Pool test: Which jerkbait is best?

Jerkbaits will deliver fish 12 months of the year, but they're especially effective right now. To find out which specific brand looks best underwater, Marsh Man Masson took some of the most popular to his community swimming pool and put them to the test.
How did your favorite fare? Take a look at the video to find out.
Like the video? Please give it a thumbs-up, and subscribe to the Marsh Man Masson channel on KZbin. Also, leave a comment below. Did any of the baits really catch your eye?
Order your favorites here:
Rapala Shadow Rap: amzn.to/2VoPRhJ
Rapala X-Rap: amzn.to/2WFVqZs
Rapala RipStop: amzn.to/2IdjP4x
Luck-E Strike RC: amzn.to/2Iech1M
Smithwick Rogue: amzn.to/2I9A82i
Strike King KVD 200: amzn.to/2UyqOvz
MirrOlip: amzn.to/2UyqOvz
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[@ac3230]

The x rap will always have a special place in my heart

[@DCHZS]

Got my first snook on an xrap8

[@spencerschulte3327]

Yes definitely the best out of them when you’re using them in some current!

[@micahhook3576]

Same bro

[@CBALLZ666]

The last two Rapala baits were the best and my favorite.

[@cameronjohnson2815]

Just caught a 46" muskie on a x rap , it was only my second time using one. Def will always hold a special place in my heart!

[@bayouburner281]

Love me some Jerkbaits- Some others to consider: Egret Zombie Ripstik - Did Not think much of this one as it’s short and stocky, much like a crankbait. Works well when ripped at a fast clip and paused- It wiggles as you pause and as it sinks slowly. YoZuri- Similar action as the egret but more suspension

[@aarondavis8224]

Good video, great footage of the action. All I fish with is rapala, the shadow rap isn't designed to spring back it leans forward and slowly sinks. The rip stop is designed to flicker on the stop with it's billed tail. The x rap is one of my favorites as well. All 3 baits can't be compared because they are designed to have different actions

[@fishingfanatic1100]

Ive got a couple X raps in different colors and I love them! Def a favorite as far as jerk baits go

[@jacquelineloats5516]

The ORIGINAL shadow raps would stop on a dime and just hang in place which is what they are supposed to do. They are way better than the ones they make now

[@boxyguy3681]

I think I found the "Don'ts" of Jerkbait fishing.

[@cbradquillen]

Yeah. I never catch shit in people's swimming pools. Plus, homeowners will get pissed off if they catch you.

[@brandonelliott5345]

Your jerking on tight line. Those baits should be walking like crazy. And where I'm from we don't want spring back we want it to suspend right where it sits.

[@cameronhershberger.]

Amen

[@juliusjames9244]

Exactly Brandon! Spring back? Wtf

[@smalljaw]

Yep, tight line also long rod so using a sideways rip instead of downward. You can tell the line is tight as the baits are mostly lunging forward rather than moving side to side but I'm using strictly freshwater as this guy is also fishing saltwater so it may need to be different.

[@scottcrawford1104]

Can somebody explain?

[@lynetteharris6517]

Yeah lol they don’t ‘spring back’ because they are suspending lures like wtf

[@509outdoors9]

This Video is GREAT!!!love the comparisions from many diffrent brands.

[@FishingPleasures]

I love fishing with jerkbaits. I've caught some of my best Bass and Pike using jerkbaits. Usually go for the Rapala X-Rap, but I've also had good luck on the Matzuo Zanda Shad.

[@0017Bulldog]

Great demonstration. I truly enjoyed it and learned from it.

[@geraldlewis8536]

Fantastic pool video, as usual. These are always quite educational.

[@frankybaby8997]

Haven't fished in years I just got my fish combo thanks for sharing good stuff 💯

[@agro_maniac]

Thank you.. Because I was confused before choosing between RipStop and X Rap.

