Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick: Testing a New Suspending Jerkbait that Bass Love to Bite

I put the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick through its paces, fishing it on two bodies of water, to test its performance. If you're a fan of fishing suspending jerkbaits for bass, you're going to love this hot new lure.

The new Lunkerhunt BLACK Series Daggr Stick is a suspending jerkbait that excels at fooling bass. | Justin Hoffman

Recently unveiled at ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) 2025, the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick is a suspending jerkbait that raised eyebrows and received praise. Measuring 3.5 inches and designed as a finesse jerkbait, the Daggr Stick offers up a compact profile to largemouth and smallmouth bass, exceling when conditions are tough and fish are finicky.

The Daggr Stick is part of a new line of baits from Lunkerhunt being released in their BLACK Series. Touted as 'made by the pros, for the pros,' this collective offering of lures look to be winners.

Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick in Brown Head Shiner. | Lunkerhunt.com

I was fortunate to be sent samples of the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick for some on-the-water field testing. I tossed this bait to bass on a river system in my home province of Ontario, Canada, and then headed north to see how Quebec largemouth and smallmouth bass would respond. I was impressed from my very first cast.

My First Impressions of the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick Suspending Jerkbait

Designed for Finesse and Colored to Catch Bass

With a scheduled release date for this fall, it's always cool to get your hands on a new bait that bass haven't yet seen. Out of the package, the Daggr Stick is small in stature with a thin profile. With 12 traditional and custom colors on tap, the realistic look and attention to detail definitely shines through with these baits.

I was fortunate to get my hands on a Lunker BLACK Daggr Stick in Emerald Shiner. This color will be produced but there is no time frame on its release yet. | Justin Hoffman

Big Sound for a Small Bait

An inner chamber houses two large BB's, and after giving this bait a few shakes, it was obvious that it will emit a significant sound for a lure so small. That's bass catching music to my ears.

Built to Withstand the Power of Bass

Components are premium, with sticky-sharp treble hooks and O-rings that appear capable of taking on any abuse. The plastic lip is small and designed to get this suspending jerkbait down to a depth of 4 to 6 feet deep - which is for me, the optimum range when targeting largemouth and smallmouth bass with a lure like this.

Taking the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick on a Test Drive For Bass

I launched onto a favorite river system of mine to see what this new jerkbait could do. Heading down to a breakwall that is known to hold largemouth and smallmouth bass (but fish that often have a case of lockjaw due to clear water and regular boat traffic), this location seemed like an ideal spot to start.

I've had the opportunity to test hundreds of lures over the two and a half decades I've been an outdoor writer. Some have been duds but many winners, but never have I caught a fish on my very first cast when putting a new lure through its paces. But that's exactly what happened with the Daggr Stick.

I made a long cast about 10 feet out from the breakwall while working parallel to it. The bait found it's chosen depth quite quickly and I began a pause and twitch retrieve. About halfway back to the boat, and just as I began to start another twitch, a fish slammed my bait. A decent-sized largemouth bass was brought to the net - but more importantly, I quickly recognized just how effective this suspending jerkbait might be.

First cast and first fish with the new Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick. | Justin Hoffman

The next 20 minutes saw me land another largemouth bass and four smallies on the Daggr Stick. The clear water also allowed me to perfectly see the action this bait has - a tight darting movement that looks realistic when compared to a fleeing baitfish but also subtle enough to fool those big and smart bass that have seen every lure in the tackle box.

Lunkerhunt states that the Daggr Stick is perfect for pressured fish and cold front conditions. I think they're spot on with that statement. While working down the breakwall I saw numerous bass swimming up and down in the clear water. I tossed a jig, a craw and a soft plastic stick bait but only picked up one solitary fish on those lures combined. The suspending jerkbait produced five.

A pair of bass the author caught from a breakwall on the new Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick. | Justin Hoffman

Tempting French Bass with the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick Suspending Jerkbait

Later that week I headed an hour north from my house to fish my buddy Andy's Quebec cottage lake for bass. Conditions were favorable for a great day on the water - sunshine, warm temperatures, and barely any wind. Similar to my go-to river, this small lake is crystal clear and fish can spook quite easily. But when they are on they are on, and we started the day catching largemouth bass on a variety of lures.

As the afternoon progressed, fish action came to a sudden halt. We struggled to put bass in the boat and began questioning our tactics. Heading over to a rock and weed shoreline that tapers off into 10 feet of water, I figured this would be the perfect structure to see what the Daggr Stick could do.

Two dozen casts in and the first fish was in the boat - and a pretty decent largemouth at that. I picked up a few more fish working down that shoreline, each slamming the jerkbait on either the pause or at the precise moment I began a twitch. It makes me think fish will follow this bait, stare at it during the pause and while it suspends, before getting angry enough to take a chomp.

A Quebec largemouth bass is tricked into hitting the new Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick. | Justin Hoffman

Final Thoughts on the Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick Suspending Jerkbait for Catching Bass

I'm impressed. The Daggr Stick offers anglers a suspending jerkbait built for finesse which is something you don't often see on tackle store shelves. This bait caught largemouth and smallmouth bass and in a variety of different fishing situations.

Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick in Hot Perch. | Lunkerhunt.com

If you're looking for a new wrinkle in the suspending jerkbait game - or deal with pressured fish and cold front conditions, give the new Lunkerhunt BLACK Daggr Stick a look. I can't guarantee a bass on your very first cast, but you just never know with this hot and fresh bait.

The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.