Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

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Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by goldrod » Sat Nov 17, 2018 10:59 am

What’s your setup?
What’s your goto bait and what’s your back-up?
I’ve just started using the ima flit, anyone else?
I love the JAckall Rerange, never goto on the megabass 110 train but I may in 2019. For now my best lure of all time is the Sqaud minnow by JAckall.

I’ve experimenting with setups for now
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by Hogsticker2 » Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:25 pm

How cold? When the water dips below 50, the jerkbaits don't come back out until Spring. Low to mid 50s, I'm a big fan of the Jackall Squad minnow 80 and 95. Anything above those temps, the Rapala X Rap seems like my most productive Jerkbait, no matter what fancy one's I buy.

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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by jerkbait22 » Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:20 am

Vision 110, 110+1 and Jackall Squirrel 79DD. The colder the water, the more important it is (to me anyway) that you're getting a natural suspend or very slow sink. This sometimes requires adding suspend strips to the belly of the bait. I put it just behind the lip on the underside of the bait.

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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by smalljaw » Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:52 am

I do well with jerkbaits in water down to about 42 degrees. When the water temp drops below 50 the suspending quality of the bait becomes really important. I like using a Lucky Craft Pointer 100 or a 78 and I can honestly say in water under 50 degrees the Pointer will out fish a Megabass 110 almost 100% of the time.
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by VAsmallies » Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:42 am

Lucky craft staysee 90 ver. 2 for me. In years past ive been throwing my jerkbaits on a champion 705cb (graphite). I swithched it up and went with the much faster action, shorter 802c glx. Not sure which i like better. Ideal rod would be somewhere in between the two i think. I use a curado 51e with the yumeya mg spool and 8-10 lb sniper, or original spool and 12 lb sniper if around big fish or cover.

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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by poisonokie » Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:16 pm

My setup is a SS/SV 6.3 with a SLP Steez sv105 spool/15# J-Braid on a 6'5" Major Craft MS-X ML (3/16-1/2, 8-14). MC says it's a mod-fast, but it's got that dual taper going on, so it feels like a fast until you load it. It's very sensitive. Once you get used to the bait itself you know exactly what it's doing when you jerk it. The tip is really sweet and imparts a lot of life to the bait, whether it's a quick twitch or a couple of rapid rips. The backbone is ample and perfect for setting those outbarb hooks without risk of bending them when using braid, and has the right amount of give to keep them pinned. The butt section, or "berry" if you will 8-) , is cross wrapped and really stout for steering good size fish around. I just got to use it all day yesterday with that new spool and I can't imagine a better jerkbait setup. It's so light, ~9 oz total, and balanced (under the reel) that I can rip it all day without getting worn out. The guides are Ti/SiC K series, so they really shine with braid. The 110 casts so well and the rod loads so perfectly for it that you still get great distance, yet its short length makes it so easy to work the bait and you don't have to worry about the banging the tip into something or slapping the water. As you can imagine, it's also killer for poppers and small walking baits, as well as finesse jigs and cranks, flick shake worms, etc. It's like it was engineered specifically for the 110, though. I'd love to pit it against Megabass' own Oneten Special. Just based on length alone I seriously doubt it could be any better, even if it does offer a bit more distance.

I like the OG 110. I have the Jr., The Duo Rozante 63 and 110 deep runner, a Shadow Rap, a Yo Zuri 3db and 3ds, and while they all catch fish, the 110 really is superior to all of them. I ordered the 110 silent version and a Rerange, so I haven't tried those yet, and I've never used a Pointer. I'm hoping the silent will help illicit some strikes when fished behind the standard 110. I get that they're expensive, but they really are worth it. The consistency and quality are impeccable and there's a color for every situation, many of which cover a variety of conditions. I've never lost one to a snag because they don't really dive that deep anyway, but even when I fish it close to shore and come up to a shallow branch, they seem to come through them without hanging up. I think the bill pulls the hooks up and out of the way when you pull it over stuff, and since it suspends in the water tail up that way, it's actually pretty snag resistant despite having 3 trebles. Plus, and this is the important thing, I don't think I've ever been skunked when using one. Even if it's just a crappie it always manages to get bit by something.

