Spinnerbait Confidence (or lack thereof)

[loudcherokee]

I see alot of people mention spinnerbaits as a high yield bait, confidence bait, search bait, etc.

I've thrown spinnerbaits of all different colors, sizes, blade configurations, at all different retrieve speeds, depths, etc and have yet to even get a bite on a spinnerbait. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've bumped cover, lost a few spinnerbaits, fished open water, rolled the bottom, burned the top and everything in between. I've thrown nothing but a spinnerbait till my arm was tired.

I've thrown a white spinnerbait and got nothing then switched to a white chatterbait and was reeling in a bass every other cast.

Not sure what the deal is. Pressured lake? Everyone and their uncle throwing spinnerbaits? How can I get in on this spinnerbait bite?

LC

 

[OkobojiEagle]

If I was in your shoes I'd keep the chatterbait tied on and not worry about a spinnerbait...

 

oe

[fishballer06]

As of the past few years, I've done much better with a chatterbait than I have with a spinnerbait. 

Doesn't mean I don't have an occasional day where the spinnerbait is the bee's knee's, but you're better off throwing what you have the most confidence in and what the fish are biting. 

[WIGuide]

There are a lot of variables that go along with a spinnerbait. It's possible you could have been throwing or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. For instance the day your chatterbait was killing it, I would be guessing is a day they wanted more vibration, if you were throwing a spinnerbait with willowleaf blades, you're going for flash and hardly any vibration. Spinnerbaits will catch fish, but you will have the best luck with whatever you have most confidence in. 

[MassYak85]

I never really understood why some people use spinnerbaits and chatter baits interchangeable. To me they have completely different strengths. Usually I fish spinnerbaits for the flash of the blades, when they are going after schools of baitfish, and chatter baits for the vibration, usually in dirtier water. 

[bigbassin']

Fish a spinnerbait at night...you'll gain confidence in it real quick. 

[burrows]

Try a more compact spinner bait

[flyingmonkie]

Come to Oklahoma!  In some of the shallow stained water I fish, a SB is about the only thing you'll catch 'em on!

Big difference in a single Colorado blade and twin willowleaf... different bait in my opinion.

[Tanner English]

First you gotta figure out color... Clear water: grey with a little blue or green

stained water: white and maybe a little red

muddy water: chartreuse or chartreuse and white

then you gotta figure out fast or slow, vibration or no

willow blades are fast moving, Colorado are slow... Willow don't have as much vibration as Colorado blades do. I don't pay as much attention to the blades cause if the bass is hungry he's gonna eat it... I kinda just focus on color

Edited June 28, 2016 by Tanner English
I misspelled something

[greentrout]

S/B's are great during the Spring and Fall. Work in the hot Summer in deep water slow rolled, slow. Really, pick up your favorite plastic, worm for me, work it slowly. Hot Summers reward the plastic worm. Always will...

[Glenn]

Spinnerbaits are my confidence lure! I've been fishing them for 40+ years.  Here's all my secrets:

 

[Bluebasser86]

Spinnerbaits are a must have bait for me. The War Eagle Finesse spinnerbait catches more bass than any other other I've ever used in all conditions.

[Catt]

I've never caught a bass on a chatter bait...ever!

As for spinnerbaits sometimes the bass just don't want em.

[Bankbeater]

Back in the spring the number of bass caught with chatterbaits and spinnerbaits were about even.  Since it warmed up the bass don't seem to want either of them.

[dman]

16 hours ago, loudcherokee said:

 

I've thrown a white spinnerbait and got nothing then switched to a white chatterbait and was reeling in a bass every other cast. 

Its weird how that works sometimes. I've never even had a bite with a chatterbait and ive been trying them for years now. Like you, i can throw a chatterbait till my arm hurts and nothing - switch to a spinnerbait ( as mentioned above - A War Eagle Finesse spinnerbait) and start tearing them up 

[Evan K]

46 minutes ago, dman said:

Its weird how that works sometimes. I've never even had a bite with a chatterbait and ive been trying them for years now. Like you, i can throw a chatterbait till my arm hurts and nothing - switch to a spinnerbait ( as mentioned above - A War Eagle Finesse spinnerbait) and start tearing them up 

Exact same for me. I've caught LOTS of fish on spinnerbaits (even a couple PBs) and it's a high confidence bait for me. Chatterbaits I struggle to get a bite on.

[scaleface]

I've never caught a fish on a chatterbait either .and I've made probably 10 cast with them . 

[Choporoz]

I've gained a lot of confidence in chatterbaits this year (thanks in no small part to @Bluebasser86 ). 
I have had success with spinnerbaits for years.  I'm starting to get a little set in my ways, though, and in my mind, I've narrowed the conditions that cause me to reach for either; both work well for me pulled across sunken laydowns; if I'm fishing well defined grass edges and there's a good ripple on the surface, I'm going to tie on a spinnerbait.  If there's bass in <5 feet of water that has grass within 3 feet of the surface, I'm going to reach for a chatterbait first and pull it over the top.  Shallowish stump fields beg for a spinner bait.  Of course, there's lots more great situations for both, but those conditions have me reaching for them before other lures, generally.

