No Matter the Season, There's No Denyin' That Jerkbaits Can Git-R-Done

At least, that's Yamaha pro Brandon Palaniuk's take on the situation. He fishes 'em year-round and especially likes to use 'em during the hotter months.

"Most fishermen think these baits are only effective during the winter months, but I use these lures throughout the year," he said. "The only difference is simply the speed at which I present 'em. In warm water, I work 'em really fast, as opposed to cold water, where I fish 'em much more slowly."

Palaniuk varies his jerk-jerk-pause cadence to match the mood of the bass. In his opinion, jerkbaits are usually most effective in water depths of less than 12 feet.

"Summer bass have a high metabolism rate," he continued, "so they're feeding more aggressively than they do in the winter, which is why the faster retrieve works so well. Bass must think it represents an easy meal, because a lot of quality fish hit it...not just small bass."

The Yamaha pro used a jerkbait to help him win the 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the St. Lawrence River in New York, an event in which he made daily one-way runs of more than 100 miles downriver and out into Lake Ontario. On the final day of the tournament, with the lake extremely rough, he used a jerkbait near a rocky shoreline to cement his winning catch.

"My favorite places to use the jerkbait during summer are over wide, often featureless flats, where bass are roaming, rather than relating to any specific cover or structure," noted Palaniuk. "But when bass are suspended or around cover, like standing timber or deeper ridges, I won't hesitate to use the jerkbait there, too. I prefer to use lighter 10-pound fluorocarbon line, because it allows the jerkbait to move freely from side to side. Around heavier cover, though, I may change to 12-pound line.

"A jerkbait, especially when fished with a fast retrieve, often will cause bass to show themselves with a quick follow, even if they don't actually hit the lure. You can make a quick follow-up cast with a jig or plastic worm and often catch them. In that sense, a jerkbait also is a perfect lure to use when you're searching for bass."

Palaniuk's favorite color for jerkbaits is a hue he calls mossback-shiner, which features a darker back, with a lighter silver belly. Pearl-blue is another combination he's used successfully. Overall, he prefers to fish jerkbaits in clearer water, where he feels bass are probably feeding by sight. His fast retrieve makes the lure that much more tempting, since fish feel its vibrations but don't really get a good look at it.

In conclusion, said Palaniuk, "Jerkbaits will catch bass year-round. And the reason they're so versatile is because you easily can vary your retrieve speed to match the conditions. I always have one tied on and ready to cast, but among all the Elite Series pros, only a few of them fish jerkbaits during the summer like I do, and that suits me just fine."

September 2024 Bass Fishing Forecast

Hmm...We Aren't All Liars After All

We've all surely heard the old TV commercial with the following slogan: "When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen." Well, as I found out yesterday, while doing some online research, writer and blogger Pete Robbins suggests that Virginia pro angler John Crews (left) deserves the same kind of respect when he speaks. In the piece that I read, Robbins referred to Crews as "the last honest man in bass fishing."

And to think, here I was, believing, as I've read and heard far too many times, that "all fishermen are liars." OK, so maybe I'm kiddin' just a bit here, but let's face it, there are very few of us anglers who haven't, at one time or another, listened to...or perhaps told...one whopper of a story about the big 'un that got away.

In the piece that I read, Robbins took note of the fact that, over the course of thousands of interviews he's had with pro bass anglers, he cannot begin to count the times that the interviewee asked him to refer to a product as "unnamed reel" or "prototype lizard," because the angler in question wasn't getting paid by the company that actually produced it. Robbins also noted there probably have been an equal number of times when the angler said, "Look, I was actually using X, but I'd appreciate it if you'd say I was using Y."

Said Robbins, "This is a vexing and complicated situation for a not-quite-journalist, but it is the realm in which we currently live. That's why I pay attention whenever a pro bucks that trend."

One who did is Virginia's John Crews, who at the time of his interview, had amassed an Elite Series win and 10 Classic appearances. And in case you didn't already know it, he also founded and owns Missile Baits, a tackle company that produces a broad line of soft plastics, among other things.

"Based on my experience-based prejudices," said Robbins, "I assumed he never would knowingly promote or commend any other brand of soft plastics. But I was wrong."

