Gear

Inside Palaniuk’s jerkbait tackleboxes

Jerkbait guru Brandon Palaniuk justifies why he needs three tackleboxes to hold his jerkbait selection.

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Photography by
Craig Lamb
Once upon a time you could fit all the jerkbaits you needed in a single box. Just like everything else in the lure world, technology has dictated otherwise. Jerkbaits now come in more sizes, shapes, colors — and most of all actions — that require multiple boxes. 
But three mega-sized boxes? Yep, that’s how many Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Palaniuk keeps in his boat. At all times. 
“Wherever we go on tour, you can usually catch bass on a jerkbait anytime, anywhere, all year long,” Palaniuk said. “The two factors that make that work are fleeing and dying baitfish, and even if they aren’t hungry [they bite] because bass are opportunistic feeders.”
Matching the size of the forage the bass are feeding on, choosing the right running depth and selecting the color that fits the forage or ambient water conditions are all factors in play. A jerkbait has all of those features in the same package. 
Palaniuk justifies his need for three boxes with this discovery. “Forward-facing sonar has taught me a lot of things about fish reaction and movement,” he said. 
“Those discoveries have proven to me that just changing the bait color can indeed make a difference. And, different body styles put off different types of actions.”
Megabass Vision 110, Wakasagi
“This is the modern standard for jerkbaits,” Palaniuk said. “I’d say most of the jerkbaits on the market are based on this platform.” The suspending jerkbait has a 4- to 6-foot running range and is ideal when water temps range from 38 to 70 degrees. 
Palaniuk favors a strike zone of 3 to 6 feet in clear to stained water. Color choice is key. “The color combines equal halves of halftone and translucent, and that is an ideal combination for flash and translucence.”
Megabass Ito Shiner, Mat Shad
“The 110 platform has a very hard, side-to-side darting action,” Palaniuk said. “The Ito Shiner has more roll and flash when the bass are more aggressively feeding.” 
That added action comes from the side profile and a scooped-out bill that deflects the water differently than a flatter bill. The scoop design increases belly-to-back roll, which also creates more flash.
“Mat Shad presents a very natural look — especially in semi-stained water with 2 to 5 feet of visibility,” Palaniuk said, adding the matte pattern also produces well in low light.
Megabass Vision 110+1 
The +1 model penetrates slightly deeper strike zones than the standard model. 
“You get the same hard cutting stop-and-go action of the original 110 in a deeper-running platform,” Palaniuk said. With a running depth of 4 to 9 feet, Palaniuk uses the +1 when the bass are transitioning above submerged grass or wood in open water areas. 
Megabass X-Nanahan Series
The X-Nanahan series of jerkbait is available in the original, +1 and +2 models for varying depth ranges.
The 110+2 is Palaniuk’s choice in late winter and early spring when bass are just beginning to transition from deep to shallow water in early prespawn. 
After postspawn, Palaniuk will use it again as bass move back to deeper zones. 
Megabass X Nanahan
The X Nanahan comes in standard, +1 and +2 versions. “It’s a smaller framed jerkbait with similar actions to the Ito Shiner in a smaller profile,” Palaniuk said. The high pitch-and-roll action on a straight retrieve triggers chase bites. When jerked the bait imparts a sharp darting action and flicker-flash to trigger the predator instinct of a bass. 
Palaniuk said it’s ideal for early prespawn when bass are feeding on smaller baitfish, and again when the reverse feeding program occurs in fall. The technical design of the bait reduces air resistance to achieve long-distance castability in a small profile jerkbait. 
Megabass Kanata
Palaniuk calls the 6-inch Kanata the “mother ship” of the jerkbait lineup. Available in standard, +1 and +2 sizes with running depths from 4 to 10 feet, the tall, flat-sided body displaces more water with flash for added strike appeal. 
“On 10- or 12-pound line with tungsten strips I can get the Kanata down to 10 feet or up to the 5-foot zone with upward rod twitches,” Palaniuk said.

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