Fish a floating jerkbait if you’re a beginner. As the name suggests, floating jerkbaits do not sink into the water until they’re jerked. So, it’s very unlikely that a floating jerkbait will get snarled up in weeds, shrubs, or obstacles under the water. (wikiHow)

Their precisely-balanced design makes jerkbaits neutrally buoyant, meaning that when you pause your retrieve or stop pulling them through the water, they neither float back toward the surface, nor sink toward the bottom. They suspend in place, totally vulnerable before a fish's eyes, just begging to get whacked. This "hanging in suspense" characteristic totally infuriates following or hesitant fish into striking. (Northern Ontario Travel)

As their name suggests, jerkbaits are fished using a series of quick jerks with the rod to mimic the movement of a typical bait fish. Depending on the water you are fishing, you will select a hard jerkbait if you want to fish near the surface, or a soft jerkbait if you wish to be able to control, or vary, the depth at which you are fishing. (Everything Smallmouth)