Artificial fishing baits, much more effective for Bassmaster tournaments and aggressive fishermen in general, have taken over as tackle product of choice. Live baits like bee moth, night crawlers and crawfish do work yet have much higher costs because once you lose this bait, water creatures will eat them up. With variable buoyancies, colors and practical fishing applications, jerkbaits from Spro and Rapala, to name a few, will make your fishing excursions much more productive when used properly. Here’s your miniature guide to jerkbaits for beginner anglers.
Soft Jerkbaits
Those seeking lure versatility choose softer jerkbaits because they’ll run through shallows without thinking twice. Imitating shad yet having distinct colors, soft jerkbaits lost their popularity when stickworms were introduced by bait companies since stickworms have proven to work better. Regardless, Zoom has done incredible repeat business – along with Rapala, Berkley, Yum and Strike King – because soft jerkbaits have an excellent track record of top water fishing success. Damiki Armor Shads have an aerodynamic composition which allows them to dart through waters, and is also highly touted amongst anglers.
Hard Jerkbaits
Although similar in appearance and as commonly used as their brother baits, hard jerkbaits simply have wooden or hardened plastic compositions, making them sink slightly further into deeper waters than your traditional softies. Bomber and Rebel lead the pack in terms of various colors, weights and sizes of hard jerkbaits, although Rapala is also there. Hooks protrude from their bottom side, too, making attached baits sometimes stick in underwater vegetation spots. Anglers prefer harder jerkbaits when casting further out than off the boat’s edge, allowing for longer line drags and better opportunities. Also, harder baits like this offer great control when skimming waters under 10’ deep.
Using Jerkbait
Much like all baits, where and when anglers will use their jerkbaits depends on their water depth, what fish exist and what they’re aiming for. Walleye, along with most bass, will find jerkbaits enticing. Depending on water clarity, certain colors of jerkbait will promote different responses; in general, hard jerkbait will provoke reaction strikes much easier than softer ones. Anglers’ skills, coupled with speed of current, will dictate just how reactive fish become with jerkbaits.
Over time, jerkbaits have evolved into more aerodynamically correct fishing implements which provide fishermen more opportunities to snag that prized bass, or walleye. Scientifically speaking, studies have proven that jerkbaits longer in length and slender in build work better regardless what gamefish you’re seeking. If you’re seeking bait with action, that casts perfectly and has virtually limitless angling affects, jerkbait should definitely be your bait of choice. Before choosing which style of jerkbait works best for you, finding a guide to jerkbaits from manufacturers would provide further clarification.
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~Christopher
