Jerkbait favorites in early spring

[MarkW]

What is everybody's favorite early,early spring jerkbait and color? I used to use Rogues, then Husky Jerks and the last several years I have used Lucky Craft Pointers in 78 and 100 in Chartreuse Shad. I have done better with them.
Also what line size,brand and type?
I am by far not a good jerkbait fisherman, but I am going to try more of it this year in the early,early season. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[mhall]

Awe maybe my favorite bait, love the bone jarring strikes. Mine has been the X-Raps and Husky Jerks. On cloudy days I'll go with brighter colors and on clear days I'll stick with shad patterns in sivler and black backs and silver and green backs. I also love the feather teaser back trebles too. Line for me would be flouro-clear or straight flourocarbon on 8 to 10lb test. I'll also trick'em out with suspend dots too to give them a slow sink or a more wild action. Oh it's just around the corner and I'm ready.

[smljaw]

Pick up a copy of the most recent BASSMASTER Magazine. Kevin Van Dam gives a lot of good info on this topic. Who better to get this info from than KVD?

Smithwick Rogues are tops for me. Clown for sunny days and gold for cloudy days. I don't move off of these 2 colors very often. They have both produced very well for me the past 3-4 yrs in March and April. My best rogue LM bass came a few years ago in early January, a 6.12. Caught her on the gold/black smaller suspending rogue... I pretty much stay with 10 pound line. Mostly use Big Game line but plan to use more P-Line this year.

[thebassman30]

No doubt on the KVD info. He tricks them all out too plus he's got old versions of every bait on the market especially in discontinued colors.

I like fireline for jerkbaits 3/8 or 4/10. I like to fish with a tippet of 10' of 10 pound flouro to help with the shock. Join with a double uni-knot. Re-tie often...you don't want to get stroked or throw off an $8+ jerkbait.

I try to match the size of the bait.

[Col Forbin]

Jerkbaits are my favorite. My go-to in the spring is the Lucky Craft (100) slender (I get way more hits on the slender) pointers in table rock shad and Char. shad. Sometimes quick fished, sometimes extra slow (1 minute dead still) - I often don't have the patience for this, but when I do it works. X-raps are good too - especiall the deeper ones.

I did get some Megabass visions 110's that i can't wait to throw this year - I am just praying I don't lose any- $$$$$.

[MarkW]

Thanks for the help. I think my biggest problem is not fishing them enough, getting bored with the painstaking slow jerking retrieve I keep hearing about. I tend to fish way to fast to use these efficiently. I have to slooooow down!
I have the colors and brands mentioned but have not done real well.

[mhall]

Thanks for the help. I think my biggest problem is not fishing them enough, getting bored with the painstaking slow jerking retrieve I keep hearing about. I tend to fish way to fast to use these efficiently. I have to slooooow down!
I have the colors and brands mentioned but have not done real well.

Mark I'm sure you know this but jerkbaits are usually better in clear to slightly stained water. Water temps play a huge role in how fast or slow one needs to be fished. Water temps below 50 degrees usually requires a slow methodical and sometimes deadsticking to get bit on. However in clear water such as Cumberland or Dale and water temps above 50 degrees fish it as fast as you can. Don't give them ole bigguns time to look at it, just rip it through all the way back to the boat. If you see a chaser try to take it away from him and they will tear the rod out of your hand. Real stained water or muddy water I won't even fish a jerkbait at all, but will get out my big thumper spinnerbaits or wide wobble cranks. I haven't forced myself to buy the overprised Lucky Crafts yet but I think I might have to break down as many guys swear by them, there must be something too it. I do love my Sammy's I must admit. Had a day on Dale last year where the Sammy was catching 2 to 1 against the Spook on fish in the jumps.

[thebassman30]

Mark H,
Well said. Top water at Dale had to be a rare time....when was that?
Mark B

[kylakenitro]

I like the Lucky Craft 100 I also like the ones Strike King has in the clown color. I fish mine on 8-10 lb flouro

[MarkW]

Does anybody use a spinning rod? I normally used a baitcaster, but I have used a spinning rod for my pointer 78---easier to cast in the wind and also farther.

[kylakenitro]

I use a spinning rod if its really windy or if i wanna cast a smaller bait

[Col Forbin]

Lucky Crafts are definitely worth the money. Rarely ever (I haven't yet) lose a pointer. They only run about 6 feet deep, so you can usually knock them loose. But usually I am fishing them in 10+ feet of water, so the most likely thing I am going to get hung on is a bass' mouth.

I really like the action and flash of the slender pointer over the regular pointer's too.