Colorado/Oklahoma / War Eagle Finesse

[LrgmouthShad]

Hey y'all,

 

Under what circumstances do you like to use a light spinnerbait with a blade combo like the war eagle finesse with a colorado and oklahoma? I am fashioning up some spinnerbaits today using spare parts and want to use some of the oklahoma blades I have. 

 

A response just saying when you like to use the war eagle finesse is fine too.

[fishingram24]

The past couple of years I've used the War Eagle Finesse and Booyah Convert spinner baits almost exclusively. War Eagle when the water is a little clearer and and feel like the fish want a smaller profile, Convert when its dirty and fish are eating good. Have caught a lot of fish on the shiny shad War Eagle and the JC special Convert. Really like the size of the War Eagle and never use a trailer with it but the wire tends to wear into the lead head pretty quickly.   

[waymont]

That's a GREAT spinnerbait. I like using it within the 1-4' down range. Even if the water is deeper I only like to let it sink 4' tops. I've caught tons of fish on them.

They work in any water clarity.

[Bankc]

Even though I'm an Okie, I don't care for the Oklahoma blades.  I find what I need with some combination of the willow, Colorado, and occasionally Indiana blades.  To me, they fill a gap that doesn't exist.  I'm not saying they don't work.  I'm just saying they don't do anything new for me.  

 

I greatly prefer the War Eagle spinnerbaits over the Booyah Coverts.  The regular Booyah spinnerbaits are great as well.  But the Coverts keep wanting to foul up on my line, either on the countdown or on a pause.  They look nicer and better made, but for whatever reason, they've given me more problems than any other spinnerbait I've ever tried.  

[LrgmouthShad]

Just now, Bankc said:

Even though I'm an Okie, I don't care for the Oklahoma blades.  I find what I need with some combination of the willow, Colorado, and occasionally Indiana blades.  To me, they fill a gap that doesn't exist.  I'm not saying they don't work.  I'm just saying they don't do anything new for me.  

 

I greatly prefer the War Eagle spinnerbaits over the Booyah Coverts.  The regular Booyah spinnerbaits are great as well.  But the Coverts keep wanting to foul up on my line, either on the countdown or on a pause.  They look nicer and better made, but for whatever reason, they've given me more problems than any other spinnerbait I've ever tried.  

Surprising. I am a huge fan of the Covert spinnerbaits. 
 

However, I picked up some regular booyahs at Walmart yesterday because I wanted to see what I could do with them, and they are great quality for the price. I simply moved the blades closer together and snipped the wire shorter to make them more symmetrical and compact.  
 

Thanks for your detailed response! 

[Bluebasser86]

The War Eagle Finesse is the Ned rig of spinnerbaits. I've caught so many fish under all kinds of conditions with it, they're a really great little bait. 

[LrgmouthShad]

3 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The War Eagle Finesse is the Ned rig of spinnerbaits. I've caught so many fish under all kinds of conditions with it, they're a really great little bait. 

So you’d throw them when you think there should be a spinnerbait bite but can’t get bit on some of your more regular ones?

[Bluebasser86]

Just now, LrgmouthShad said:

So you’d throw them when you think there should be a spinnerbait bite but can’t get bit on some of your more regular ones?

Pretty much, or when everyone else is throwing a regular spinnerbait, when the bait is smaller, when the water is clear, when there's a lot of fishing pressure.

[gim]

I still have and use spinnerbaits with an Oklahoma blade.  They aren't War Eagle brand, they're Terminators (and discontinued).  They generally have more resistance because of the blade shape, and therefore I can reel them in slower than one with a willow shaped blade.

 

I primarily use them in darker or more stained water.

[LrgmouthShad]

Time to get some photos in here.

 

Middle one is a war eagle finesse 5/16, nothing changed. It’s stock.

 

Two right ones are the two booyahs that I modified like I said 

 

Two left ones are two spinnerbaits that I made using some old war eagle frames that I had previously stolen the blades and parts off of. So now they’ve been repurposed with the same blade combo as the war eagle finesse, albeit they are heavier and have different blade colors and finishes

[gim]

You're like a mad scientist when it comes to spinnerbaits, aren't you @LrgmouthShad.  Cooking up some concoction of arms, skirts, and blades like a chemist.

 

[LrgmouthShad]

5 minutes ago, gimruis said:

You're like a mad scientist when it comes to spinnerbaits, aren't you @LrgmouthShad.  Cooking up some concoction of arms, skirts, and blades like a chemist.

 

Historically the ones I modify or make on my own starting from a blank produce really well for me so I must be doing something right. Or at least I’m not doing something wrong

[Bankc]

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Surprising. I am a huge fan of the Covert spinnerbaits. 
 

However, I picked up some regular booyahs at Walmart yesterday because I wanted to see what I could do with them, and they are great quality for the price. I simply moved the blades closer together and snipped the wire shorter to make them more symmetrical and compact.  
 

Thanks for your detailed response! 

It could have just been a bad batch.   I bought them all around the same time and at the same store.  But they put a bad taste in my mouth.  And with so many other good options out there, I have no desire to ever try them again.  

 

[LrgmouthShad]

8 minutes ago, Bankc said:

It could have just been a bad batch.   I bought them all around the same time and at the same store.  But they put a bad taste in my mouth.  And with so many other good options out there, I have no desire to ever try them again.  

 

Yeah I don’t blame you for sure

[a1712]

I like taking the turtle blade from the Finesse and installing it on to the Screaming Eagle. The 1/2 oz. weight helps keep the bait down in river current, still keeps a small profile and getting a bit more thump. Brian. 

[WIGuide]

I haven't specifically used the War Eagle Finesse, but have used a similar finesse style spinnebait with the same blade combo. I've had some great success with it in clearer water or tough conditions. The Oklahoma/Colorado provides more vibration than a willow/Colorado does, but since the blade size is smaller, it's not overpowering for the finesse situations. 

 

The normal sized Oklahoma/Colorado combo is probably my favorite blade combination on a spinnerbait as I fish a fair amount of stained water and a lot of grass. The Oklahoma is like a best of both worlds type deal, where it gives off almost as much flash as a willow blade, and has almost as much vibration and lift as a Colorado without the added headache of it grabbing every blade of grass it comes close to on the retrieve.