Introducing The New Gold Digger Jerk Lure For Winter Fishing
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
We’re proud to report that the Slam Series Jerk Lure is now available in the Gold Digger color pattern!!
This color pattern has been one of the top performers for targeting redfish, seatrout, snook, and flounder during the winter months since the fish are most often holding close to dark bottom areas for warmth.
Also, there is usually less baitfish available for them to eat, so they’re often honed in on bottom dwellers like crabs, shrimp, etc. that will naturally turn dark to blend in with the bottom.
So this color consisting of a black base with gold flash does a great job at mimicking what they are looking for which of course will result in some fun fish catching.
Here’s a video showing how they look!
New Gold Digger Jerk [VIDEO]
Click here to get this new lure
Click here to get the Jerk Series Variety Bundle
Rigging Tips
Soft plastic jerk lures are excellent lures to have because they can be effectively used in a wide range of depths.
The key is to use the right rigging options based on the depth ranges that you’ll be fishing.
Here are my favorites for the shallows as well as for deeper water:
Shallows (Under 3 ft)
My favorite rigging method by far for soft plastic jerk lures is to use a weighted hook because it enables me to generate strikes from spooky fish while being weedless (a huge benefit if fishing in areas with seagrass, oysters, rocks, etc.).
Here are my favorite weighted hooks along with weight recommendations based on usage:
- 1/16 oz. = under 2 ft depth (best for skipping)
- 1/8 oz. = 1 ft to 2.5 ft depths
- 3/16 oz. = 1.5 to 3.0 depths
Note: This lure can be rigged on 4/0 Hoss Helix Hooks too… I just like the smaller one because it helps get better skips and still has a great hookup percentage.
Deeper Water (Over 3 ft)
My favorite rigging method for soft plastic jerk lures in 3+ ft of water is to use a traditional jighead so it can dive down and be bounced along the bottom.
Here are my favorite jigheads along with weight recommendations based on usage:
- 1/8 oz. = 2 to 4 ft depths
- 3/16 oz. = 3 to 5 ft depths
- 1/4 oz. = 4 to 8 ft depths
Conclusion
Soft plastic jerk lures are excellent for winter fishing because they can be worked nice and slow to get lethargic fish to strike even when they are uncomfortably cold and not very hungry.
This new Gold Digger pattern is sure to be the perfect slam-catching machine given that it’ll effectively match the darker prey that redfish, seatrout, snook, and flounder are often looking for.
And if you’re going to be fishing in darker water (or at night), this of course is a smart color to use as well!
Click here to get this new lure
Click here to get the Jerk Series Variety Bundle
If you have any questions about these hooks, please leave a comment below.
And if you know someone who wants to learn more about winter lures, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Does anyone use these on Oahu Hi.?
I can’t think of a reason why they wouldn’t work in HI for targeting fish that feed on 4 to 5 inch baitfish or shrimp.
How does a dark lure help in dark water?
The darker profiles can often help lures stand out better in darker water.
Hi Luke! This is very exciting, as I’m one of the Insiders who’s been asking about this one for quite some time now haha.
The gold digger power prawn usa jr has become my confidence lure over the second half of this year, so I’m curious how to choose when I’d use this one instead.
I tested it out two days ago and didn’t have any luck. I see that you tend to lean towards the power prawn, yet I’ve noticed videos where Pat was having success with the jerk shad. What are the ideal scenarios for each, in your opinion?
So glad to see that you got some of these new lures! I like the jerk shad style better than the Power Prawns when I’m in need of covering a lot of water while still finesse fishing.
The Power Prawns are better when going slow since they look more realistic, and the jerks are better for faster retrieves since they have less water drag and quicker darting motions.
Thanks for the quick response! I would assume that the jerk would be better than a paddletail in those scenarios when the fish are extra spooky as well, since it doesn’t cause as much commotion in the water. I’ll keep my power prawn jr on one of the rods, and I’ll switch between the gold digger 2.0 and jerk shad with another rod!
Yes, I do most of my sight fishing with either jerks or power prawns because the fish here in Tampa Bay are super spooky.
A couple nights ago in So. Cal after midnight the slam shady was working repeatedly for halibut/flounder. In fact , I had the biggest i had ever seen on my line. Thought the hook was set because my rod was bent like a horseshoe. It went underneath the bridge I was standing on but not before surfacing belly up for me to see how big he was and then let go. That’s my one that got away story. Super strong fish.
How cool that you hooked such a big halibut on the slam shady!
What knot are you using to attach them to your line? I’ve seen the knot being demonstrated before on similar lures. But for the life of me, I can’t find the ‘How To’ video that shows you how to tie the best knot in any of the search options. If I knew the name of the knot my dilemma would be solved. Thank you
I use the non-slip loop knot for lures: https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/non-slip-loop-knot/
BIG thanks for the name of the knot. Very much appreciated 👊
My pleasure!
That Non-Slip Loop Knot that Luke posted is the BEST loop knot out there! The tag end points towards the lure, so not to snag any grasses.
If you type “knots” in the search bubble, you will gain access to all the knot videos!
Thank you for the searching tip, Sir. It’ll make a whole lot of difference for things/topics I search for in the future. Very much appreciated 👍👊👍
I love it
Insider discount is not showing up in checkout.
It should show up once you log into the tackle store platform. I just checked it using my account, and the $3.99 per pack Insider price is showing as normal.
Here’s a link to use to log in: https://www.saltstrong.com/member-login
Thank you for your response. That works for individual packs but not for the Jerk Series Variety Bundle. It still shows up as $12.46.
Update. It worked this morning. Bought 3 bundles. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
So glad to see that it is working as normal again. I hope you enjoy the lures that are heading your way.
Thomas,
I have also seen this happen. Although I don’t ever log out of Salt Strong, sometimes the system (or my computer?) forgets that I am logged in. If you click on a link such as those in this message and it takes you to the store but only a nonmember price shows, just go to the top of the page and click on the account button shown there. I don’t remember for sure what button it is, but I think it is My Account or maybe login to my account? Anyway, when you do that, if you are already logged in, the page will refresh and show the member discount as well. Hope this helps.
Bill
Been waiting for this one! Perfect timing for winter too!
Couldn’t agree more
How about showing the ideal retrieve with speed and rod action with this lure and other lures. Thanks
Here’s a lesson with videos on those subjects: https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/soft-plastic-jerk-lure-mini-course/