[@aweflix]

I’ve had trout just hammer the Xrap and was super impressed with that bait that it became my favorite jerk. The shadow rap is suppose to have a slow spring back as it shadows a dying baitfish. The ripstop has caught my eye after using the Xrap so now I definitely want to try it after this video. Keep up the good work.

[@super214069]

Great info thanks, wondering if you can do a video with different types of spoons..

[@daviddias2312]

The Rapala Shadow Rap caught me my LMB PB of 6.5# (in Vermont), so i'm bias towards that bait! The fish was caught while it was sinking after a pause. Thanks for doing this video!

[@joewilliams13]

I just bought one lastnight came here to see the action of it! Looks to be a promising bait using it correctly and with the right equipment

[@moohankim9370]

I think Rapala shadow rap is a slow sinking bait. It really stands out btw jerking actions, mimicking dying fish.

[@TackleAdvisors]

Shadow rap shad with the lips ground down by a third.......play with the hook sizes and gauges....I love how versatile a bait they are. And only 2 well positioned hooks instead of 3. The rip stops have quickly become a staple in my bag

[@barrywuthrich8530]

I use a Rapala X-Rap, about 18 inches behind a clear bobber on a straight retrieve under the lights at night and you can see the trout attack it, usually from the side. A loop knot is important to allow the bait to wobble, and the bobber keeps it from going too deep under the lights. My clear bobber has some 'BB's' in it, so I get some sound from the bobber. Often, the fish will hit the bobber. lol

[@tobystephens5499]

Great vid, congrats on 10k subscribers btw!

[@AmbassadorsoftheHunt]

Great Stuff! Keep on trucking...

[@IsakBakkenBerg]

Realy good editing, great work.

[@TeamJesusOutdoors]

Nice work!

[@plantcitychuck2551]

I tear up snook and trout on the luck e strike and the h20 jerk shad but gonna get me some of those rip stops.awesome action on those

[@georgewilkerson4759]

Great info those rip stops look amazing will be my next purchase. Thanks

[@LowBudgetBassin]

Just don't hit anything with it or squeeze it too hard while tying it on , they are extremely fragile👍

[@BuckeyeRiver]

They are great, I've cost a bunch of fish on mine, but like the previous comment, they are very fragile. I've broken 3 or 4 of them hitting rocks in shallow water.

[@BuckeyeRiver]

The best color in my opinion is carbon. Great in clear water on cloudy days.

[@LowBudgetBassin]

@@BuckeyeRiver they do work great especially the smaller one on an ultralight 👍 i think i emptied the creek here in Florida 🤣

[@LowBudgetBassin]

@@BuckeyeRiver my favorites i keep on the boat are the lucky craft pointer and the mega bass 110+1, most expensive lures in my box but well worth it when needed

[@VizagFish]

Good demonstration

[@mikepuusa6084]

One important category should be suspension. Also would like to see how the megabass and lucky craft do

[@demetriusdougar4129]

I went fishing last Saturday on the pier. And I catch 36 trout on the rip-stop.. I was the only person catching fish like that. That rip-stop in clear water is a killer. But this the 🔑 and I know you may know this already, slack in the line. With every pop of the bait don't reel in the slack until you're gonna pop again. Check that presentation out and let us know. Thanks for the videos and I enjoy them extremely. God bless you and your family.

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

Good stuff!

[@rosswatkins2277]

Megabass vision 110

[@9ToesFishing]

Nice comparison. For the money I think the RC STX is the one of the best out there. Change the hooks and maybe add a suspending dot and it’s pretty much a megabass for a fraction of the cost and I have compared them both in the water.

[@vetforlife92]

Love the Smithwicks, epically the 1-3' shad's.

