Top 3 Most Exciting Ways to Catch Bass: Pre-Spawn Smallmouth Jerkbait Bite

The pre-spawn smallmouth bass jerkbait bite was the answer I gave my friend. It is genuinely one of my favorite ways to catch bass, but also I had a feeling I’d run into prime conditions for this to work during the third week of May in Northern Wisconsin. I got my wish!

Best Conditions for Jerkbaits and Pre-Spawn Smallmouth

Smallmouth bass generally spawn once the water temperatures reach 60-65ºF. But just before that, as the water climbs above the mid-50s, the smallies start to frequent the shallow, hard-bottom flats where they will eventually fan out nests for spawning. And during this time, they’re feeding aggressively, anticipating the spawning cycle when they’ll be otherwise occupied.

While in super-clear water lakes, as many premier smallmouth lakes tend to be, they do build nests as deep as 18 or even 20 feet deep, the majority of fish will be in the 2-10 foot range—the perfect depth for working most suspending jerkbaits.

Top Jerkbaits for Smallmouth: Megabass Vision 110 vs. Rapala X-Rap vs. Jackall Rerange

Megabass Vision 110

It seems like you can’t have a conversation about jerkbaits these days without someone shouting out the MegaBass Vision 110—and for good reason. It has proven without a doubt that fish love the action of that bait. I’m sure you will not regret choosing this jerkbait.

But, never having been someone who follows the crowd, I’ve found myself leaning on a couple less popular, but equally effective choices. I assume the last boat that worked across this flat probably showed these fish a Vision 110. I’m probably going to try something a little different.

Rapala X-Rap

I've loved the Rapala X-Raps since they first hit the scene a couple decades ago. You don't hear about them as much anymore, but I can assure you the fish still eat them. I’d probably start with the 10 size, but wouldn’t be afraid to throw the 12 as well. Although maybe counterintuitive, it seems like these pre-spawn SMBs show a preference for a bigger jerk bait a lot of the time.

The X-Rap casts great and has a great erratic action that allows you to get it moving a lot without moving forward. The feathered rear-treble gives the bait a slightly unique profile these often pressured shallow fish haven’t seen all day, every day. Plus, they come in a lot a great looking colors and cost about half as much as most other high-quality jerkbaits.

Jackall Rerange

But the jerkbait that really seemed to get their attention on this recent trip is the Jackall Rerange. Like the others, this bait has a great weight-transfer system that allows it to cast like a bullet. While the loud clack of that weight sliding back during your back cast will fool you into thinking you’ve accidentally clipped a PowerPole or the windshield, you get used to it. And it produces a low frequency sound during your retrieve that makes this bait unique.

It has a crazy slashing action that is very easy to impart by gently popping your rod tip on a semi-slack line. I like to mix up my cadence—one, two, pause - one, pause - one, two, three, pause. Since the water temperature is already at least mid-to-upper-50s, I really don't pause very long most days—maybe a second or less. These fish are usually pretty ready to eat.

The Strike That Keeps You Coming Back

Most of the time, it seems like the smallmouth grab the bait a micro-second after you begin your next jerk—like they’ve been staring at it while it’s paused and as soon as it moves again they blast it. On your end of the rod, it feels like forward progress 100% stops for a second. Then you feel a powerful head shake that lets you know it’s not a snag, but an angry bass.

I think you can get kind of hypnotized by the cadence of the retrieve again and again, but when they grab it, that jolt of energy is an adrenaline-producing surprise every time. Plus, in clear water lakes, you can often spot big bass stalking your lure before grabbing it. It’s a bite I’ve looked forward to every spring for decades.

Plan Your Spring Trip for Smallmouth Jerkbait Action

And if you don’t live in a part of the country with smallmouth bass fisheries, I promise you it’s worth planning for and making a trip to experience this bite. Once you’ve had a great day of pre-spawn smallmouth fishing with a jerkbait, you’ll find a way to make sure you experience it again and again.

Coming Soon: The Other Best Ways to Catch Bass

That was just the first best way to catch bass of what I said was a three-way tie. Be sure to check back for Parts 2 and 3 of this series. Catching bass is always fun, but these specific bites always take it to another level.