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Data for Review

Date – Summer, 2008
Manufacturer – Bearpaws Handpoured Baits
Reviewed by - Andrew Ragas owner, www.fishing-headquarters.com

About Bearpaws Handpoured Baits Grizzly Jerk:

Hand-poured baits have been sought-after by tournament and regular anglers. The action, colors, size and texture can be custom-made to match the forage of your favorite gamefish species. Bearpaws baits, designed and created by John Olson, have great floatation quality along with a soft texture that gives each bait a lifelike action when presented properly. These baits are specifically designed for the angler to keep the bait in the strike-zone.

Bearpaw is an all-customized company which allows the angler to choose whichever color he/she desires. There are about 150 creative colors/ patterns that can be chosen from to form your special bait that will match the water & forage base. Bearpaws are created by slowly heating a batter of customized plastic, to let the ingredients maintain their consistency.

The Bearpaw process allows scents to soak into the plastic, rather than evaporating into the air. Each batter is slowly poured into its mold to prevent any air pockets and deformities. Once the cooling process is finished, each bait is hand-trimmed to rid any excess plastic and is inspected for any deformities.
 

Bearpaws Grizzly Jerks have been great baits over the years due to the angler's confidence in them. While jerkbaits made by other companies in this style are popular among Bass anglers due to incredible success, the Grizzly Jerk is different. Unlike traditional Zoom Flukes and similar-designed baits, the Grizzly Jerk is hand-poured and impregnated with salts. These additives enable the bait to sink faster compared to the other famous brands when used as a weightless jerkbait. To some anglers, this is a benefit.

The Grizzly Jerk comes in 5.25-inch models. However, upon request, other sizes can be poured by John, himself. In addition, it comes in 150 colors with custom colors available upon angler requests. The overall color scheme of the Grizzly Jerk is different than other similar styled baits on the market. Instead of using the traditional laminate of two colors layered on top of one another, the Grizzly Jerk is layered with numerous colors which allow the bait to match color schemes of baitfish, and forage species.

Like what Bearpaw owner John Olson says; “If I won’t fish with it, you won’t fish with it.”

Impressions:

I'll be honest with this entire review. I seldom use plastic jerkbaits. The only times during the open water season in which I pull them out from the tackle bag is in late spring and early summer; Or in this case, whenever I find both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass in shallow water. When the fish are shallow, that is the period in which baits of this style shine.

The first time I began using John's Grizzly Jerks came during a northern Wisconsin trip in August, 2007. This was immediately after I received my first-ever shipment of complimentary test lures. I received one package of 5.25 inch Grizzly Jerks and within a full day, I used up the entire bag. At this point just one full season later, I cannot recall how many Largemouth Bass were enticed by this jerkbait, but I can remember that the fishing was both fantastic and fun!

Since then, I placed many orders of this product, and revisited my initial review of these baits which was never completed in 2007.

Grizzly Jerks that were used during the 2008 season. Like many of the baits I use, I use the more natural colors. However, red is an exception due to the strength of visual perception by Largemouth Bass. Studies show they see reds the best.

On the water uses (Casting, Durability, and Presentation)

Jerkbaits can be virtually used in all water columns. However, I enjoy using them when Bass are being found in the shallows - 7 feet or less. This usually occurs during the pre-spawn, spawn, and immediate post-spawn periods. During these periods, sight-fishing is the game.

Besides being great shallow-water baits, Grizzly Jerks have proven to be successful on some of the Smallmouth Bass river wades I've made in 2008. Likewise, the rivers I fish are shallow, so it's a "no-brainer" as to why I sometimes use these jerkbaits on the rivers.

Casting & Retrieving.

Like many other Bearpaws products, the Grizzly Jerk can be casted at great distances. Throughout all of 2008, I fished my baits with 6lb copolymer line. I feel that with the lightest line you can get away with, especially with a jerkbait, the further it will cast, and the more action you will be able to impart on the bait.

When it comes to retrieving, a jerkbait is . . . well . . . a jerkbait. It is what it is.

