“Soft jerkbaits like Zoom’s Super Fluke are effective when twitched over emerging weedbeds on shallow flats in river backwaters and connected lakes,” Stears notes. “That’s a typical postspawn pattern that parallels applications in natural lakes and reservoirs. But the Fluke really shines once bass move to structure on the border of the main river channel. Target features like wingdams, pilings, harbor mouths where bass often hold and ambush shad. This type of fishing reminds me of fishing streamers for trout in creeks.
“Cast a Super Fluke into the upstream end of a chute and let it wash through with a few subtle twitches to imitate a dying shad. Or cast along the upstream edge of a wingdam where current forms a pocket and let the flow wash it by the structure where active bass lurk. Let it wash along naturally and the Super Fluke has action all its own. Super Fluke has the right combination of stiffness and pliability to produce that effect. Some plastics are too soft and don’t have that deadly darting action.
“Sometimes bass seem inactive and reluctant to hit a moving lure,” says Stears. “One trick is to let the Fluke wash into an eddy, engage the bail, and let current pull the line tight. This makes the Fluke turn, stop, and drop in a pocket. That’s often when they nail it. Depending on current, you may have to add a nail weight, though during moderate summer flows I usually switch between heavier and lighter hooks to maintain the lure’s buoyancy in current. While greens and browns occasionally work well, albino is the number one color choice here.”
Tackle Considerations
Though they’re light, unweighted soft jerkbaits can be cast far with surprising ease. That’s fortunate since bass can be boat-shy, especially in clear, shallow waters. Bites often come at the end of a long cast. Dave Lefebre favors a medium-heavy-action 71⁄2-foot baitcasting rod spooled with 8- to 12-pound Gamma Fluorocarbon line. “This rod can launch a little bait out there, and its length helps to set the hook on long casts,” he says. “And these lures are far more reactive on thinner line.
“Another advantage of the long rod appears when a big bass that had been following decides to bite at boatside. With a short rod, it’s easy to miss the strike or to break off the fish. A longer rod allows more control of the lure up close, and its length acts as a shock absorber when a big fish suddenly dives.”
Another school of thought favors rods of similar length but of the spinning persuasion. Proponents of each rod-reel type claim longer casts than the other, so it’s primarily a matter of personal preference. For long-distance work, spool a spinning mill with superbraid of 10- or 12-pound test, which has a diameter like 4-pound mono. It casts far and the lack of stretch provides powerful hooksets, even at 30 yards.
A 2- to 4-foot leader of mono or fluorocarbon may increase bites in clear water where cover is sparse. Also, the buoyancy of braid tends to hold up a soft jerkbait’s nose, making it fall tail-first when tied directly. Knowledgeable jerkbait anglers strive for a horizontal fall in nearly all cases.
In recent years, soft jerkbaits of several styles have flourished out of the limelight that surrounds some other hot styles of softbait. But for those in the know, there’s simply no substitute for these deadly lures. And no better time to get jerkin’ than right now.
