What Makes For An Ideal Spinnerbait ?

[ChrisD46]

*As the title suggests - what makes for an ideal spinnerbait in your book and which manufacture(s) is your favorite consistently delivering the goods ? 

 

• Head Design : Does the spinnerbait track straight or torque to one side and blow out on retrieve ?
• Blades : Material of the blade  , finish , thinness of the blade and finally cupping of the blade ?
• Skirt : Does it use decent skirt material , include a full skirt , hand tired with wire or uses rubber band to hold skirt on ?
• Bait Keeper : How is the bait keeper , does it even have one ?
• Wire Gauge : Perhaps the most talked about material of a spinnerbait ... Does it have a nice mix of vibration and also  strength ? 
• Hook : Quality Gamakatsu , Owner , Mustad or other name brand hook used and is the hook size correct for the spinnerbait ?

 

*So , based on your experience and preference  - which spinnerbait takes first place , 2nd place and honorable mention ? 

[Bluebasser86]

It has to have quality components. If any one piece isn't good, the whole thing isn't good. I'm talking the blades, hook, swivel, and skirt. Ever looked at a good looking bait and then seen it didn't have a ball bearing swivel or the blades looked dull and put it back?

 

A trailer keeper is nice, but not a requirement for me since I don't always use them. I do really like a wire tied skirt but also not a requirement since I'll just tie my own if it's not there to start with.

 

Wire thickness depends because I use different baits for different things. I have spinnerbaits that are cover bangers that I'm going to be crashing into stumps, logs, and docks that don't need a ton of vibration, but they do need to be durable. Those baits I prefer to be a thicker wire. I also pour my own big thumpers that I do on a heavier wire to withstand the torque of those #6 and #7 Colorado blades.

 

For the more open water baits, a thinner to medium wire is good to get that vibration to help call the fish in.

 

Right now I've got 3 favorites that are on the shelf, War Eagle, Booyah Covert, and Nichols (particularly the Pulsator Hoosier series). All 3 fit into the mold of what I like in a spinnerbait and all 3 are fish catching machines.

[Catt]

Stanley Spinnerbaits 

 

Vibra-Shaft is a precision ground tapered shaft, ground from .041 to .018, for maximum vibration.

 

The Wedge Blade is one of the most popular blade design for spinnerbaits ever made.  What makes it special is the special variable thickness of the blade. The front of the blade has a thickness of .015 and increases in diameter to .030 to the back of the blade.

 

Stanley Jigs® Vibra-Wedge combines 2 innovative designs into one for a spinnerbait with maximum thump and vibration. This incredible lure uses 2 patents—the Vibrashaft and Wedge blades—to produce more water displacement than any other spinnerbait on the market.

[OkobojiEagle]

Booyah Covert 1/2oz

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It has to have quality components. If any one piece isn't good, the whole thing isn't good. I'm talking the blades, hook, swivel, and skirt. Ever looked at a good looking bait and then seen it didn't have a ball bearing swivel or the blades looked dull and put it back?

 

A trailer keeper is nice, but not a requirement for me since I don't always use them. I do really like a wire tied skirt but also not a requirement since I'll just tie my own if it's not there to start with.

 

Wire thickness depends because I use different baits for different things. I have spinnerbaits that are cover bangers that I'm going to be crashing into stumps, logs, and docks that don't need a ton of vibration, but they do need to be durable. Those baits I prefer to be a thicker wire. I also pour my own big thumpers that I do on a heavier wire to withstand the torque of those #6 and #7 Colorado blades.

 

For the more open water baits, a thinner to medium wire is good to get that vibration to help call the fish in.

 

Right now I've got 3 favorites that are on the shelf, War Eagle, Booyah Covert, and Nichols (particularly the Pulsator Hoosier series). All 3 fit into the mold of what I like in a spinnerbait and all 3 are fish catching machines.

 

While I do not 'make' my own spinnerbaits from scratch,

I will always tweak a bait where & when I can to remove bogus components

and replace them with quality parts.

So I agree with most everything @Bluebasser86 noted above. 

 

One of my biggest gripes centers on the split rings that hold the swivel & the blades.

 Often times big brown bass will smash the blades and take them right off;

especially at night.  Totally bums me out bringing back a bladeless bait. 

So that's one of the first things I check & change.

It's a fine line between stout and too much ring on this deal. 

 

 

Either way, I am betting this one could be pretty good ~ 

@Munkin

A-Jay

[00bullitt]

A very subjective question and one riddled with personal preference. What I look for is based on the performance I am looking to achieve.

All the items you mentioned are factors/considerations. My go to spinnerbait is a 3/4 ounce SpotSticker Mini Me. I like a more compact spinnerbait that I can rip and keep it a few feet below the surface or slow down and stay deeper. The way the Mini Me places the weight down the hook shank really helps and it runs flatter the faster you retrive it. They also use smaller willows which means I can run them as is outta the package (I prefer smaller blades) and their wire is thin. Their color options are also excellent and they offer painted blades.

 

I recently tried the Megabass SV3 and must say it is very impressive. I used the 3/4oz. I loved how compact it was and how it felt coming through the water and so did the fish! I mean, all in all, its what the fish think, right?

 

The other that I REALLY like is the one Dirty Jigs makes. Hard to find though. I like those in 3/8 and 1/2oz specifically. I rarely throw lighter than 1/2, but when I do its the Dirty Jigs.

