The first thing I look for when looking to purchase a jerk bait, I like to decipher whether it’s a wooden jerk bait or resin. The thought process behind this is buoyancy. Obviously wood and resin are weighted differently, which can lend to a different action in the bait. The second thing I look at is the finish. Is this bait finished with just auto clear? Or is it epoxy? Your more traditional jerk baits were just finished with auto clear and were wooden. No baits last forever, but once you start using a wooden bait, hook rash and teeth marks allow water to seep into the wood, thus changing the buoyancy and density of that lure, and eventual lifespan. While still effective, I tend to grab the jerk bait that’s finished with epoxy because of the reasons mentioned above. Best of luck during this hard water season. Below is a photo of our 8 inch Raptor jerk bait, made out of resin and finished with multiple layers of epoxy. Check back for Part II in the upcoming days.