I am looking at getting a couple of these lures for my trip this year. I have just never really used this lure up there or even at home here in Northern Indiana.
I am more of a plastic worm for bass, hook/jig leech for eyes and spinner for pike type of guy.

I have read some articles lately and watched some videos, they look good. they were catching smallies and pike on them.

Is a 12 or 14 size better, i know what they say, bigger bait bigger fish.

Do any of you catch walleye on them with some sinkers to get them deaper?

Is this a lure that you ALWAYS take and use, is it a go to lure?
thanks

I actually use the 10 size more than the larger ones. The best thing about them is that they can be used to cast to a particular spot and fish them like a normal jerkbait and they are still really effective while trolling. They are really versatile and work well slow, fast, stop n go etc..

Marshall,

In my opinion, the HJ14 is an absolute "must have" lure for your tackle box. For sunny days, I like the blue/silver. On overcast days, I like the firetiger or perch pattern.

This lure works great when the fish and a little less active. I'm a pike guy, so my focus is always northerns. I will start with a spoon to cover water quickly. If this does not work, then I'll switch to a bucktail. If this does not work, then I'll pull out the HJ14 or other jerk baits. Note: the husky jerks also work fine when the fish are active, you just can't cover water as quickly as you can with a spoon or bucktail.

Walleye - the husky jerks are my "go to" lure if I run into any walleye while pike fishing. Even a 14" walleye has no problem nailing the HJ14.

General note: Where the HJ14 really shines is cold water. Here in Ohio, I don't even bother with spoons, spinners, or bucktails when the water temperature drops below 40F. The HJ14 always works in these conditions.

- Dave

quote MarshallPrime: "I am looking at getting a couple of these lures for my trip this year. I have just never really used this lure up there or even at home here in Northern Indiana.
I am more of a plastic worm for bass, hook/jig leech for eyes and spinner for pike type of guy.

I have read some articles lately and watched some videos, they look good. they were catching smallies and pike on them.

Is a 12 or 14 size better, i know what they say, bigger bait bigger fish.

Do any of you catch walleye on them with some sinkers to get them deaper?

Is this a lure that you ALWAYS take and use, is it a go to lure?
thanks
"

The bigger the better. They work great trolling or casting. I bring several that dive to 19 feet, several that dive to about 10 feet, and several that stay around 4 foot. Walleyes can be caught near points and sunken reefs and hump.

I always take them and always use them, especially in Quetico. One of my "go to" lures.

I ALWAYS bring a husky jerk or 3 with, the large size mostly, firetiger, silver, gold, perch. I use them as a casting bait (if trolling, will use other raps - minnow raps, shad raps, etc). For me the key is the retrieve. Cast, crank down, give it a few snaps with a slack line and let it hang for a few seconds - repeat. The snap gives a husky jerk an underwater walk-the-dog action. Pretty effective on pike and smallies.

quote Bdubguy: "I ALWAYS bring a husky jerk or 3 with, the large size mostly, firetiger, silver, gold, perch. I use them as a casting bait (if trolling, will use other raps - minnow raps, shad raps, etc). For me the key is the retrieve. Cast, crank down, give it a few snaps with a slack line and let it hang for a few seconds - repeat. The snap gives a husky jerk an underwater walk-the-dog action. Pretty effective on pike and smallies."

+1 This is my preferred presentation method when using these lures for pike. Really deadly, especially in early to mid season, then again in late fall. I also use this tactic for walleyes in the evening from camp. Walleyes will follow this lure right in. Firetiger as the sun is going down, then natural or perch when it gets dark. Pick up a few, you won't be disappointed.

Moonman.

While I prefer a different brand, the genre of the "suspendingminnow lure" is excellent in the BW, and frankly everywhere. My largest LMB(10lbs.) was on one. Just remember the basics in working the lure. After the cast, reel it down several cranks, then sweep, not jerk, the lure, 2-3-5-7ft., then pause(2-20sec., fish will tell you), and sweep again. Hookset is not a cross-their-eyes-worm-hookset, but sweep the hooks into them. Make sure hooks are "sticky sharp", and don't horse a large fish, those little hooks can cause the fish to become unbuttoned. I prefer 5-6in. sizes. Designed to be erratic, strive to make it alive. It is a lure worked horizontally, and as such, fish get a good long look at it and can discern whether it is real or not.

