# Jerkbaits



## keithjpoole (May 22, 2013)

So I just started fishing with jerk baits. I got the stick on weights and got them tuned to where they suspended now and very very slowly sink rather then float.

My question is when fishing water with current for saugeye. When you cast out and move it a couple times. Do you just let the current take the bait or reel it really slow to keep tight with the lure. How exactly do you fish these lures in current? Thanks


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

My experience with Saugeye is that they are always hanging around a current break. Let the jerkbait float into the seam and then start the twitch and pause motion.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

there are so many ways to present a stick bait in current. A lot of guys will just tite line them in the current. and let the current work the bait as it sits still. More will chime in like I said lots of ways!!
Also beware those slow sinkers in snaggy areas! Most of the time I prefer a SLOW rise over a SLOW fall.... but like has been mentioned on this site the sinkers will work at times to...
If you havnt already,go to central ohio forum and start reading the sticky post "rainy nitebite jerks lime"........


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

I agree with saugeyefisher tune em to float slow 99% of the time. the more you fish and the more fish you catch on jerks the more you will realize the answer to how do you work the bait it "yes". That is to say slow rolling aggressive jerks dead stick tiny twitches burning it I do them all and I've caught fish on them all. Just experiment till you get one and replicate. My go to in current is to pull it down and jerk it a foot or so every so often to take out the slack and pull the bait back down.


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## keithjpoole (May 22, 2013)

Some of the spillway we fish have a decent flow. So when I cast out and jerk jerk, the lure will then obviously float down stream some. Should I just leave the line slack and continue to let it float down or reel up on it and keep "tight" with the lure. lake and calm water I understand. But fishing the spillways and current I'm a little confused. Do you guys cast up stream.and alow the lure to come to you or cast down and retrieve it. Or just cast straight out.


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

These are good questions. I've fished jerk baits and caught some saugeye on them but never had confidence and could never remember exactly what I did when I did catch one lol. This week bought multiple jerk baits and ratltraps hoping to get on them if I'm ever home


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

keithjpoole said:


> Some of the spillway we fish have a decent flow. So when I cast out and jerk jerk, the lure will then obviously float down stream some. Should I just leave the line slack and continue to let it float down or reel up on it and keep "tight" with the lure. lake and calm water I understand. But fishing the spillways and current I'm a little confused. Do you guys cast up stream.and alow the lure to come to you or cast down and retrieve it. Or just cast straight out.


I have a tough time fishing sticks right in the current. When I do it's usually just a straight slow retreive....
I don't fish rivers much.but when I find current in a lake it's weird because it's not the vibration of the bait making the fish eat. It's the profile. Not to often do you here of a day time dead stick bite in clean water. It's usually a cold water nite time thing. I'll cast into the current or across the current reel your crank down to desired depth wether it be 6" below the surface or to its maximum dive range. Then let the current push the bait. Reeling just fast enough to keep line tite enough to feel bites. Everyone in a while twitch the bait to move it faster then the current. Your trying to make that bait look like what there eating. You will notice before shad die they do a little drift flutter movement... there have been nights were I have a dozen or so of these dieing shad in front of me in sight. Throughout the night you will see these shad slowly dis appear. It's saugeye eating them lol.... 
This is just one of many ways to use them 
When I first started stick bait fishing. It's all I used until I got it down. 
It only takes one good nite to gain confidence in them...


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I also know a lot of times in heavy current below spillways guys will position them self near a current seam. Cast into the fast stuff. Steady reel through it until you get to the seam then let it pause. An from there start your twitch pause caidence.


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## midoh39 (May 8, 2005)

I fish a dam on the gmr in the spring for eyes. There are 3 main retrieves I use based on which spot I'm fishing. First spot is the dam itself, when my buddy and I fish this we prefer using x-raps and rebel minnows. Its seems like the fish are ultra aggressive while feeding at the turbines and spill over. We fish these lures very fast with lots of jerk for about the 1st 10 ft of the retrieve. We catch eyes, smallies,and recently white bass and hybrids doing this. The key in this spot is keeping the bait close to the fast moving current. 2nd spot is a rock point that goes about 3/4 across the river, we cast to a deep pocket using a slower retrieve, in the past I did well with original floating rapalas and hi-8's sitting them in the current and working them slowly back up the current seam. 3rd spot is a gradual drop off where the current dies down but leaves a beautiful current seam about 10 ft from the shore line, we work x-raps through this and do a jerk jerk pause while it's sitting on the seam. I lost my best eye of last year doing this, it was easily a 5lb plus fish. I don't like to talk about it.... 
I hope this helps some! Be ready for some vicious strikes


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

For the flow anglers, what time of year are you implementing the retrieves above?


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## midoh39 (May 8, 2005)

For me it would be from April- early June, then Sept-Nov.


RiparianRanger said:


> For the flow anglers, what time of year are you implementing the retrieves above?


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

Guess I/m different. Rogues and HJ's that I use for spillway fishing DO NOT have any extra weight on them... If I want to fish deeper I will go to a jig and swim or twister tail.
Saugeyes and walleyes have eyes on top of there heads hence many times will feed straight ahead or upwards.
Plan your casts to cover different water till you find the sweet spot. Often,,, Often time those spots will change with how high the water is and that could change right while your standing there.
Cast out and keep your rod tip high keeping as much line as you can out of the water. Less line drag will let your stick bait work aa LITTLE slower. Once your line straightens out that's the end of your drift and your lure will start working across the current back towards the shore your on. Remember your rod tip is still up in the air,, from time to time I will drop my rod down still keeping in contact with my lure. That will often lead to a hit. About all, try to keep in as much contact with your lure as possible.
Very your casts just covering as much water as possible.. There's times when a short cast will be better then trying to throw all the way across the spillway. This is just what seems to work for me.


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