Jerkbaits are one of the best bait categories for generating bites from bass during the cold water period — this includes fall, winter and spring. Wired2Fish’s Kyle Peterson shares some tips for triggering bites from tentative largemouth by getting jerkbaits deep, fishing them slowly, and coaxing bites by “video gaming” with Garmin Panoptix LiveScope.
Giving the bass time to inspect and commit to jerkbaits is perhaps the most important tip for success. It’s also one of the reasons to use ultra-realistic looking baits like the Megabass VISION ONETEN+2 jerkbait — clear water bass will often visually inspect a lure before committing.
Forward-looking sonar fish finder technologies add a sight fishing component by allowing the angler to watch the retrieve and fish reactions in realtime. Peterson demonstrates dialing in his retrieve to the mood of the fish while anticipating the bite. He also shares a unique boat control method that involves controlled drift and light line to get jerkbaits to depths pushing the 12- to 15-foot depth range.
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- Megabass VISION ONETEN+2 Jerkbait
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- Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 106sv Chartplotter
- Megabass Levante Jerkbait Special Casting Rod, 6′ 11″
- Daiwa Tatula SV TWS Casting Reel, 7.3:1
