Soft-plastic jerkbaits have come a long way from their origins as a chunky piece of minnow-shaped plastic. Does that style of soft jerkbait still work? Yes, but as happens with all things in bass fishing, the bait has become more refined.

One of the latest and most exciting refinements is Gambler's Jump'n Shad. Like the name says, this bait can be worked so that it jumps and skips out of the water, exactly like a fleeing baitfish.

Does it catch bass? You bet: Davy Hite used it to win the BASSMASTER Tour event on Lake St. Clair in August 2001.

The first time Hite saw it in action, he knew it would work at St. Clair. That's why he grabbed a bunch of the baits off the deck of Gambler co-owner Mike Surman's boat just before he left for St. Clair. At the time, Jump'n Shads weren't on the market yet.

"I didn't even know he had them until I got a call from (fellow Gambler pro) Clark (Wendlandt) the third day of the tournament," Surman says. "He was mad at me, saying, 'How come you gave them to Davy? He's going to win the tournament on them.'"

How many baits provoke that kind of reaction from the pros?

"You have to learn how to work it, learn the rhythm, but once you learn it you can make that bait jump 4 or 5 inches out of the water," Hite says. "It looks just like a baitfish."

Master that skill with this bait and you will likely catch more bass, and maybe win a tournament or two yourself.

The Jump'n Shad is available only in kits. To order, click here.