Hate spinnerbaits?

[justfishin]

I am a newbie to this post and really like it. I have recieved some great tips on tackle making,new techniques and ideas and have been motivated to try new things and have seen how greatly fisherman disagree on a lot of topics. Not disagree really but, how everyone does things so differently. One specific thing really stands out in many of the post . I have heard many of the guys comment about spinnerbaits " I don't use them ", " They don't catch fish ", etc. I am curious as to why they have this opinion and what helped them form this view on this bait. Spinnerbaits can be used in so many different venues. Slow rolled, burned, reeled slowly along the bottom, brought through the trees and wood, contour following down points and..... I have always used them and have done well with them, especially on Tidal Water ( Lower Potomoc and  Upper Bay in Maryland )  and for smallmouth in the rivers. I am just curious to hear some reasons. Thanks-Jim

[jdw174]

Spinnerbaits don't catch fish?????      Someone apparently isn't holding their nose right.  I wouldn't consider going fishing without as SB rig on the deck, but that's just me...

[castaway]

I can catch fish on them, but it seems as though I really have to work for them with the exception of spring time when I can catch alot of fish in a day on them on certain days.I can't explain it, but they don't seem to produce as well as other types of lures will, so I am guilty of not wanting to use them alot over other different types of lures.I fish a rattle trap alot, probably why I have caught more fish on traps than I have spinnerbaits.it doesn't make sense, the spinnerbait looks more real and alive in the water, the trap looks fake, but the trap will catch more fish for me ?I have been determined to catch fish on them, bought the Van Dam videos, bought several different spinnerbaits, but the only way I can consistanly catch them is on a chartruese skirted bait running it about 6 " under the surface over the weed flats, but it seems like it takes a hundred casts, or more to get results. Windy days are better than calm days.What do you recommend I try ?The other thing, with a trap, I am constantly moving it in different directions, so it doesn't come back in a straight line retrieve, or it is ticking weeds, or snapped off the bottom and let settle back to the bottom again when I get results, the spinnerbait doesn't seem to produce trying some of the same methods.What should I be doing ? P N J

[Chris]

Simple they don't understand the lure. They don't understand when a spinnerbait is a better option or what conditions make it excel. They don't understand blade combinations and how it effects the lure. They don't understand that a spinnerbait needs to be tuned for it to catch fish. They don't understand how the different arm sizes and materials that the blade arm is made of effects the amount of vibration the lure produces. They don't understand how the materials a skirt is made of and how it is trimmed can make a difference on how much motion it has in the water. They don't understand what blades work better in which water conditions.

They don't understand depth control. They don't understand how to maximize the strike and catch ratio of the lure.

[fishbear]

I have spent hours throwing spinnerbaits, the only fish I have caught is a 8 lb. catfish (with witness). :-/ :-/ :-/

I have them in my tacklebox, but they stay there...  

When it comes to spinnerbaits, I feel the same way Fluke does.....  that is why he got them on his last challenge.   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[fourbizz]

I love them, but I have near zero confidence in spinnerbaits in gin clear water, which is what I fish 8 months out of the year. As soon as it muddies up to about 2ft vis, i will start throwing them again. My highest number day was with a black/blue T1 and at the end of the day it was trashed!

[Vyron]

they r goto lure, the lures i trust the most , the lures that catch me lots of fish

did i say i love em?  

[Chris]

I hate using them in clear water too except if the skies are overcast or in low light conditions and around thick cover.

[New 2 Bass]

My spinners only catch skunks.  

[volpster31]

i used to throw them a ton ,but in the last few years ive been using other lures instead....if im on a lake i dont know very well,  i will  definately throw one for a while just to cover water... i tend to throw a rat-l-trap instead anymore if the cover allows

[GAMEOVER]

I use to use them semi-often til my whole collection of them got stolen. The only spinnerbaits I have now are in-line spinners (Mepps) which still produce. If I find myself in a spinnerbait situation I just usually go with a lipless cb.. Yo-Zuri Rattle N'Vibe, Yo-Zuri DRUM, Lucky Craft LVR, MegaBass Vibration-X Ultra.

[Tucson]

Pretty broad divergence of opinion on this.  Personally I like them, they're pretty versatile under varying conditions (within reason).  Big plus?  The fish seem to like them too!

[justfishin]

Thanks y'all. I was curious as they are a large part of my arsenal and work great for me. I hear you on the gin clear water situation though. I sometimes lose confidence in this situation as well, unless its really windy, but, for smallmouths in gin clear water you can use a 1/2oz spinnerbait and downsize the blades and burn it, and I mean burn it, and it can be deadly. I also change most of my spinnerbaits blades over to Indiana blades after I purchase them as well if they don't come with them, except when I am in the grass. Another time is in the summer when I am night fishing I use a big Colorado blade one arm and they can be fantastic. The last 3 or 4 years I have also had a lot of luck on points and drop offs in the late summer with heavy 1-1 1/2 Clearwater Spinnerbaits. I read about good Ol' Woo Daves with this bait and tried it and yes, it works  great. Always learning something I guess. Thanks for the interesting answers.

