spinnerbaits

[Jonas Staggs]

6 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

If you want to jig something like that, get some football jigs. A spinnerbait is a 'moving' lure...does it's best when constantly in motion as the blades are what creates a 'thump' to draw the bass in. Jigging it would mostly eliminate the blades effectiveness.

Weeds ARE cover.

ok cool, so I can fish it like a lipless crankbait in a sense than.

 

yeah for the cover I mean like in the south you see these guys fishing on awesome lakes with submerged trees, a sea of lily pads, logs, etc. Theres none of that here, just open water, weed beds, and maybe a dock you cant fish lol

 

all this talk has me excited to fish it next time i get the chance.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

yeah for the cover I mean like in the south you see these guys fishing on awesome lakes with submerged trees, a sea of lily pads, logs, etc. Theres none of that here, just open water, weed beds, and maybe a dock you cant fish lol

That one I caught? I don't know if he came out from under the lily pads or UP from within the Hydrilla. Ya, they hide in the weeds, which is why pulling a spinnerbait through weeds isn't a 'crazy idea'.

 

Also - why can't you fish the docks? Cast alongside them to near shore and run the lure down the length. If there's a fish under them and they're either hungry or annoyed, they'll come out to get it...just like coming out from under lily pads.

[GReb]

I’d be willing to bet that close to half of my lifetime bass catch has come on some type of spinner bait variation. 

[greentrout]

1 hour ago, Jonas Staggs said:

ok cool, so I can fish it like a lipless crankbait in a sense than.

 

yeah for the cover I mean like in the south you see these guys fishing on awesome lakes with submerged trees, a sea of lily pads, logs, etc. Theres none of that here, just open water, weed beds, and maybe a dock you cant fish lol

 

all this talk has me excited to fish it next time i get the chance.

it's a myth that all waters in the south are loaded with wood and lily pads, etc. ... where i fish time has taken its toll on cover such as wood and there are not very many spots of lily pads ... used to throw a spinnerbait a lot ... not near as much now ... now whether fishing the bank or boat must find some structure and throw soft plastics t-rigged ... or be near a good spot in the morning for the morning feed or from the dam for the evening feed ... the pre spawn and spawn of course calls for different tactics ...

 

good fishing ... 

 

[J Francho]

I have a little more time to give you my tips.  I carry around 40 spinnerbaits in a couple wallets every trip.  Your take-aways from the thread are pretty limiting.  Best time to throw them?  Whenever you want to catch a fish on them, and they're biting.  Seriously, weather conditions mean nothing, unless it's too windy, which makes them hard to throw.  You can fish them in weeds, wood, rocks, docks, shallow, deep, like a jig on the bottom, bulging the surface water, pulsing retrieve, straight retrieve, slow, fast, and everything in between.  Best colors?  White, white/chartreuse, and most other colors, though I only use the first two.  Best size?  Heavier works in deeper water, or at faster speeds.  I start at 1/2 oz, and have nothing lighter.  My heaviest is 1.5 oz.  When you want to go deeper, but maintain speed, go heavier.  When you want to go faster, but stay at the same depth, go heavier.  The opposite is true for both.  Take note of head shapes.  Streamlined, bullet shaped heads go through weeds better.  Wider, jig shaped heads handle rocks well.  Fish head shaped is a good general purpose.  A trailer hook is the only trailer you'll need.  You will eventually catch a fish where the trailer hook is embedded in the fish's chin.  This is because the fish crashed the blades.  That's what the trailer hooks are best for, not short strikes, though they sometimes work for that.  Changing retrieve, depth, or color (or even type of bait) is a better solution to that. Speaking of blades, there are several types and configurations.  The answer is yes.

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, Jonas Staggs said:

I been using it in open water swimming it

I think we found the reason you havent caught fish with it .

[Jonas Staggs]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

That one I caught? I don't know if he came out from under the lily pads or UP from within the Hydrilla. Ya, they hide in the weeds, which is why pulling a spinnerbait through weeds isn't a 'crazy idea'.

 

Also - why can't you fish the docks? Cast alongside them to near shore and run the lure down the length. If there's a fish under them and they're either hungry or annoyed, they'll come out to get it...just like coming out from under lily pads.

 

Community lake doesnt allow fishing from the docks, I have caught a lot there, but thats when I was a kid and could get away with it lol. 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

 

Community lake doesnt allow fishing from the docks, I have caught a lot there, but thats when I was a kid and could get away with it lol. 

Shore-bound?

 

Can't fish from the docks, but how about from the shore BY the docks. Reverse it, cast out alongside the dock past the end and reel back.

[FishingGeekTX]

2 hours ago, Jonas Staggs said:

Does anyone or can you jig it, let it hit bottom, and jig again, like how you would fish a T, rig?

For that, try a chatterbait 1/4 or 3/8oz.  If using a trailer for some bulk/weight, keep it simple IMO for a search lure, nothing too long or too distracting, its already gonna wiggle and thump.

You can fish that very similar to a spinnerbait, just straight retrieve with good thump (and fairly weedless) , or you can fish it like a jig, it's designed for both.  I caught a nice 6# bouncing it bottom right next to a brush pile last year.  It's my typical first-cast search lure.

 

Spinner bait is a classic, millions of huge bass caught on SB, and that wire is what deflects a lot of things away from the hook.  Might even be better than bladed jig near branches or hard cover, both can manage in semi-weedy conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

[Glaucus]

I love to hate spinnerbaits. They don't work 90% of the time but that other 10% of the time it's the only lure I want. 

[FishinBuck07]

No trailer for me, I believe with a trailer the short strikes become worse!

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, FishinBuck07 said:

No trailer for me, I believe with a trailer the short strikes become worse!

