If you like fishing with something that actually looks like a proper baitfish rather than a cartoon, the Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait is very much your lane. It is a suspending SP minnow built around a tungsten weight system, available in two sensible sizes – 95mm / 14.8g and 65mm / 6g – with a whole spread of colours from natural shad tones to loud firetiger-style patterns.
On the product page it is listed as BEARKING Squad Minnow 95mm 14.8g 65mm 6g Tungsten weight system SP fishing lures assorted colors crank wobbler crank bait, sitting in the Crankbaits → Hardbaits → Fishing Lures family. The “SP minnow” tag tells you what it is meant to be: a Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait that Suspends, with a slim profile, tight little roll and that classic twitch–twitch–pause behaviour that cold-water bass nuts bang on about all winter.
Bearking have not skimped on the hardware either. You get 3D fish eyes, a simulated laser fish-skin finish, stronger double split rings and three 2x-strong Bearking treble hooks. Each lure comes in a retail PVC box and even includes a little Bearking tackle sticker, which is a bit of harmless fun.
Why This Lure Works
Suspending jerkbaits keep turning up in “best bass lures” lists for a reason. Outdoor Life’s gear guides on the best bass lures keep singling out high-end jerkbaits like the Megabass Vision series because they mimic a dying baitfish so well – darting, then hanging nose-down in place. Field & Stream’s piece on suspending jerkbaits makes the same point: the “stall” is what gets you bit.
The Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait leans into that formula:
- SP (suspending) profile: designed to sit in the water column rather than floating up like a shallow crank. That keeps it in the strike zone for longer.
- Tungsten weight system: helps casting distance and balance, and lets the lure track level and stable between twitches.
- Slim minnow body: exactly what bass expect to see when shad or small baitfish are sliding about in open water or over points.
- 2x-strong Bearking trebles: three of them, ready to stick anything that slashes at the bait from underneath or the side.
- Laser fish-skin finish and 3D eyes: a bit of flash and detail for clear-water days when they get a proper look at it.
Wired2Fish’s spring jerkbait guide breaks jerkbaits into floating, suspending and sinking, noting how suspending models are deadly when fish are not chasing far. That is exactly the niche this lure is built for – you are not trying to cover every square metre; you are trying to hold the bait just off the fish’s nose until it finally loses its temper.
How To Fish It
The magic of a Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait is not just in the lure – it is in the cadence. Jerkbait pros on Wired2Fish and Bassmaster will happily spend half an hour talking about “twitch, twitch, pause” timing, and sadly they are not wrong.
1. Classic jerk–jerk–pause
This is the baseline retrieve:
- Make a long cast past your target – bluff wall, point, grass edge, rock pile, standing timber, whatever.
- Crank it down a few turns to get it to working depth.
- Give the rod two or three sharp twitches with a bit of slack in the line so the lure darts side to side.
- Point the rod at the bait and pause. Count to three… or ten… or thirty, depending on water temperature.
Articles like Wired2Fish’s “key role of the stall” and Field & Stream’s suspending jerkbait guide bang on about this: the pause is often when the bite happens. In cold water, it might take a full long count for a bass to finally commit.
2. Long pauses for proper cold water
When it is properly chilly and the fish are in that “I might, I might not” mood, slow everything down. Bassmaster’s piece on fishing jerkbaits in cold water talks about true suspending baits just sitting there between twitches while lethargic bass inspect them. With the Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait, that tungsten-weighted SP body means you can jerk it down, then let it hang almost motionless. Five seconds, ten seconds, sometimes more. It feels like an eternity. That is when it gets smoked.
3. Faster slash for active fish
When the water is warmer and bass are already up and hunting, you can speed the whole thing up:
- Shorter pauses (one to three seconds).
- More aggressive twitches to really make it slash about.
- Work it over grass flats, shallow points and wind-blown banks.
Outdoor Life’s pre-spawn jerkbait write-up on pre-spawn smallmouth jerkbaits shows exactly this kind of higher-energy cadence paying off when fish are grouping up and chasing bait across points and flats.
4. Bank angling tips
From the bank, the 95mm / 14.8g size shines as a long-cast option. Work it parallel to the bank when you can, so the Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait spends more time running down the break rather than in no-man’s land. Target:
- Riprap walls.
- Sea walls and harbour edges.
- Grass edges and isolated weed clumps.
- Any obvious change in depth close to shore.
The 65mm / 6g version is a nice option for tighter spots, canals, or when smaller baitfish are the main food source.
When To Use It
Jerkbaits are not just a “winter only” toy, but they do some of their best work when the water is cool and clear. Articles on cold-water jerkbait fishing from Wired2Fish and Lurenet’s suspending jerkbait primer all hit the same notes:
- Late winter & early spring: pre-spawn bass staging on points, channel swings and bluff walls are tailor-made for a suspending jerkbait. Hang the Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait over those spots and let it sit.
