Bass Digest/January, 2014
in pressured situations and clear water these fish can often turn into some of the most difficult fish to catch. Mostly because they know they are being targeted. I find in these cases a small jerkbait, usually 6cm or smaller, fished on a very light line, can do the trick. Marking where nests are in shallow water then moving off and making long casts with a good pause on the nest, will entice a bass just to move your lure off the nest and will give you a window.
Summer is usually a good all-round time for jerkbait fishing with warmer water temperatures making fish active. There is, however, one specific situation where the jerkbait comes into its own in summer for me. During extreme heat, fish often get very reluctant to feed. Where I grew up in Phalaborwa, water temperature in summer can often reach in excess of 30 degrees Celsius. In these conditions, fish often shut off. A jerkbait is great at overriding his natural instinct, having him slapping at a lure before he knows what he is doing. I’ve had huge success on a fast constant retrieve during these times when nothing else would work. Don’t be scared to chuck a jerk into structure and next to big trees. Fish relate to structure even more in these times as they look for the shade and cooler spots. Knocking the structure is often where your strike comes from. I normally use between an 8 and 10cm jerk in these situations and often on a bit stronger line just to help with the structure.
Whatever the situation you find yourself in, there are few lures out there that can override all reason in a bass’ mind. There are few lures that can cause such aggressive strikes and exhilarating battles. There are a few lures that can fill a limit so quickly and catch such big fish at the same time. When thinking about it, with the amount of tackle available today, there are few lures that have stood the test of time and have got a permanent spot on my deck. There’s nowhere I don’t go without a jerkbait, no day that I don’t just check if they are not on it, no lure that I don’t replace quicker after losing. This is a confidence lure that’s made me a better angler. Maybe it could just do the same for you.