 

I used to carry dozens of spinnerbaits with me, but now I only carry one of those Plano 3600 spinnerbait boxes with about 10 in it.

 

I was born and raised on a spinnerbait. Its a less popular option than it used to be 10-15 years ago. It still catches numbers and quality. With that said, I find myself throwing a chatterbait more often, but I always have my go-to blades with me. When that bite is on, nothing else compares.

 

[galyonj]

2 minutes ago, 00bullitt said:

I was born and raised on a spinnerbait. Its a less popular option than it used to be 10-15 years ago. It still catches numbers and quality. With that said, I find myself throwing a chatterbait more often, but I always have my go-to blades with me. When that bite is on, nothing else compares.

 

I think I'm broken, cause I can't catch a cold with a spinnerbait or a chatterbait.

[Deleted account]

7 minutes ago, 00bullitt said:

I mean, all in all, its what the fish think, right?

Is there a way to make this the automatic answer to "what is the "best", "perfect", "ideal", "favorite"" threads?

[galyonj]

3 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Is there a way to make this the automatic answer to "what is the "best", "perfect", "ideal", "favorite"" threads?

 

God, I wish.

[00bullitt]

5 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Is there a way to make this the automatic answer to "what is the "best", "perfect", "ideal", "favorite"" threads?

But those type of questions are the lifeblood of a forum. 

[Bluebasser86]

5 minutes ago, 00bullitt said:

But those type of questions are the lifeblood of a forum. 

And there's no correct answer and the answer is always evolving. 

[00bullitt]

1 minute ago, Bluebasser86 said:

And there's no correct answer and the answer is always evolving. 

Forums are always riddled with opinion and subjectivity. Its not wrong, just different. As a forum reader, the reader has to make the choice in they want to believe.

 

Having auto responses or responding with the likes of "the search function is your friend" do nothing to spur interaction and promote the hobby/sport......in my opinion ?

[scaleface]

My idea spinnerbait is a 1/2 ounce model because it matches up best with my spinnerbait combo , so I'm able to better make precision cast .To me casting is the single most important aspect of spinnerbait fishing . Ball bearing swivel is an absolute . Thick wire with a willow main blade . I buy interchangeable skirts . Some days the bass are not committing to the lure and a quick color change sometimes solves the problem .  I dont paint the heads of my hand poured baits because shiny lead has produced  very well for  me . As far as manufactured baits I like all of the quality made ones .

[Catt]

4 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*As the title suggests - what makes for an ideal spinnerbait in your book

 

Some of y'all need to learn how to read!

 

I pretty sure @ChrisD46 wants to know in "your book" what makes a good spinnerbait.

[Deleted account]

8 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Some of y'all need to learn how to read!

 

I pretty sure @ChrisD46 wants to know in "your book" what makes a good spinnerbait.

Good= one the fish will bite

Ideal= Does not exist

[Fishingmickey]

I gotta go with the Bling, R2S Ish Monroe. It checks all of the boxes and catches fish.

FM

[Fishes in trees]

Just an aside to the prior poster who couldn't catch a cold using a spinner bait or chatter bait.

You're not doing it right.   The way to catch a cold while throwing a spinner bait is to not wear enough warm/windproof clothes and then go throw the spinner bait in 45 degree weather.   If you just od that one thing, you'll catch a cold nearly every time..

[gim]

Durability is important to me.  We have a lot of pike where I fish and they are aggressive.  A quality spinnerbait will last longer.  This is primarily why I liked the Terminator Titanium series so much.  The had quality components, good vibration, and durability.  I've still got a few but they're hard to find now.

[Jigfishn10]

I'm definitely in the minority here, but the ideal spinnerbait for me is a 3/8 oz short arm spinnerbait.

Ideally it would be made from .035 thick wire #4 & 5 Colorado or Willow brass blades all interchangeable on a bearing swivel outfitted with a snap.

The pearl skirt with a few strands of watermelon black flake on top would be between 32 & 40 strands cut like an 80's mullet haircut.

No trailer needed, maybe a white zonker strip tied in, but not imperative.

[jimmyjoe]

2 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

a white zonker strip tied in

 

    Shhhhhhhhh!  Don't tell'em that! That's just our little secret!   ??        jj

[jbsoonerfan]

I have said it before, but the lake I fish most often in full of timber, grass, brush, etc. so I fish a Greenfish Tackle Ballistic HD. It works better for me than other spinnerbaits I have tried (at least it has produced more fish).

[ChrisD46]

Good comments (mostly) ... The goal is to share / learn something new you can use . There were a couple of spinner baits mentioned I have not heard of before so now I want to try them - who knows , may even find a new favorite spinnerbait to use .

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

Good comments (mostly) ... The goal is to share / learn something new you can use . There were a couple of spinner baits mentioned I have not heard of before so now I want to try them - who knows , may even find a new favorite spinnerbait to use .

Mostly ?

A-Jay

[Born 2 fish]

One that will last longer than a full season of catching fish. It seems to me that I find myself bending the wire back after a fish and after a while the wire will just break. But I usually throw Strike King. And Stan Sloan. I haven’t Had a Sloan break on me yet.

[2tall79]

I catch probably 75% of my spinnerbait fish by "helicoptoring" it next to and into objects.  So, the way a bait falls is most important to me.