Jerkbait suggestion?

[EastTexasBassin]

Jerkbaits are something I've barely used at all.  Since some of you guys can't seem to put them down I thought I'd ask for some tips.

One of ponds I fish has a bunch of moss now, it covers most of the bottom in shallow areas.  This has made it hard for me to use my usual slow presentations because t-rigs, c-rigs, and jigs are just pulling up a crapload of green goo.  I'm looking to get a jerkbait that I can slowly work though the 'middle' of about 3 to 5 feet of water.  Any tips on working jerkbaits would be appreciated as well.  I've just never really used them.  I looked at the Pointers at BPS, but didn't know enough about them to make a choice.

[MaxDal]

Yop the LC Pointer is a classic. I would advise the 78 SP....

Pretty easy to work ! Twitch, pause, twitch, twitch, jerk, pause .... etc.

The X-rap is not bad either.

I usually use natural colors, because I mostly use them in clear water.

[jjbassjj]

X-RAP

[djmax22]

I use LC pointer 100. However fishing in a pond I might go with something a little cheaper unless you willind to swin out in the pond to retreive your $16 Lucky craft.  

X-raps are good, but you might want to pick up a few Smithwick Rogues. They are cheap and will get the job done.

[Bassnbrett101]

for pond fishing i'll take a smithwick over an xrap anyday. they suspend at a foot or two and are spectacular baits.  but in that situation i'd throw a rattletrap or a spinnerbait lol. with the rattle trap you can nick the tops of the weeds and basically do the same thing with the spinnerbait too

[LCpointerKILLA]

The pointer is an awesome jerkbait or ripbait. I agree with the 78. A pointer 100 is also a good choice. Also the pointer 65 is a great jerkbait if you want to downsize. What separates the Pointer from most other jerkbaits is that it really does have a side to side walk-the-dog action when jerked. It also suspends perfectly. If you go ahead and decide to buy one some good colors are ghost minnow, american shad, and chartreuse shad.

[MALTESE FALCON]

You can try any of these:

Rapala X-Rap

Rapala Husky Jerk

Strike King Wild Shiner

Smithwick Rogue

LC Pointer

All proven baits.

Falcon

[skillet]

 I'm a sucker for jerkbaits for some reason. They work good  for me, just not as good as other baits. I use the X-Rap or Husky Jerk mostly. I started out trying the Rogue (really like their colors) but IMHO you have to go thru at least 3 to get 1 that suspends right. Have never had that problem with Rapala...

                                          As Ever,

                                           skillet

[EastTexasBassin]

Cool, thanks everyone!  I think I'll get one pointer, one X-rap, and one smithwick.  I wasn't sure what the difference was between the different pointers.  Sounds like the 78 is the one I should try.

This pond is pretty big and I usually fish it from a Buster 2 man boat, so if I get hung up I can just go get it.

I appreciate the suggestions!

[Bassnbrett101]

the 68 is 3 1/2 inches the 78 is 4 1/2 and i think the 100 is 5 1/2. i'm not sure lol. those are the lucky crafts btw. my personal fav is the 68, but i'm biased that size mimicks the baitfish in my waters

[.dsaavedra.]

i will vouch for the rapala x-rap and rapala husky jerk. two excellent baits!

[MaxDal]

@BassnBrett :

There is actually no such thing as a Pointer 68, but rather the Pointer 65 which is 65mm long (more like 2"5), the 78 is 3" long, the 100 is 4 and the 128 like 5".

Over here you also get the Pointer 48.   (lure for trout fishing, or panfish for that matter)

Here's something that can help people buying on the internet !

