Some spinnerbait questions

[Sphynx]

Managed to snag a pair of crappie today on a Walmart spinnerbait. I have never really been very good with one, and the bass today proved that much. I had an absolute blast using this one today and definitely want to expand my skills to include more of them.

 

My question to you lot is simple, favorite spinnerbaits and why? Manufacturer, sizes, colors and blade configurations are all welcome. 

[MIbassyaker]

I look for good components (swivel, split rings) and a good hook first of all. El Cheap-o spinnerbaits will absolutely catch fish, but they may not be as well balanced (ride to the side), blades may not spin as well at slow speeds, and they will tend to wear out more quickly than a more expensive spinnerbait. With use, skirts will fall off, hooks will get dull, the wire will get bent up, or split rings fail; this will happen will all spinnerbaits, but faster with cheap ones. 

 

Still, up here where I might get bitten-off by a pike at any moment in some waters, dollar-bin spinnerbaits have their place too.

 

Lots of companies make a good spinnerbait that doesn't cost too much: off the top of my head, War Eagle, Nichols, Revenge, Pepper, as well as Strike King, and Booyah.  Siebert Outdoors (forum sponsor) makes spinnerbaits with good components for good price (I like the compact ones the best), with your choice of skirt.

 

I use double willow or single colorado the most, 1/4oz, 3/8oz, and 1/2oz. Getting a variety of weights and blade sizes lets you fish various depths at various speeds. All else equal, bigger blades will make it rise more on the retrieve but create more resistance, making it easier to retrieve slowly. A heavier weight will run deeper at the same speed as a lighter one, or will stay at the same depth with a faster retrieve as a lighter one with a slower retrieve. Slow-shallow, fast-deep, fast-shallow, slow-deep: it's worth having a few to cover all combinations. 

[aatwofour]

War Eagle is really the only brand I use. What blades and color depend on the water clarity. Willows for clearer water, slightly stained, or for burning. Indiana and Colorado’s for dirtier water and slower retrieve. I mainly use double willows or the Indiana/Colorado combination

[Jigfishn10]

I make my own but the BEST I’ve fished with and still have some are  Megastrike Strikeback. 

 

Single willow for fishing bottom

Single Colorado for early season, night and murky waters

”All Around” would be willow main blade with Colorado on the shaft

[Sphynx]

Awesome input thusfar gents, good things to consider too. I am kicking myself for all the years I missed out on this bite, it's exciting in a similar way to crankbaits...what a rush

[A-Jay]

28 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

I make my own but the BEST I’ve fished with and still have some are  Megastrike Strikeback. 

 

Single willow for fishing bottom

Single Colorado for early season, night and murky waters

”All Around” would be willow main blade with Colorado on the shaft

Big fan of that bait myself.

A-Jay

[Jig Man]

Either home made or War Eagle for me.  Almost always 1/2 oz.  All kinds of colors and blade configurations.

[Sphynx]

How often do you guys use trailers/trailer hooks?

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, Sphynx said:

How often do you guys use trailers/trailer hooks?

A-Jay

[Jigfishn10]

16 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Big fan of that bait myself.

A-Jay

THAT’S IT! (low key) except I don’t have a cool trailer like that. ?

 

I don’t mean to get off topic, but A-Jay, with that bulky trailer, do find you need to fish that quicker because of the added weight? I can honestly say I never went that bulky.

[Sphynx]

8 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

A-Jay

Lol...if I knew the size of the can of worms I had just opened I'd have put my waders on first. Guess the Louisiana waters around me being a shake of salt short of being brackish means they'd be more grief than anything. Can't say I've ever fished anything clearer than 2 foot down here and it's nearly always a mess of roots, logs, grass, shopping carts, mafia rejects and the good lord knows what else.

 

EDIT: Spelling

[A-Jay]

13 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

THAT’S IT! (low key) except I don’t have a cool trailer like that. ?

 

I don’t mean to get off topic, but A-Jay, with that bulky trailer, do find you need to fish that quicker because of the added weight? I can honestly say I never went that bulky.

1

I actually add weight - especially when I'm looking to burn it and keep it high in the water column, which is at least 1/2 the time I fish it.

I wrap solder around the shank of the hook.  How much weight it adds depends on the type length & size of solder used.  Adds length to the cast, is centered perfectly on the bait to ensure it runs true and allows for max speed while keeping the bait just under the surface.

I just push the trailer right onto it.

I will not use a trailer hook unless I absolutely have to - which is sort of rare.

Works wicked good !

But let's just keep this our little secret. 

A-Jay

 

 

[Tennessee Boy]

Good stuff here.   Does anyone think the world need more spinner bait colors than white and chartreuse?

[Ksam1234]

War eagle is probably number one , and then next is revenge. I use double willow or one small Colorado and willow. White and chartreuse is a go to, or some natural blue gill color. Gold is used most often where I fish

[Sphynx]

6 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Good stuff here.   Does anyone think the world need more spinner bait colors than white and chartreuse?

I dunno about need, but I picked up a red one for a dollar at Walmart. I'll toss it around for a half hour or so every time I go out until it either produces or gets lost. Guess that deal about lures catching 2 fishermen for every fish has some merit? ?

[jimmyjoe]

   In order of proficiency:

     1) Chartreuse and white

     2) chartreuse and blue

     3) Chartreuse

     4) black and white

 

   I use single Colorado, double Colorado or double Oklahoma,and then sometimes tandem willow/Colorado. And if I'm fishing in the river, I ALWAYS use twisted-eye spinnerbaits, 3/8 or 1/2. In waters with no pike or musky, I use r-bend spinnerbaits. 