[@jasony724]

Explains why I haven’t caught any fish with the rapala xrap and shadow rap! But I’m sold on the rip stop! That thing just looks good all around

[@krustysurfer]

Thanks for the testing and review and sharing your wisdom with us to make it easier I'm just trying to use jerk baits and excited to see future results here in lower Western Michigan where the water is murky and the fish are smarter than they look Aloha from the Great Lakes

[@THAOpeacockcichlids]

This is awesom

[@BushcraftingBogan]

I’m not sure what it is but I’ve found Rapala Jerks and Top waters work best for me. The amount of fish I get off them have sold me. Maybe I’ve just found the right cadence or maybe the fish just like what I’m throwing that day. But I really like using the “wounded minnow” retrieve and I always do well with the Rapalas.

[@ciprynus]

Awesome video!

[@arngreencare8955]

One thing not mentioned is the amount of "flash" or "visual attraction." The last two, the shadow rap and the "unrated" lure had fantastic flash, mimicking a shad or shiner darting in current or from a predator. Very effective...

[@josepedrogutierrezmillaque591]

Muy bueno el vídeo tutorial, amigo,....muy explícito las recomendaciones de los señuelos,...gracias,...cada día aprendo más, con estos vídeos....éxito amigo

[@rowdybroomstick1216]

I have the shadow rap , it looks pretty good I thought! The erractic motion was off the chart

[@BeyondTheBoundsOutdoors]

This pool test was well done!

[@blueridgeocean]

The shadow rap has caught a variety of fish species! I was catching smallmouth largemouths whites and even a trout off this bait! Been fishing the same lake for years and never had so many different species on the same lure whithin the same day. Sure i guess i came close to this day back when i would troll on a boat or out on the coast but not in this lake. Anyways i love the shadow rap its not too aggressive for the trout and the whites in this lake never bite my lures so i was surprised at the success.

[@williamcampbell3660]

Pool test of 7 jerk baits is a wonderful idea! I was not confident about which jb before watching. Now I know I want the Rapala Ripstop for bass in SoCal lakes.

[@44_83]

This pool test with these lures was for deciding witch of them wood be best for specky trouts ( saltwater species) , not for bass in socal lakes. If I was fishing a socal lake for bass, I wood use the f18 original floating rapala in rainbow trout color if I knew it was stocked with them bass snacks.

[@humblehombre9904]

I used your video to help me decide about my lure choices. I know your thoughts on the lures now, and I can appreciate, and use this info. This is a type of video I can DEFINITELY get behind. I just subscribed to you, so I do not know if you’ve done these again. If not…PLEASE do. This took a lot of time. Thank you so much for that. I am watching. Warm regards, Cam from Ontario.

[@clifowen4300]

If you were to do this again; please include the Vision 110 and a Lucky Craft lure. I know their scores will suffer on the price but am curious how the other factors look.

[@ERICHARTMANN-uy4vo]

i agree! all i use is megabass and lucky craft

[@44_83]

@@ERICHARTMANN-uy4vo Why are you commenting to a reply that is four years old? This ngga could be in prison for all we know. Now for the megabass and luckycrafts; what models work best for specky trouts if you fish them in the salt?

[@arngreencare8955]

I've used most of these, and the Smithwick, and Rapala "Original floater," which was not featured here has done me well. Been wanting to try the H2O, and the shadow rap, and after seeing this, really has me itching to get my hands on them. Go to go, heading to Academy now...

[@sunwukongmonkeyking5561]

X Rap is the best one for me. You can get them at any fishing store even Walmart. It has the best action and works all season. Caught many big bass on the R06. The R06 is cable of catching quantities and quality. Flat out work!

[@chadwilliams8083]

that rip stop and shadow rap are made for what they do on the pause,rip stop is tail up and shadow rap is head up,

[@overtigo5d]

Not in the list but I've had huge success with the leeland trout magnet jerk bait in sexy shad, trout, crappie, bass... my go to lure

[@bignick47331]

I love the x rap I’ve caught countless river smallmouth on it

[@jacobwhite281]

Yeah x rap is the best.

[@smackinbaits6693]

I had been searching for the Daiwa DB Minnow. it was discontinued. it was one of the best jerkbaits I've had. bass, pike and musky. the suspension was amazing.