Jerkbaits are universal lures in which they can be retrieved in. There is an infinite number of ways in which they can be retrieved. At this point, I have found three ways to successfully retrieving this lure:

Constant Jerk-Jerk Retrieve: You always reel in the lure and constantly snap and jerk the rod tip down so that the bait sweeps erratically in a side-to-side motion without stopping. This will occur near the surface and is best suited for active fish.

Hard Snap Retrieve: Rod tip can be pointed up into the air or down towards water and you use a quick pull-pull-pull motion through the water. After a series of 3-4-5 pulls, you let the lure pause for a few seconds at a time. While doing so, you may also dead-stick the bait until it falls to the bottom and then re-start the entire process. This is best used when fishing in shallow water for present, but inactive fish.

Sweep Retrieve: The sweep retrieve is similar to the hard snap. However, instead of quicker jerks, you use longer and more powerful jerks with a slow retrieval speed - the slowest speed you can get away with, without dead-sticking the bait and having it fall to bottom. With this method, you want to avoid the bottom at all costs.

There are obviously many more retrievals and styles that can be used for Grizzly Jerks. The three methods above are the ones I have found to be most successful for my style of fishing. However, with some applied creativity on your behalf, you should be able to find something that may work even better for yourself and others.

This should look familiar: Like all other famous and better-known plastic jerkbaits, the Grizzly Jerk features an interior hook slot which allows you to fish weedless just as well, if not, better than all the other famous brands.

Durability.

The durability factor is my only knock towards this bait. It is not very good, especially at the nose segment of the lure as fish are prone to destroying it. This usually occurs when fishing the Grizzly Jerk weightless with a EWG or standard worm hook, texas rigged, or weedless.

However, the benefit to this and all soft plastics is the fact that the damaged nose sections can be cut off, and fishing can be immediately resumed once again. Once the nose section of the bait begins to rip, and after you tear off the damaged portions more and more, expect the bait to lose some action. This isn't detrimental to the productiveness of the bait, but it will slightly hinder the action.

Presentation.

The Grizzly Jerk is a fun and entertaining lure to fish with, especially when the fish are found to be active in shallow water where sight fishing is needed. Some shallow water areas I try focusing on are shoreline brush, submerged wood, docks, shaded areas, in and around located schools of baitfish, and emergent and submergent weed varieties.

It can be a deadly lure to use when the fish are active and aggressive. However, the way you dictate the presentation will dictate the feeding activity of the fish. (can work both ways).

I have found that the Grizzly Jerk works best on medium action spinning gear, preferably a 6 and a half to seven foot rod matched with a reel that can handle either 6 or 8lb line.

Depending on how the lure is used and retrieved, the erratic action you impart on the Grizzly Jerk can easily impersonate injured or fleeing baitfish.

Construction & Quality:  Being a hand-poured plastic, the construction is rather impressive. However, the durability factor of this lure is rather poor, especially when you happen to find your bait ripping in numerous sections from aggressive fish.  7/10

On The Water Uses:  An exceptional bait when slow-paced angling is called for: During cold fronts; When sight fishing; Shallow water angling; etc. Although it is a slow-sinking bait, it can be modified by the angler and can be fished at virtually all depths and adjusted to meet the intended water column, strike zone, and specific criteria of Bass.   10/10

Design (ergonomics):  An overall great design as it is different than the usual Flukes and jerkbaits by a wide margin. The long tail segment of the bait is what gives the Grizzly Jerk its fantastic action. Being a hand-poured bait, it still comes with an embedded interior hook slot.   10/10

Presentation:  Bait can be worked in any method with any type of retrieve desired. When fished properly, this is undoubtedly a versatile bait.  10/10

Price:  Competitive, yet still able to meet the budget of many anglers.  8/10

Average Final Score = 8/10 

Positive:

- Available for custom pours and angler requests.

- 150+ colors available - can match the color of any forage species.

- Better action than conventional plastic jerkbaits.

- Fortified with Megastrike Attractant.

- Can be purchased in bulk.

- Excellent customer service and fast shipping!

Negative:

- Durability issues.

- Angler might not get enough value from price of 1 bag.