped up

a perch colored Strike King KVD 300 Deep jerkbait while I was fishing for smallmouth.

btw - I don't run stock hooks or hardware on my baits and that paid off here.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

6 minutes ago, Musky.Chaser said:

I remember seeing pictures of you holding tigers when I first started fishing for them and googled and read everything I could find on the subject haha. When you fish em, what do you usually use?

 

I target both pure strains and tigers.  I use my standard muskie gear for pure strains.  When I target tigers, I primarily use my bass tackle, but I beef it up some.  Essentially I'm using magnum bass size lures on my MH bait casting setups.  Lately I've had success using flashy, vibrating lures like spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and even buzzbaits when they're in an aggressive mood.  I've been using Seaguar Blue Label as leader material.

 

I often do a lot better when the sun isn't out too.  Rainy/cloudy conditions are much more favorable than sunny days.  A black spinnerbait produced for me last season.

[Musky.Chaser]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Nice Musky ~

I don't target them however this one slurped up

a perch colored Strike King KVD 300 Deep jerkbait while I was fishing for smallmouth.

btw - I don't run stock hooks or hardware on my baits and that paid off here.

A-Jay

 

might have to pick up some kvd 300s in the sugar daddy, carolina chrome, and pro morning dawn colorways. Things look good! do they have the good lunging type action like the high dollar jerkbaits?

 

Also, what hooks and rings do you use to be able to handle that caliber of a musky?

[Further North]

I don't fish jerkbaits at all for muskies.

Most of the fish I catch with gear are in rivers, with a #5 Mepps, a 1 oz. Doctor Spoon, or a Smokin' Rooster texas rigged over wire.

Almost all the rest are on flies. 

I doubt that helps much, but it's the information I have.

[Musky.Chaser]

9 minutes ago, Further North said:

I don't fish jerkbaits at all for muskies.

Most of the fish I catch with gear are in rivers, with a #5 Mepps, a 1 oz. Doctor Spoon, or a Smokin' Rooster texas rigged over wire.

Almost all the rest are on flies. 

I doubt that helps much, but it's the information I have.

I recently got a fly setup, a reddington predator 11wt and a fair amount of flies.

[A-Jay]

12 minutes ago, Musky.Chaser said:

might have to pick up some kvd 300s in the sugar daddy, carolina chrome, and pro morning dawn colorways. Things look good! do they have the good lunging type action like the high dollar jerkbaits?

 

Also, what hooks and rings do you use to be able to handle that caliber of a musky?

That 300 is a Bass bait essentially.

The hooks and hardware are not really expected to deal with the forces generated fighting big fish especially with plus sized gear.  I use hooks & rings that are plus size FOR BASS and was lucky to land that fish pictured.  Especially with 10 FC line. 

I use size 3 owner split rings and #4 Mustad KVD 1x Strong 2x Short Triple Grip Treble Hooks.

But you may need something more.

Keep in mind that if you over due the hardware it could adversely affect the baits action, which btw is great -  particularly for the brown bass I do target. 

A-Jay

 

[Musky.Chaser]

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

That 300 is a Bass bait essentially.

The hooks and hardware are not really expected to deal with the forces generated fighting big fish especially with plus sized gear.  I use hooks & rings that are plus size FOR BASS and was lucky to land that fish pictured.  Especially with 10 FC line. 

I use size 3 owner split rings and #4 Mustad KVD 1x Strong 2x Short Triple Grip Treble Hooks.

But you may need something more.

Keep in mind that if you over due the hardware it could adversely affect the baits action, which btw is great -  particularly for the brown bass I do target. 

A-Jay

 

I think I may be able to get away with heavier hardware than you because I'll be using two hooks rather than three. I hate middle hooks on jerkbaits cause they usually end up all tangled in the mesh of my musky net.

[Further North]

8 minutes ago, Musky.Chaser said:

I recently got a fly setup, a reddington predator 11wt and a fair amount of flies.

That's awesome...I thought I saw something like that transpiring on the FB Musky Fly Fishing Page.

If you're the beneficiary of that, you're pretty well set.

