Description
Soft jerkbait fishing excels when bass chase bait across points and other open-water structure. Beau Browning uses this fast-moving approach to target largemouth and spotted bass feeding on schools of baitfish. By covering water and adjusting retrieve speed, Browning can quickly find active fish and trigger reaction bites.
Finding Bass Around Baitfish
Cooling nights often cause baitfish to group tighter, which can concentrate bass around productive structure. Main-lake points, drains and major creek entrances can all hold feeding fish during this transition. However, bass may not spread evenly across an entire point. Instead, small saddles, depth changes and other subtle features can concentrate bait. Browning starts by covering the entire point before narrowing his focus. Surface activity also provides valuable clues. Schooling fish can reveal where bait has gathered without relying entirely on electronics.
Three Soft Jerkbait Retrieves
Retrieve speed plays a major role in soft jerkbait fishing, especially in clear water. Browning primarily rotates between three presentations. First, he uses the traditional twitch-and-pause retrieve. A combination of one or two quick pops followed by a pause creates an erratic baitfish action. Next, Browning uses a faster burn-and-pause retrieve. This approach sends the soft jerkbait darting quickly through the water. The added speed gives bass less time to inspect the lure. Finally, Browning lets the bait sink deeper before working it with upward sweeps. The resulting rise-and-fall action resembles an injured or dying baitfish. This retrieve can reach fish holding farther below the surface.
Rigging a Soft Jerkbait
Browning fishes a 4-inch soft jerkbait with an exposed straight-shank hook in open water. The exposed hook provides reliable hookups when bass strike quickly or unexpectedly. A fast retrieve keeps the lure moving while giving bass a clear target among schools of smaller baitfish.
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00:00 Soft Jerkbait Breakdown
03:31 Soft Jerkbait Retrieves
05:26 Structure Breakdown
06:06 Rigging/Setup Breakdown