Jerk Baits

[Quillback]

Mega Vision 110's hang nose down in the sink, and they are a designed to slow float....Scroll to the bottom of the Tackle Tour Article for a picture of what I'm talking about.

http://megabassusa.com/news/tackletour-autopsy-megabass-vision-x-110-seriously

I like a bait that suspends horizontally too. Almost all of the LC jerkbaits sit flat or at slight nose down attitude in the sink, same with the McStick, Eeratic Shad, most others...but sometimes the Mega is the one they want over a horizontal suspender...I'm thinking its due to the nose down attitude and slow float.

Toss a couple of your baits in the sink and see what they do..

Medium spinning gear with 6lb braid with an 8-12lb flouro leader most of the time...8lb mono if the air temps are below freezing.

Instead of sink testing them, I see what they do on the lake when I bring them back to the boat. I'll let them suspend and watch what they do. They'll act differently when attached to line than they will in a sink test. Water temp also plays a factor (hard to duplicate in a sink). Based on my experience, the Megabass do not suspend at a 45 when fished. And if they start floating I'll weigh em down with suspend dots or strips. I don't have that float issue with the STX nor do they do the 45 degree thing, which makes them superior or equal to a 110 at a third of the price IMO. I'd rather have a $7 bait that suspends correctly out of the box than a $25 bait that needs to be tweaked.

[jeb]

Agreed Quillback. The STX's suspend much better out of the box than the 110's. And they seem much more durable, as you mentioned.

Good idea to replace the hooks on the STX. But I've had trouble with the 110 hooks, too. I've busted a few of them. Their hooks look cool, but are not sturdy. So I swap the hooks on all my jerkbaits.

[inshore]

Had a lot of luck on the rc. i like the pro blue and herrinbone.

[Stump bumper]

Agreed Quillback. The STX's suspend much better out of the box than the 110's. And they seem much more durable, as you mentioned.

Good idea to replace the hooks on the STX. But I've had trouble with the 110 hooks, too. I've busted a few of them. Their hooks look cool, but are not sturdy. So I swap the hooks on all my jerkbaits.

I have had two thoughts on light hooks, great when you have 20lb braid and hook a tree, but if you hook a 20lb striper you need to change split rings also. The Mc stick has great hooks but they don't hold up to stripers and heavy line and also found they will suspend better with heavy VMC hooks.

I agree with swaping hooks, adding split rings and playing with jerkbaits to get different actions for different temps, somedays they like a sinking bait sometimes a rising bait and sometimes it just has to sit there and in IMO those little changes make all the difference and paint jobs add about 10% of the difference.

[Gavin]

Your right QB, there is more to it than just tossing them in the sink. I fish them in my pool and tinker with them on the water as well. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I think it helps me understand how to fish a new bait, what added weight does to a bait, and to visualize what my bait might be doing when I cant see it.

Most of my mega's are nose down and slow float in the pool too...its alot less than the 45 exhibited in the sink. I try to think in terms of depth first...then try to figure out what the bait is doing....rising, suspending, sinking....then take look at its attitude...nose down, horizontal, nose up.....I dont like jerkbaits that nose up for some reason.

[Quillback]

I'm going to have to closely look at a 110 next time I fish one, maybe it is slightly nose down and I have not noticed.

I think it was 2 years ago when the FLW came back to Beaver, some of the pros were doing well by weighting their 110's so they would slow sink. They were doing it by adding extra split rings to the hook loop things.

[J-Doc]

I just need someone to teach an on the water class for "Jerkbait 101". I have some RC baits and a few McSticks. Also a few others brands. (No Visions.......too rich for my blood).

Any volunteers? I'll provide the boat and snacks.

[Stump bumper]

I just need someone to teach an on the water class for "Jerkbait 101". I have some RC baits and a few McSticks. Also a few others brands. (No Visions.......too rich for my blood).

Any volunteers? I'll provide the boat and snacks.

I don't know about a class but I could catch some bass off the back of your boat with a jerk bait this time of the year.lol

[J-Doc]

All we need to do is set a day and I'll make it happen. :-). Let me finish chasing some motor issues and we will get a trip setup. I may have a weak spark issue not to mention leak in lower unit seal. I just replaced the seals (all nut one) and I bet the prop seal needs replacing now. Won't hurt to run it as it has a tiny bit if water in it. Not enough to hurt anything. I just want it fixed.