Traditional Bait That's Effective in Cold Water

 As the weather gets colder, anglers will adjust their tactics for fishing. One traditional bait that's effective in cold water is the jerkbait. Jerkbaits can attract fish year-round, but in cold water, they become more effective at triggering a reaction strike from fish. If you're wondering how to fish using a jerkbait, as the name suggests, you need to move it in a particular way. However, there are a few tricks that beginners should know before fishing with jerkbaits.

Instead of just moving the bait continuously like other lures such as bladed jigs or crankbaits, when fishing with a jerkbait, you need to make sudden movements by jerking the rod and then reeling in the slack line. A crucial component in learning how to fish with a jerkbait is the rhythm of this movement. Though it may seem trivial, the difference between, for example, "pull-pull, pause" and "pull-pull-pull, pause" can be significant.

Don't forget the length of the pause when fishing with jerkbaits, which can range up to 20 seconds or more. The colder the water, the longer this pause should be. If the water is freezing in the morning, consider the patience tip after finding this rhythm or pattern; for successful fishing with jerkbaits, you need to be able to repeat it consistently.

While lure color certainly plays a role, the working depth can help determine the best jerkbait for the day. Some jerkbaits float, some sink, and some even suspend after reaching a certain depth. Some of these lures operate shallow (1-3 feet), while others have internal weights that can shift or have larger and steeper bills to dive to 10 feet or more.

The selection of jerkbait setup depends on the type of water you're fishing. Fishing jerkbaits in rivers can be done with hard or soft plastic lures. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Hard baits may have 2 or 3 hook sets, so each touch will have a higher chance of catching. However, this can also mean problems with rocks and water vegetation. One way to overcome this is by using soft plastic jerkbaits, often referred to as "flukes," which can be rigged weedless with a single hook. If a bite is missed, anglers can upgrade and rig with a single treble hook.

Another note on learning how to fish with jerkbaits is that in warmer water, it's considered "working." Other warm water fishing techniques like drop-shot or Carolina rigs might be considered "working," and as some professional anglers have said, more like "dragging bait around." However, as the water cools, fish metabolism decreases, and they eat less. This means you may have to "work" harder by casting, moving, jerking, the bait to trigger reaction strikes, even though the fish may not be truly hungry.