Cranks, jerks, sticks???
 

Guys I'm confused with the terms crankbaits, jerkbaits & stick baits!!! Crank baits seem to be shorter, fatter with large lips to take them down. They seem to fish all depths depending on the bait. Do they all float when not moving? Jerks and sticks seem to be almost the same. I have read where a husky jerk is a stick and where a soft artificial worm is a stick also. Are jerks only fished by casting and the fisherman imparting the motion or are they trolled. I'm talking walleye fishing here, trolling and casting. I'm missing a basic consept here. Thanks, John

I don't think there's really any 'written' definition between the bais you listed. When I hear stick bait, I think of shallow diving, long, slender baits, such as floating Rapalas, shallow Thundersticks, ect. When i hear crankbaits, I think of diving, or suspending baits, such as deep Husky Jerks, Reef Runners, deep Thundersticks, ect. When I hear jerk bait, I think of the lures that people keep buying that don't catch fish.

Crank bait would cover all hard baits made of plastic, wood or other materials usually shaped to mimic some kind of bait fish. I would guess they call them crank baits because you would crank them in with your reel.

Cranks usually are classified by how deep they dive and by body styles. Deep, medium and shallow divers. Minnow, shad, banana, lipless and creature bodies.

Any style of crank can be made to float, suspend or sink by the manufacturer. Anglers can modify floating lures to suspend or sink by adding weight to the body. In general most baits do float but not all.

Stick Bait would usually be a minnow bait such as the original floating rapala, rogue, etc..other thin straight lures with a small bill that do not dive much

A jerk bait is one that twitch and it darts back and forth sideways. The lure glides forward slightly and from side to side with each jerk. This is called walk the dog.

Stick baits and or jerk baits can be trolled or cast. If fish are shallow or suspended they could be trolled straight line. If fish are on the bottom you would need lead core or a 3-way rig to get them down. I have casted them in the shallows and I have trolled them on lead core and using 3-ways. Others may use hand lining.

X2 Chad

Cranks, sticks, jerks.
 

Thanks Chad----Nice answer!!! John

[QUOTE=Chad;1399138]

A jerk bait is one that twitch and it darts back and forth sideways. The lure glides forward slightly and from side to side with each jerk. This is called walk the dog.
[/QUOTE]

Were I come from
Walking the dog is a top water bait term, it's fished with a spook or some thing like it