Jerkbait Fishing on Mullett Lake
Mullett Lake · Michigan · Midwest
This expansive northern Michigan lake is a deep, clear-water fishery characterized by significant structural diversity, including abrupt drop-offs, extensive sand flats, and numerous rocky reefs. Mullett Lake is renowned for its strong populations of smallmouth bass and northern pike, with walleye and musky also present.
A slender, minnow-shaped hard bait that suspends in the water column and darts erratically on a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve. The pause — where the bait sits motionless and quivering — triggers strikes from cold, lethargic fish. Water temperature is the key variable: the colder the water, the longer the pause.
Jerkbait Setup for Mullett Lake
| Rod | 6'10"–7'2" medium casting rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 6.4:1–7.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 10–12 lb fluorocarbon (neutral buoyancy critical — heavy line sinks, light line rises) |
| Weight | 3–5 inches, 1/4–1/2 oz (Megabass Vision 110, Lucky Craft Pointer, Rapala Shadow Rap) |
Seasonal Tactics on Mullett Lake
Lake: In spring, smallmouth bass transition from deep wintering grounds to shallower rocky points and sand flats, often congregating in 8-15 feet as water temperatures approach 50 degrees, readily taking jerkbaits and tube baits.
Jerkbait: The pre-spawn jerkbait bite is legendary — fish moving up to spawn stack on points and react to jerkbaits voraciously.
Lake: During summer, bass typically move to deeper main lake structure like ledges, humps, and isolated rock piles in 20-40 feet, keying on thermoclines and schools of cisco, making drop shots and football jigs effective.
Jerkbait: Less effective in warm water — switch to deeper presentations unless targeting suspended fish on main lake.
Lake: Fall patterns see smallmouth bass schooling up and aggressively feeding on baitfish in preparation for winter, often suspending over deep water or relating to channel swings and deep points in 15-30 feet, responding well to underspins and larger swimbaits.
Jerkbait: Strong late-fall bite as water cools below 60°F. Shad colors mimic dying baitfish.
Lake: Winter fishing, predominantly through the ice, targets deep rock piles and structure where smallmouth, walleye, and pike can be found, with jigging spoons and live bait being primary presentations in depths ranging from 20 to 50 feet.
Jerkbait: Prime season. 5–10 second pause between twitches. Let it sit — the fish will come to it.
Best Conditions
Cold water (45–60°F), clear to slightly stained water, post-cold-front, early spring and late fall, suspended fish
Tune your jerkbait to suspend perfectly — in 60°F water with the correct line weight, the bait should slowly rise or hover motionless. Adjust with suspend dots if needed.
More Techniques for Mullett Lake
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