Keep an eye on the guides for wear, with the Reddington Predator rods, it's a certainty, and you don't want to lose a fish because of it.  Watch the tip guide closely, and replace it as soon the wear is evident.

6 minutes ago, Musky.Chaser said:

I think I may be able to get away with heavier hardware than you because I'll be using two hooks rather than three. I hate middle hooks on jerkbaits cause they usually end up all tangled in the mesh of my musky net.

Great observation; You're learning fast.

[Musky.Chaser]

1 minute ago, Further North said:

That's awesome...I thought I saw something like that transpiring on the FB Musky Fly Fishing Page.

If you're the beneficiary of that, you're pretty well set.

Keep an eye on the guides for wear, with the Reddington Predator rods, it's a certainty, and you don't want to lose a fish because of it.  Watch the tip guide closely, and replace it as soon the wear is evident.

Yup, I was the kid from PA receiving the stuff. Excited to use it this year and hopefully coax some bigger tigers with it!

[Further North]

54 minutes ago, Musky.Chaser said:

Yup, I was the kid from PA receiving the stuff. Excited to use it this year and hopefully coax some bigger tigers with it!

I thought so, seemed like too many coincidences. 

Dustin is a friend, and a great guy.  He's helped me considerably with fly tying things over time, and we finally got to fish the same river back in October, and sit around and tell lies for a while.

You got some killer flies there and you've got a great resource on the page for questions and help.

[michaelb]

Maybe not really a jerk bait anymore but have you tried husky jerks? I mostly troll them on my kayak. Like you i cant stand treble hooks slinging around so i swap them out for inline singles. You get a beefier hook without extra weight. 

[Bankbeater]

I don't target muskie, but they are stocked in some of the water I fish. Those muskie seem to like lipless crankbaits.

[12poundbass]

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

That 300 is a Bass bait essentially.

Will you please explain that to the pike in the waters I fish? 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, 12poundbass said:

Will you please explain that to the pike in the waters I fish? 

I have tried and tried and even pleaded with them here until I was Megabass in the face. 

But alas, it was all in vain. 

Apparently we don't speak the same language. 

A-Jay

[Musky.Chaser]

9 hours ago, michaelb said:

Maybe not really a jerk bait anymore but have you tried husky jerks? I mostly troll them on my kayak. Like you i cant stand treble hooks slinging around so i swap them out for inline singles. You get a beefier hook without extra weight. 

Do you feel that the inline singles lessen your hook up percentage at all?

[michaelb]

On 3/19/2022 at 9:42 AM, Musky.Chaser said:

Do you feel that the inline singles lessen your hook up percentage at all?

Maybe not, but it can be hard to tell too. When trolling on the kayak, lots can go wrong, so I have to put the paddle down and get the rod out of the holder and not have the boat spin the wrong way, plus sometimes the fish decides it is going to charge toward me and I think it is off. So while I may lose fish at times, that may be user error.

 

When I first started swapping, I would leave the front treble on, leave the middle empty, and just put the single on the back. That works great too, and I have caught tons of fish that way, pike almost always on the front treble (and bass often on the rear single). Last summer I did the swap on the big pike/musky lures, so suicks, but did use them very much and didn't really catch anything. For casting, I mostly use single hooks too, so senkos, swim jigs, spinnerbaits, and those catch and hold fish just fine.

 

But for releasing, the singles make a huge difference. Way easier way safer. Pike usually release themselves once in the net, and so there is nothing I have to deal with. But for me, a mouthful of trebles + tail hooks slinging around + teeth and gills and other nasty stuff + endless tangles in my net= not going to use multiple trebles again.

[cyclops2]

Welcome to much SAFER fishing for.... YOU and others.  Big fish are all barbless . Trebles or singles. ALL fish can then toss the hook easily in the net. Pike included.

[Bird]

Every toothy critter that I've unintentionally caught has been on a jerkbait.......pickeral, pike and tiger muskie.

Beautiful pretators non the least.

[Dwight Hottle]

Yes jerk baits work for toothy fish. I caught my PB pike on a LC pointer 100 series. I do switch out the split rings & hooks to beef up the tackle.