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How to Fish a Jerkbait for Bass (VIDEO)

ByMatt Fed

Quick Summary:

This masterclass on fishing a jerkbait for bass covers the types of jerkbaits, essential gear, and the correct presentation technique.

Here is a short bullet summary:

  • What a Jerkbait Is
    • A jerkbait is a hard-bodied bait that mimics a dead, fleeing, or distressed bait fish. It requires the angler to impart action into it through rod movement.
  • Types of Jerkbaits
    • Floating: Used to keep the bait out of grass or vegetation.
    • Suspending: The most common type (95% of the time) because it stays in the strike zone for the longest time after a pause.
    • Sinking: Best for fishing deeper water columns (more than 8-10 ft).
  • Bait Features
    • The bill’s length determines the diving depth (a longer bill dives deeper).
    • Use a subtle, rolling action in colder water/winter and a faster, more erratic action in warmer months.
    • Colors should be kept natural initially, but can be switched to bright, vibrant colors (white, chartreuse) when fish are aggressive.
    • The number in a jerkbait’s name (e.g., Vision 110) indicates its size/length.
  • Gear and Modifications
    • Modifying the hardware (changing hooks or split rings) or using different line diameters (thicker line means shallower dive) can affect the bait’s suspending action and depth.
    • Recommended Rod: A shorter handle, moderate or moderate-fast action (to prevent tearing the treble hooks out of the fish’s mouth), and a solid, crisp tip.
    • Recommended Reel: A higher gear ratio (7:1 or 8:1) is suggested for quickly taking up line slack after a jerk.
  • Presentation Technique
    • Cast out, reel down 5-7 times to get the bait to its running depth.
    • Work the bait by snapping the rod tip down towards the water.
    • Crucial: All action must be imparted through the rod, not the reel. The reel is only used to pick up the slack line.
    • Break up your cadence (e.g., jerk-jerk-jerk-pause, then jerk-pause-jerk-jerk) to make the bait’s movement sporadic and unpredictable, convincing the fish it is dying.
    • The two main bites are a “smash” felt through the rod or a “line popper” where your slack line suddenly jumps.

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