Robbins then explained that friends and buyers from big-box stores repeatedly have asked Crews to produce a Senko look-alike, and each time his answer has been the same: "If I want to fish with a Senko, I'll just buy a Senko. I'm not going to design something that already exists. I'm trying to design something that doesn't exist or a better way of doing something. When I go to flip, you can rest assured I'll be using a D Bomb, a D Stroyer, or a Missile Craw, but if I want a horizontal fall, nothing beats a Senko."

As Robbins then said, "My big bosses at Yamamoto, who provide me with this space, should be glad to hear that. But you, as a consumer, should perk up your ears, too. It says you should be fishing a Senko and not a knock-off, because that's what successful pros do when their livelihood is on the line. It also tells you that if John Crews produced something, it's not just because a peg at the tackle store is available, or because he thinks he can make a quick buck. Rather, it's because it's something he needs to earn his living. Sometimes, complimenting someone else's product reflects positively on you and your product. When Crews says something in the future, you can be certain I'll listen even more attentively."

As Surely Everyone Expected, the FFS Fury Is Spreading

Yesterday came word from B.A.S.S. that its 2025 Elite Series and the Bassmasters Classic will limit the number of FFS transducers on each boat to just one, and it must be mounted only on the trolling motor at the bow of the boat. B.A.S.S. further will provide a list of acceptable live transducers from all major electronics manufacturers. Equipment not on this list is banned from usage in Elite Series and Classic competition. And finally, this equipment list will be vetted and updated annually.

As noted in this latest announcement, FFS has been controversial since day one, with many anglers arguing the technology goes too far, giving fishermen an unfair advantage. [My 2 cents worth: For God's sake, folks, take your head out of your butt. Alabama rigs were banned because B.A.S.S. believed they made it too easy for anglers to catch fish and eliminated some of the skill required in tournament competition. So just how is that any different from competitors using a sonar system where all they have to do is look at their screen and drop the bait directly in front of the fish? C'mon...What do you take us for...complete idiots? If I were a pro angler right now, I'd be demanding that the ban on Alabama rigs be lifted immediately. Call these decision-makers out for the fools they are for trying to brainwash you into believing there's a difference between Alabama rigs and FFS. They both fall in the same category. The only right thing to do is allow or ban both.] In Mississippi, some biologists seemed to agree and recently reduced the crappie creel limit on certain lakes, specifically because of the proliferation of FFS technology.

However, supporters of FFS argue that just because they can see the fish (or their lures) better, it doesn't mean they can make the fish bite. It's the old argument that, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." [My 2 cents worth: Isn't it funny, though, that a lot of hitherto unknown tournament anglers, using their FFS units, suddenly are going home with all the marbles? 'Twould seem to me that at least some of them have figured out a way to lead a horse to water...and make him drink, too.]

Like any new technology, there is a learning curve in how best to use it. In the last year or two, many professional tournament circuits have seen many of the best FFS users in the winner's circle. [My 2 cents worth: In other words, if these guys--likely all or mostly electronic nerds--had had to compete back in the day with the likes of Bill Dance, Roland Martin and Hank Parker, they would have remained nothing more than "also rans"...and probably never cashed a check.]

Meanwhile, other anglers have been forced to get onboard the FFS train. In the top circles, it has become the norm for some anglers to have almost as much money invested in electronics as they do in their boat and motor.

B.A.S.S. stopped short of outlawing FFS completely as NPFL did, but along with FFS restrictions will come other B.A.S.S. rule changes, including the following:
     * Elite Series and Classic competitors will be limited to a total of 55 inches of screen, including bow and dash head units. The trend to add more and bigger head units to boats is becoming a safety concern, as the bigger screens may create blind spots, impacting the safe piloting of boats. [My 2 cents worth: The way I see it, "blind spots" aren't the only concern here. I would suggest that having all that crap on the bow of your boat also creates a "trip hazard." Unless all FFS users are "twinkle-toed," I'd bet money that some of them will be caught in the act of taking an unintended splash. Just gotta hope they don't hit their head on something as they go.]
     * Elite Series and Classic competitors may now have only one electric motor mounted to their boats. There has been a rise in the use of electric motors mounted to shallow-water anchors, which makes the enforcement of current rules (like long-lining and trolling) very difficult.
     * B.A.S.S. will focus on a more diverse Elite Series schedule, creating a wide variety of fishing styles demanded for success. While live-sonar technology will remain a consistent tool used at the very highest level of competitive bass fishing, experience and a deep-seeded understanding of fish behavior, movement and patterns also will be needed for success moving forward on the fisheries scheduled. [My 2 cents worth: Sorry, but this sounds like nothing more than a lame attempt to make those seasoned anglers without the tech savvy of the younger guys feel like they still have a chance of winning once in a while. Good luck with that...although you probably will find a few "fish" who'll "swallow your bait" for a little while.]

