Jerk Bait questions

[JCrzy4Bass]

Hey guys,

I've only fished for smallies one time and I plan on going back to the Rappahanock River in Fredericksburg Va one day next month with a few friends.  I used senkos (that were too large) last time out, and jigs.  I threw mostly into small holes and the only fish I caught was a rock bass.  Anyway, I was just curious, I have some nice Rapala Jerk Baits that I never use because I can never catch largemouth with them (my primary fish).  But I heard they can work very well for smallmouth.  How would you apply techniques with this bait in strong water current?  Slow water? and in other situations you find yourselves in.

I know with tubes (which I've yet to try), most people claim you are suppossed to be throwing them upstream and have them float back to you as you reel in slack.  Is it the same concept with jerk baits or do you throw against current to get that more aggressive action when you twitch and jerk it?

Also the water I will be fishing is normally COMPLETELY clear with rocky bottom, and me and my friend normally stand out in the middle of the stream casting.  Any specific colors yous guys fish on jerk baits?  I know there are minnows and rock bass, and perch in this water as we've seen all of them.

While I'm at it, what size jigs do you guys normally use when fishing for smallies?  I'm assuming in rocky bottoms and light brush you'd use a football head jig (which I have), but what size will the smallies take?

Thanks for the help guys.  Anyone who has any additional advice for fishing the tributaries of the rap and the small streams for smallies, I'd appreciate any help whatsoever as I'm new to this game and will only be doing it once a month or so, maybe twice depending on my work schedule and stuff at home.

[JCrzy4Bass]

What I meant was "or do you fish it into current and pull back against it"?

[roadwarrior]

With ALL baits and lures you ALWAYS retrieve with the current. If you are fishing from the bank, that means casting upstream. If from a boat, try to maintain a boat drift that matches your lure drift. You are in effect fishing "flat water" that is moving downstream.

Regarding jerkbaits: I suggest the Rapala Husky Jerk (HJ10) in silver blue which has a touch of orange underneath. Tennessee Shad is another color I would recommend. However, my favorite jerkbait is the Lucky Craft Pointer (100 for you, 128 for me), Aurora Bass (green).

[JCrzy4Bass]

Thanks for the info RoadWarrior.  I appreciate it, I'll look into grabing a couple more huskies before I head out in case I get hung up and I'll try and see if I can't find those colors.

[justfishin]

You are right. The Tenn. Shad Huskey Jerk in no. 10 and I use no. 8 in real low, clear water, is a producer on the Susquehanna and Upper Potomac. I get peed when some of  the finish came of because of the rocks but, the bass don't care, so I don't give them away anymore,lol.

[smallfry]

With ALL baits and lures you ALWAYS retrieve with the current. ....

Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but I respectfully disagree.  Some of my favorites crankbaits and some plastics are equally as effective when worked accross current or even on the "swing" against the current.  On a few very rare occasions I've even had success casting straight down stream, but this has usually been with large reversing eddies involved.  One of my favorite memories was quarting a crankbait downstream into a particular hole in the little J and catching 22 fish on the first 23 casts (1 trout, 6 fall fish, 15 smallies).  Many factors can make a retrieve with the current impossible for a given hold, especially when wading.  A bait that is cross current can also provide a larger profile at times.  The key is to be able to identify a key holding area or feeding station and have the bait enter this area appropriately.  Sometimes you can hit multiple stations with a single cast that is accross or downcurrent.  Yes, the fish are usually looking up current for food (although I've seen them feeding off ledges crosscurrent from their holds too), but their prey can move too.  If a minnow or craw squirts into their feeding station from another direction they are very likely to eat it.  

For jerkbaits I prefer to use soft jerkbaits like flukes or jerkshads if the current is not too strong.  For hard jerkbaits I've had good success with the husky jerks and the Berkley suspending firestick.

Other baits to consider for small stream and small river smallies are a rebel craw for clear water and a bomber Fat A (UL and the next size up) for muddy.    

[bpm2000]

i did real well in spring casting and retreiving a spinnerbait AGAINST the current on riprap... go figure.

[Upside]

My first post here!

It's been my experience that hard jerkbaits are great in the spring and okay the rest of the year. Once spring has given away to summer most, if any jerkbaits I use will be weightless t-rigged plastics. In the spring I mainly use the husky jerk in the silver baby bass color, it's a discontinued color but they're all over e-bay. After spring I'll occasionally throw pearl or albino Zoom flukes.

[Munkin]

Husky Jerk in silver w/black back works well in this area. While you are shopping pick up a Smithwick Super Rogue Jr. in the same color. For some reason blue back baits do not work around here for me and firetiger only catches walleyes? Ghost minnow and pearl ayu colored LC pointers are what I mainly use. Now I do have friends that do well on tenn. shad HJ's and x-raps.

Allen

[Dan:]

Jcrzy, send me a PM if you want some tips on some good smallie fishing near Fredericksburg and what to use.

[brgbassmaster]

personally i love fishing small streams for smallies, that and clear lakes are my specialty so i use white spinnerbaits and pop rs the firetiger color for stream smallies. or the tiny buzzbaits. also soft jerkbaits work well to.