B'Freeze (Europe & Japan) = Pointer (in the US)

Three different types of lip:

- the normal

- LB (Long bill) Europe & Japan = DD (Deep Diving) In the US

- SR/SB = Short runner or Short Bill (not available in the US) a tad shorter than the normal

Different weights :

ES = Extra Sinking (only available in 78)

S = Sinking

SP = Suspending

F = Floating

So in :

Size 48 : normal lip, or long bill (LB) / available in S, SP, F

(there has been a Pointer 48 ES (Extra Sinking)... but that was rather a collectible "Factory tuned")

Size 65: normal lip, short bill (SB), long bill (LB=DD) / available in S, SP, F

Size 78 : normal lip, short bill (SB), long bill (LB=DD) / available in ES, S, SP, F

Size 100 : normal lip, long bill (LB=DD) / available in S, SP

Size 128 : normal lip / avaible in SP

Hope it helps somehow ! In the US, you will only find the SP models I think. (in size 65 / 78 / 100 / 128)

The Pointer/B'Freeze is by far the most complicated lure from Lucky Craft when it comes to the number of different models and names.  

The best all-around Pointer remains the :

Pointer 78 SP

What about those Smithwick ? I've never tried one. We don't get them here.  :-/

[BassFishingMachine]

I'll answer the "how to fish them" question first. You basiclly, jerk jerk pause, jerk jerk pause, and you can vary it, for example: jerk jerk pause, jerk jerk jerk pause, jerk pause, jerk jerk pause, etc. How long you let them pause is determined on the water temperature, if its cold I will pause it to a point where I feel its been sittin long, and then I wait even longer(I've had them hit on 15sec pauses), and then repeat the "jerk jerk". If the water is warm, I'll only let it pause for 2-4secs. But you can always throw out these rules, and just keep trying longer/shorter pauses and let the fish tell you what they like.

As for jerkbait suggestions, I like rapala huskyjerks mainly, although I also use lucky craft slender points, and yozuri crystal minnows. Silver/black if the water is clear/lightly stained, Gold if the water is stained, and firetiger (green, yellow, orange,black) if the water is very muddy, like someone once described as a "chocolate milk" color.

Now for determining hits, hits will either come on the pause, or when you are jerking the lure. When you are jerking the lure, its pretty simple to hook the fish, because you basiclly just come back into a hookset on the jerk. Now when the fish hits the lure on the pause is when it can get difficult. What I try to do on the pause, is reel some of the slack in, keeping the tension between me and the lure not slackless, but not alot of slack, I'd say about just in the middle. On a hit the line will either slightly jump, or start going out. It is very important to watch the line on the pause, because you can easily miss a fish if you don't see the quick line twitch on the "pause hit".

By the way, I just caught a nice one today, about 18inches on a rapala huskyjerk, he hit it on the pause, seen the line barely twitch, and set the hook, hooked him in the right corner of his mouth with the back treble, beautiful fish and hookup 8-).

[djmax22]

I'll answer the "how to fish  How long you let them pause is determined on the water temperature, if its cold I will pause it to a point where I feel its been sittin long, and then I wait even longer(I've had them hit on 15sec pauses.

Some great advice.

Sometimes I will let if suspend for a minute before moving it 12-18". My partner will smoke a cigerette bewteen jerk sometimes ;D

[roadwarrior]

Fishing a jerkbait is my favorite technique. As a result, I have an extensive collection of Smithwicks, Rapala X-Raps, Husky Jerks and Lucky Craft (Pointers in three sizes, Staysee and Slenders). However, if you are just looking for one to start with, this is my suggestion:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=2827&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Rapala Husky Jerk, HJ10 4" 3/8 oz Silver Blue (#23).

Good luck!

8-)

[ba7ss3in]

Like RW, I love jerkbaits. I have a few but the one that get bit the most is a 4' cultiva rippin minnow, pearl black. Sometimes short pauses, sometimes up to 30 seconds.  

[SimonDM17]

3-5 feet sounds like X-Rap territory to me...I just got a husky jerk, and I'm sure it's just as good, but I love the action on the X-Rap.  

Additionally, I'd caution against getting suspending jerkbaits that happen to be on sale.  I have a BPS "suspending" nitro minnow, which doesn't.  I also have a matzuo that, after a double hook change, MIGHT suspend (haven't tried it out on the water yet).

So I'd say any Rapala is probably a good bet.

[tritz18]

Rapala X-Rap they are cheaper than LC and almost as good

[fathom]

pointer 78.

toss it out.

think "underwater pop-r"...colder the water, longer the pause.