[TournyFish001]

IMO if you fish for bass they should be in your tackle box.  they are great when conditions allow it-

[Michael H]

Spinnerbaits are my favorite baits. I like that there so many ways to fish them and that they dont hang up that easly(i fish of shore alot so snags are a big issue)and ofcourse they catch fish. Any body that dont think they catch fish should give them another shot. A good video to learn how to use spinnerbaits is vandams proven spinnerbait techniques.

[Dan:]

if I am looking for fish and the water is muddy or it's windy, I always start with a spinnerbait.

I just wish they would make them in more realistic colors to see if they might work better in clear water

[roadwarrior]

My thought used to be, "I rarely fish them because EVERYONE else does."

However, because of a few threads and posts here at BassResource.com earlier this year, I started using spinnerbaits occasionally. Well, guess what? Yep, I'm back on board! I still haven't caught a monster, but I have caught a couple of 5+ which makes it a winner in my book.

Thanks guys.

[Garnet]

I love spinnerbaits in clear water and wicked bright sunshine. The trick is to cast close to the water and smallies will track your spinnerbait and nail before you crank once. I think the smallies can't get a good look at the bait so they kill it. I've had people with me that can hardly catch a fish that cast overhand and a lot further.

Garnet

[RoLo]

My thought used to be, "I rarely fish them because EVERYONE else does."

"Contrarian Psychology", the surest way to stay a leg-up on the crowd.

Roger

[BucketmouthAngler13]

I cought my 2nd biggest bass on a spinnerbait, and also my 4th. For me, spinnerbaits simply work and simply catch fish. Any time, and place, any weather, spinnerbaits have been one of my most productive lures. I always have a couple in my tacklebox, and they are my #1 bait for pitching/flipping into brushpiles.

I have to say spinnerbaits are my go-to-lure. Every kind will catch fish pretty much anywhere. My 2nd biggest was cought on a $1.75 Lucky Strike double willow.

Hate 'em? naw, whats not to love?

[dodgeguy]

spinnerbaits are a MUST THROW LURE!!!if you are not catching fish on spinnerbaits you really need to learn how.i have caught lot's of fish over 5 lbs on them.any tourney  fisherman i know of would love to get a 5 in a tourney.i catch an easy %40 of my fish in a year on spinnerbaits.yeah there are some days when they don't catch squat but there are some days when they kill any other lure.

[Turtle.]

I love spinnerbaits,(right time,right situation)Caught many nice bass spinnerbaiting.For night fishing i use a black spinnerbait with a big colorado(thumper)blade. Simply deadly.Hey,but on any given day that wind picks up i'm switching to a crankbait,

[Brandon972]

Man I dont know where you guys are from, but here in Texas spinnerbait work well yaer round! The spinnerbait is my favorite bait to throw, closely followed by a crank. My biggest LMB (9.5) was caught on an old beat up H&H spinnerbait, the spinner barely spun, and there was not much of the bades that didnt have corrosion on them, not to mention the skirt was half gone! lol The only reason I was using that beat up spinnerbait, is because it was the last one left. Since then I make sure I am well stocked with spinnerbaits before I leave the house!

[justfishin]

Its funny you said that " Fishbear ". I have caught a few channel cats on the Upper Potomac here in Maryland on spinnerbaits. When I told a buddy of mine about this he said I had too many Sammuel Adams the night before !, LOL.

[senile1]

Simple they don't understand the lure. They don't understand when a spinnerbait is a better option or what conditions make it excel. They don't understand blade combinations and how it effects the lure. They don't understand that a spinnerbait needs to be tuned for it to catch fish. They don't understand how the different arm sizes and materials that the blade arm is made of effects the amount of vibration the lure produces. They don't understand how the materials a skirt is made of and how it is trimmed can make a difference on how much motion it has in the water. They don't understand what blades work better in which water conditions.

They don't understand depth control. They don't understand how to maximize the strike and catch ratio of the lure.

I agree with what you're saying Chris.  The spinnerbait is truly one of the most versatile baits in your arsenal and can be fished slow, fast, like a jig, like a crankbait, helicoptered, waking across the surface, etc.  Read up on when to use willowleaf, Colorado, and Indiana blades, which blade colors to use in murky or clearer water, how to tune the bait to veer left, right, or go straight, and how the length of the arm affects the bait.  Then practice.  

I do agree with RW, that if you're fishing a highly pressured lake and everyone is using a spinnerbait, something different might be in order.