Blade Baits

[Mr_Scrogg]

Anyone here fish the Blades with success? I know of a guy that swears by them for Winter Smallies.

Name me some better ones. All I know are the Sonar by Heddon.

[Jrob78]

I plan to try them out this winter.  The Binsky Blades are the one's I'm planning on using.  I've read nothing but good things about them.

[iabass8]

bfishn tackle b3 blade 

[MacP]

I use them on Dale Hollow some.  Someone local makes them for our tackle shops.  They are like $5.00 for two.  I've had good luck with them!

[Scott F]

In the Midwest, there are "Big Dude" and Zip lures. Basically they are the same baits. I don't know how well they work on winter smallies, but they are dynamite on everything else in the soft water months. I've tried every type of blade baits I could find. Silver Buddies, Cicadas, Sonars, BPS blades, none of them caught as many fish as the Big Dudes.

[Bluebasser86]

The Silver Buddy is the old stand by. I've never had much success at all on one other than for white bass but I've probably never given one a real fair chance and for sure have never fished one for smallmouths. 

[ariess]

I like a strike king Rage Blade. It works great in fall, especially in wind and dirty water. Also good because you can fish it like a squarebill crankbait but in heavier cover and it provides an alternative look. In stained water I like a crawfish trailer like a  Strike King Rage Tail Craw.

[Jrob78]

I like a strike king Rage Blade. It works great in fall, especially in wind and dirty water. Also good because you can fish it like a squarebill crankbait but in heavier cover and it provides an alternative look. In stained water I like a crawfish trailer like a  Strike King Rage Tail Craw.

Wrong kind of blade bait.  I do want to try the Rage Blade though.

[Wayne P.]

I use the Silver Buddy or Krazy Blade depending on the fall rate and retrieve resistance I want.

 

I have some of the other brands, but rarely use them.

 

Caught this one with a 1/4 oz Krazy Blade about 11 months ago: The conditions are getting right for that presentation again.

 

[wnybassman]

I don't recall ever catching a bass on a store bought blade bait, I've been making my own for nearly as long as I have been pouring my own jigheads.   With that said, it took me nearly 10 years to figure out how to consistently catch fish with them, but once I figured it out I have had great success bladebaiting.

 

I mainly fish for smallies with them, in water colder than 50 degrees or so.  I like heavy gear, a 7' MH casting rod with 17 or 20 pound flouro.    And yes, you see right.  I cut the hook eye, flex it open to put it on the bait and crimp it closed again.    I have never lost a fish due to this method, and you will break the line LONG before that hook eye flexes back open again.

 

 

 

[Mr_Scrogg]

I don't recall ever catching a bass on a store bought blade bait, I've been making my own for nearly as long as I have been pouring my own jigheads. With that said, it took me nearly 10 years to figure out how to consistently catch fish with them, but once I figured it out I have had great success bladebaiting.

I mainly fish for smallies with them, in water colder than 50 degrees or so. I like heavy gear, a 7' MH casting rod with 17 or 20 pound flouro. And yes, you see right. I cut the hook eye, flex it open to put it on the bait and crimp it closed again. I have never lost a fish due to this method, and you will break the line LONG before that hook eye flexes back open again.

Would love to pick your brain a little via pm.

[Jrob78]

And yes, you see right.  I cut the hook eye, flex it open to put it on the bait and crimp it closed again.    I have never lost a fish due to this method, and you will break the line LONG before that hook eye flexes back open again.

 

What's the purpose of doing that?

[Smokinal]

I tried blades for the first time this year, on my last trip out. I was so stoked I caught 4-5 on them. The blades I bought were some home made ones off Ebay. They came without hooks so I could put the trebles I wanted on them. I added split rings. is this bad? I see most come with a split hook right on the bait. Any issue using a split ring? I used the KVD Mustad short shank ultra grip hook in a #4. 1/2 oz blade.

[wnybassman]

What's the purpose of doing that?

 

 

 

Two reasons.

 

The first is I can't seem to find any black nickel hooks that have a split shank.  A few different bronze finish split shank hooks out there, but bronze hooks in my boat don't last very long before rust sets in.     Second reason is any time I used split rings to attach the hooks, the hooks would constantly foul up on me.   It doesn't take long for that to become very annoying.

[Jrob78]

That makes sense, thanks for the info.

[Wayne P.]

I don't recall ever catching a bass on a store bought blade bait, I've been making my own for nearly as long as I have been pouring my own jigheads.   With that said, it took me nearly 10 years to figure out how to consistently catch fish with them, but once I figured it out I have had great success bladebaiting.

 

I mainly fish for smallies with them, in water colder than 50 degrees or so.  I like heavy gear, a 7' MH casting rod with 17 or 20 pound flouro.    And yes, you see right.  I cut the hook eye, flex it open to put it on the bait and crimp it closed again.    I have never lost a fish due to this method, and you will break the line LONG before that hook eye flexes back open again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can purchase the split shank treble hooks for your blades. 

 

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/mustad-treble-hooks/810214.aspx

[wnybassman]

You can purchase the split shank treble hooks for your blades. 

 

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/mustad-treble-hooks/810214.aspx

 

 

Yep, and they are the bronze finish hooks I don't particularly care for.   Thanks for the link though.

[cadman]

wnybassman,

       I have made a couple of hundred blade baits with the double hook instead of a treble, the ones that slip on. I have found that Gami makes these in a black nickel. If you don't mind two sets of double hooks instead of trebles, these work very well and they will never come off either. Just a thought. Excellent bait for cold water.

[Mainebass1984]

 I have had some great luck with silver buddies. In cold water conditions they can produce amazingly well.