Today, jerk fishing is considered one of the most effective fishing styles for large pike. Jerk baits can be used with casting equipment from a boat or from the shore. Jerk baits differ from plugs equipped with lip plates in that they do not have a lure-specific swimming action, and instead the movement is generated by the user's technique and retrieval pace. Thus, the secret of jerk fishing lies in the fishing technique that can be adjusted to alter the swim of the jerk bait from relaxed to extremely jumpy and provoking action. Jerk baits are best suited for active anglers and they require quite a bit of enthusiasm to keep working on the technique. Learning a solid fishing technique can produce quit significant catches.

Jerk baits are primarily divided into two categories based on their behavior in the water. Some jerk baits dive, while others glide. Diving jerk baits resemble fish to some extent, whereas gliding jerk baits are more symmetric lengthwise.