Jerkbaits for Taney?

[buckcreekmike]

Headed down in a few weeks and want to fish artificial for trout. I’ve seen/read/tried jerkbaits being successful. Quick question, do you all use “standard” 4” jerkbaits like you would for cold water bass? Do you go with smaller ones than that? I’d be up for hearing color/bait types toy have success with too. I was assuming the megabass knockoff baits would work, bl just seeing if anyone has any insight. Thanks. 

[fishinwrench]

I haven't done much of it myself but I had a buddy that was a master at it.  He always used what I think is the largest floating Rapala made (5-6").  Suspending baits were not his choice at all, he hated them.   He used a medium spinning rig with 12# line. 

Dude could put on a clinic with that setup.  

[Ryan Miloshewski]

It's all preference and confidence. If you throw something that looks like food in front of a hungry trout they'll eat it. The best and most successful over the last four years have been McSticks, Megabass 110 and 110+1 in Elegy Bone and Wakin' Reaction, 6th Sense Provokes and Duane's jerkbaits. I also use a medium action baitcaster with 8-10-lb test. 

This spring you needed a 110+2 to get down with the high flows so a floater would've been worthless. You have to adjust the size and type of bait based on flows. No generation--smaller bait that either suspends 1-3 feet or not at all. Four units running--110+1 suspending to get down to the 6-8 ft range. Just play around with it. 

If you have a group of jerkbaits you use for winter and spring bass fishing, use those. You'll catch fish. 

There are a lot of great jerkbait fishermen on here @JestersHK, @Travis Swift, @MNtransplant to name a few. Essentially you asked us what time it is and we are going to tell you how to build a watch!

[hillbillyflyshack]

Take a trip with Duane your learning curve will increase dramatically.

[Gavin]

4-5” baits and Medium Spin Tackle. 8# test minimum, with 12lb flouro leaders. It can be expensive, Japanese Suspenders are not cheap. $20+ per plug.

[JestersHK]

As Ryan said theres about a jabillion variables that could go into this.  

Also ask your self if you really want to commit to a full day of slinging jerks.  Im of the mindset if you really want to forget numbers and chase quality over quantity you better be prepared for a full day of work and force yourself to stick to it.  I've put the jerk bait rod down to jig multiple times only to see a big fish I would of liked to sling a jerk bait at go by... in fast generation you have very small windows sometimes. 

It is very rewarding though getting crushed on a med light spinning rod with 10lb braid, my current method of choice, by a big trout. 

As for pointers, first hydrate and pre game some ibuprofen or aspirin.  If you're not wore out and sore by end of day you need to jerk more lol

Second as stated by Ryan bring a good optioned box with all different types of baits.  Water conditions and depths change so be prepared to fish everything from super deep pools to shallow riffles.

3rd either invest in a lure retriever or be prepared to lose some sticks.  You sometimes gotta get up in the timber and up by the bank and you're gonna get hung up.  Gets harder for recovery in faster water... just part of the game.

4. I highly recommend you book a jerk bait trip with Duane.  You'll learn more in the first hour then we could all ever try to explain here over text.  I've tried to tell others how to night fish the jerks multiple times, but until they stand next to me in the water it finally allows it to click for them. 

Good luck with your trip,  and don't be afraid to wander out at night.  It's a different ballgame at night,  but night time is the right time for us dark siders lol.

[Travis Swift]

My experience throwing jerkbaits goes back to the 80's and 90's when very few of us were doing it and it was amazing back then!  I never have fished them at night so see Jester for that info or Duane nor have I bank fished them. During the day I throw jerkbaits when we have moving water, in my experience.. Mine only... If the water is off I'm wasting time throwing it.  One unit is okay, 2 units is by far my favorite to throw it in and 3 on up are fine also.  In less than 3 units I throw a Megabass Vision 110+1 99% of the time. With more than 3 this past year I've gone to the Megabass Vision 110+2.  Both are pricey and worth every penny as far as I'm concerned. I throw mine with a 7ft falcon medium action casting rods, a Daiwa Tatula reel and 8 pound Pline Cxx in moss green.  I have 4 of these exact set ups so I can switch baits and colors all the time. Retrieves vary by the day and hour, sometimes non stop snapping, sometimes they wanna eat it on the pause. I've caught fish on jerkbaits in Taney from one cable to the next, sometimes below the landing ya never know what might eat it when it gets popped, I've caught rainbows, Browns, largemouth, Kentuckies and whitebass on Taney on jerkbaits.  Good luck and have fun with it.  Last thing I'll add is the jerkbait pressure on this lake has gotten crazy, so try to find colors or retrieves that others aren't.. Sometimes thinking outside the box will get ya bit by Ol' Big 😉

[Mitch f]

I’ve fished jerkbaits for trout for so long I can’t remember when I started. A good smaller one is a small/medium sized Yozuri Pin’s Minnow. But all of the jerkbaits need to have the required pause in between twitches.

[fishinwrench]

I am of the mindset that if TROUT are your target, then there's nothing that a plastic jerkbait can do that a big articulated streamer on a sink-tip can't do better.

[Mitch f]

6 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I am of the mindset that if TROUT are your target, then there's nothing that a plastic jerkbait can do that a big articulated streamer on a sink-tip can't do better.

I don’t think they could cover water as quick