# Jerkbaits for Panfish?



## spfldbassguy

Does anyone else like to use a jerkbait for panfish? I've had pretty decent success with the small XRAPs with the crappie before and some success with a Keitech soft plastic bait(can't remember the name but the INTIMIDATOR gave it to me). This year I've been using some Lunker City Fin S,Bobby Garland Baby Shad,Zoom Tiny Flukes,and some Bass Assassin Baby Shads like jerkbaits and have did pretty well on them. I know the Zoom ones are intended for drop shot use but with a tiny enough jighead they can be fished like a soft plastic jerkbait. Was just wondering if anyone else fishes those kind of biats and have you done pretty well with them?


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## Photog

I have had really good luck w Matzuo Nano Minnows. From largemouth to the biggest bluegill I have ever caught and everything in between. I buy them at Dick's. LOVE them!


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## buckzye11

I like those tiny bass assasins with a jig head. the big body on them offers a new look from tubes and twisters. didn't get as many but the ones i got on them were good size.


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## spfldbassguy

buckzye11 said:


> I like those tiny bass assasins with a jig head. the big body on them offers a new look from tubes and twisters. didn't get as many but the ones i got on them were good size.


All the ones I've caught on those have been pretty decent sized. I've caught some dinks on 'em but most of the time it's been the bigger ones.


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## Rod Hawg

Oh yeah! I use a small Rapala Floater. My biggest problem is keeping it away from the Bass. Haha! But Bull Gills hammer them.


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## spfldbassguy

Rod Hawg said:


> Oh yeah! I use a small Rapala Floater. My biggest problem is keeping it away from the Bass. Haha! But Bull Gills hammer them.


I've had real good luck with some monster gills in the past using a trout colored floater but have been trying out some other things this year. Might be time to get 'em back out again.


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## spfldbassguy

You know I was set in my ways for the most part when fishing for gills n crappie.I have steadily been adding more and more to my arsenal and this year it's expanded to using the soft/hard jerkbait style of lures more and more. Now I fully understand that crappie will smash one just as fast as a bass will. I figured other people used them as well but I'm always looking for more input on all things fishing related. So thanks for the replies so far guys and lets hear more.


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## sbreech

spfldbassguy said:


> I've had real good luck with some monster gills in the past using a trout colored floater but have been trying out some other things this year. Might be time to get 'em back out again.


That's been my #1 lure for bluegill (until I started fly fishing). Not the smaller 2 3/4", the 3 1/2". Rainbow trout colored, cast, wait, jerk, jerk, Splash! Great fun! The smaller one works, but the larger weeds out some of the smaller 'gills.


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## Buckeyefisher7

a strike king bitsy minnow works very well!


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## Rod Hawg

I get more Bass on them than Gills but when a Gill hits. Its usually a nice fish.


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## spfldbassguy

Buckeyefisher7 said:


> a strike king bitsy minnow works very well!


Those things are fabulous for all types of fish. Hell just this year I've caught both LM and SM bass,crappie,bluegill,pumkinseeds,warmouths,White Bass,and Channel cats on them. They flat out produce for me.


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## Rod Hawg

I caught this on a size 3 Floater. Those Jerk-Baits produce big fish!


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## JamesT

smallest pin minnow by yo zuri. occasionally would catch nice pannies on a lc pointer 65(kinda big for a pannie lure though). ac shiners 250, and rapala 5. I'm sure the smaller floaters and sinking rapalas (3's)work well, but they are too light for the gear and lb test I fish.

If you want a crankbait for panfish, I recommend the zo zuri aille goby. The strike king bitsy minnows are good, but the lips break. and the mini fat rap works pretty good too. and the smallest husky jerk works pretty good too(perch). I see they now make a real small xrap, bet that would work. Another crank I've had good luck with pannies is the mister twister katydid. Rebel crickhopper works too, but better for bass(not big ones). Smallest crank out there is the yo zuri snap bean (smaller size). Works nice but you need to proper gear to get good casting distance.


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## spfldbassguy

Rod Hawg said:


> I caught this on a size 3 Floater. Those Jerk-Baits produce big fish!


Nice one and yes they do produce some really nice fish.


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## spfldbassguy

I've got some pretty big fish on the Bisty Minnow cranks and have yet to have one break on me. Not saying it won't happen it just hasn't happen to me yet. Rebel makes a really tiny minnow jerkbait as well (either 1 1/2'' or 2'',have to go upstairs and check) that's pretty good for panfish and smaller bass.


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## JamesT

my brother hooked into a huge musky at alum on a bitsy minnow(3.5 ft+). After 5+ minutes he got it right up to shore and then it bolted. I used to fish them a lot around rocks in the river and have broken 3-4 lips. Since then I would add some devcon 2 ton epoxy to the back of the lip and this solved that problem. They are small and cast far for their size.


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## spfldbassguy

Now that'd be something,hooking a Musky on one of those things. Not something you'd expect to catch on that little thing.


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