Suspending Jerkbaits for Coldfront Smallmouths

As a true power fisherman, my favorite way to catch spring smallmouths is with a jerk bait. During spring when bass are in the pre-spawn phase, cruising the shallows and staging outside of spawning areas, this technique allows me to cover maximum amounts of water in any conditions, and allows me to elicit the reactionary strike that I’m always trying to generate.

Commonly this time of year, coldfronts of epic proportions invade our region. Additionally, it’s the heavy rain season. It’s always good to have plan-B options.

In these poorer conditions, river systems and low-land flowages are my go-to’s. However, heavy rainfall can turn them into terrible options. High water and reduced water clarity is not a good recipe to smallmouth fishing success.

Nothing is more demoralizing during the spring feeding spree than a major cold front. During the days prior, for instance, smallmouths might have been stacked and staging, easy to find. Water temperatures were quickly warming, and you were likely having 20 to 50 fish days. Then overnight a front invaded, bringing with it several hours of rainfall, lots of run-off, a brutally cold north wind, and 40 degree air temperatures.

You follow the weather closely the next morning, thinking the fishing just got ruined. Right? Not necessarily. Just sleep in a little longer and fish during the midday hours instead. The coldfront may have improved the fishing to some degree, especially if proficient with the suspending jerkbait.

While a major cold front like this in the spring can make conditions miserable for anglers, a little adaptation to the conditions at hand will save your day of fishing. If done correctly, and as crazy as it sounds, you can possibly have one of your best days ever. In order to do so, think slow and apply patience. Fish as slowly as the fish are reacting to the coldfront.

For smallmouth bass impacted by cold front, cover minimal water, by focusing on specific locations and staying on top of them. Fish each location thoroughly and diligently. For coldfront smallies, the keyword is slow. With suspending jerkbaits, that means utilizing baits with loud rattles with a few jerks, and long pauses sometimes up to 30 seconds or more.

Suspending jerkbaits with erratic darting action, deeper cutting, loud rattles, and holographic color patterns appeal well to coldfront smallmouth bass. 

Remember to fish painfully slow. Instead of jerking profusely, pull instead. Smallmouths will be more prone to strike something that is as lethargic as they are.

If fish are responding from their staging locations, hang on. You could be camping on single spots for hours at a time if they’re stacked and staging outside of their spawning areas. In many instances, we’ve been able to catch 20 to 50 fish from these types of areas during afternoons.

Right time, right place, right strategy.