I know a lot of guys use fluoro for this, and I've tried it myself with an extra fast rod and can see why they do, but I think braid is the way to go. It's neutrally buoyant, so it doesn't interfere with the slow rise, head down posture of the bait, and doesn't really stretch, so you get better action out of the bait and better hooksets when they hit it on the pause. You may not feel the slack line strikes quite as well, but when I fish these there really isn't that much slack and I always feel it just fine. I certainly don't think I'm missing anything. Plus, since the bait suspends rather than sits on the bottom, the line always jumps a lot when they strike and they usually drag it down deeper, which you're not likely to miss, even if you aren't watching the line.

Sorry to ramble. Had a blast with this yesterday so it's still fresh. Caught a nice one on the first cast and had a fair amount of action all day, including from hybrids and crappie. Not sure what the water temp was, but it has to be getting down around 55 or lower within a couple feet of the surface. The conditions were pre frontal, chilly in the morning, calm and warm in the afternoon before the bottom fell out in early evening. The water was lighly stained. I was using the color Sexy Stream, which is a good all around color. Tight lines, all.

P.S. I've heard that using the 110 Magnum is a good idea in Fall because the baitfish tend to be bigger this time of year, while in spring and early summer the only big ones are the holdovers which survived the winter. Plus the bass, "bus" if you will 8-) are feeding heavily in preparation for winter, even as they grow lethargic with the temperature drop. Don't know, haven't tried it myself. $#!+'s expensive!
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by JonathanSeto » Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:25 am

Recently, I have been doing well in the Delta with a Megabass vision 110 silent and standard vision 110 in HT color ways. Namely, HT Tennessee and HT Wakasagi. I choose normal or silent according to the water clarity. I have been leaning towards the silent version because of the clearer water.

I switch the hooks to #5 gamakatsu nano trebles and put one suspendot in front of the hook hangar to make it truly suspend.

The rod I use is an older mh 7' steez (I think discontinued) and the first generation steez reel. Probably on the lighter side of mh. Maybe about 2.5-2.75 power. 12lb fluorocarbon is the line of choice.

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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by Aquaftm45 » Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:34 am

rsz_img_1903.jpg
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Steez LTD on a Luxxe Oltre 67M w/ 8lb Tatsu using the smaller MB variants this past weekend. Bluebird sky and crystal clear 54 degree water called for stealth mode.
That IxI type R on the far right is a stellar bait with the clear/chartruse 110jr (3rd up from bottom right) holding it's own.
The only anomily in that arsenal is the Gancraft Rest 108sp (top right). It's a stellar color, has as good/better in water action than the 110, but casts horribly.

The jerkbait bite was good in the morning and evening, but mid-day had to switch up to yo-yoing TN70's in 30ft. of water (my favorite fall technique in my area code)

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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by poisonokie » Tue Nov 20, 2018 3:19 pm

Aquaftm45 wrote:rsz_img_1903.jpg

Steez LTD on a Luxxe Oltre 67M w/ 8lb Tatsu using the smaller MB variants this past weekend. Bluebird sky and crystal clear 54 degree water called for stealth mode.
That IxI type R on the far right is a stellar bait with the clear/chartruse 110jr (3rd up from bottom right) holding it's own.
The only anomily in that arsenal is the Gancraft Rest 108sp (top right). It's a stellar color, has as good/better in water action than the 110, but casts horribly.

The jerkbait bite was good in the morning and evening, but mid-day had to switch up to yo-yoing TN70's in 30ft. of water (my favorite fall technique in my area code)
That's quite a collection! I've got maybe half that many. I'm suddenly pumped about jerkbait fishing since I finally got a worthy setup to fish them with. Yours looks pretty similar. What's that rod like action-wise? Have you ever fished any of the Oneten Specials?

