John's Journal...
Entry 197,
Day 3
KEN COOK ON BASS FISHING
Ken Cook's Jerkbait Method
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Ken Cook of Meers, Oklahoma, a professional
bass fisherman since 1983, and before that a fisheries biologist, won
the BASS Masters Classic in 1991, as well as other B.A.S.S. events.
Question: What's the third rod you like to use?
Answer: In the springtime, I'll cast a hard jerkbait on a topwater rod
like my 6-foot 2-inch. That length allows me to stand in a boat and jerk
the rod with the tip down. It gives me the best action with the bait.
The jerkbait gets its name because you jerk it, obviously. Often I'll
jerk the rod really hard two or three times and then pause. I'll dive
a Suspending ThunderStick 3 or 4 feet deep. That lure will just stand
there around the cover or the grass, where I hope I'll also locate bass.
This lure offers the best of both worlds: you get a reaction from the
quick movement of jerking the bait, and you get a response to eat the
bait from a pause bait that stands right in front of the bass.
Question:
What line do you use for casting?
Answer: I normally cast this with SensiThin when I use this technique
because the SensiThin has a relatively low stretch for nylon monofilament
and is very tough and strong for its small diameter. Since the SensiThin
14-pound-test line has the same diameter as most 12-pound-test lines,
I get strength and sensitivity when I cast it as well as get the bait
down to where it needs to go.
TOMORROW: KEN COOK'S CRANKBAIT STRATEGY
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