Floating jerkbaits are also great for catching bass in the top 3 feet (0. 91 m) of water.
For example, some suspending jerkbaits are designed to sink only to about 4 feet (1. 2 m), while others sink as deep as 10 feet (3. 0 m). Try a few different depths of suspending baits to find which works best at your local lake.
For example, if you’re fishing in summer and bass are hiding out deep in the lake, a fast-sinking jerkbait will take your bait to the fish more quickly than a slow-sinking bait.
Jerkbait fishing often works best when you have a variety of jerkbaits to experiment with. Before your fishing expedition, visit your local fishing store or sporting goods store and pick out 5-7 different jerkbaits.
Alternately, if the bass just aren’t striking at your natural color baits in clear water, switch things up and use an artificial-colored bait. Fish can be finicky, and what color or jerkbait they strike may vary from day to day. Also fish with artificial-colored jerkbaits in summer. The bright colors will catch the fish’s eye. Since bass are more energetic in summer, they’ll come investigate the bait.
However, jerkbaits versatile enough that they’ll do a decent job in most seasons. If you’re fishing a jerkbait in warm summer water, shorten the length of your pauses to give warm, active bass more of a chase. Jerkbait would not be an effective bait in a moving stream or river. Only use them in static water like lakes or reservoirs.
This way, a hungry bass will be able to see (and may strike!) the jerkbait through several vertical feet of water.
So, avoid casting the jerkbait near shores or ledges, where you’re likely to find underwater grass, shrubs, and stumps.
With a jerkbait, you’re better off sticking to water that’s at least 10 feet (3. 0 m) deep. Stay out of the shallows unless you want to risk losing your bait among dense underwater vegetation.
Aim to cast the bait about 40 feet (12 m), so it soars over the clear-water area you’d like to fish. Then you’ll be prepared to reel the jerkbait back over the area that bass may inhabit.
If you’re trawling around a clear lake and happen to see a school of bass, start fishing with your jerkbait.
Due to the design of the jerkbait’s bill, it will dip down in the water when yanked. This should attract bass that are deep below the water’s surface.
You can let the bait sit in the water for a longer duration if bass aren’t biting during the 10-15-second pauses. Play around with the timing of your pauses and see what’s most effective for luring in bass. For example, in cold weather, fish may be more responsive if you let the bait sit in the water for 30 seconds.
The quick dives and long rests of the jerkbait will make the bass think that the minnow (your jerkbait) is stunned by the cold water and can’t move properly. For actual minnows, this occurs when the water in a lake gets down to about 40 °F (4 °C).
If you find yourself getting impatient and wanting to reel in the bait before 30 seconds have passed, use the second hand on your watch to time the rest.
After you’ve fished over a patch of water 4-5 times, change your location and try the spot from a different angle. Or move to a different spot altogether.
Once you’ve hooked the bass, 2 or all 3 of the treble hooks should be embedded deep in the fish’s mouth.
Reeling in a large bass can be a long, intense battle, so be sure to pace yourself. [8] X Research source
