Swiping at spinnerbaits

[ThePolkFolk]

Had at least half a dozen fish strike at a spinnerbait today. Other than a trailer hook, which I already added after the 3rd miss, is there any way to entice them to get hooked? Was throwing them in, and at the edge, of underwater grass lines.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Nscheele]

Sometimes a quick twitch can cause the skirt to flair out and that can cause the fish to strike. Think of it like twitching s jerk bait but without the pause. 

[Fish the Mitt]

It sounds like they might be striking your blades? Keep in mind, these are there to simulate bait fish and they're movement and flash are as enticing as anything else. Did you try a different spinnerbait with different blades or colors? I would generally recommend a trailer hook but you've obviously done that. 

 

The cool thing is, you found the bass. I would run another lure across that same grassline. Perhaps something else that displaces water as much as a spinnerbait. A bladed jig perhaps? 

 

 

Also, is the spinnerbait you're using a tandem blade? I've noticed that I get more blade strikes with a tandem willow spinnerbait than anything else. I believe it's because the blades sit so much farther back than the hook. Again, another reason I would generally add a trailer hook. Or change out to a single bladed spinnerbait and run it along that same grass line. Just my 2 cents.

[ThePolkFolk]

Thanks for the tips guys, I was using a War Eagle and then a Strike King heavy cover; both had tandem willow leaf set ups.

Now that you mention it @SemperBass, it could have definitely been them striking just the blade as a couple really seemed to get a hold of it, or so I thought. 

I will definitely add some twitches and stops in the retrieve next time as I was steadily slow rolling them through the cover today. Might even have an old single blade or two laying around somewhere I can tie on... 

Thanks again

[Clinton john]

Try adding a spinner bait trailer, something with two tails, it will help to get them to hit the body and not the blades.

[Fishin' Fool]

4 minutes ago, A5BLASTER said:

Try adding a spinner bait trailer, something with two tails, it will help to get them to hit the body and not the blades.

 

Agreed. I was thinking maybe a Keitech so they could target the thump the tail gives off.

[Columbia Craw]

Transition to a chatterbait or swimjig. 

[Airman4754]

Depending on where you are they could be bed guarding and just chasing it off. I had the same thing happen today. Then I went to the Whopper Plopper and they hammered it. Spinnerbaits are clangy, but not completely obnoxious enough to make them physically defend their bed.

[Bluebasser86]

6 hours ago, Mosster47 said:

Depending on where you are they could be bed guarding and just chasing it off. I had the same thing happen today. Then I went to the Whopper Plopper and they hammered it. Spinnerbaits are clangy, but not completely obnoxious enough to make them physically defend their bed.

Bedding fish is what came to my mind as well. 

They might just be trying to push it off and away from their bedding area instead of actually trying to eat it. 

Might try something a little slower moving in the same areas, like a keel weighted swimbait along those same grass lines. A little slower moving bait might not get away from their bed fast enough so they might mouth it to try and hurry it along.

[smalljaw67]

If the fish are bedding then they aren't eating it but just hitting it to get the bait away from them as Bluebasser86 has mentioned. If that isn't the case I found that either going to a swim jig or a chatterbait is the best option when the fish are hitting the blades. In the past I change the skirt color, something brighter or off color to try to get them to hit the body, that worked but not as well as a swim jig.

[Catt]

I don't see a guarding bass leaving the nest to chase spinnerbaits. Unless it hits em on the head even a slowrolled spinnerbait is moving to fast.

 

Maybe smallmouth do!

 

If ya getting "short" strikes something with the presentation is off.

 

Could be color, could be size, could be retrieval speed!

[scaleface]

 I  go to smaller blades and a    natural skirt  . If that doesnt do the trick I quit throwing spinnerbaits .

[Deleted account]

10 minutes ago, scaleface said:

 I  go to smaller blades and a    natural skirt  . If that doesnt do the trick I quit throwing spinnerbaits .

 

Perfect. I usually go to a swimjig or squarebill.

[ThePolkFolk]

11 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

Transition to a chatterbait or swimjig. 

It's funny cause I throw chatterbaits most of the time anyways lol. It might be time to bust out the swim jigs from Siebert.

10 hours ago, Mosster47 said:

Depending on where you are they could be bed guarding and just chasing it off.

I am in Florida so that is most definitely a possibility. Most of my fish these past few weeks have been caught using plastics in the spawning areas.

 

As for why I didn't change over to another bait, you could say I can get a little hardheaded throwing a bait the first time for the season...

[Catt]

Small compact spinnerbait

[ThePolkFolk]

@Catt any that you recommend? I have a couple Booyah Pond Magic's but they might be too small? I guess I could throw them on spinning gear if needed.

[dwatts2010]

Try the MegaStrike Big Bass spinnerbait. The free swinging head design really helps with hookups. 

[RHuff]

Any time I get a short strike like that on a spinnerbait I always add a swimbait trailer. I find they usually go after that instead of the blades and results in better hook ups for me.