I have been enjoying a lot of new jerkbaits this spring and thought I’d share some new and also overlooked options for 2020 jerkbait fishing. With the crazy weather and up and down nature of the the fishing this past winter and now into spring, I’ve realized that some new colors and options have expanded jerkbait fishing for me.
Color is a big new avenue I’ve branched out into when it comes to jerkbaits this season. I’ve had my staple colors for years that just always seem to work. Colors like Table Rock Shad in the SPRO McStick 110, or Ito Natural in the Megabass Vision 110. But now I’ve had less than ideal water color for my staples and have found that newer loud colors, matte colors, chrome colors, and some new variations in jerkbait colors, sizes and actions have kept a jerkbait relevant in this odd year of bass fishing.
We always seem to reach for out staples and when the conditions don’t fit, we think they aren’t biting that bait when it’s probably just an action and color thing more than the fish just not wanting a jerkbait in certain conditions. My staples have long been documented on Wired2fish with baits like the Rapala Shadow Rap, SPRO McStick, and Ito Vision 110. I’ve had my eyes open the last few years with jerkbaits working a lot longer into the year. So having more options has gotten interesting to me.
I had a fun week last summer jerking the 110+2 for deep suspended fish. I caught a bunch this fall on Duel Hardcore down on the river. And I had some fun this winter playing with new variations on jerkbaits from Nishine Lure Works and 6th Sense, new Matte Magic colors from Megabass, wild colors from 13 Fishing and Strike King and a lot more.
So here is a quick rundown of some of the jerkbaits you might not be as familiar with that I think you’ll find interesting for this year.
Duel Hardcore Minnow Flat in Metallic Ayu
I really didn’t get into Yo-Zuri and Duel Hardcore baits until last fall, and I became very fond of the Duel Hardcore Minnow Flat jerkbait while fishing down on the river. Something about that Chrome Ayu color really seemed to trip the trigger of those bass. It has so much flash and in current a lot of flash and flicker effect is often key.
You can find the Duel Hardcore Minnow Flat at a super affordable price right now at TackleWarehouse.com.
Strike King KVD Deep Jerkbait in Bully
The Strike King KVD Deep 300 jerkbait is overlooked by many, but it’s a sold jerkbait that throws well and fishes well down to 10 feet. And you can add a slight bit of weight to fish this jerkbait much deeper effectively.
But I’ve found the new Bully color to be a welcome addition to my option list for deep jerking. This has been one of my primary baits fishing on the main lake in stained water this winter. That color has been getting bit. It has a good dart action. And it jumps a little more so it gives me a different look than my other options.
You can find it at TackleWarehouse.com online as well as other local retailers.
Megabass Ito Vision Oneten in Matte Magic
The Megabass Ito Vision 110 has been one of my staple jerkbaits since it first hit the market. Its weight transfer system was revolutionary for jerkbaits. They have expanded the Ito Vision series with two deeper lines of these fish catching jerkbaits, silent versions, custom colors and now a new line of Matte Magic colors that I really like.
I picked up several of the new matte colors online. A great option for less than clear water. I like Mat Ayu, Mat Crystal Shad, Mat Skeleton and several others.
You can find a bunch of the new Megabass Matte Magic colors at TackleWarehouse.com.
13 Fishing Loco Special 110 in Golden Retriever
The group at 13 Fishing launched the new Loco Special at ICAST 2019 and I was anxious to get my hands on this new jerkbait. I just got them recently so I haven’t had as much time with them. But they have awesome colors, throw well and fish well. The action looks good on them. So I’m playing around with hooks, weighting and different cadences with them now.
I was really fond of the Golden Retriever color as I have seen how powerful a gold and orange colored jerkbait has been in dirty water this year. So I’m pretty excited to throw this one as the fish move up shallow and are not running down crankbaits and Chatterbaits on certain days. I think this will be a nice addition to that shallow rotation.
You can find the 13 Fishing Loco Special at TackleWarehouse.com,
6th Sense Provoke 106x in Ditchweed
The 6th Sense Provoke 106x became a staple for many good jerkbait anglers that I know in recent years and a good friend Marcus Sykora told me I needed to get a color called Ditchweed. For those that don’t know, Sykora has quietly become one of the most accomplished jerkbait anglers out there.
I thought he was crazy but I got it anyway. It reminded me of the old mistake color on Bandit crankbaits but I’d never seen anything like it in a jerkbait. And, it’s pretty crazy how well it works. I guess the bass get conditioned to a lot of jerkbaits in the prespawn and then this crazy colored jerkbait comes along and a new cricket trips their trigger.
So now it’s in my regular rotation. You can find the Provoke 106x at TackleWarehouse.com.
Nishine Lure Works Erie 115MD and 95SD
Another new jerkbait for many anglers, the Nishine Lure Works Erie in 95SD (shallow diver) and 115MD (medium diver) jerkbaits offer some incredible colors, very good hardware and hooks, unique shapes and unique weighting system on the MD. You will find on the 115 MD that there is a lead weight on the first hook. This can be trimmed to make it suspend or slow rise. With the full weight on it, it slightly sinks (which I like in winter). So It’s been a fun one to play with an easy option to change it as the water warms.
The Nishine Lure Works Erie 115MD has a real erratic action and casts well. The 95SD is a little harder to cast but I was still able to fish it on baitcasting gear even as a much smaller jerkbait. I played with adding suspend strips and it still fished really well with a slow sink. I’ve caught a bunch of bass this winter on it. It just flat gets bit. But it will be fun when those big bass get up shallow and you want to just run the banks and catch active fish.
You can find the Erie 95SD on Tacklewarehouse.com and the 115MD at NishineLureWorks.com.
6th Sense Hyperjerk Finesse Jerkbait
This is a bit of hybrid bait. It’s less than 3 inches in length but casts really well. And you work it almost like a topwater lure that is under the surface. It slow sinks but you can make it dart and flutter around and catch fish relating to bait at various depth zones. I’ve played around a bit more in the winter with baits like this and I thought this was a fun new option.
You can find the 6th Sense Hyperjerk Finesse Jerkbait at TackleWarehouse.com.
Alternatives for Jerkbaiting this spring
Hopefully this gives you some ideas of the options out there to expand your jerkbait rotation to fit the crazy conditions we seem to be experiencing all over the country. I would be interest to know what off the beaten path jerkbaits have become your favorites recently. Let us know on our social channels.
A good bass on the Nishine Lure Works Erie 115MD
Other Jerkbaits we’ve reviewed in the past:
