Which Spinnerbait Retrieval Technique...

[TheSmilingSwordsman]

I have just begun to explore the spinnerbait.  I know that there is a time and a place for various retrieval methods, so far I have had the most luck with jigging the spinner and slow rolling it along the bottom. 

 

What retrieval technique do you have the most confidence in? 

[Justin Mott]

Depending on the lakes and time of year, I like to wake my spinnerbaits, slow roll them on bottom, and slow rollw them through and close to cover.

I lean on a spinnerbait throughout most of the year so I've leaned how to use the bait for my neck of the woods. For example, in lakes with bank grass and warm weather (not hot) I like to keep the blade high in the water column. Also on low light days on clear water.

 

Pretty much any other time whether it is colored water, sunny days, misc. weather condition, I feel like anyone can catch them using a slow roll technique around cover.

 

How well has the blade been working in your area?

[roadwarrior]

These articles might help:  http://www.bassresource.com/content/search?SearchText=spinnerbaits&BrowsePageLimit=30

[smalljaw67]

The spinnerbait is my favorite bait, I spent a lot of time with it and I usually work the bait according to conditions. Right now conditions are lining up for a good spinnerbait bite and my favorite technique will come into play, burning it just below the surface.  I'm not talking bulging or waking but burning so you are just a little further under the surface with smaller willow blades, the strikes are violent and visual, it is better than a topwater strike!!

[Fishes in trees]

I use two basic retrieves with spinnerbaits.  One - the slow roll, where I'm trying to keep it a little off the bottom, bumping into stuff and the bottom, not all the time but pretty often.  Secondly, a little more subsurface retrieve.  I want to keep it moving.  I'm not burning it, but I'm not going real slow either.  Depth seems to be the primary component of this retrieve.  If I can see the spinnerbait real well during the retrieve, I'm too shallow.  If I can't see it at all, I'm too deep.  A perfect cast, I catch a glimpse of the blades every 10 to 12 feet or so.  As I get closer to the boat and the bait gets easier to see, I slow it down a little or drop my rod tip some to try to keep it at the correct depth.

 

Honestly,  over the past few years, I've used a spinnebait less and less.  Now it is the bait I choose when the cover is a little too gnarly to work a square bill through, and if you use Timber Tigers, the cover has to be really  gnarly before you can't get that bait through it.

 

I have very little experience fishing spinnerbaits deep, trying to slow roll in deeper than 6 feet of water or so.   That's something that is on my list to work on, but it seldom gets done.

[iceintheveins]

Depends on the lake, water clarity, time of day, and time of year/water temp. In early spring and late fall I like to slow roll the lure just enough to get the blades turning, and occasionally kill it briefly, twitch the rod and change directions. That can trigger a lot of strikes. In murky water, slower to medium is better most of the time. I also tend to go deep and slow during hot weather in the middle of the day.

 

There are times when I burn a spinnerbait though. This is mostly an early morning or evening technique in clear or lightly stained water. It also works really well in cloudy conditions with chop in the water. Even here, pausing the lure briefly, then jerking it forward and changing directions a bit can trigger more strikes.

 

These are great general rules of thumb and should get you bit.

[ABW]

I like to reel slow then burn it for a second or two.

[NDH Fishing]

I like to reel about 5 feet and then let it sink ruffly 2 feet, 9 times out of 10 the bass bite right as soon as you stop reeling,for me anyway... and twitching it is always good. 

[NDH Fishing]

I like to reel slow then burn it for a second or two.

this too