Said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson, "The use of live sonar at the Elite level has sparked tremendous debate. Our technology committee spent a tremendous amount of time reviewing post-event surveys, comparing equipment on Elite boats to success rate and considering both fan engagement and bass-community feedback related to the use of new technology." [My 2 cents worth: Let's all understand what's really going on here. B.A.S.S. is worried that some of their money is going to go away if they don't play ball with the boys with the deep pockets (e.g., companies like Rapala, Shimano, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance, Humminbird, and others). In short, these companies are essentially funding the sport by paying a premium to have their brands plastered everywhere B.A.S.S. can put it. With this kind of sway, it's all but a given that they would be adverse to the banning of any one or more of their products, most especially something like FFS, from the pro tours. Hence, B.A.S.S. officials are having to walk a tightrope, trying to keep both the companies and the anglers happy enough to stay in the game.]

Major League Fishing (MLF) has yet to announce whether or not there will be any rule changes for its 2025 season. Likewise, none of the major crappie-fishing circuits announced any rule changes.

Gettin' His Licks In Before Those Darned Northeast Winds Arrived

DMac got on the water twice last week, and from the looks of the weather forecast for this week, it's a good thing he did. By this next weekend, I suspect the water will be low enough to walk across West Neck Creek with your pant legs rolled up and never get 'em wet.

According to his report this morning, DMac launched out of the Pungo Ferry ramp last Monday and fished the other side of the river. At day's end, he had caught 14 bass with a combination of topwater baits and rubber worms...his best a 3.27-pound bass. The water was on the low side that day, too, but at 73 degrees, it provided a setting the fish seemed to like.

On Thursday of last week, then, DMac fished West Neck, with topwaters again as the table fare. He managed to lip 12 bass, with his best of the day a 4.97-pounder.

Those successes had DMac all jacked up about heading to the river again this week...until he saw all those 20-mph winds forecast for the next few days. As he aptly put it, "Our Virginia water will be vacationing in North Carolina."

In his latest note, DMac also let me know that, at the urging of his oldest son (who won two big-bass challenges last year in NC on a frog he gave the young 'un), he's now in the market for a legit bass boat to replace the tin boat he's been running. 'Twould seem son wants to get serious about his fishin'.

NPFL Bans Forward-Facing Sonar for 2025

That announcement came today from Brad Fuller, president of the National Professional Fishing League, which launched in March 2021.

Said Fuller, "After many sleepless nights and countless hours of discussions that touched every corner of the fishing industry, we at the NPFL have come to realize several important things about live forward-facing fishing technology.

"First, the issue is complex and compounded by the fact that it elicits an emotional response from many. Second, for rational discussions and decision-making, it's helpful to remove as much emotion from the process as possible. And third, there are serious policy and business ramifications associated with taking any position on this technology.

"There is no way to make every stakeholder happy where a technology policy is concerned. For what it's worth, I enjoy using forward-facing sonar in my personal fishing, and I'm grateful for what it's taught us about bass behavior. It's an incredible tool, and no matter your attitude toward the technology, it's undeniable that it's impactful for bass catching. Our concern at the NPFL is whether it's a proper tool for competitive bass fishing."

The president went on to point out that just like major league baseball, auto racing, and professional golf, tournament bass fishing needs rules to protect the integrity and appeal of the game.

"At NPFL," he explained, "we do not want competitive bass fishing to become a technology arms race, where anglers stare at a screen, targeting pixels and losing their connection to the fish we love so much. Forward-facing sonar is changing the ways that anglers approach competition and the ways that fans consume content. It's also reducing the methods and baits that anglers use to compete.

"Our sport is too important and too diverse to allow technology to shrink it to a handful of methods and tackle," he continued. "Robust competition requires variety, experience, and broad skills. It must be more than an expensive video game.

"The early sonar units of the 1950s were revolutionary. Since that time, most of the advancements have been changes of degree. With the introduction of FFS in 2018, the change was qualitative--a change in kind that threatens to alter the very nature of our sport. It's a technology we can appreciate and admire, without allowing it to undermine our ultimate goals: to deliver the highest level of competition in the fishing world, to raise the sport to greater heights, and to share our passion.

