What's Wrong With My Spinnerbait?

[FinCulture]

I bought a strike king .38 special spinnerbait off Tackle Warehouse last week. It's a solid looking spinnerbait with some real big willow blades on it. The only issue I had when I tried fishing it yesterday was I really had to burn the retrieve to get the blades spinning. We're talking having to retrieve as fast as I could. I was using a 7:1:1 gear ratio reel, so I don't think that's the issue. Am I doing something wrong or does the spinnerbait just need some better blades. I have not encountered this with a spinnerbait before.

[Bluebasser86]

So the blades stop if you slow down your retrieve then?

[Deleted account]

I bought a strike king .38 special spinnerbait off Tackle Warehouse last week. It's a solid looking spinnerbait with some real big willow blades on it. The only issue I had when I tried fishing it yesterday was I really had to burn the retrieve to get the blades spinning. We're talking having to retrieve as fast as I could. I was using a 7:1:1 gear ratio reel, so I don't think that's the issue. Am I doing something wrong or does the spinnerbait just need some better blades. I have not encountered this with a spinnerbait before.

 

A picture might help with the diagnosis. It could be one or more of several things. Check the swivel to make sure it is spinning freely, then check the front blade for some kind of hang up (burr in clevis, imperfection on beads, gunk on wire). Now adjust the angle of the wire coming of the head and tie to the speed you'll be fishing. Finally, a lot of production spinnerbaits have manufacturing run variations which affect action. About the only ones that can't be corrected are distance from head to tie, and wire diameter, everything else is fair game, in fact, I seldom fish a spinnerbait stock. I like my blades a tad smaller and closer together than most manufacturers. Why a barrel swivel is better than a ball bearing one in some applications will be covered in the advanced portion...

[Raul]

Many many years ago SK manufactured those monster size double willow blade spinnerbaits, I have several of them and they do need to be reeled in fast in order to keep the blades rotating, they were later modified by SK adding the paint job and the weed cover to the swivel and renamed as .38 Special.

[scaleface]

 Why a barrel swivel is better than a ball bearing one in some applications will be covered in the advanced portion...

I'm confused.What advanced portion ?

[Damn Yankee]

Buy a spinnerbait that you know works for you.

[Fisher-O-men]

I seldom fish a SB but when I do I give the bait a good jerk to get the blades going.

[buzzed bait]

I seldom fish a SB but when I do I give the bait a good jerk to get the blades going.

 

i'm kind of the same way.... typically let if fall to the bottom or desired depth and then pop it one good time to get the blades moving....

[Fishes in trees]

My first guess would be that the swivel connecting the blades to the wire arm is messed up.12.  This just reinforces my belief that nationally distributed spinner baits are of moderate quality at best.   I fish War Eagle or Terminator spinner baits myself, unless I'm fishing an old J&J Truman Lake Special or an old Rogers glass eye Colorado or any others of off brand regionally distributed baits, the names of them elude me right now.

 

Here's something to try.   Every place where you'd normally throw a spinner bait, throw a DC5 or DC8 Timber Tiger and see if you get bit more.  Obviously there are some places where there is so much vegetation that you can get a spinner bait through it, but not a crank.   Every place where you can get a crank through, even with picking off some grass every so often, try throwing the Timber Tiger.  I believe you'll find that the spinner bait gets you fewer bites.

[einscodek]

if you play with it and find the big willow blade dont have good spin momentum, I'd replace the swivel with a ball bearing swivel

You can also try running it in single willow configuration sometimes the second willow will interfere with the spin of the main willow

The main blade doesnt look that big to me it is a good size

[FinCulture]

Buy a spinnerbait that you know works for you.

that's the thing, though. I only started fishing spinnerbaits this year so I don't have experiences with a lot of them.

[FinCulture]

So the blades stop if you slow down your retrieve then?

basically, yea. I really have to burn it in to keep the blades moving most of the time. I'll definitely keep experimenting with it in the future.

[Derekbass02]

I have never had problems with the blade's not spinning on my spinnerbaits but I have had problems with my spinners blades not spinning. I have always used booyah and northland spinnerbaits.

[FinCulture]

I have never had problems with the blade's not spinning on my spinnerbaits but I have had problems with my spinners blades not spinning. I have always used booyah and northland spinnerbaits.

what does that even mean?

[everythingthatswims]

The problem is that it's not a war eagle

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

The problem is that it's not a war eagle

yeah cause then the problem would be it tilting to the side on a high speed retrieve like my war eagles do.

[Bluebasser86]

yeah cause then the problem would be it tilting to the side on a high speed retrieve like my war eagles do.

You need to tune your baits then. War Eagles are about the only spinnerbait I carry in the boat and other than having to tune one after catching a fish on occasion, they run perfect. 

[Bluebasser86]

basically, yea. I really have to burn it in to keep the blades moving most of the time. I'll definitely keep experimenting with it in the future.

If you hold it up and flick the blade does it spin freely or does it stop almost immediately? Sounds like the swivel might not be any good. They use to have good ones on those spinnerbaits but I haven't fished on for years so that might not be the case anymore. 

[FinCulture]

If you hold it up and flick the blade does it spin freely or does it stop almost immediately? Sounds like the swivel might not be any good. They use to have good ones on those spinnerbaits but I haven't fished on for years so that might not be the case anymore. 

i'd have to play with it a little more. It's not one of SK's higher-end spinnerbaits, I got it for maybe 5 bucks. I've used a spinnerbait called the Banshee by strike king, also 5 bucks, and that works great, but the object of interest has given me issues. I'm gonna play around with it and see if I can figure out the issue.

[FinCulture]

The problem is that it's not a war eagle

I do need to grab a war eagle or two. I've heard a ton about them and they do look like great baits, I can just be cheap sometimes.

[Damn Yankee]

that's the thing, though. I only started fishing spinneris my favoriteaits this year so I don't have experiences with a lot of them.

I would suggest you try a booya sb they have decent hardware and work well for me anyway.I prefer 1/2oz..

After you try a few you will learn what works for your conditions.keep the colors basic, try different blades, Indiana is my favorite but may not be good for you.spinner baits take a beating and need to be replaced often.You will find one that gives you the quality you need at a good price for you.Good luck .

[WIGuide]

I do need to grab a war eagle or two. I've heard a ton about them and they do look like great baits, I can just be cheap sometimes.

Go with Terminator instead. Or if you want a smaller profile bait that you can still cast, go with Eco Pro Tungsten.