What is the largest swimbait you will put on a spinnerbait?

[LrgmouthShad]

Hey y’all,

 

Pretty self-explanatory. Specifically talking paddletails though

[roadwarrior]

This is what I recommend, but NOT the paddletail version for spinning tackle.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Yamamoto_Zako_Swimbait/descpage-GYZSB.html

[softwateronly]

I have a nichols 1.5oz double willow w/ a 5" gambler big ez that has been effective when slow-rolling deep weedlines.  Otherwise, I'm usually 3-4" baits.

 

scott

[Cbump]

0”

[Hammer 4]

Never used a swimbait on my spinnerbaits, and over the years I've caught 100's of quality bass without a trailer.

[ChrisD46]

If I were to use one - then a paddle tail of between 3.5" and 4" would get the nod and preferably one with tighter , more subdued action . I would also look to choose a Super Fluke Jr. or a regular 4" Fluke with no paddle tail as well for a spinnerbait trailer.

[T-Billy]

3 - 3.5 work well for me. If you pour your own, the Do-It Ripper is great on both chatterbaits and spinnerbaits. The tail thumps hard and keeps time with the blades well.

[casts_by_fly]

I like the 3.3 and 3.8 if I’m going to throw a paddle tail. That said, I don’t find the need for a paddle tail on a spinnerbait anymore. The purpose of a paddle tail is thump and profile. The thump of the blade is far more powerful than the tail so you lose that benefit.  You can get the profile with other baits and you can get as much movement/action or more with other baits. And in the interest of simplicity, I just throw on a zoom split tail anymore and be done with it. The baits that already have a different trailer will get fished until that trailer is gone and get replaced with a split tail. 

[LrgmouthShad]

Are most BR members adverse to swimbaits on a spinnerbait? I’m sort of surprised. I admit to having only tried the yum pulse but it worked quite well for me in the past and I think even got more bites for me in the fall of the year. I like no trailer and split tail trailers also. I just think my Bango Blade frames could use a little more lift. 

[Jar11591]

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Are most BR members adverse to swimbaits on a spinnerbait? 

For me, it usually comes down to this; If I’m fishing in water or a particular location where I’m very likely to hook a pike or pickerel, I will use a swimbait trailer because I won’t be using a trailer hook. Trailer hooks and esox usually equals a bloody mess. And if I’m not using a trailer hook then I might as well use a trailer. If I’m fishing in water where I don’t expect to run into pickerel, like offshore and/or smallmouth waters, I’m using a trailer hook and therefor no trailer. 
 

99% of the time if im using a trailer, it will be a paddletail swimbait. 

[Johnbt]

"Are most BR members adverse to swimbaits on a spinnerbait?

 

I am certainly not and I have friends who aren't. I prefer 3" to 6" grubs, but use swimbaits maybe 30% of the time. And I usually fish 3/8 oz spinnerbaits.

 

And chatterbaits, too.

[Functional]

Zoom swimming fluke Jr. 4" and I use the whole thing on 3/8oz and heavier.  Smaller and I'll start chopping it down. 

 

Never had luck not using a paddle tail of some type on my spinners and chatterbaits. Helps me to slow it down with the extra drag and slow roll it. 

[scaleface]

21 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Are most BR members adverse to swimbaits on a spinnerbait?

I've tried it a couple of times but didnt get it balanced right and was not happy with the results . I will add a three to four inch swimbait to a 3/8th oz buzzbait . 

[casts_by_fly]

23 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Are most BR members adverse to swimbaits on a spinnerbait? 

 

Per my post above, I don't see the added benefit.  I prefer to fish both a trailer and a trailer hook on spinnerbaits.  You can do that with a paddletail, but it starts to get in the way.  A split tail works great for that setup.  And if I'm not using a trailer hook then any trailer will work physically, but they all seem to work about the same for me.  So I'll stick to cheap and light with the split tail.  I keep a pack of white and a pack of clear/flake in my bag.  I'll add a chartreuse tip or belly sometimes, but that's about it.  

[CM-fisher]

On 9/25/2022 at 12:17 AM, Cbump said:

0”

Same here. I don't use a trailer because I like as compact of a profile as possible

[Bluebasser86]

I like a 4.8" Fat Impact 

[RyAxion]

I've had better success without trailers.

[LrgmouthShad]

6 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I like a 4.8" Fat Impact 

Would you mind sharing some examples of spinnerbaits that you like that trailer on? 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I like a thinner more subtle boot tail like, just for something the fish can zero in on other then the blades.  The 2 I use the most are keitechs swing impacts and the charlie brewer boot tailed grubs.

[Bluebasser86]

4 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Would you mind sharing some examples of spinnerbaits that you like that trailer on? 

I use it on most any of the full sized spinnerbaits I fish; War Eagle, Booyah Coverts, Strike King, and Nichols mostly.

[MN Fisher]

For me it depends on the size of the spinner

 

For 3/8oz spinners I like a 3.5"-4" - RI Little Dipper or Zoom Boot Tail are the two I have in inventory.

1/2oz spinners get up to a 5" - RI Skinny Dipper or Eco Pro Swing Shad are my picks here.

[Jp_midwest]

i run only zman slingz spinnerbait and war eagle 1/2 and 3/8ths size spinner baits and i ALWAYS run either a googan squad saucy swimmer 3.8 (the only good googan bait), keitech 3.8 or in a pinch the 4.3 fat swing impact, and lastly the strike king 3.75. 

i always throw a paddletail on the back im not sure if its from my confidence or because it gives it a more fish like appearance but i think it is a necessary thing when throwing a spinnerbait.   

  

[LrgmouthShad]

22 minutes ago, Jp_midwest said:

but i think it is a necessary thing when throwing a spinnerbait.   

 

It ain’t! But more power to ya and thanks for the info

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

42 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

It ain’t! But more power to ya and thanks for the info

 

 

It's like anything else in fishing, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I've seen times a swimbait trailer is a killer, other times it makes no difference. 

 

One of my favorites is a bright chartreuse split-tail trailer on a white spinnerbait. It gives good contrast and a good target for the fish in the stained water I fish most often. 

[Bankc]

I typically rely on grubs for spinnerbaits, but will occasionally go up to about 4" for a paddletail.  And I almost always use a trailer of some kind.  

 

I'd be okay with going larger, but most of our baitfish that I'm trying to mimic with a spinnerbait are pretty small, as well as our bass (rarely above 4 lbs), so I'm typically not throwing anything longer than 4" that isn't a worm.