See, I'm of the opposite opinion. Bass are ambush predators and try to engulf their prey. A trailer gives bulk to the spinnerbait, making the bass more likely to try and take it all in on gulp - thereby increasing the chance of a successful hooking.

 

Six of one, half dozen of the other - do what you're confident with.

[Log Catcher]

I never use a trailer or a trailer hook. I meant to mention earlier I had caught fish with all types of blade configurations but My personal preference is to use Colorado blades. I seem to have better luck with them.

[Derek1]

I feel like you can catch fish with them any time you throw it. Like @J Francho said use it when you want to. 

[Jonas Staggs]

5 hours ago, J Francho said:

I have a little more time to give you my tips.  I carry around 40 spinnerbaits in a couple wallets every trip.  Your take-aways from the thread are pretty limiting.  Best time to throw them?  Whenever you want to catch a fish on them, and they're biting.  Seriously, weather conditions mean nothing, unless it's too windy, which makes them hard to throw.  You can fish them in weeds, wood, rocks, docks, shallow, deep, like a jig on the bottom, bulging the surface water, pulsing retrieve, straight retrieve, slow, fast, and everything in between.  Best colors?  White, white/chartreuse, and most other colors, though I only use the first two.  Best size?  Heavier works in deeper water, or at faster speeds.  I start at 1/2 oz, and have nothing lighter.  My heaviest is 1.5 oz.  When you want to go deeper, but maintain speed, go heavier.  When you want to go faster, but stay at the same depth, go heavier.  The opposite is true for both.  Take note of head shapes.  Streamlined, bullet shaped heads go through weeds better.  Wider, jig shaped heads handle rocks well.  Fish head shaped is a good general purpose.  A trailer hook is the only trailer you'll need.  You will eventually catch a fish where the trailer hook is embedded in the fish's chin.  This is because the fish crashed the blades.  That's what the trailer hooks are best for, not short strikes, though they sometimes work for that.  Changing retrieve, depth, or color (or even type of bait) is a better solution to that. Speaking of blades, there are several types and configurations.  The answer is yes.

thanks for the information my friend.

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Shore-bound?

 

Can't fish from the docks, but how about from the shore BY the docks. Reverse it, cast out alongside the dock past the end and reel back.

nope its out of casting distance, shore bound, you can take out paddle boats, but no fishing from the boats. I know the lake pretty well, its where I learned to fish when I was a kid, we would sneak onto the docks and all over the place your not allowed to fish or not allowed to go, but I cant do that kind of stuff as an adult. The bass are always where you cant reach or where your not allowed lol. I get what your saying though, we got a few good coves, and some other good spots, I can now easily cast over fences I used to climb as a kid lol. If theres one thing that is really cool about fishing the lake, its the fact I fished it since I was 8 and its where I learned to fish, now d**n near 40 years old, still fishin it! If I switch to some braid and get me a surf casting rod, I can probably drop shot those docks and hit some other unfished areas of the lake, been meaning to get around to trying that one of these days.

[Jonas Staggs]

3 hours ago, FishingGeekTX said:

For that, try a chatterbait 1/4 or 3/8oz.  If using a trailer for some bulk/weight, keep it simple IMO for a search lure, nothing too long or too distracting, its already gonna wiggle and thump.

You can fish that very similar to a spinnerbait, just straight retrieve with good thump (and fairly weedless) , or you can fish it like a jig, it's designed for both.  I caught a nice 6# bouncing it bottom right next to a brush pile last year.  It's my typical first-cast search lure.

 

Spinner bait is a classic, millions of huge bass caught on SB, and that wire is what deflects a lot of things away from the hook.  Might even be better than bladed jig near branches or hard cover, both can manage in semi-weedy conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

nothing on the chatterbait for me yet either, but I have been meaning to get the micro chatterbait and give it a shot

[Bird]

Spinnerbaits are in the fisherman's hall of fame.

I only use 2 colors , white and chartreuse with a trailer of choice, tandem willow for me.

 

A large majority of my big SM and LM have come by way of spinnerbaits. 

 

Throw them over submerged timber, shallow coves and have them moving forward when they hit the water, prefer casting reels. 

 

Don't give up on them. 

[DitchPanda]

What's the deal with em? There awesome..that's the deal! They have been a confidence lure for me for almost 20 years...only thing I've probably caught more bass on in my life is a plastic worm

I use them alot...and with all the sizes and blade combos they are very versatile...you can slow roll them, burn them, fish them through fairly heavy cover..one of my all time favorites

[Jonas Staggs]

well im learning things from this thread aside from the videos i watched so thats good. Ill let you guys know when I catch one on it!

[AC870]

They’re a great grass or weed bait. A lot of times, you’ll get bit as it pings off a piece of grass. I’m relatively new to them too but I’ve had a ton of fun with them, especially last couple falls. If you see fish breaking the water in late summer/early fall in a shad lake, throw that spinnerbait right in the midst of em and hang on. I have had a fish on as soon as I turned the handle to engage the reel. I’ve also had em hit it right at the boat as you’re about to pull the lure up. White bass love em too. 

[roadwarrior]

23 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Spinnerbaits are one of the all time great bass lures.Versatile, and can work at all times of year.

Any color will do, as long as it's white.

 

[Dennis1972]

I absolutely love using spinnerbaits, I much prefer the Colorado blades over the willow blades, but they are harder to find. I have yet to find a color that wont work.

[J Francho]

39 minutes ago, Dennis1972 said:

I absolutely love using spinnerbaits, I much prefer the Colorado blades over the willow blades, but they are harder to find. I have yet to find a color that wont work.

Siebert makes 60 colors in double willow, or he can make you a custom color, if you want: https://siebertoutdoors.com/products?olsPage=products%2Fcompact-tandem-spinnerbait