[loudcherokee]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll take these tips to the lake and apply them next time I go out.

LC

[buzzed bait]

once the wind starts blowing and the water is moving a little bit, the spinnerbait bite can be phenomenal!

[A-Jay]

In the heat of the summer, I love to burn “white on white” spinnerbaits.

I burn it very fast just under the surface.  And I mean FAST - as fast as I can get it to go and still track straight & run upright.   This tactic can work any day, but especially on those calm, flat, still bluebird sky days when nothing else works. Common thinking for such conditions is to slow down, go deep, do finesse; and that works. However, burning the "white on white" is often an effective & pretty exciting option.  The strikes will rock your world !

 On some of these days one would think no bass were on the bank. But come back down the same section - not a cloud in the sky, not a ripple of wind - and burn a spinnerbait just under the surface and suddenly, it will seem like a miracle as the "barren" bank now seems filled with aggressive bass that materialize out of every spot of cover, every crack and shade spot on the bottom to smack down these whites on whites with a vengeance.  It's a commitment to do it but it's a ton of fun when they get it.

This tactic can work in a variety of locations, but it's effective especially over submerged grass beds, through the "Lanes" of a lily pad field, under & around docks, underwater wood and rock piles.  Long sloping main & mid-lake points with deep water access close by are my favorite areas for Big Summer Smallies.  I'll set up shallow & throw out over deep water, fish come up quite a ways to get it.  In super clear water some wind does help for the brown bass.

A high speed reel, a long stout rod & 30-50 lb braid is my tackle of choice.  And a Trailer hook is a must. A heavier bait is recommended as it allows for a long cast and helps the bait to stay in the water at the high speed required to attract attention & illicit the strike. I use 3/4 to 1 oz baits.  A weighted SK Burner & the Bottom Dweller work here. As does the Revenge Deep Runner Double Willow bait. (pictured) Dropping the blade sizes down one or two numbers is a standard practice as it allows the bait to attain max speed & still track straight. 

 By making a long bomb cast and engaging the reel just as before the bait enters the water the bait can be kept high in the water column.  Then, as the line comes taut, start reeling like there's no tomorrow as you sweep and keep the rod tip high overhead. The white on white will be just under or bulge the surface all the way back to you. Every 20 to 25 feet, lift the rod tip so the blades come out of the water. When they come out, they will clack together - and it will appear as if your spinnerbait is exploding. The clacking blades will flail water, the blades will fly every which way, and the jig (spinnerbait head/skirt) will jerk over on its side, swerve sideways and then wobble back as it rights itself. Don't stop reeling.  Reel so fast that the bass have to race as fast as they can behind the bait for 10-15 feet just to catch up to it.  And if they swipe at it and miss - they'll not catch up to it again!  When the waters clear enough & the conditions are right you'll often see one or more bass come up and follow and even strike the bait.  I'm always amazed at just how easy they make chasing & catching the bait look despite my reeling speed.  What I've come to believe is that even though it seems like I'm reeling super fast, I couldn't actually reel too fast for them to catch it if & when they want to.  Speed is a powerful attractor, especially for smallies, they love to chase  - they really do. 

I might collapse on the deck gasping for air after a few minutes of doing this - but I usually smiling.

A-Jay

 

[bowhunter63]

I had really good luck this weekend with a War Eagle mouse color in 3/8 ounce.I burned it and lifted then killed it and let it fall .They all hit it on the drop.There is really no right or wrong to fish one.Keep changing it up and you will catch fish on them.

[Jeff H]

Spinnerbaits can be very involved if you choose to really get into them.  They are a favorite of mine, particularly in spring and fall.  I have lots of different options to pick from depending on variables involved.  I would definitely have a very difficult time breaking my choice down to 2 or 3. 

["hamma"]

I probably fish a spinnerbait more than any other lure. I have yet to even buy a chatterbait.

Some guidelines, single colorado blades are great for around heavy cover, or helicoptering down standing timber, stained water. They offer a strong vibration with minimal flash, and can be golden in muddy waters. Double willowleafs are exceptional in clear water situations, and burning under the surface. Some may say that the colorado is a better slow rolling bait due to the vibe, but the double willow works well slow rolling too.

 As for colors? white, white/chart,  for most situations but in muddy water i use chart.,... at night? black,...in the early am? I have made up some custom skirts to mimick a perch pattern that kicks butt.

 There are probably tons of info on this site on how to fish a spinnerbait, and I most likely would just be re-inventing the wheel. 

But,... a couple to try,..manns classic, and any version of stanley vibrashafts. The classic is a "different" bait as it has a gold indiana "primary" blade. and is exceptionally regarded by both largemouth and smallmouth alike.,.

P.S.,...Its the bait I caught my pb on