$1 Walmart Spinnerbaits

[Carterjig68]

Hey guys, I recently had my entire spinnerbait box stolen. It sucks big time. But... I have heard about people having success with those cheap spinnerbaits from Walmart or in my case, Cabelas. Should I use them until I can get some other spinnerbaits? Anyone have any tuning tips?

[Evan K]

Unless money is a serious problem, I think I'd just buy 2 high quality spinnerbaits that will last and not need tuning. I've had cheap spinnerbaits and they are a pain, with the skirts coming off in chunks and the wire bending and the blades getting twisted up with line. Boonah is a decent choice or of course War Eagle or V-M Cyclone.

[BooyahMan]

Funny you should mention that. I recently had some good success with the cheap buzzbaits from Cabelas and some local cheap spinnerbaits. Having the spinnerbaits roll to one side was a pretty big issue especially with trailers but the bass didn't seem to mind....

[dday07]

I had some pretty good success when visiting a friend in Alabama one year with wal-mart spinnerbaits..didn't bend much and caught a few stripers with them also

[Bluebasser86]

You can buy a few to get you by for now. Depending on your location, it's almost past the most effective time of year for spinnerbaits so you might be better off going without and just buying a few good ones this winter. Sorry about your loss, I hate thieves!

[smalljaw67]

I make mown spinnerbaits, I bend my own wire forms and pour my own heads and it allows me control of the components. I'm telling you this so I can help you decide on what kind of spinnerbait you should get. The reason you can find cheap spinnerbaits for a dollar or two is because they use a low grad stainless wire, cheap hooks, and either crane or cheap roller swivels and for the most part they will work and catch fish. A good spinnerbait has a good grade of stainless which means you have a better strength to diameter ratio so a lighter wire can be used with the same durability as the cheap one and it will put out more vibration. It will also have good hooks and a high quality ball bearing swivel, these catch fish as well, the difference is how each catch fish. If the fish are a little deeper, say 6' to 8' and in a neutral mood, well you may want to use a different bait if you are using $1 spinnerbaits because in order to slow roll a 3/8oz or 1/2oz spinnerbait in that depth, you need a swivel that is going to spin at a very slow speed, this is where you find out what difference that good swivel makes, I can creep my spinnerbaits along extremely slow and the blade will still spin, you can't go that slow with a walmart special. My advice would be to use what will work for you, if you only use spinnerbaits when conditions are absolutely the best, well a cheap model will work, but if you like using them in a variety of different presentations, well then a better bait is what you would want. Don't get me wrong, those cheap $1 baits do work and can work well but when the fish need to be finessed a little with a slower moving bait, well that is when a good spinnerbait is a must have.

[BaitMonkey1984]

If you are in a bind and need some to fill the tackle box while you slowly buy better spinnerbaits, the Walmart ones will do. When I first got into fishing I didn't understand why the Walmart spinnerbaits were $1 and the Terminator spinnerbaits were $12. They looked the same to me. Now, after many years of fishing I know. As mentioned above, the wires will bend, the skirts will fall apart, the hooks will need to be sharpened, the paint will chip, and bait will need to be tuned. However, they still will flat out catch fish. And, I personally like the lighter wire, some of the better spinnerbaits do have a lighter wire which gives the bait more vibration . 

 

Long story short, it will work, but its a lot of work. But it is absolutely do-able until you get some funds for some terminator spinnerbaits. 

[Hurricane]

I would rather spend the money on good spinnerbaits. . My buddy bought a couple of those from Walmart and they are useless.. especially the buzzbait..

[Outdoor Zack]

Hey guys, I recently had my entire spinnerbait box stolen. It sucks big time. But... I have heard about people having success with those cheap spinnerbaits from Walmart or in my case, Cabelas. Should I use them until I can get some other spinnerbaits? Anyone have any tuning tips?

 

Coincidentally, I picked some up the other day.  Haven't fished a lot with them, but they look like they'll work until I want to upgrade to a Booyah or one of the ones from Siebert Outdoors.   The wires on them appear pretty stout to me, but I don't have anything better to compare them too.

[scaleface]

If it was me in your position , I would just buy a couple of the least expensive Strike Kings , Booyahs ... I dont need a lot of spinnerbaits . 

[bowhunter63]

Rebuild with a couple of War Eagles at a time.Those dollar wal- mart ones are junk.

[Josh Smith]

My boy loses lures.  For this reason I usually have him use plastics and inexpensive lures, including the Walmart $1 lures.  He caught his first crappie on one.

 

Would I recommend 'em to experienced fishermen?  Probably not.  I mean, they'll work, but the blades don't flutter as well as the more expensive spinnerbaits I have.

 

Buy two good ones, and build from there.

 

Regards,

 

Josh

[HoosierHawgs]

My boy loses lures. For this reason I usually have him use plastics and inexpensive lures, including the Walmart $1 lures. He caught his first crappie on one.

Would I recommend 'em to experienced fishermen? Probably not. I mean, they'll work, but the blades don't flutter as well as the more expensive spinnerbaits I have.

Buy two good ones, and build from there.

Regards,

Josh

I like the new profile picture!

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I used to use those Walmart $1 spinner baits. Then I got tired after each day of fishing when the skirts fell off.

[NAbassman]

I have used the walmart spinnerbaits and I have slapped wore them out with them. I have alot of sucess with the white and blue or just solid white. For some reason I catch them better with them on lake wheeler than I do on lake guntersville. I would definitely give them a try. 

[Comfortably Numb]

As long as they have ball bearing swivels and decent hooks give them a shot. Wrap some braid around the skirts so they stay on.

[Diggy]

I use to go to town with those 1 dollar baits. The bands may break that hold the skirt material on but other than that Ive caught tons of bass and snakehead on them. They are only 1/4 oz tho. I usually shop the clearance rack at DSG for spinner baits but Im not too opposed to the walmart cheapies.

[soflabasser]

Those $1 Walmart Spinnerbaits are much better than what most people give them credit for.I have caught lots of decent sized bass on them.You can buy a couple of them and have them as backup Spinnerbaits for when you lose the expensive ones.

[S. Sass]

Those $1 Walmart Spinnerbaits are much better than what most people give them credit for.I have caught lots of decent sized bass on them.You can buy a couple of them and have them as backup Spinnerbaits for when you lose the expensive ones.

I totally agree. I know people do not like to admit they bought the cheapo bait. But they will catch fish and do it well. If the skirt is falling off i think someone was meddling with them before you purchased them. All the ones I have seen had zero issues with the skirts. I do have some of the nicer $6+ spinner baits but I throw the $1 ones in the junk when I and really trying to get in a tight spot where I might not get it back. 

[Choporoz]

I, too, have used $1 Walmart spinnerbaits....a lot.  The biggest difference that I've noticed since going to 'higher-end' spinnerbaits is the action on the fall.  If I was only going to use them for steady rolling, or cover thumping, I'd go back to them.  But, Sieberts, War Eagles, Terminators, and others have great spinner turn and 'flutter' while falling.   The Walmart spinnerbaits I used just sort of sink. 

[WIGuide]

If I have the choice, I'll stick to my Terminator's and Eco Pro Tungsten spinnerbaits, but I purchased a few of the walmart ones when they went on sale for $0.75 haha. I felt like tinkering and some different blades I wanted to try. I knew the skirt wouldn't last long, but planned on putting a quick skirt replacement on it when it fell off. Surprisingly enough it held up pretty well and I've actually caught a lot of fish on them. Definitely not as good as my normal spinnerbaits in terms of quality, but for the money they're pretty darn good! For a whole dollar a piece pull the trigger on a few if you need them and then save up to replace your collection.