"Starting with the 2025 season, the NPFL will prohibit the use of real-time imaging units--commonly referred to as 'live forward-facing sonar'--during official practice and competition. Other sonar (e.g., 2D, side imaging, 360, et al.) will continue to be permitted. The use of future technology will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

"The 2025 NPFL Championship will be conducted using 2024 rules. It's only fair that the anglers who qualified for the Championship be allowed to compete under the same rules with which they qualified.

"We considered intermediate measures that fell short of a complete restriction but believe they would be insufficient to protect the sport. Limiting transducers or screens or only allowing the technology on certain days or hours are half measures that may quiet some opponents of the technology, but they are unlikely to reduce its impact.

"Our decision was neither easy nor made quickly. It is ultimately a business decision made after much due diligence and unclouded by conflicting business relationships. We are committed to upholding the tradition and integrity of competitive bass fishing.

"This decision will be met with some approval and some criticism, but we're confident that this is the right decision at the right time for the sport and for the NPFL."

Original story by Brad Fuller. Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons.

Note: This decision by NPFL does not impact the other two professional bass-fishing organizations: Bassmaster and Major League Fishing.

OK, So Maybe You're No Good at Reading Tea Leaves, But...

How good are you at reading what fish are trying to tell you by the way they're hooked? Don't laugh, 'cause there's a message in how every fish you catch is hooked. That's not what I say, but rather, what the folks at Wired2Fish say.

They understand it's tempting to unhook your catch quickly and keep casting, but their advice is to first take a few seconds and make note of a few things...important things, that is, which may spell the difference between your having a good or bad day.

For example, if you're fishing a lure that the bass are continuously sucking down toward the back of their throats, it's a safe bet you're doing the right thing. Major adjustments aren't required in this situation.

To drill down a bit farther, though, this also can help you determine the most productive areas on a particular fishery. When you're only getting a few bites, but the fish are choking your lure, that might signal that you're missing part of the puzzle. Your bait selection is spot-on, but perhaps it's time to start checking other areas. It can be as simple as switching from primary to secondary points, or even a slight change in casting angles can be a huge difference maker. If the bites are few and far between, don't be afraid to branch out to different areas.

On the other hand, when you're fishing crankbaits or jerkbaits, you'll sometimes notice the fish are being hooked in the bottom of the jaw...not in the mouth, but under their chin. This isn't a big deal for your landing percentage, as that's usually a high-percentage area for hooks to grab. However, it signals you could be missing out on an even hotter bite.

This situation often means you're fishing a bit too deep in a particular area. Given the popular belief that bass prefer to feed upward...attacking baits from underneath...you should try keeping your moving baits a bit higher in the water column than where you believe the bass are sitting. You'll likely catch a few fish while running your jerkbaits and crankbaits under them, but you'll catch a lot more with a slight depth adjustment.

As an example, if you're fishing a 10-foot diving crankbait over a point and hooking bass under the jaw, try switching to a 6-foot diving crankbait. The difference sometimes can be remarkable.

Then, there are those times when you'll hook a big bass on the outside of the mouth. When using treble hooks, this gives a bass a lot more opportunity...and leverage...to twist the hooks during the fight and come unbuttoned.

Bass hooked outside the mouth also can mean they swiped at your lure out of reaction or pure predatory instinct...not because they're actively feeding. This can be your clue that repeated casts will produce more action on that particular day. When bass are lethargic, it's not unusual to have outstanding success by making up to a dozen casts at each good-looking piece of cover. A big bass very well could be there, but you'll have to make it mad enough to swat at your lure.

And finally, there's the situation that can result in your losing fish throughout the day. When using treble-hooked moving baits, it's never ideal to hook fish on only the back hook. The message here is that they want your lure, but something isn't quite right. This  is where experimentation comes into play.

It's tough to change baits when you're getting bit, but more times than not, it leads to greater things. Avoid being stubborn, and try several different things. Understand that there's no cut-and-dried solution here. It could be a slight color change, switching to rattling vs. non-rattling model, or even adding a dot with a marker that gives the bass something to target. Some people even may try changing to a red hook on the front of their bait. If those changes don't work, you might try switching from a 1.5 to a 2.5-sized squarebill (or vice versa). Try not to be robotic or resistant to change. Small things can make a big difference.