Jerkbaits well known as a hard plastic bait in fresh water fishing, but the soft plastic jerkbaits are used widely by anglers inshore fishing. By giving the rod regular wtitches and then letting the lure fall, the lure is attractive to hungry gamefish. The erratic action of these lures allows an angler to fish the same lure like several different forage species, and that is a distinct advantage over other lures.

The key to effectively fishing jerkbaits is rigging them correctly. Most are designed to be rigged Texas style, with offset bass worm hooks. Rigged this way, the point of the hook remains buried inside the bait, rendering the lure weedless.

There are also times when you want to get a little deeper with your jerkbait or make a long cast. That is the time to add some weight. There are weighted hooks that still allow the lures to be rigged Texas style. But you can use a lead jig head as well. A 1/8 ounce head is a good choice, because it can get the bait down under the surface or down to the bottom in the shallows. If you are looking to bump the bottom, a 1/4 ounce leadhead is a better option.