[@troycote4503]

I love the Daiwa Steez td 125. The one that got discontinued that I love was the Yozuri Twitching minnow from the late 90s before the crystal minnow. There was a couple on ebay in silver with gold back and a red head today. They catch everything that swam. I caught 3 trout on it last year and a 6 lbs 4 oz largemouth my earliest bass of the season in Massachusetts.

[@DManBreaux]

Good info, thanks for the post.

[@jakewkayakfishing8457]

Interesting results. I have not tried the RipStop, will definitely give it a try. The xraps and yozuri crystal minnows are very popular down here. Snook in particular hammer these style baits.

[@gregred78]

Think I'll be getting the RIP Stop and Shadow Rap.

[@johnkarges8829]

They’re both excellent along the Texas coast

[@aaronkopp9062]

I love jerkbaits for trout and have my favorite (last one you threw with no rating is by far) and after this video I actually think there isn’t a discernible enough difference on any of the brands. Maybe with jerk baits, the old adage about lures catching fisherman is true. Love the video, thanks for another great one Marsh Man!

[@MarshManMasson]

Some days, you're right, they'll hit anything, but I want those subtle differences on days when they're looking at the bait and debating whether or not to eat it. I want that one extra nuance that makes the fish decide, "Yeah, I'll go ahead and take a chance."

[@aaronkopp9062]

I’ll keep that in mind Marsh Man! Thanks again!

[@kennethrich2107]

Awesome !. I've been using the rip stop to hammer fresh water bass...you were throwing the #9, hence the shortness...The tail makes it stop on a dime...Love these underwater shots ! (cant wait to try out some of Capt. Lane's new weed guard editions)

[@MarshManMasson]

I haven't put the weedless Deathgrip Jigheads to the test yet because the grass has been really sparse everywhere I've been fishing. Should come in handy this spring, however.

[@barryhowell9]

We wreck Peacocks and Largemouth Bass down here with the Ripstop, and the MB 110 in I believe GG Perch

[@rowdybroomstick1216]

That Livingston pro blue looks somewhat similar to the megabass pro blue 110. Sure would be nice if you'd compare these two. One's 10 & the other is 25. Call it the expensive versus the affordable jerkbait test!!

[@MistaGrim]

It's more like the cheap knockoff of the best vs the best.

[@fishman1347]

I don’t know if it the best but I love the xrap!

[@Ka1h_kjr]

Megabass is my favorite always has bin and always will be because its action is just insanely good

[@jacobxiong392]

Vision 110 is the best jerk bait out there. Rerange is nice also

[@Tbowie13]

Agreed, the 110 is the jerkbait of jerkbaits...pretty surprised it's not in the lineup.

[@kushcrumbleshatter]

No vision 110's? By far the best on the market

[@jamesbourlard7892]

The two Rapalas I use all the time for bass .They are a real slack line bait will reverse and do a full 180 on slack line.These are the only bais I have seen designed to do this.wide wobble and flash on the shadow rap. Narrower on the rip stop but still a lot of flash .October 70 degree crystal clear water I was smoking bass most cast and pulled off the 180 to get bites.

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

Old video i know but i personally think the Rapala Xwrap was just better than all of them. I cant really comment about the twitch/jerk nature but on a slow retrieve it was absolute poetry in motion. It seemed a lot more natural. Compare that to the ripstop and the ripstop has absolutely nothing on the Xwrap. Figuratively speaking. Have you ever looked at the action of a lure and was totally blown away by it? For me it was the Xwrap. While all the other lures are still good and will catch you fish. Nothing comes close to how the xwrap just glides through the water on a slow retrieve. Rapala make some great lures though. -- as a suggestion, it would be great to have some _China Special's_ bought off amazon and ebay and test them against the bigger names. A lot of the time you can get really nice looking lures for cheap but the action on them is worse than dragging a log through mud or they arent balanced correctly so are a bit lopsided. quality is always 50/50 but sometimes you will come across a cheap lure that fish go absolutely mad for. Throw in a couple of Salmo's if you can get your hands on some.