- Post-front conditions: when a cold front has pushed fish off the bank, they often suspend off the first break. That is classic jerkbait territory.
- Clear water: jerkbaits rely on being seen, so clearer water makes them shine. That is why they get so much love in Northern smallmouth pieces on sites like In-Fisherman and Angling Edge.
- Any time you see baitfish mid-depth: if your eyes or electronics show balls of bait hanging off structure, you could do a lot worse than run a suspending minnow through them.
Does It Actually Catch Fish?
Jerkbaits in general have a stupidly good track record. Outdoor Life’s “best bass lures” review straight-up says most diehard bass anglers would pick a quality jerkbait as one of their favourites, and for good reason. Wired2Fish, Bassmaster and Major League Fishing all have whole series of videos dedicated to catching fish on suspending baits.
The Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait is essentially a more affordable way of getting into that game without handing over Megabass money on day one. You get:
- A proper SP minnow body with a tungsten weight system.
- Long-cast performance for bank or boat.
- Decent out-of-the-box hooks and rings, not coat-hanger tinsel.
- Colours covering natural baitfish through to full “search mode” firetiger-style patterns.
Fish it where suspending jerkbaits are supposed to be fished and you are playing the same game the pros are, just with a different label on the side of your lure.
Gear Pairing
Getting the rod and line about right makes a big difference to how a Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait feels. Most jerkbait gear advice – from Wired2Fish videos to Bassmaster how-tos – converges on something like this:
- Rod: 6’6″–7′ medium or medium-light rod with a reasonably fast tip. You want enough backbone to crack the bait and set hooks, but enough softness that you do not yank trebles out.
- Reel: 6.3:1–7.1:1 baitcaster or a 2500–3000 size spinning reel. Anything in that middle gear-speed range works fine.
- Line: 8–12 lb fluorocarbon is a classic jerkbait choice – it sinks slightly, stays invisible and gives a bit of stretch. Braid-to-fluoro leader also works if you like more feel.
If you want to double-check your combo, the Best Bass Fishing Setup article on BassFishingTips.US walks through sensible rod, reel and line pairings. For main line, something like the PE Braided Wire Fishing Line by FTK has already been battle-tested in the shop’s other Lure Drops.
To put jerkbaits in the bigger picture, the Best Bass Fishing Lures for Beginners guide gives a good overview of when you might pick a suspending hardbait instead of a crankbait, spinnerbait or soft plastic.
Specs
- Brand: Bearking
- Model: 95SP / 65SP
- Lure type: SP minnow (suspending jerkbait style)
- Length: 95mm (9.5cm), 65mm (6.5cm)
- Weight: 14.8g (95mm), 6g (65mm)
- Weight system: tungsten weight system
- Hooks: 3 pcs 2x-strong Bearking treble hooks
- Eyes: 3D fish eyes
- Finish: simulation fish skin (laser)
- Rings: Bearking flat double (bicyclic) rings
- Colours: around 20 colours (Col.A, Col.B, Col.C, Col.D, Col.E, Col.F, Col.G, Col.H, Col.I, Col.J, etc.)
- Packing: each bait in a retail PVC box
- Extras: each bait includes one Bearking fishing tackle sticker
- Quantity: 1 lure per pack
- Category: Crankbaits → Hardbaits → Fishing Lures
FAQ
Should I choose the 65mm or 95mm Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait?
Think about forage and water size. The 65mm / 6g is ideal for smaller waters, pressured fish and when baitfish are tiny. The 95mm / 14.8g suits bigger reservoirs, windy conditions and when bass are happy to eat a larger snack.
Can I fish this Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait on spinning gear?
Yes. The 65mm size is perfect on a 2500-size spinning reel with 8–10 lb fluoro or braid-to-leader. The 95mm can also go on spinning, but many anglers prefer a light baitcaster for that one.
Do I always have to fish it with long pauses?
No. In genuinely cold water, long pauses shine. In warmer water with active fish you can shorten pauses and snap it more aggressively. The key is to experiment until the fish tell you what mood they are in.
Is this just a winter lure?
Not at all. Jerkbaits are killer in winter and early spring, but they also work in autumn, on overcast summer days and whenever you see bait suspended off structure. Clear water plus visible baitfish is always a good sign.
Final Verdict
If you want to get serious about jerkbaits without emptying your wallet, the Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait is a cracking place to start. You get a true SP minnow profile with a tungsten weight system, quality hardware and a bunch of colour options, all in a package that works from small canals to big, cold reservoirs.
Pair it with a sensible jerkbait rod and some decent fluoro, then go and point it at points, walls and grass edges whenever the water is cool and clear. Twitch it, pause it, stare at the line and get ready for that savage “nothing–nothing–heavy” feeling when a bass finally decides to cave in and eat it.
Tie on a Bearking Squad Minnow jerkbait next time you see bait hanging off a point – two twitches, a long pause and be ready for it to just load up.
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