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As mentioned in a previous post, I mainly use minnows and minnow-style jerkbaits with a straight retrieve using a reel. In particular, I retrieve them at very high speeds to target active sea bass or to trigger aggression in lethargic fish. However, I sometimes resort to other techniques or tricks.
Jerking and twitching
Minnow jerkbaits can be worked using the rod tip. You can perform ?jerks??which are wide lateral movements created by a sweeping, sharp rod stroke, either from bottom to top or top to bottom, followed by a pause. You should keep the line slightly slack so that your minnow lure can continue moving without being restricted. This type of retrieve is ideal for targeting specific spots, such as an isolated rock. By incorporating long pauses, your lure will remain in the target area for an extended period?especially since these lures are often suspending and will therefore stay motionless at the desired depth during pauses, taunting any nearby predators.
Twitches, on the other hand, are small lateral movements often performed at a faster pace and accompanied by reeling in the line with the reel. Your lure will then swim erratically, mimicking a wounded fish fleeing from predators. To perform these twitches, you need to make sharp, short jerks with the rod tip, holding the rod low or high depending on the depth.
Twitch lures are used more often during fast-paced fishing and when searching for fish, especially when targeting active fish. A rocky shelf is the ideal spot for this type of retrieve.
The rhythm and intensity of the jerks and twitches?as well as the pauses that accompany them?should then be adjusted based on the mood of the bars that day.
Stop and Go
While jerks and twitches require some basic technique, there are other subtle techniques you can easily use when fishing with a wobbler. For example, the ?stop-and-go? technique?which involves reeling in the line steadily followed by a complete stop?is an excellent way to trigger strikes from bass when they?re following the lure or aren?t actively feeding. The pauses can sometimes be long (more than 10 seconds), and bites usually occur when you resume retrieving or during the pause. In the latter case, they?re often violent. Don?t hesitate to make these sudden stops, followed by a quick restart near a rock, a patch of seaweed, or any break in the environment that might harbor a sea bass lying in wait. For this type of presentation, the use of a suspending lure is highly recommended.
Change Gears
When fishing with a wobbler using a linear retrieve with a reel, don?t hesitate to vary your retrieve speed regularly. These changes in speed can trigger a strike from a following sea bass, which will either take advantage of an opening when the lure slows down or, conversely, rush toward it when it speeds up, for fear of letting it get away.
Change in Management
Similarly, by regularly changing the angle of your tip, you?ll make your wobbler change direction, allowing you to get as close as possible to promising areas (rocks, obstacles, weeds, etc.) and bringing it to life by breaking up the monotony of your retrieve.
Fishing sometimes comes down to the smallest details, so if you?re not getting any bites?especially if you know there are fish in the area?don?t hesitate to vary your techniques and be mindful of what you?re doing. You might find the key factor that makes the difference, and you?ll want to remember it so you can replicate it on your next casts.
