Fish Swiping at Jerkbaits...is there a fix?

[M1RT]

12 lb PLine CXX has a diameter of .0148 inches. 12 lb Berkley Sensation is .012 inches. Some food for thought.

[DrewFlu33]

I switched from 40lb Sufix 832 for mono because of the wind. Unless I was casting downwind the bow in the line kept me from feeling the jerkbait on the pause so I went to my old tried and true 12lb big game. A lot of people are saying CXX is a great jerkbait line. I’ll check the thickness cause I’d like to stay right around .013 but would like 12lb. Florida bass can get rather large and I’ve seen many big girls being pulled in lately...my time has to come up soon!

Getting the rod tip down and the line laying on the water as quickly as possibly after making a cast is a big deal for dealing with braid in the wind, but even then it can be an issue so I totally understand wanting to look toward something different.

Just remember that lb test ratings don't necessarily mean a whole lot. This is pretty obviously true for braid and other "superlines," but it's true otherwise too, and way more than most people realize I think. My classic example is that Berkley 100% fluorocarbon in 8 lb is the same diameter as Sunline and Seaguar fluoro in 12 lb. Of course this is by design - most anglers just look at lb test ratings and will say "Berkley 8 lb is stronger than Sunline 8 lb so Berkley must be better!" But if you compare diameters you can see what's really going on. Namely that while 8 lb Berkley may seem exceptionally strong, it's not the same diameter of other 8 lb lines, won't fish like other 8 lb lines, and as a result it really doesn't make sense to compare to those 8 lb lines. Berkley just stuck that rating on it. It's really only an apples to apples comparison if you compare it to lines with the same diameter, like 12 lb Sunline and Seaguar.

Given your 0.013 diameter just as an example, there are some pretty wildly different lb test ratings across brands and lines within brands. Just to list a few examples: Berkley generally rates that about 12 lb with some differences within brand (Big Game puts 0.013 at 14 lb), PLine CXX rates it between 8 and 10 lb, PLine "original line" rates it between 12 and 15 lb, Seaguar rates it as 15 lb, and Sunline (basically) rates it at 16 lb (Sniper 16 lb is 0.0129 and 18lb is 0.0138).

Regarding CXX: In my experience CXX tends to be thicker than other lines of the same lb test (as detailed above), but even comparing diameter to diameter it generally is stronger, more abrasion resistant, less stretchy, and more temperamental (more memory) than mono.

Feel like this is sending this thread off into left field, but it's interesting discussion nonetheless.

EDIT: Sounds like M1RT and I were on the same wavelength there. Great minds...!

[Casslaw]

Drew, I always wait for your input as you always go in depth into why you’re making recommendations! You pointed out some pretty drastic “rating” comparisons around that .013 thickness I want. Now, of course, I’m much less confident on which line to choose next to try for jerkbaiting!

The 12lb Big Game casts better than braid somehow. I know it doesn’t make sense but for some reason 12lb Big Game on my jerkbait rod just sails! I never got close to the distance with 30 or 40lb Sufix 832. I tried really hard to stay with 40lb 832 across most of my rods for simplicity sake, but I was straightening too many trebles to keep it on my jerkbait rod. I hate knots so leaders and I don’t get along.

The only thing I don’t like is how much the Big Game stretches, so I want to try a copoly. Maybe CXX in 10lb? Scares me to put 10lb on anything in Florida! These 110s are way too expensive to lose...I’d probably cry!!

[slipknobber bot]

Drew, I always wait for your input as you always go in depth into why you’re making recommendations! You pointed out some pretty drastic “rating” comparisons around that .013 thickness I want. Now, of course, I’m much less confident on which line to choose next to try for jerkbaiting!

The 12lb Big Game casts better than braid somehow. I know it doesn’t make sense but for some reason 12lb Big Game on my jerkbait rod just sails! I never got close to the distance with 30 or 40lb Sufix 832. I tried really hard to stay with 40lb 832 across most of my rods for simplicity sake, but I was straightening too many trebles to keep it on my jerkbait rod. I hate knots so leaders and I don’t get along.

The only thing I don’t like is how much the Big Game stretches, so I want to try a copoly. Maybe CXX in 10lb? Scares me to put 10lb on anything in Florida! These 110s are way too expensive to lose...I’d probably cry!!

10lb CXX is more than strong enough for jerkbaits, and 8 would suffice most times. I throw 10lb CXX on my crankbait rod that i use for ripping cranks out of weeds that have zebra muscles all over them. While i do have to retie somewhat frequently, it holds up much better than almost anything else i've tried. the only time I use 10 CXX for jerks is when i'm ripping them out of weeds constantly, other than that it's always 8lb and i've never broke off on a jerkbait other than pike.

