You’re Unprepared If You Don’t Have THIS Lure In Your Tackle Box
- By: Richard Thomas
- on
Do you have any idea what the best lure you’re not using is???
You aren’t ready to head out and fish the day without THIS lure in your tackle box!!
I wanted to address an artificial lure that I think deserves more credit than it normally gets.
Find out which lure below!!
The Best Lure You’re NOT Using [VIDEO]
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Jerk Shad Lures:
Jerk Shad style lures are incredibly versatile and useful in all sorts of fishing scenarios.
I prefer to use them for a few different reasons.
Ease Of Use
Jerk Shads are incredibly easy to use and for the most part, you only need to know two retrieves.
If you are fishing for redfish, flounder, or even black drum on the bottom, I like to toss this lure out and slowly drag it along bottom.
Typically when fishing jerk shads, I prefer to use an exposed-hook jighead and I’ll just bump it along bottom.
That retrieve produces a very natural offering like a shrimp or a crustacean crawling in search of food.
The second retrieve I like to use for jerk shads is a steady, straight retrieve without any bumps or twitches.
I find this retrieve in particular works well when targeting trout.
The jerk shad is designed to imitate a shrimp or an injured mullet.
As a result, slower retrieves will mimic a shrimp on the bottom and straight retrieves imitate mullet swimming along.
When To Use Jerk Shads
Jerk shads provide you the opportunity to sight fish that you see near you and they’re even an excellent lure for fishing in deeper water.
If I am fishing docks or areas with heavier current flow, I’m going to reach for the jerk shad rigged on an exposed-hook jighead.
This lure is designed to cut through the water quickly and needs less weight to get down to the bottom than say a paddletail lure.
Moreover, you can even rig this lure up on a light jighead and drift it through the current.
There are almost no limitations to the rigging and retrieving options this lure presents.
In addition to being able to use this lure all year round, not only will your catch quantity go up, but also the quality.
Jerk shads are commonly in the 5-inch class of artificial lures but fish of any size will strike this lure because everything inshore eats a shrimp.
Jerk Shad Rod & Reel Setup
When fishing with jerk shads, I lean towards using the 7′ TFO Pro S Professional Spinning Series Medium Action Rod.
If you fish in larger bodies of water and bays, then the 7’6 will perform the same action there.
The idea is to focus on using fishing rods with that Medium Action because of their quick action and sensitive tip section.
As far as reels go, the Daiwa BG MQ is a phenomenal spinning reel with a ton of drag and power capable of handling any inshore fishing scenario.
All you need is to spool up the BG MQ with 10lb braided line and you’ve got a nifty jerk shad outfit for inshore fishing.
Conclusion
If I was fishing in a tournament or even any given fishing trip I go on, I’d have a jerk shad lure tied up.
You can cover lots of water and different parts of the water column or if you want to, sight cast with this lure.
Jerk shads provide much more versatility than they’re given credit for and can be a secret weapon in your tackle box all year round!!
Do you have any more questions about the best lure you’re NOT using?
Let me know what you think of jerk shad lures down in the comments!!
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I will use them as topwater or midwater and on the bottom and i always did think that it imitates a srimp or bait fish depending on the retrive
Absolutely Ramon! It’s one of the most versatile lures out there in my opinion!
Great video Rich! I’ll be sure to use these next time out
Thanks man! they’re a solid choice when shrimp and mullet are around!
Yea while I do own a ton of themnin different colors and brands I only use them in the winter or late fall never really did anything on them in the summer except a couple times and you know being in Georgia now how murky the water gets and to me I like a bait that has flash and sound as well as scent to it that’s why for flounder and reds during mid morning after the topwater bite is over for me a safety pin style paddletail with a chartruese tail spinnerbait is my bait of choice been using them and catching fish on them for years and while there’s always something new coming out on the marker I usually stick with what works until it doesn’t anymore then I switch but anyways thanks for the info and all you do😉
They’re definitely effective during the fall and winter! I also like using them in the flooded grass in summer. Thanks Steven!
Intriguing report and, I agree. I love my Slam Shadys right beneath the surprisingly magical Chinese metal jigs with the teaser hook and disco flash. My goal is an average of 10-15 fish a day, every day of the year (Melbourne, FL).
Frustratingly, I’ve never caught a single fish on one of these jerk Shad’s. Maybe that’s because I’ve been discouraged by the recommended setup of a 1/8 or even an 1/16 setup which is not ideal for the type of casting I pursue. But, I am open to future experiments on my end.
One of my favorites in the Pine Island area! Not sure why you didn’t mention that this is a killer bait for Snook.. I’ve literally had more 50+ Snook days than I can count throwing nothing but jerk shad, white, slam shady, and chartreuse/white colors. As you know, for Snook, the “twitch-twich” retrieve is effective…
That’s awesome to hear David! So I actually don’t have Snook in my area, so I didn’t mention it due to not having any recent catch footage, but you are 100 percent right, they love them!
HI Richard,
I’m also curious of the type/size of Jighead you used. The water looked pretty shallow. Good stuff! Thanks!
No problem James! So I’m the video I was using a 1/8 oz- I occasionally will go to a 1/16 as well but usually on a weight hook like our Hoss Helix hooks. Then I like trout eyes the best for open faced jigs
Good info. I dont use that lure often enough so I’ll work on that. Will the Salt Strong BullBay 7″6 Medium Heavy Fast work as well?
Hey Bob, great question. So I’d probably not use a MH rod unless I’m throwing a 1/4 oz jig or heavier with this particular lure. But with that being said, as long as you have the casting distance you want out of a lighter jighead and still have sensitivity then I’d say you’re good. The TFO professional in a M is a great choice for it as well. 7’ or 7’6 would work
Thanks for sharing Richard
I love the jerk shad in deep water using an owner darter head. The action is really cool and fun to fish with. I have not tried it in shallow areas yet. Always appreciate the quality content and all involved behind the scenes. Take care
They definitely work great in shallow water as well, it’s such a great bait to use for multiple parts of the water column. Thank you AJ!
What jig head do you use?
I prefer the trout eye, but they can be hard to get at times so I also use H20 express jigs sometimes!
Thanks Richard for this detailed look at jerk shads, it serves as a reminder that we have a number of great tools in our bag for inshore gamefish.
Absolutely Buddy! They really can get the job done at times when others may not.
Agree! I have caught more flounder here in SC on jerkshad than all other lures combined….outfishes live bait for flounder most of the time.
I use the Saltstrong lure but also the smaller Capt Lane’s Ghost Minnow!
They’re deadly on the flounder! I’d throw them against live bait any day!