A Better Solution for Catching Deeper Suspended Bass

Jerkbait fishing got redefined last year when BOOYAH Bait Co launched the Flash Point jerkbait, with its namesake “flash point” coming from a blade that is sonically welded atop its head. In addition to adding flash in a way fish hadn’t previously seen, the blade creates an outstanding return on forward facing sonar.

For a multitude of performance-related reasons, the Flash Point was an immediate hit among bass anglers, and it quickly became one of the most popular jerkbaits in the bass fishing world. With that popularity came an immediate surge of demand for a deeper version that would appeal to fish holding a little farther down in the water column but that otherwise was the same as the original Flash Point jerkbait.

Fortunately, the folks at BOOYAH anticipated such a need and engineers were already at work creating the perfect diving lip for the Flash Point Deep, which was just revealed and is available now on Lurenet.

The new Flash Point Deep dives to 10 feet, 4 feet deeper than the original, but everything else remains unchanged. Same profile, finish, colors, swimming action, suspending posture, hooks…

The Flash Point and Flash Point Deep feature a narrow profile that facilitates a highly responsive action and suggests an easy target. A broader rounded back and belly accurately mimic shad or herring. Etched scales and fins, along with intricate painting, create an exceptionally lifelike appearance.

The action, triggered by every snap of the rod tip, is quick and highly erratic. Both Flash Point models are engineered to suspend at a 45-degree, nose-down angle when paused to imitate a dying baitfish. A weight-transfer system, which utilizes tungsten balls, allows for long casts, which can be critical for fishing jerkbaits, especially in clear water.

The new Flash Point Deep jerkbait is 4.25 inches long and weighs 1/2 ounce. It comes armed with three No 6 ultra-sharp carbon steel SS finish treble hooks. It is available in the 12 colors that were developed for the original Flash Point, including highly natural baitfish imitations and attractor patterns.

The virtue of the Flash Point or Flash Point Deep for targeting fish you can see on forward facing sonar is undeniable. The blade creates a fabulous sonar return that makes it simple to track your lure, and the bait’s shape, action, posture and flash are unmatched for coaxing attacks from suspended bass. Because the Flash Point works SO WELL with forward facing sonar and has gotten so much acclaim for those applications, it would be easy to overlook the effectiveness of this lure with or without cutting-edge electronics.

The Flash Point and Flash Point Deep’s realistic appearance, strike-prompting flash, suspending posture and erratic action are the same whether you’re casting from a bass boat or standing on the bank. In fact, the Flash Point provides an extra good option for shoreline fishing and sit-down canoe or kayak fishing, where casting can be somewhat compromised, because the tungsten casting system in both models makes casting easy.

Also noteworthy, although the Flash Point and Flash Point Deep undeniably were created primarily for catching black bass, it didn’t take long for anglers targeting other species in freshwater and saltwater settings to embrace the original Flash Point. Without question, the same will be true of the deep version. Striped bass, walleyes, redfish and speckled trout are some of the other species that have been the most targeted with Flash Point jerkbaits in the first year.

Bass pro Jimmy Mason said that with the new Flash Point Deep in his arsenal, if he is jerkbait fishing, he’s apt to have both a Flash Point and a Flash Point Deep tied on. Frequently, some fish will be suspended deeper than others. Having both tied on allows him to work two distinct zones efficiently.

Because the Flash Point and Flash Point Deep look and act the same, just at different levels, they truly are complementary baits, and one is not necessarily better than the other.

Having both in easy reach and experimenting is especially valuable for any angler who is not fishing with forward facing sonar to reveal the depth most bass are using and to show how they are or are not responding. Working two key depth zones can help expediate the patterning process.

A final important note about the versatility of both models of Flash Point is that these baits play a significant role 12 months a year, except in ice country. Anglers simply need to adjust presentations and locations based on the fish’s seasonal behavior and holding areas.

Fussy suspended winter and early spring bass put suspending jerkbaits on the map, initially with the Smithwick Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue, and that remains highly effective and the most popular time to target bass with suspending jerkbaits. The ability to hang a baitfish-imitating lure in strike zone and match the baitfish’s cold-water behavior with erratic movements and punctuated pauses indeed make the Flash Point and Flash Point Jr ideal for this time of year. However, that’s not the end of the story.

One thing that forward facing sonar has clearly revealed is that while the bass generally move shallow as spring progresses and again during autumn, some fish remain suspended over deeper water almost all the time. As significantly, the same technology has shown a suspending jerkbait to be a great tool for prompting strikes from bass that are holding closer to points, humps, channel edges, bluff banks and other structure. Having both Flash Point models available is especially valuable for fish relating to bottom contours because they generally won’t move as much vertically to feed as fish that are up off the bottom.

Arguably the most important seasonal shift is in the aggressiveness of presentations. As the water warms in mid- to late spring and continuing through fall, more reeling, sharper rod movements and fewer pauses tend to prompt more strikes, and angler who stick with early spring presentations might be fooled into believing the jerkbait bite is done.