Jerkbait fishing

[buckmaster27012]

Was listening to the bass after dark podcast on jerkbait fishing and most of the anglers claimed to use most jerkbaits straight out of the pack with very little modifications and have success. I'm having trouble getting them down to desired depths therefore and not catching the fish i'm targeting. I been using both depth of Berkley stunna, Yozuri, and also have some Rapala deep husky that i've tried. What could I be doing wrong that they dont get down. I've got FFS so I can see the lure and know where its at. I can catch fish on them but most of the time its schooling fish so they dont have to go deep. I'm using 12 lb copoly line on a baitcaster. 

[Reel]

First off, for most jerkbaits, 10 feet is deep.  Also, I (opinion here) don't want the jerkbait to be lower than the fish or even at the same level.  I want the fish to come up 3 or 4 feet to get it. 

 

To get them as deep as possible. I cast far, crank the bait down without jerking for the first ten, fifteen feet. Then I beging the jerking retreive.

[00bullitt]

FFS is a great tool, but it has some quirks to it. Your pitch angle of the transducer could be giving you incorrect depth readings. Which FFS are you using? Most likely and with high probability those jerkbaits are running right where advertised.

[A-Jay]

@buckmaster27012

I do not have FFS but do catch bass on deep running jerkbait - most smallmouth.

Sort of addicted to it and have been doing it long before FFS was a thing. 

I DO modify some baits to get extra depth, works for me. 

btw - SK now makes a sinking jerkbait that might interest you.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_300_Sinking_Deep_Jerkbait/descpage-SKKVDDJ.html

Good Luck

A-Jay

[gim]

Aren't there sinking sticker weights or something like that you can add to make them heavier?

 

@Dwight Hottle might be able to help here.  I feel like he's the jerk bait king on this forum.

[Team9nine]

What is this “desired depth” you're trying to achieve? Most traditional shallow billed jerkbaits run 3’-6’, and the ‘plus 1’ versions run 6’-10’. Since you’re using 12# copoly, I’d expect you’re just hitting the shallower end of both ranges depending on model. I’d drop line test to something thinner, consider fluorocarbon, consider SuspenDots and strips, and also work the baits slower, with shorter twitches or longer pauses - all those things seem to increase effective running depth.

[Dwight Hottle]

I get 5 feet more depth than published depths by using 10 lb braid. Nishine  baits make a small weight you add to split rings. Available by tackle warehouse or you add tape weights or suspend dots. 

[OkobojiEagle]

When wanting more weight added to my suspending jerkbaits, I add an additional split ring (or two) to a hook hanger (or two).

[gim]

59 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

SuspenDots and strips

That was the terminology I was looking for in my previous post.

[FishTank]

I would start by switching lines. You will get better depth by using 8lb or 10lb FC. It's based mainly on the diameter and the specific gravity of the line. 

[gulfcaptain]

2 hours ago, FishTank said:

I would start by switching lines. You will get better depth by using 8lb or 10lb FC. It's based mainly on the diameter and the specific gravity of the line. 

This, you can also add a split ring to the hangers or slightly heavier hook. Also if you're wanting to get deeper, try one of the baits that are a slow sink model especially if where you fish are heavily pressured. It's a different presentation and if you see a shad or baitfish start to die, it falls tail down after it darts. Hank Cherry also adds a heavier hook to the back of his jerkbaits to give them that slow tail down sink presentation.  But I would start by switching from the floating copoly line and go to a fc 10lb would be a starting point and adjust from there.

[buckmaster27012]

i'll make these changes and give it another try. mainly targeting fish in the 10-15 ft depth. i'm running active target 2. pretty good using it swimbaits and other baits but havent figured out the jerkbait deal yet. 

[throttleplate]

I put a very small split shot weight a few inches ahead on the line, easy on easy off with a small pliers.

[scmlfty]

If you want to add weights and don't want sticky tapes, try to add the heavier barrel swivel from Walmart, a pack of eagle claw swivels are just $1.5, I use 1 size 7 for my FA-115 it makes the slow rising lure to perfectly suspend at my current water temperature. I got this trick from someone on this forum.