Help with spinner baits

[Daniel Abram]

Ok I know people catch fish on them. However I never have. I have thrown white black green and different colors. I know blades come  into play. Don't know if my retrieve is wrong. I have thrown and let sink some and retrieved back. Just need advice. Thanks 

[Glenn]

 

[papajoe222]

I'll add something I believe a lot of anglers overlook when fishing lures and it's more important with spinnerbaits than some others.  Straight, mono-speed retrieves may catch fish, but changing speed, angles, or bumping it into cover on your retrieve will get you bit more often. Add to that, the bite is usually more agressive resulting in good hook-ups.

Spinnerbaits can be used to cover the entire water column, not just the upper few feet. When fished shallow, it's a great target bait. Cast it past a target and try bumping that piece of cover, or at the very least, pop your rod tip so the spinner's cadence is interrupted. When allowed to sink deep, it's great as a search bait when covering large pieces of structure like points, or ledges. Drop down a size or two on the main blade to keep it in the zone, or allow it to sink to the bottom a few times during the retrieve.

[813basstard]

^yes. Great info. 

Keep it simple. White/chartreuse, all chartreuse.

one double willow, one tandem, one double Colorado. 

They are way more seedless than they get credit for. Launch them in the thick (live) weeds. 

Like mentioned above, change speed, rod tip angle etc.

fish it where you can see it (up high) fish it were you can barely see it and fish it crawling on the bottom.

[Jdowns]

I’ll second the comment on using them to bounce off structure. I used to never fish spinners. Now, they are a go to for me anytime I have rocks or subsurface timber. 

[Fishes in trees]

I've never done any good dragging spinnerbaits along the bottom - and I've tried off and on over the years.  For me, there is a "certain depth" that makes spinner baits work and it varies from day to day. Basically, if I can see the bait very well, I'm running the bait too shallow and if I can't see the bait at all during the retrieve, then I'm a little too deep. A perfect cast is where I just barely see the flash of the blade every so often.  If after 20 or so minutes of this, then I'm done for the day and I'm pretty certain that there are other baits that will work better.

[JediAmoeba]

When I was a teen I used to go out to farm ponds and waters rarely fished slaying bass and Pike.  Took those same techniques to places fished frequently and the bite was nowhere to be found.  Now, as mentioned above, those are the techniques that really get it done.  There is a time and place for them, they are very unnatural looking, but can draw fish in when it gets muddy or there are lowlight conditions. They are great for covering water and really good at night in weedy conditions.

[CountryboyinDC]

I didn't watch the whole video posted by Glenn, but it probably covers anything I could tell you.  For me, putting the spinnerbait in the exact place I want it is important, more so than a lot of other baits.  Often this means casting on the bank and gently easing it into the water.  Getting this under a low-hanging willow tree or into some craggy looking cover is what makes this a great bait to use for me.  The other thing is that regardless of blade type and depth, I don't do well with a spinnerbait unless there's a bit of cloud cover.  I know someone on here surely has the opposite experience, but even with painted blades, I don't get a good bite going under bluebird skies.  There are some great spinnerbait fisherman that can use these anywhere at any time and get bites, and I'm definitely not one of those.  But if you're not using a spinnerbait, it's like not using a crankbait.  You're really missing out on the best bait for a lot of circumstances.   

[Hower08]

Wind wind wind. Did I mention you want it to be windy.... Or dark or both better yet. Think of it as a square bill. And a jig all in one. Fish it in those same areas you would a jig or Square bill. Keep colors simple. White chartreuse natural and black. blades are what can really affect the quality of a spinnerbait bite moreso than color I believe

[scaleface]

When they're hot they're , when they're not they're not . This spring I was catching close to 100 per cent of my bass with them , now they are not working so well . 

[BassThumb]

Good advice above on varying retrieves. Most bites seem to come after some sort of variation. I think the bass follow it sometimes and then whack it when something changes.

 

I often just keep the rod still in a good hook setting position, low and off to the side a little, and vary the retrieve with the reel handle. Just throw in a fast turn or a slow turn every 3-4 of the reel handle. I do the same thing with bladed jigs and crankbaits.

[Daniel Abram]

Awesome advice!!!!

[Deleted account]

Find a good spinnerbait fisherman, and try to go fishing with him as much as possible, specially in the spring. Wax his boat, bring lunch, pay for gas, flirt with his ugly daughter, and do whatever else it takes to get on his good side. Then watch, listen, and emulate. DO NOT  say "but I read that I should be.." ever. Spinnerbait fishing is loaded with nuances, and variations, that most folks gloss over, thinking it's all about chucking and winding.

I like Mother's, Genoa and provolone on rustic italian, non-ethanol, and don't have kids...