I had a husky jerk in size 6 or 8 glass perch color. Loved it for smallies in a local river. I am pretty new to fishing and was a little surprised by this thread. Not by the colors but by the size you guys use. I am always open to gaining fishing knowledge so I will be trying to emulate what I read one here, but does this still apply in late may? I have always fished smaller probably size 5 lures in spring but I'll admit to hit and miss success.

quote bassnut: "While I prefer a different brand, the genre of the "suspendingminnow lure" is excellent in the BW, and frankly everywhere. My largest LMB(10lbs.) was on one. Just remember the basics in working the lure. After the cast, reel it down several cranks, then sweep, not jerk, the lure, 2-3-5-7ft., then pause(2-20sec., fish will tell you), and sweep again. Hookset is not a cross-their-eyes-worm-hookset, but sweep the hooks into them. Make sure hooks are "sticky sharp", and don't horse a large fish, those little hooks can cause the fish to become unbuttoned. I prefer 5-6in. sizes. Designed to be erratic, strive to make it alive. It is a lure worked horizontally, and as such, fish get a good long look at it and can discern whether it is real or not."

+1 I swear youre reading my mind sometimes :-)

I've caught more walleyes on husky jerks than any other artificial. THey are deadly on pike and smallies as well. All sizes, most colors. They work very well trolled, especially if you can keep your hands on the rod to give it a jerk once in a while. Here is a Bdub husky jerk walleye.
Oh, yeah, this lure will troll as fast as your rod can handle, which comes in handy in summer for walleyes and pike.

thanks for the info guys, i need to get a couple more of these, all i have is one firetiger 12 now. Maybe i need a ccouple blues and silvers and 1 more firetiger.

For Walleye i hear alot of people troll a stick minnow or jointed minnow with a sinker to get it down some, if not bouncing off the bottom. Is this a common aproach? It is really the only way i have ever trolled for Lakers and Walleye. I have NEVER caught a fish trolling (3 trips of tying it rarely but still). Now, i dont do it much, because when i spend 30 min doing it i never get a bite so i go back to jigging or smallies. I dont know if i dont use the right speed or rapala.

I will try the husky Jerk this year both trolling and not.

I do fine catching pike and smallies on the trips but not done well for eyes and NEVER caught a laker.
Something to work towards i guess.

Lazylefty: until July, the only baitfish for eating are adults from the spring before, 3-6in.(species dependent), so when fishing before summer, throwing big lures is "matching the hatch". So 5-6in. Rogues(husky jerks, whatever) is key. Actually key is location, lure action. As I said earlier, work lure really good, because it is a lure worked horizontally, and they get a real good look at it(as far as action, movement). Don't get hung up on color, movement and location is paramount. Just something baitfishy colored. Important stuff: sharp hooks, fresh line, rod to task(length, action), LOCATION, be quiet(be quiet, big adult fish in shallow water)

If you want to get some walleyes while trolling, try trolling the deep weedline in the day, and in the evening or at night over shoals. Even out over the deep water basin at night if its summer. During the day, if your lure (try a deep husky jerk, shad rap or tail dancer) is banging bottom in 12-25 ft of water, you'll hit walleyes. A lot of people don't like to do that though as you can get hung up, but ever wonder why you get a hit just after bouncing off a rock? Also if you do a lot of jigging for smallies you should be picking up some walleyes as well. If getting bass maybe just move deeper along the breakline, tip with live bait and go slow. Still walleyes are walleyes so no guarantee, but this approach has worked for me.

Moonman.

quote Moonman: "If you want to get some walleyes while trolling, try trolling the deep weedline in the day, and in the evening or at night over shoals. Even out over the deep water basin at night if its summer. During the day, if your lure (try a deep husky jerk, shad rap or tail dancer) is banging bottom in 12-25 ft of water, you'll hit walleyes. A lot of people don't like to do that though as you can get hung up, but ever wonder why you get a hit just after bouncing off a rock? Also if you do a lot of jigging for smallies you should be picking up some walleyes as well. If getting bass maybe just move deeper along the breakline, tip with live bait and go slow. Still walleyes are walleyes so no guarantee, but this approach has worked for me.


Moonman."

Very good advice.

Thanks guys, i will b getting a couple of the Husky Jerks (i only have 1 12 firetiger right now) and give them a try here in Northern Indiana a little and a lot more work in the BW this year. I am also going to get a few of the Rapala Deep tail dancers or just Tail dancers for some walleye. We will be ther June 10-17 so i know the eyes wont be really deep yet, we will see what happens, thanks for all the advice. This board sure gets some good stuff out there.
thanks again