What looks more real? What imitates a baitfish better? What lure stays in the fish's face longer? What could be a more effective multi-species lure? If these questions appeal to your senses, then don’t suspend your search for this versatile approach to bass fishing.
Soft jerk baits have always been a staple in my area. Fishing rivers on our every chance, the bottom of our boats would often look like graveyards for soft plastics. Even going through over 100 lures in one full days fishing, and at near $3.00 per pack, that became a real expense. Not to mention the constant adjusting and fitting these required to perform "proper". Coupled along with their hook up ratio being less than desirable at times, there had to be a better way. But somehow, with stretched lines, it all seemed worth it. So, don't get me wrong here, I still, and will always carry soft jerk baits, there are times these can't be beaten, although soon my path was about to expand.
While floating a local river one afternoon, the soft plastic jerk bait bite was "ON". And I mean ON! Problem was, the fish were doing everything but eating the bait. They were smacking at it, pushing it with their nose, you name it. Our hook up ratio was terrible! That’s when the idea of the treble hook popped into my young partner's mind. Without much ado at all, I tied on a Team Daiwa suspending jerk bait that I had purchased several months before. The next 10 casts in a row were solid hook up's, and you know what was hooked the most? Me.
From that great day forward, I couldn't pass up a peek down the isle of any bait shop in town, just to see the suspending marvels. It made sense to me, a fish imitation acting like a fish without falling to the stream floor, or rising to the top like a balloon filled with air. These wondrous baits stayed where you put them: in the fishes face. What could be better?
Over the past few years, these fine suspending critters have really began to take a real stake in today’s market of shiny new lures, and there’s good reason for them doing so: they catch anything that swims and eats baitfish. Suspending jerk baits are well known for catching everything from huge freshwater Trout to ocean going Striped Bass
Now let's learn how to use one of man's greatest and timeless fish catching creations. There are as many ways to make a suspending jerk bait dance as there are colors and brands. Your imagination is your only limitation. What works one day may very well not work the next, but here are a few staples that seem to work on my waters.
live, work, and play in western Virginia. I spend much of my time in the outdoors fishing and hunting. I’m an avid fisherman, chasing Smallmouth, Largemouth and Striped Bass I have come to truly love. Fishing, it’s a state of mind, mine. There’s hardly an hour passes, where something about the sport, whether it be a lure, line, rod, reel, or a simple gadget that I think may have a purpose in the fishing world rolls through my head.
My fishing message board called “DR’s Fishing Site is at http://duanerichards.proboards.23.com , or you can drop me an email at drcrwr@yahoo.com