How to Fine Tune Jerkbaits

The key to jerkbait fishing is reaching maximum depth. The only way to reach those critical depths is by getting your jerkbaits to run perfectly true. Lures rarely are perfect out of the box and often need slight modifications. In this post, I will show you what adjustments I make to my jerkbaits to increase my success.

Tune Jerkbaits to Run Perfect

Most jerkbaits won’t run perfectly straight right out of the box. To correct this I make adjustments to the eyelet. With pliers, I come straight down over the eyetie and I twist the eye slightly in the opposite direction of where it was running. If the bait was leaning to the right then slightly bend the eye to the left. Make small incremental adjustments and test between each until you get it running perfectly.

Replacing Stock Jerkbait Hooks & Hardware

Jerkbaits have giant bass potential so it’s critical that you have the proper hardware to be able to handle them. Stock jerkbait hooks are a no-go. I replace almost all my jerkbait hooks and hardware.

• Replacement Hooks: Gamakatsu Aaron Martens Nano Finesse (Size 4, 5, 6)
• Replacement Split Rings: Owner Hyper Wire (Size 2 & 3)

Final Thoughts

Take your time and fine-tune your jerkbaits. It is absolutely worth it to get it dialed in just right. You will catch a lot more fish with a jerkbait the runs perfectly straight.