   Brands are Northland, J-Mac and War Eagle.    jj

[A-Jay]

42 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Good stuff here.   Does anyone think the world need more spinner bait colors than white and chartreuse?

 

No doubt that's an effective pattern in many circumstances.

I make & use my own skirts. (so easy an A-Jay can do it).

All kinds of greens, brown, orange & even some reds. 

I have caught some fairly repectable smallies on spinnerbaits that had the same skirts I use make for & use on my swimjigs jigs.

Not magic but can certainly be a viable option.

A-Jay

 

 

[Jigfishn10]

Here’s a spinnerbait that can flat out bird dog fish. Casts like a rocket, the blades spin opposite each other and can be fished any depth.

[Dens228]

War Eagle, mostly 3/8 oz.  

I go with a natural color like Mouse, a white, and a Chartreuse.  I've had most success with Willow blades, one gold, one silver. 

[MIbassyaker]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Good stuff here.   Does anyone think the world need more spinner bait colors than white and chartreuse?

 

56 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

No doubt that's an effective pattern in many circumstances.

I make & use my own skirts. (so easy an A-Jay can do it).

All kinds of greens, brown, orange & even some reds. 

I have caught some fairly repectable smallies on spinnerbaits that had the same skirts I use make for & use on my swimjigs jigs.

Not magic but can certainly be a viable option.

A-Jay

 

 

 

Well over half of my spinnerbaits are sunfish or perch-like patterns with greens, browns, golds, oranges.

And I usually prefer gold blades over silver.

[fin]

53 minutes ago, Sphynx said:

I dunno about need, but I picked up a red one for a dollar at Walmart. I'll toss it around for a half hour or so every time I go out until it either produces or gets lost. Guess that deal about lures catching 2 fishermen for every fish has some merit? ?

I had a lot of luck using one of those $1 black spinnerbaits from Walmart, but I don’t use them anymore. One of the great things about spinnerbaits is you don’t have to spend a lot to catch a fish, but really it makes sense to spend more on spinnerbaits, because the odds of losing them are way less than just about anything else. I’ve lost quite a few over the years, but it’s almost always when I’m really pushing the limits, trying my luck.

 

I know chartreuse is big on this forum, but it's never been lucky for me. Never had much luck with jig colored skirts like @A-Jay posted either, but almost every other natural color has paid off. I'm getting into the custom skirts too.

 

16 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Here’s a spinnerbait that can flat out bird dog fish. Casts like a rocket, the blades spin opposite each other and can be fished any depth.

That's so crazy it just might work!

 

I have a couple questions about spinnerbaits myself:

1. Why do some willows spin on a nice, tight axis while others spin on a wider axis?
2. All things being equal (same skirt, same blades, etc.) which can you roll slower while still keeping the blades spinning, a heavier or lighter spinnerbait?

[Sphynx]

8 minutes ago, fin said:

I had a lot of luck using one of those $1 black spinnerbaits from Walmart, but I don’t use them anymore. One of the great things about spinnerbaits is you don’t have to spend a lot to catch a fish, but really it makes sense to spend more on spinnerbaits, because the odds of losing them are way less than just about anything else. I’ve lost quite a few over the years, but it’s almost always when I’m really pushing the limits, trying my luck.

 

I know chartreuse is big on this forum, but it's never been lucky for me. Never had much luck with jig colored skirts like @A-Jay posted either, but almost every other natural color has paid off. I'm getting into the custom skirts too.

 

That's so crazy it just might work!

 

I have a couple questions about spinnerbaits myself:

1. Why do some willows spin on a nice, tight axis while others spin on a wider axis?
2. All things being equal (same skirt, same blades, etc.) which can you roll slower while still keeping the blades spinning, a heavier or lighter spinnerbait?

Being a guy fishing from the bank, with 0.0 electronics, I get to find out what beyond eyesight in pea soup Louisiana waters the expensive way, one lost lure at a go. $1 spinnerbaits are not even close to my end game, but I'll bet you dollars to donuts I keep a pile of them around if for no other reason than to determine major structure in new spots. These lures are great.

[microotter]

I haven’t tried a ton of brands, but War Eagles have been my favorite so far. They can be slow rolled or burned and run true with a nice blade turn. They have a variant called Screaming Eagle that I like which is a heavier spinner in a more compact size. 

[jimmyjoe]

16 minutes ago, fin said:

All things being equal (same skirt, same blades, etc.) which can you roll slower while still keeping the blades spinning, a heavier or lighter spinnerbait? 

  As a spinnerbait gets heavier, the manufacturer puts on more resistive blades, either bigger or more highly cupped. So you can't really compare all things being equal, because they aren't. If you put on a bigger blade without changing anything else, you de-stabilize the spinnerbait. If you put on a smaller blade, you reduce the turbulence that makes the skirt pulsate. You can slow-roll a spinnerbait of any style and with any style blade that is made to be slow-rolled. Most (not all) use a single, relatively large blade, with Colorado and humongous willows being the most common where I live. And yes, they've been heavier examples. I've tried to modify existing spinnerbaits to do certain things that I wanted, but I've had limited .... very limited .... success.  jj

[Tennessee Boy]

@MIbassyaker and @A-Jay  do you catch primarily smallmouth on your green, brown, orange, etc spinnerbaits?