When Should You Use The Tweaker Over The 2.0? [Side-By-Side Test]
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
Over my last few trips, I’ve been conducting side-by-side comparison tests with the 2.0 and the Tweaker.
I wanted to know if one lure performed better than the other in a given situation.
My findings will definitely change how I approach fishing this spring.
Take a look at the full experiment here!
Tweaker vs. 2.0 [VIDEO]
Lures Used:
Tweaker vs. 2.0
In case you aren’t familiar with these lures just yet, the 2.0 is our 3.5-inch paddletail that’s been around for quite some time now.
You might have heard “the Original Slam Shady” before – this is that lure but now we have a bunch of new colors.
The Polk County Tweaker is our NEW soft plastic jerk bait.
The 2.0 is a smaller paddletail that can be worked a variety of ways, popularly down on the bottom with slight twitches and pauses.
However, the Tweaker is a completely different story.
It is a bit more erratic with quick twitches and lots of movement.
Springtime Tactics
Normally, I’ve got 3 setups with me in the spring.
The first has a topwater lure, the second a paddletail, and the third will have a shrimp imitation rigged up.
In the springtime, you have to cover a lot of ground because the fish are on the move following the bait.
Powerfishing is a great way to cover ground and find the bite.
Side-By-Side Results
The first day of the test I was out fishing with Wader Dave in the Gulf.
It was bright blue skies in clear water.
After using both lures for a bit, the 2.0 was the ticket and ultimately caught the most fish.
But, my next trip out on the East Coast of Florida went completely different.
The Tweaker excelled on this trip.
The fish were a bit lethargic so the constant motion of the Tweaker was able to trigger reaction strikes.
Lastly, the third day was a total change in conditions.
It was cloudy and the water was a bit murky.
It wound up being right around even on total fish for each lure.
Key Takeaways
The main takeaway from these trips is that the Tweaker is an EXCELLENT search bait.
You can work it fast to cover a ton of ground and eliminate water to find the 90/10 zone.
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Thanks Pat. Good and thorough.
Good stuff Pat. I’ll use a tandem jig set up with 2 different colors, and at times 2 different jig head weights as a search rig. After finding the fish it’s always fun to experience with colors. I guess I just really like the fun of it all. Very interesting was one of the latest podcasts where Luke caught fish on different colors in different amounts of daylight. I’ll be doing more of that to see how it plays out. Always enjoy your posts.
Great video. I have not tried the tweaker yet, but this video was a big help.
I love learning about the tactics for the season. 3 rod set up to me is perfect. I’ve heard in precious videos for other coaches(can’t remember the name rn) that they use the 2.0 as a search bait because they can cover more water than a jerk bait. Is the advantage of the tweaker that is gets a reaction bite AND covers ground fast? Wouldn’t the 2.0 cover more territory faster because it’s mostly a steady retrieve? Thanks!
Good info, thanks!
Thanks, Pat, more good intel!
Thank you Pat. Really good info.
great video sir. i have one pole with a 2.0,one with a prawn jr.,one with a tweaker,one with a pinfish skin twitch bait,one with a popping cork,one with a carolina rig,and one with a spoon tied on. LOL seven is my lucky number. and they are all interchangeable.
Pat,I always appreciate your videos! They are extremely helpful. You do the trial and error and this helps me focus more on productive methods to find and catch more fish. Thanks!
Went out Wednesday with tweeter and had some fish on without hookup’s. I’m wondering if they were probably small or if I need to change how I set the hook. Do you recommend a quick set or let them take it? I did catch a trout on the prawn, but I like the cast ability of the tweeker
This was happening to me and I literally had fish biting and holding the end of the bait and then they would let go, the fix was to either rig the tweaker with a longer hook shanks than the normal 2.0 size ones, or alternatively cut off like a half inch of the tweaker to shorten it. I chose the latter, and the fish immediately began getting hooked.