Chilly weather has set in. Cold water will be with us for the next couple of months, and this year is shaping up to be even more severe than usual. Out on the lake, you’ll see very few bass boats. For many anglers, it’s not so much the winter weather as it is lethargic fish that keeps them off the water this time of year. The water temps plummet, the thinking goes, so does the bite.

Sure, fish become lethargic in frigid water, but there’s one bait I can usually count on to fire them up. No lure has produced more big fish for me in the winter months than the jerk bait. Let me share a few tips to help you get the most from these lures.

First, rig with fluorocarbon line. Lakes are clearer now than at any other season. Especially with slow-retrieve lures like jerk baits, low-vis fluorocarbon line is less likely to spook the fish. Also, it has very little stretch. This allows you to maintain a better sense of feel and make more precise movements of your bait on each cast.

I divide jerk baits in my tackle box into two categories: ones with a wide wobble and others with a tight wobble. Test all your jerk baits one by one, note which ones fall into each group, and then use this to your advantage. Tight-wobble jerk bait can be moved much quicker with less effort. Ones with a wider wobble require that you make more precise movements and really maintain contact and a sense of feel with the bait. Most days one works better than the other; you just have to discover which.

Look for bass swirling at but missing the bait. In the clear, winter water, a lot of times you can actually see fish swipe at the lure. Which bait were you using? Did it have a tight or wide wobble? How were you moving it? On the next cast, vary your action a little. Let it sit longer between sweeps and jerks, or maybe give it less action. If that doesn’t work, change the tight wobble bait to a wide-wobble bait, or vice-versa.

Lastly, patience is essential in fishing jerk baits. This isn’t just a chunk and wind deal; you have to think through the retrieve. Cast out and pause while your bait sits and rocks in a suspending mode; this can be the difference maker. I’ve seen times when the bait might sit for minutes at a time before finally getting hammered. Jerk it, let it rock, twitch it, move it slightly… pay careful attention to the action you’re imparting to the lure, and remain confident that if you take your time and work this bait patiently, it can pull fish up out of 20 feet of water and win winter tournaments for you.

Captain Mike Gerry
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
Web: www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
(256) 759-2270

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Tags: guntersville, jerk bait, jerkbait, winter fishing

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 27th, 2009 at 10:10 AM and is filed under Fishing, Fishing Articles, Fishing Weather, Tips and Tactics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.