[@brussell7378]

I wa as playing basketball like 100 feet away when you made this I saw you that's my neighborhood pool

[@Larry77777]

Hey MMM: Very informative; thanks for demonstrating these. Too bad I spent my two-treble jerkbaits allotment on two-treble X-Rap before I knew about the better two-treble RipStop. Slow rising, suspending, slow sinking: so many variants. As for fast-rising (float capable) three-treble jerkbaits, I am very happy with the bites I get on Bomber Long A because of how quickly it resurfaces on pauses.

[@MarshManMasson]

I used to be a big Bomber Long A fan, and they obviously still work. I just think there are some better options now.

[@fiSHINsanity]

You left out one of the all-time greats. The Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow. Personally, I've caught more fish on the crystal minnow than almost any other lure.

[@zenpapi1185]

John Shin ima have to cop that

[@pat6888]

a lure is a lure rapala is my choice

[@bobgill4069]

How do you work it? Most of the ones I've seen are floating and it seems lots of people like to troll them versus work them like a normal jerkbait.

[@jacksongilmore6056]

I just bought two of them so we’ll see how they do!

[@terrywendt1071]

Thanks good show from the land of hard water/frozen 👍

[@raymondthompson2908]

Nice video. Interesting to see how they all do what they do underwater. What amuses me though, over here in the UK, is your mentions of the prices, as in how you deem some to be a bit on the expensive side. Here, what you're paying for the same lures would seem like bargain basement price. We have to fork-out at least twice as much, if not two, three, and even four times as much. Then tie them on and chuck 'em in the sea (or lake, or river) and maybe never see 'em again. How d'ya like them apples. Many thanks. Raymondo

[@joshuamurphy9265]

Looks like the shadow raps are my new go to jerkbaits until proven in different situations when I need different jerkbait actions

[@MrSpecialized1985]

I have fished the Rapala Shadow Rap and have caught a lot of fish on it. I have fished it up against my buddies Vision 110 and it has pretty much landed fish for fish with the Vision, and a third of the cost. There's been a couple of days where the Vision put fish in the boat and I didn't, but on other days I have landed more fish than the Vision. All I can say, is for the money, it puts fish in the boat. I've also fished the Rip Stop and have caught fish, but haven't had the same success with it as the Shadow Rap. I mostly fish for Spotted Bass in clearer water. I am a huge fan of the Shadow Rap.

[@derekverts394]

Came here for the vision 110. Oh wait.....

[@travisbrown1893]

I think these videos (comparison videos) teach the average angler more than most other crap on KZbin. I love these kind of videos.

[@travisbrown1893]

Btw you might need to clean the leaves out of your pool? Maybe.

[@seizedcarcass8440]

You should try the Strike pro beakster 90. It’s hands down my favorite jerkbait. It’s great to twitch and awesome on strait retrieve. Not to mention I think the color options are great!

[@ballsack8937]

I got that last year and Landes 5 fish on it. Then I put it away. Gonna bust the beakster out in a couple months

[@BamaSaltwater]

Ripstop 09 is the BEST inshore jerk bait IMHO, great comparison vid !

[@davesipsy7587]

Great video. But, what is the deal with "spring back"? That's something I DO NOT want! Awesome video, though.

[@FishingLakeCountry]

Not sure about spring back, think a bait should hold in place or sink real slow on pause. The tempature of the water also can change the action of the bait, on cheaper baits I have found that 1 of 3 work right. Have a couple baits that just sink like lead and I just trashed them. Good to see their actions. FLC Dennis

[@jeffjohns6529]

down at Academy Sports and Outdoors in Palm Bay Florida the H2O Xpress ultimate jerk Shad are only $4 I got all of most of the colors in I realized and set up slow grilling or jerking you got to do a little bit of both at the same time

[@joeyjarman4605]

Love my vision 110's and Rerange's but let's not forget the 6th sense Provoke's

[@aaronhauck7482]

