Jerkbait question

[Bill Babler]

I don't question a guy that fishes a jerk bait from November to May and has fished it as his major bait for 30 years, easily catching well over 10,000 bass and walleye on it and winning 10's of thousands of dollars fishing it in both walleye and bass tournaments.

And I disagree on the fact that you cannot obtain greater depth by forcing a billed bait deeper by putting  forced additional downward pressure on it even after it has reached the depth that the buoyancy of the bait is built for.

Weighted baits even after reaching that depth or a continuation of falling can be forced even further by jerking or reeling at speed.  This is far different than fishing the bait or head turning or working the bait thru a distinct level in the water column.  Speed and inertia are at play here.

Everyone believes in their method and has a reason.  

Folks, stick to your guns and weight it and fish it as you please.

Good Luck

[1farmer]

8 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

I don't question a guy that fishes a jerk bait from November to May and has fished it as his major bait for 30 years, easily catching well over 10,000 bass and walleye on it and winning 10's of thousands of dollars fishing it in both walleye and bass tournaments.

And I disagree on the fact that you cannot obtain greater depth by forcing a billed bait deeper by putting  forced additional downward pressure on it even after it has reached the depth that the buoyancy of the bait is built for.

Weighted baits even after reaching that depth or a continuation of falling can be forced even further by jerking or reeling at speed.  This is far different than fishing the bait or head turning or working the bait thru a distinct level in the water column.  Speed and inertia are at play here.

Everyone believes in their method and has a reason.  

Folks, stick to your guns and weight it and fish it as you please.

Good Luck

I was not questioning, as I do this very same thing myself.  I also know that 4 hard pulls will drive the bait just as deep as reeling and jerking as I have seen in cement pond. What I was trying to explain was the way jerking and reeling fast will get them interested more often than just getting the bait to depth. 

 

[1farmer]

13 minutes ago, 1farmer said:

I was not questioning, as I do this very same thing myself.  I also know that 4 hard pulls will drive the bait just as deep as reeling and jerking as I have seen in cement pond. What I was trying to explain was the way jerking and reeling fast will get them interested more often than just getting the bait to depth. 

 

I need to correct myself, 4 hard pulls over the same distance will drive the bait just as deep. Reeling and jerking over the same amount of time will get the bait deeper but at a greater distance traveled. 

 

[Champ188]

Regardless of how you go about it, the ultimate goal is to make the longest cast possible and get the bait down to maximum depth in as little retrieve distance as possible. That puts your bait in the strike zone for the longest amount of time possible. 

[Old plug]

And if all these techncalities do not work. You might try a Sluggo  type plastics and let is just sink with gentle jerks. It can imitate a crippled shad like nothing else. Lot easier too than trying to think of a multitude of things related to the retrieve. Like or your not in the right spot to begin with.  

[Champ188]

26 minutes ago, Old plug said:

And if all these techncalities do not work. You might try a Sluggo  type plastics and let is just sink with gentle jerks. It can imitate a crippled and  shad like nothing else. Lot easier too than trying to think of a multitude of things related to the retrieve. Like or you in the right spot to begin with.  

I remember a Central Pro-Am tournament a few years back on Beaver Lake being won just the way Plug is describing. Local guy named David Franks won it. 

[Old plug]

That is for sure Champ. I like to experiment. Last year I caught a couple shorts believe is or not on a drop shot in water barely 40 degrees. I had about 14-15' (it varies)between my 1oz drop shot and the worm I had on the line.. I was fishing a secondary point back in a cove and I could see fish  on the finder setting down there about 10 or 12 ft on the bottom. It drug the drop shot down the side of that point and keeping it still every yard are so.  Sure enough one nailed it. No great planning involved. Just curious was all. So I jumped out of the box.

[Royal Blue]

Having fished with Buster several times, I'll say that Bill has his technique nailed.  He attempts to cast well beyond the target and get it to the bottom or max depth as soon as it's physically possible.  He also doesn't care to soak it for a painfully looooooooooooong time before moving it.  I've done this enough times with him that I know it works well.  Many times you'll either see the line move or you'll go to move it and the fish will be on there.  It's very methodical and it flat out works.  We always throw the MB+1 when I go with him but I'm sure it'll only be a matter of time before he has some of the new +2.  He's made me a believer in throwing it on flouro and I use 10lb assassin.   I also don't get mine custom painted.  I throw mostly the pearl with orange belly especially in the winter.  

[CadeWompus]

Has anyone experimented with the Strike King KVD 300DD Jerkbaits?  Much cheaper than megabass and supposed to get down to 12ft.  

[liphunter]

I have some KVD'S . I have some success with them. Probably would do better in skilled hands. I working on a learning curve. That being said, and I hope at my age I'm not being naive.  But watching him in interviews. I wouldn't think he would not put his name on junk solely to make a buck.  Of course that's just my opinion.