How to catch barra on jerkbaits

 By Robert Thornton

Jerkbaits are a lure type that has become increasingly popular in the last few decades, especially as more US and Japanese brands have entered the Australian market. These days, jerkbaits are deployed for a wide range of Australian species, with barramundi being a prime target.

These fish and jerkbaits are so synonymous, in fact, that virtually all serious barra will carry at least a modest collection of jerkbaits. For a lot of fish these lures are only used in very specific scenarios, however for barra they are a standard presentation.

It’s not as simple as just tying one on and fishing with the classic ‘twitch-twitch-pause’ retrieve, though. Jerkbaits are way more versatile than they first appear, and this is certainly true when lure fishing for barramundi.

In this blog we’ll look at what makes jerkbaits so effective for barra, when and where to use them, how to use them, plus a few specific models and suitable tackle to run them on. Let’s go!

Who’s this jerk?

A ‘jerkbait’ refers to a hardbodied diving lure that is designed to be fished with twitches or jerks. Usually they are long and slender, have a fairly neutral buoyancy (meaning they suspend), and are used primarily as a casting lure.

For species like bream and bass, jerkbaits tend to come into play when the water is clear and the fish are more responsive to realistic presentations that hover enticingly in the strike zone. While this can also be true for barra, jerkbaits are often the first thing barra anglers will tie on, regardless of the season or other environmental factors.

Jack Mitchell regularly uses jerkbaits in his local impoundments and estuaries in the Mackay region and wouldn’t be caught barra fishing without a selection of these lures on hand.

“As long as you’re hitting the right depth,” Jack explains, “jerkbaits are the most versatile bait for barra, and certainly the best allrounder in impoundments.”

“Whether I’m using live sonar, casting at weed edges or peppering the shallows… they’re just a great lure for all situations.”

A great presentation they may be, Jack is careful to clarify that they’re not his first port of call in all barra scenarios.

“In dams, a jerkbait is almost always the first lure I’ll pick up,” he says, “In the salt, though, I tend to start with a soft plastic.”

“They’re way more depth-orientated in the salt,” he goes on “and with a plastic I can control the depth of the lure more easily, which is helpful when the current speed and water height is constantly changing.”

What makes a good jerkbait for barra?

While a whole range of different brands, colours and sizes will work for barra, Jack is quite particular with what he looks for in a jerkbait.

“I like silent jerks,” he explains, “I just find it’s a more natural presentation, plus they’re always going to have some noise anyway with split rings, trebles and so on.”

Jack also likes a jerkbait that can be comfortably fished with different retrieves.

“A good jerkbait is one you can hit aggressively on a slack line so it darts,” he says, “but at the same time also has a nice body roll on a slow retrieve.”

“A lot of people see them as just a ‘twitch-and-pause’ bait,” he continues, “but you really want jerkbait that you can twitch aggressively without it blowing out, and also slow roll without it moving off track or rolling in on itself.”

Daiwa’s range of larger jerkbaits are perfect for this mixed approach, and there are a few that Jack has used confidentially over the years.

“In the impoundments I like the Current Master in both the DR and EXDR models,” he says, “they’re a perfect bite size at 93mm, and are my go-to in almost all jerkbait situations in the dams.”

When Jack needs a larger presentation, however, he’ll reach for a Double Clutch 115. The standard Double Clutch 115 model is able to hit the 5-6ft mark, while the EXDR model is capable of working the 10-12ft range, and Jack chooses which model he uses based on the depth the fish are hanging at. 

“Line class makes a bit of a difference too,” he adds, “The lighter you go, the deeper it’s going to run, and this is why I tend to use 30lb braid and 50lb Saltiga FC X-Link instead of the 50lb mainline and 100lb leader some people use.”

Jerkbait tackle

For anglers like Jack, tackle selection is almost as important as the jerkbaits themselves. While it may seem pedantic, many barra fishers also follow a similar line of thinking. Besides, when you’re spending long sessions throwing lots of casts, it makes a world of difference when you have an outfit that’s comfortable in your hands and suited to what you’re doing.

“For all my jerkbaiting I like a rod that’s between 6’6” and 6’10” with a fast action,” Jack explains, “I feel that a shorter rod allows you to work them aggressively, which generally means working your rod downwards.”

“You don’t want to be hitting the water or slapping side of boat,” he goes on, “so a short rod is the best way to get plenty of action out of the lure without making too much noise on the boat.”

Baitcasters are the standard weaponry for most barra fishing, and Jack’s approach to jerkbaiting is no different, opting for the accuracy, control and sensitivity that a baitcast outfit affords him.

“I like a highspeed baitcast reel,” Jack says, “Faster ratios make it easier to pick up slack between twitches.”

Jerkbaiting for barra

Even though jerkbaits are highly versatile barra lures, Jack usually starts each session employing the same retrieve, regardless of where he is.

“I’ll start off with the classic ‘twitch-twitch-pause’,” he explains, “and from there I’ll make fine adjustments based on how they’re responding to that.”

At all times, anglers like Jack are looking for any indication of how the barra are responding to their lures. Sometimes these signs are very subtle, but most of the time they will give you hints in one way or another.

“If I know there are fish there and looking at my lure but not eating, I know it’s time to change it up,” he says, “Another sign that you need to adjust your approach is if you feel a fish nudge the lure without it feeling like a definite ‘eat’.”

“Quite often when I’m getting lots of short strikes, I’ll burn the lure for a few metres and suddenly get a hook-up!”

“Other times I’ll need to let the lure suspend for 10-20 seconds for them to commit.”

Lure colours are another aspect to consider when jerkbaiting, and Jack approaches colour choice in a very practical way.

“Colours for me are not about what looks good to me,” he says, “I try to choose colours based on scenarios and variables like light levels, cloud cover, water clarity and so on.”

“Jerkbaits with reflective sides are going to throw a lot of shine in bright sunlight,” he adds, “on the other end of the spectrum, dark and solid colours with lots of contrast will be easier to see under the full moon at night.”

Water clarity has a big effect on colour choice for barra anglers as well, with bright and solid colours preferred in murky water, and clear, natural and even translucent colours called on for clearer water where visibility isn’t an issue for the barra.

As with anything though, these are not hard-and-fast rules, and Jack’s trial-and-error approach reinforces how important it is to make adjustments as you go. Lure size, depth, colour and retrieve are all things in the angler’s control, and by tweaking these variables it’s usually possible to find a pattern.

What a jerk

Jerkbaits aren’t just something you use for barra in very specific situations, as is generally the case with species like bass, bream and trout. Rather, they are a basic lure type that every barra angler should carry a good selection of whenever they’re on the water.

Jerkbaits offer a versatility that’s unparalleled in the field of barramundi lures and can be highly effective in a range of scenarios with only minor adjustments from the angler.

If you’ve never tried fishing with jerkbaits for barra, you’re doing yourself a disservice! If you’re new to barra fishing, make sure you stock up on jerkbaits in a few different sizes, depth ranges and colours.

The sharp ‘thud’ of a barra eating a jerkbait isn’t something an angler can experience just once and not want to feel again. Once the jerkbait bug bites, it doesn’t let go!