Great vid very useful info. I use the Rapala shadow rap the most by far my favorite. I also use X-raps and KVD too which are really good baits. I tried out the Ripstop few weeks ago that bait has a really nice presentation and spring back, the only thing is casting those out there so light. Fishing in wind trying to make a bomb cast with those are a little tricky, maybe I need a really good reel decked out with BOCA bearings and a 7’6’ rod dedicated just for that bait, or maybe it’s just me who knows. Hey I like those MIRROLIPS that’s a good lookin bait I remember seeing you use that on one of your vids previously. Who carry’s that bait local? Does Puglias carry them? I’m in Metairie.

[@MarshManMasson]

Puglia's keeps them in stock.

[@dalecain1158]

I’ve had great results on the Megabass Vision 110. Great bait but pricey!

[@Tbowie13]

Vision 110's and Lucky Craft Pointers.

[@jacquelineloats5516]

It's total bullshit what they charge for megabass baits

[@MakaveliRapGod]

I like the Rapala X-rap I catch a lot of Walleye with them

[@paake3134]

Would love to see similar about Rapala Husky Jerk and Savage Gear Gravity Twitch. Latter has a really erratic movement.

[@wms7004]

MY #1 Hard Bait for 30+ years of bass/Walleye/Pike fishing. I've caught equal numbers on every brand/style. All you have to do is MATCH THE HATCH!!! If it's shad, perch, bluegill...muddy water, any color, make sure it rattles!!MATCH THE HATCH!!!!! Buy whats cheap/on sale! My motto for all hard baits. Make sure they run correctly, sharp hooks, and MATCH HATCH!!!

[@freddieparrilla6265]

New subscriber,love this vid,thank you bro.._question what are the best jerkbaits for nyc?

[@wesleycurrin1457]

The Rattlin Rogue is a great cod water winter time choice

[@BrscMC]

I kill with the Rapala Husky jerk glass minnow. I'll add a split shot to get it to the desired depth.

[@floydpros]

I’ve paid some good money for baits that don’t spring back. To each their own tho. Thanks for posting

[@zajdabneeg]

Honestly, I careless for the move back motion. I want aggresive reactions jerk for triggering bites. Most of these jerkbait are on the large size > 100. I believe when you go down to 70 - 90 size the reaction is erratic more and also easier to use.

[@rgvcaster]

Not my original idea but sawing off some of the lip, you can fish real shallow, and it won't dive as deep. Cotton Cordell broken back works awesome with sawed off lip.

[@chrishillard4950]

Nice video! Do you tie direct to the split ring or use a clip? I assume you don't need a barrel swivel at the leader/line connection.

[@jacquelineloats5516]

Try the shadow rap deep diver. It has way more shimmy on the straight retrieve and the ORIGINAL shadow rap would stop on a dime and do a 180 degree turn when stopped. Catch so many fish on that "pause"

[@SgawCules]

Notice how the shadow rap's doing the 180 as advertised, while the other jerks struggled to get to that angle.

[@motleypixel]

Thanks for the test...I've always pronounced them "RA-PALA" as opposed to "RAP-ALA" :)

[@MarshManMasson]

A lot of people do, but the company pronounces it RAP-ala.

[@Freedeeism]

I live in Swe and im 50% Fin and here we say Rapala.. and as u all know Rapala is a Finish made bait. So Rapala is the correct way to say it and not Rap-ala

[@peterhino6433]

There all decent lures! It's all about color & how u used them

[@dvk323]

Video start at 3:11

[@johnzapien9701]

The rapalas my favorite I got a 32 year old rapala that catches fish kind of clear with red vains hard to cast but a killer

[@perrymatherne2021]

The rogue & the h2o actually look the best

[@bigtimfish01]

Xrap is my all time favorite

[@junodisarapong6635]

SAME, SON!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jerrychapman7091]

I wonder what the double tap looks like,possible side to side action?

[@jeffreybabino1411]

Great video did you ever test a long a bomber thanks