How to Fish Jerkbaits for Brown Trout

Jerkbaits, stick baits, minnow baits… Whatever you choose to call them, suspending or slow-sinking  minnow-shaped hard baits that dive and wiggle, dart or roll when twitched or reeled are top producers of quality brown trout, especially in tailwaters and other large rivers, where minnows, sculpins, shad and other fish species make up an important part of the forage base for big brown trout.

“The stick baits will produce even when fish aren’t in a heavy feeding mode because they prompt reaction strikes,” said Donald Cranor of Cranor’s White River Lodge on Arkansas’ legendary White River below Bull Shoals Dam.

Cranor knows. A lifelong White River angler and a trout fishing guide since 1982, Cranor owns and operates a full-service lodge and guide service on the river. He and his team of guides are known for their prowess for connecting clients with big brown trout. While Cranor fishes largely with natural bait on guide trips, his understanding of brown trout behavior is unparalleled, and he knows the great value of jerking a stick bait for large fish. He’s especially fond of the BOOYAH Flash Point and Flash Point Jr and has enjoyed watching these baits perform their magic over the past couple of years.

Cranor said the Flash Points work well throughout the year but seem to be at their very best during the cooler months – roughly from December through March. “During that time there are a lot less insect hatches, worms and crawfish available,” Cranor said. “So, the fish are feeding more on minnows.”

Brown trout, especially mature brown trout, have a wary nature that elevates their sport fish status in the minds of many anglers. That’s extra true in the White River, where rainbows traditionally are stocked, caught and harvested in large numbers, but brown trout are mostly stream-bred fish that grow up in the river.

Brown trout fishing is currently all catch-and-release in the Bull Shoals Tailwater as part of a special regulations package put into place Feb. 1. In truth, though, it has operated as a virtual catch-and-release fishery for many years because of a previous high minimum size and a general respect for the largest browns.

“They are wilder and harder to catch,” Cranor said about White River brown trout.

Mature brown trout also favor larger forage overall than do most other trout. Big browns feed heavily on forage fish of various kinds, even including other trout. That’s likely an important reason why baits like the Flash Point and Smithwick Suspending Rogue so effective.

Because Cranor fishes a large tailwater, water flow is a critical determining factor as to where and how he fishes. Bull Shoals Dam has eight generators that can operate at different levels, so the amount of water pushing through the riverbed varies immensely. Both the actual volume and whether it the river is rising, falling or stable impact where the fish position themselves and how they behave.

Cranor likes rising water best because it creates the best feeding conditions for the brown trout. “It’s like when you sit down at the Thanksgiving table. As long as you’re sitting there, you’ll keep grabbing another bite,” he said, explaining that he’ll move throughout a day to stay ahead of a water level rise and be in the zone where the fish are biting best.

Generally speaking, more water flowing equates to more actively feeding fish. It also pushes the fish tighter behind downed trees and other shoreline cover and into hard eddies formed by natural features like islands and cuts in the bank. Lower flows spread the fish more, and they will hold in deep holes in bends, along drops bedside river bars, and even out in the middle.

Water flow also dictates Cranor’s specific lure of choice. If the river flow is high – running at more than about 10,000 Cubic Feet per Second, Cranor opts for an original BOOYAH Flash Point. If it is less than that, he typically chooses the smaller Flash Point Jr. For either, Copper Shad is his favorite color.

Cranor uses a variety of presentations with Flash Points and pays attention to how the trout respond. “You have to figure out the temperament of the fish that day,” he said. “Mess with it, and you’ll figure it out.”

• Snapping the rod sharply, like a bass angler’s classic jerkbait presentation, is a good starting point. Mix in pauses between rod snaps and experiment with the cadence.
• Similar, but less aggressive, is to work the bait with quick twitches of the rod tip, often twitching it three or four times between pauses. A lot of fish will hit during pauses, so remain ready!
• Some days, the absolute best way to work a minnow bait is to cast it near the shore, close to a piece of cover or past a big hole and simply reel it back steadily.
• Subtle but sometimes critical variances of the reeling presentation are to mostly reel steadily but to add occasional rod pops to make the bait flare or to occasionally hesitate the retrieve just long enough to break the movement.

Cranor believes the biggest mistake people make with stick baits is to give up on them too quickly. “Hang in there. It’s going to happen,” he said.

• BOOYAH Flash Point – Donald Cranor’s go-to for higher flows. Sleek baitfish profile. Quick, erratic darts. Suspends. Signature blade embedded atop head that creates a “flash point.” 4 1/4 inches, 1/2 ounce.
• BOOYAH Flash Point Jr – All the same features as the original Flash Point, but in a smaller size. Cranor’s choice for lesser flows. 4 inches, 3/8 ounce.
• Smithwick Suspending Rogue – A longtime favorite for big brown trout. Subtle “Rogue roll” suggests a winter-chilled baitfish. Suspends. 4 1/2 inches, 3/8 ounce.
• Rebel Tracdown Minnow TD10 – Sinks slowly. Slightly rounded body. Wiggles and glides, more so than darting hard. Flash colors. Easy casting for size. 3 1/2 inches, 3/8 ounce.
• Rebel Tracdown Ghost Minnow – Small, slender slow sinker that’s wildly effective in smaller waters, especially. Tight wiggle when reeled. Erratic darts when jerked. Barbless treble hooks. 2 1/2 inches, 1/8 ounce.