To piggy back on this diameter conversation, i agree completely that no one should be looking at lb test rating, but line diameter its self! On top of that, most lines are not accurately labeled. CXX for example, i've averaged about .0128" diameter on 15 spools tested of 10lb that is listed as .012 I've found this to be the case on all CXX, about .0008-.001 thicker than listed. Izorline Platinum on the other hand runs about .0002-.0005 thinner than it's listed dia. and suffix seige seems to be right on it's listed diameter. I will say that all these lines i'm measuring are so close to perfectly round i'm amazed. I'm an ex CNC programmer so i'm all about knowing exact measurements, that's how this all started for me :)

[bbbill]

Absolutely speed it up. They're getting to good a look at it.

[DustyD26]

The red front treble can be a big help

[Bonanza]

Could be males guarding fry swatting at the bait, not trying to eat it

[MikeFromMaryland]

If you can see / feel the fish missing the bait , try "Killing" the bait , you will be surprised at the results.

My 2 Cents.

[Casslaw]

By killing the bait you mean to let it sit correct? That could definitely be an issue because when I feel a fish swipe and miss my mind tells me to make that jerkbait look “injured” so I work it in a way that To Me makes the lure look stunned in hopes the fish will come back to finish it off.

Thanks everyone!

[Walkabout7781]

While I haven't done a lot of jerkbait fishing, I have used Gamakatsu EWG trebles on some Husky Jerks and had excellent hookups, and never seemed to miss or lose a fish on the way to the boat. So, I'm wondering what the theory is on why the round bends would be better.

I would also suggest that Big Game is very likely a co-polymer line. It may not be the combination of nylon types you need, tho. The OG McCoy guy said most monofil lines are co-polymer. That just means they're a blend of multiple types of nylon.

[krindgen]

Try a soft jerkbait.

[lpugh]

Try ripping instead of jerking. Long rod sweeps as fast as you can rip it moving the bait 7 to 10 ft trying various stall times. This entices the fish to chase the bait and it suddenly stops, works for quite often

[Casslaw]

Well Saturday wasn’t a jerkbait day, they were thick in the grass but I’ll keep trying these tips out! Thanks everyone.

The hooks on the 110s are the stickiest hooks I’ve ever used! I did bend 3 with 12lb mono but they went back to shape quite easily.

[Walkabout7781]

I would NOT straighten any hook that is heat treated (like Gamakatsu, Owner & probably most Japanese brands). My experience has always been that if I bent one and straightened it, it would break shortly thereafter. I bent a lot of Gamakatsu hooks skipping under docks...when they didn't go under the dock but smacked into it.

[Casslaw]

I’ll admit that I was pretty surprised that the hooks on the 110s were bending with a 7’ med-fast rod and 12lb mono! My drag was plenty loose, 3 pounders were running drag off, and I don’t lift fish with my rod. Now, they weren’t straightening, the points were about 30* off on 2 of the 3 when I noticed.

I replace almost all my hooks on my KVD jerkbaits, all on my Bombers! But I don’t have extra MB hooks and I know that lure is sensitive to hooks!

[M1RT]

If you're having troubles with the stock megabass hooks, swap them out with the Gamakatsu G-finesse treble hook. They weigh the same as the megabass katsuage so they won't effect the action and suspension.

[Casslaw]

Gotta thank everyone. Not sure if you all saw my thread in the General Forun (unbelievable morning or something like that) but I absolutely killed them on the Vision 110 Sunday morning. Im still bending hooks for some reason, drag is set really loose and the rod/reel isn’t overly stiff so I’m a little confused but the CXX 10lb and my 7’ med-fast Carbolite 2.0 combo (7.5:1) absolutely tore them up!

Now I have to consider a “real” jerkbait rod!

[slipknobber bot]

Megabass hooks are useless. Replace them with the gammy A-mart trebles or kvd short shank #6 and you'll be good to go.

[Casslaw]

I was looking for the Gammys but they had 10 types on TW’s page and none said they were the Aaron Marten ones so I ordered a couple packs of the MB ones. They do seem to bend rather easily but they’re sticky as hell! I’ll find the A-Mart ones and give them a try, thanks.

[M1RT]

I was looking for the Gammys but they had 10 types on TW’s page and none said they were the Aaron Marten ones so I ordered a couple packs of the MB ones. They do seem to bend rather easily but they’re sticky as hell! I’ll find the A-Mart ones and give them a try, thanks.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gama...cpage-NFH.html