How deep 3/8oz spinnerbait

[LrgmouthShad]

Hey y’all,

 

Ive never been 100% certain of how deep I can get a 3/8oz spinner to run without rising off the bottom. Basically to keep the same depth. For this example, let’s say that you are using a 3/8oz stock spinnerbait with your standard double willow or colorado/willow. Please don’t ask for more specifics than that, general numbers are fine. How deep do you think you can get your standard 3/8oz spinner to run?

 

I honestly think I get 10’-12’ out of a 3/8oz. The tradeoff of course is that with that light spinnerbait, you are getting less casting distance and hence less time at your running depth before it starts to rise. 
 

But what about you? I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on where a standard 3/8 maxes out.

[T-Billy]

I'll be interested to hear others opinions on this, as I've never tried fishing very deep with 3/8. It's my standard weight for fishing around shallow cover, usually with a paddletail trailer, and no trailer hook. 

[LrgmouthShad]

6 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I'll be interested to hear others opinions on this, as I've never tried fishing very deep with 3/8. It's my standard weight for fishing around shallow cover, usually with a paddletail trailer, and no trailer hook. 

I tend to run a 3/8oz deeper than most probably because I have so much confidence in the Nichols 3/8oz frame, and it’s what I started with. Running that frame deeper. 

[Jigfishn10]

Maybe deeper, what type of line and strength? 
 

Think thin my friend and single or double willow.  

[LrgmouthShad]

1 minute ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Maybe deeper, what type of line and strength? 
 

Think thin my friend and single or double willow.  

I run 15lb test pretty much always. 

 

Thanks! How deep do you think you get most 3/8oz spinnerbaits to run if you were just to do it with your normal setup?

[Jigfishn10]

About the same. I’ll try for a 10# mono dia with braid which like 20# I think. Don’t remember, but regardless, it’s thin and I run a 10#  leader. 
 

I might get 15’ on occasion but bout the same as you. 
 

I also tend to fish single blade for slow rolling bottom. Old school but effective. My waters are weedy, the thin braid and single blade come right thru. 
 

Hope it helps 

[gim]

Not very deep with a 3/8.  Definitely not 15 feet deep unless I cast it out and let it sink to the bottom.

 

If I wanted to fish a SB deeper, I'd put on a 1/2 ounce version instead.

[casts_by_fly]

If I’m fishing a spinnerbait like you’re talking, I’m probably fishing it medium to fast speed. For a 3/8 I’m in max 3-4’ of depth. If you worked hard maybe 6’.

[papajoe222]

I think blade size has more of an effect on running depth than line diameter.

Retrieve speed is another factor, but using a 6.3:1 reel with what most would consider a normal cranking rate, I'd say 8-10ft. I use a 1/2oz. if I'm targeting anywhere deeper.

[Jigfishn10]

I agree papajoe, blade size is a very important factor (smaller, less lift), along with skirt strand count (sparse = less lift) and line diameter (thicker = more bow).

 

Line may not seem like a difference but I found myself in the ocean deep sea fishing in an average tidal current. I was in 100 feet of water vertically jigging w/14# mono. My reel holds 100 yards of 14# line. I dropped down and was almost spooled. That night, I switched out to a stronger and thinner line dia braid and went back the next day. I dropped down and a 1/4 of my spool had line.

 

I don't expect people to believe that, just sharing a real experience.

 

I also think that getting a 3/8 oz SB down to 15' is attainable. I do think you'll have a better feel for an SB with 1/2 oz or more. The lighter SB in that depth may not be felt by most anglers or at least they won't think they are rolling the bottom. My original post was merely pointing out that it is attainable it just might not be desirable. I was just sticking with the topic.

 

Have a good day. I'll be done here.

[LrgmouthShad]

2 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

My original post was merely pointing out that it is attainable it just might not be desirable. I was just sticking with the topic.

 

Have a good day. I'll be done here

You okay, man? 
 

I appreciate you saying that you can get a 3/8 down to 15’ and I believe you. We’re just sharing opinions here

[Jigfishn10]

3 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

You okay, man? 
 

I appreciate you saying that you can get a 3/8 down to 15’ and I believe you. We’re just sharing opinions here

No worries, man. In a funk. Should have waited til I posted I guess.

[Jig Man]

You have to take into consideration where you are fishing and how you are fishing it.  If you are casting towards a bank and reeling back it won’t be very deep.  If you are in deep water and fishing parallel you can cast it out, let it sink to the desired depth and slow roll it back quite a ways maintaining the desired depth.  That will take some experimenting to see how fast it sinks unless you want it on the bottom.  

[LrgmouthShad]

13 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

You have to take into consideration where you are fishing and how you are fishing it.  If you are casting towards a bank and reeling back it won’t be very deep.  If you are in deep water and fishing parallel you can cast it out, let it sink to the desired depth and slow roll it back quite a ways maintaining the desired depth.  That will take some experimenting to see how fast it sinks unless you want it on the bottom.  

Since I am talking about max depth here, I am referring to letting a spinnerbait sink down to desired depth before retrieving. But too deep, and that light of spinnerbait is going to want to rise too much and won’t maintain the same depth and will want to rise. So the question is how deep you believe a 3/8 will track at the same depth

 

I retrieve spinnerbaits all sorts of ways. Top of the water column to the bottom

[Jar11591]

20 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

If I’m fishing a spinnerbait like you’re talking, I’m probably fishing it medium to fast speed. For a 3/8 I’m in max 3-4’ of depth. If you worked hard maybe 6’.