Image
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by Aquaftm45 » Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:08 pm

poisonokie wrote:
Aquaftm45 wrote:rsz_img_1903.jpg

Steez LTD on a Luxxe Oltre 67M w/ 8lb Tatsu using the smaller MB variants this past weekend. Bluebird sky and crystal clear 54 degree water called for stealth mode.
That IxI type R on the far right is a stellar bait with the clear/chartruse 110jr (3rd up from bottom right) holding it's own.
The only anomily in that arsenal is the Gancraft Rest 108sp (top right). It's a stellar color, has as good/better in water action than the 110, but casts horribly.

The jerkbait bite was good in the morning and evening, but mid-day had to switch up to yo-yoing TN70's in 30ft. of water (my favorite fall technique in my area code)
That's quite a collection! I've got maybe half that many. I'm suddenly pumped about jerkbait fishing since I finally got a worthy setup to fish them with. Yours looks pretty similar. What's that rod like action-wise? Have you ever fished any of the Oneten Specials?

Image
I doubt if I can give as good description as you did on your setup.
As far as rods go, I think the OLTRE lineup is at the top of the game. Unfortunatly they have limited offerings and are super pricey. That 6'7M is light (110 grams) and super sensetive. The handle length is just right for jerkbait and topwater fishing. I would sayit a fast action, but considering it's rating it does a very respectable job of loading and launching anything over 6 grams. (not sure if it's a variable blank, but could be) I have a decent collection of high end rods, but I find all aspects of the OLTRE just a step above my other rods for it's intended purpose. It excels at moving baits but just as adept at whacky, neko, small jika and ned work, especially when I put braid spool into the reel.
In hindsight I would not have as many 110's as pictured. I would focus on what works and some basic colors. These were all bought from Japan at $13-$16, so it wasn't like I spent $25 a pop. I really don't have heavy cover to lose them in, so that is not a concern. I expect them to last for a long, long time.
I would like to see an LBO in 110, 110 jr and magnum without any additional balls. Kind of a Semi-Silent. I am a big fan of the LBO and I think the clear water I fish in would benifit from a "more" silent bait. I don't have any silent versions right now, it's next on my list.
You have a gem of a setup and isn't it such a great feeling to wield a rod and reel setup that feels great, gives you confidence and is a joy to fish.
I spent too many years fishing without ever knowing the pleasure of it, no turning back now.

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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by goldrod » Tue Nov 20, 2018 6:34 pm

Aquaftm45 wrote:rsz_img_1903.jpg

Steez LTD on a Luxxe Oltre 67M w/ 8lb Tatsu using the smaller MB variants this past weekend. Bluebird sky and crystal clear 54 degree water called for stealth mode.
That IxI type R on the far right is a stellar bait with the clear/chartruse 110jr (3rd up from bottom right) holding it's own.
The only anomily in that arsenal is the Gancraft Rest 108sp (top right). It's a stellar color, has as good/better in water action than the 110, but casts horribly.

The jerkbait bite was good in the morning and evening, but mid-day had to switch up to yo-yoing TN70's in 30ft. of water (my favorite fall technique in my area code)

Every time I look at this post, my pockets get lighter.

What color is the lure in the right column third one down?
It looks like it has a streak of gold going down the side.
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by Aquaftm45 » Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:04 pm

goldrod wrote:
What color is the lure in the right column third one down?
It looks like it has a streak of gold going down the side.
It's black on the bottom, going up to the side, where it transitions into kind of a bronze color over a honeycomb pattern. Then black on the top...with a shocker
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A Skunk!
rsz_skunk.jpg
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by Aquaftm45 » Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:16 pm

The third one up on the left really threw me for a loop when I looked at it in the picture. I was like "what the hell is that purple and super blue?" It does a bizzare job of picking up light and colors around it.