This is my thought as well. Maybe 5-6’? That’s why I use heavier spinnerbaits. With the right rod angle, it’s easy to fish a heavy spinnerbait near the top of the water column. It’s a lot harder to get a light spinnerbait to stay down deeper. If I’m doing my usual slow rolling a double willow, I think 5’ would be about it for a 3/8oz. If I’m throwing a 3/8oz spinnerbait, I’m probably targeting shallow woody cover, and probably not trying to get it to run as deep as possible. 

[Deleted account]

Besides the weight and hydrodynamics of a given spinnerbait, line diameter, rod position, and retrieve speed and cadence will all influence how deep it will run (current and wind too, but we'll ignore that here). If you want to work "a 3/8 spinnerbait" deeper, I'm assuming there is something about it's size, profile, or action that you want to utilize, if that is the case, just make it heavier and/or reduce it's inherent lift somewhat. I like to wrap solder on the hook shaft, some folks pinch a sinker on, either works, thinning or eliminating the skirt or using a less buoyant trailer will have an effect as well. Finally, given enough patience, you can fish a 3/8 oz spinnerbait fairly deep, but usually stepping up in weight might be a better option. Ticking rocks with bucktail jigs is like surf fishing 101, and the process isn't too different here.

But short answer, I seldom fish a 3/8 oz spinnerbait (which all vary in weight anyway) deeper than 8'.

[scaleface]

34 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

So the question is how deep you believe a 3/8 will track at the same depth

Thats kind of hard to answer . I'm guessing a normal cast with normal willow blades and slow retrieve,  that  @Jar11591  is accurate . I made a bunch of deep spinnerbaits from 1/4 to 1/2 oz. sporting small single willows to fish deeper water .

[GReb]

The blades provide lift. You can throw a 3/8 oz jig head with paddle tail fairly deep. A spinnerbait is a perfect balance between weight, blades, and retrieve speed. Thinner blades provide less lift than rounder ones. Even bigger willows provide a good amount of lift. If you want to go deep with a lighter head change the blade to one long skinny willow with no trailer. Or just throw an under spin. Personally if I’m fishing deeper than 5-7ft I throw a 3/4-1 oz. The added weight will keep the bait down regardless of my blade choice and retrieve speed. 

[Captain Phil]

I rarely fish spinnerbaits deeper than 3-4 feet.  I catch most of my big fish in shallow cover where bass hide in wait.   My biggest spinnerbait bass come from pads. Don't know if this is a Florida thing, or universal?  You can get more depth from a spinnerbait by downsizing the blades or by slowing the retrieve.  Heavier line causes the lure to run shallower.   There have been rare times when I fish a spinnerbait on the bottom in 10'-18' of water.  I do this when I know the bottom contains fish holding structure like a tree stump.  To fish a spinnerbait at that depth you let the lure sink to the bottom then slowly retrieve with a lift and fall action.   You may get hung on the cover or you may get hung on a fish of your lifetime.  Seems like every bass I have caught that way was large.   I have fished with anglers who fish a Rattle Trap this way in the winter months.

[scaleface]

The Strike King Rocket Shad excels in deep water and current but  the free swinging double hooks are a liability, in my opinion  . So I made baits with similar dimensions and blades with   traditional  hooks.

[Jig Man]

On 1/28/2023 at 9:11 AM, LrgmouthShad said:

Since I am talking about max depth here, I am referring to letting a spinnerbait sink down to desired depth before retrieving. But too deep, and that light of spinnerbait is going to want to rise too much and won’t maintain the same depth and will want to rise. So the question is how deep you believe a 3/8 will track at the same depth

 

I retrieve spinnerbaits all sorts of ways. Top of the water column to the bottom

The length of the cast, speed of the retrieve and blade configuration not the weight of the bait will determine how long it stays in the zone. I’ve fished 1/4 oz single spins at 30’ with no issues.

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

The Strike King Rocket Shad excels in deep water and current but  the free swinging double hooks are a liability, in my opinion  . So I made baits with similar dimensions and blades with   traditional  hooks.

Sieberts compact half ounce is a good choice also if you want to stay deep. Especially if you put small blades on it. 

[Munkin]

So many variables its hard to say? I have basically just started throwing 1/2oz 90% of the time even in shallow water. Blade type and size, line size, reel speed, rod height, water temperature all play a part. I can fish a 3/8oz in 20 FOW and a 1oz in 3 FOW depending on these conditions.

 

Allen

[Functional]

For my average retrieves I'm 5-8ft max and 8ft is if I'm really slow rolling. I have fished 3/8 down to 25fow but I let it hit bottom and played with speed until I felt it barely dragging. Fishing outside of 5fow with a 3/8oz is the exception in my case, anything more and I'll step it up or more often than not go to a whole other bait. I havent had luck running spinners deep with the exception of one really nice 9lb cat. 

[ChrisD46]

Use #15 FC line (naturally sinks) and try rigging a 3.5" ~ 4.0" paddle tail swim bait as a trailer upside down . Rigged this way the paddle tail will work to help to keep the spinnerbait down .  Other tricks include use double willows , double willows one size smaller than current spinnerbait set up , keep rod tip lower to the water and of course slow your retrieve (try a 6:3:1 or 5:1 gear ratio bait cast reel) .