Here is another pic from a different angle in a different light.
rsz_what.jpg
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by poisonokie » Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:42 pm

Aquaftm45 wrote: You have a gem of a setup and isn't it such a great feeling to wield a rod and reel setup that feels great, gives you confidence and is a joy to fish.
I spent too many years fishing without ever knowing the pleasure of it, no turning back now.
Thanks, man. It's one I'm rather proud of just because it took a lot of trial and error to find a combo that's not only suitable, but excellent. You know, jerkbaiting is a technique that more than any other requires just the right setup. I tried various other rods of more generic lengths, actions, and constructions, including glass composite and spinning, and none of them really shined for the technique. So, finally I bit the bullet and went with that one. I was afraid it wouldn't have much utility outside of jerkbaits, poppers, and small cranks, but like yours it's a great all around finesse stick. I love fishing flick shakes on it, along with everything else you mentioned. It pitches ned and little jikas like it was made for it. Oh, and it's awesome for Binksies and Kelly J Props. I may have to try out a Zara Puppy with the Steez spool, but I haven't found anything that fishes those worth a crap. The stock SS spool just wouldn't get it out there and spinning rods suck for walking baits.

I wanted the LTD TN just because that is a sick looking reel and would match the rod perfectly, but I just couldn't bring myself to hit "buy." Then I found a great deal on that SS, so I went with it. It actually worked pretty well with the stock spool, especially with close quarters pitching and skipping, but it obviously lacked in the distance you need for jerkbaits. Plus after a while the damn rotor got to where it would stick with every cast, which I didn't think they would do unless I got a backlash, so I ordered a Ray's rotor for the white ramps which made the spool so wild and unpredictable I couldn't use it for much and I didn't feel like going through the headache of switching back to the stock rotor with new blocks (it's a P.I.T.A.), so it went largely unused until I found a deal on that new spool. Wish it was purple to match the reel better, but form follows function, and let me tell you, it functions. Needless to say, it was a Odyssey, but worth it.

I think the silent 110 will really get some action. I only recently heard of the LBO when the topic was started on the forum and I haven't seen them for sale anywhere. I think the Rerange has a similar system. I got that in today. I'll have to check it out Friday. Maybe I'll have that Silent in by then, too. Anyway, sorry to ramble again. Tight lines!
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Re: Cold water/ cold front -fall / winter JERKBAIT

Post by Heddonfrog » Mon Jan 14, 2019 10:45 pm

Hogsticker2 wrote:How cold? When the water dips below 50, the jerkbaits don't come back out until Spring. Low to mid 50s, I'm a big fan of the Jackall Squad minnow 80 and 95. Anything above those temps, the Rapala X Rap seems like my most productive Jerkbait, no matter what fancy one's I buy.

You my friend, are missing out on some killer jerkbait bites if you’re putting them away for the winter once the water goes below 50. In the upper Midwest jerkbaits stop being effective when they skip off ice. Slide show (YouTube link below) from January 6th, near the end is a 15sec video clip showing us breaking through 200yds of thin ice to get to open water. Water temp low 34.5, high 35.6 Best 5 went 16lbs 4ozs. Next day different lake 37.1 water temp first 4+ of the season plus 3.8 & 2.8 in an hour. Following day massive cold front, air temp 19, wind chill 8, water temp 33.8 and they were still biting jerks. All but the 4+ & 3.8 caught on Vision 110’s, 110+1’s & ito Shiners. Those other 2 were caught on KVD 300’s, I hate throwing those torquey buggers but they do catch fish in certain conditions. Btw, no pauses lasted more than 12-15 seconds and most were caught on a 3-5 second pause. I hate it when I hear guys say “In water temps below 50 you have to wait up to a minute between jerks” no, you don’t.

https://youtu.be/788T1vs5ahU

There is no way to say if one brand/size/color is going work everywhere, everyday better than another. We all have our favorites but if you want to catch numbers & size consistently, you’d better have multitude of colors, brands & sizes with you. I have dedicated boxes for MegaBass, Lucky Craft and a box of assorted other brands and most come into play during the jerkbait season
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