Spinnerbait equivalent of a Jackhammer

[MassYak85]

Jackhammers seem to be the gold standard for chatterbaits. Usually with any bait I buy no matter how good there's always one tiny detail I'd change. Really the only major exceptions that I consider "perfect" baits are Jackhammers and Vision 110s. 

 

As a huge spinnerbait fisherman I have never been able to find "the one". I always have some issue with them. Whether that's the hook (too short, not good quality, too light wire), the skirt material or quality of it, the blades and hardware, the actual wire. It seems somewhere on every one I've ever tried I can find a fault, and I've tried a loooot. And my biggest issue with most of then is the lack of a good trailer keeper.

 

The only one I know of that has the same style keeper wirh the doubke wire barb like the jackhammer has is the Jackal Megalo Dooon, which is a huge bait and not something I would typically throw. The standard Dooon size has a pretty good single barb keeper too but definitely has that Japanese finesse "touch" to it because the hook itself is bendy as hell.

 

Has anyone found "the one" for their spinnerbait fishing? 

[OkobojiEagle]

I've got one I've been successfully catching bass with the last couple of years... but you wouldn't like it.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

OG Terminators are the closest thing I've found. 

 

Nichols Pulsator and most War Eagle models are considered top tier.  

 

Booyah Covert for a finesse presentation.

 

Then again I have no idea why somebody would throw a spinner widget instead of a Jackhammer ?

[gim]

22 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

OG Terminators

Yep, unfortunately they are discontinued.

[Jar11591]

I don’t hear much about them so they may not be “the one” spinnerbait for many people but what I use and can not find a complaint with is the Strike King Tour Grade spinnerbaits. Great selection of colors and weights, durable skirt and wire, stand up to Esox well (which is the most important thing for me). Upgraded to these from Booyahs which were ok but usually only lasted one big pike or several

small pickerel which could be all of

5 minutes. 

[Darth-Baiter]

I suck with a spinner bait.  not as bad as that dude from TN , but pretty sucky.

 

I have only caught bass on the Megabass SV-3.  I love the thing.  it swims all evenly, and not canted to the side.  I sometimes grit my teeth and just fling it into cover and it somehow comes thru it like a 4x4.  it is a bit more compact, so it feels finessey..and it casts pretty great.

[JediAmoeba]

Megabass V-9's are the best spinnerbait out of the package I have found.

[A-Jay]

3/4 oz Biovex Stangun Spinnerbait ~

Done

A-Jay

 

[Valvodinho]

I love spinnerbaits, double willows to be specific, and caught my PB and 28 pound bag during the same outing on one at the end of March this year. I don't have  "the one" but I have 3 that I really enjoy, think are fantastic quality, and have no real complaints for. I never use trailers on spinnerbaits though and only use trailer hooks when I find necessary. Year in and year out spinnerbaits produce better for me than any other lure I can think of.

Jackall Dooon (caught the PB on this guy)

Megabass SV-3

Strike King Tour Grade

[Mbirdsley]

War eagles are my personal gold standard for spinner baits.  As far as quality and price point you’re not going to find a better spinner bait.  They also make a ton of different colors in every imaginable style. 
 

im going down the rabbit hole soon of building my own so that may change. I’ve made my own chatter baits and have caught a lot of fish on my own but, jack hammers are the gold standard of the chatter bait world. 

22 minutes ago, Logan S said:

There really isn't one.  Spinnerbaits are more variable in application IMO so you can't really say a single model is the king.  For the sake of argument though, IMO War Eagle would be the top tog in terms of quality, consistency, and proven success....IE, if you want a spinnerbait but are unsure of which brand/model you can't go wrong with a War Eagle.  

 

Not to mention the ZMan patent sort of handcuffs US bladed jig offerings...If there was an open market on bladed jig design in the US I think there would be a lot of challengers to the Jackhammer.  ZMan makes great baits, but we are worse off as anglers with that patent preventing competing ideas (I don't fault ZMan for it either, but I can still comment on the reality of it).  

You make a good point on the patent.  Once that comes off you may see the chatter bait getting refined even further by different mfgers and the gold standard may change. The chatter bait is the gold standard because, no one can challenge it at the moment.  

[Phelptwan]

Hey, you find out, let me know.

 

I use a lot of ZMan spinnerbaits, but that's mostly because I've gotten them for cheap.  They seem to be rather delicate and don't last long.

 

I started picking up the Siebert ones, as they last a bit longer than the ZMan stuff, but they don't pulse as hard.  I feel like I catch just as many fish with them.  

 

I've played with some Nichols and War-eagles, but either of them seem to be done for after a single hit from a pike or bowfin.  

 

I grabbed some of the shimano's this year to try out, as I'm interested in seeing how they hold up.

[Catt]

Stanley ?

[crypt]

I still have some of the Bass Pro Tornados.................

[scaleface]

The Covert has  Hildebrandt blades which are nice . Still I dont think they catch more fish than any other brand . 

[Fishingmickey]

 

River2Sea Ish Monroe Bling. 

No, the wires aren't the heaviest. And if you lock your drag down, water ski your 3-5# fish and boat flip your bass you'll bend the wires. But the quality of the blades, the design on how the wire goes into the head (for bumping over wood) and the "thump" it gives off they are the juice. I've tried them all and the R2S produces the best spinner bait for me.

 

Fishingmickey.

[Derek1]

I’ve caught the most fish on the zman sling blade in blue gill. There not the best I’m sure. But they catch me the the most fish. So I buy them. 

[Fat Ika]

Bassman's are pretty top notch stock spinnerbait. Wish they had more options for my personal liking, but components are great to me. I like Picasso hog snatchers for subtle willow/non-burning situations and these Battle Baits caught my eye this year.

[Zcoker]

The 1/2 ounce Megastrike from Megabass solved my problem and is "the one" for BIG bass, imho. That thing is perfect for giant bass and has caught me many fish over 8lbs. The line tie  area is completely looped closed, so the line doesn't slide all over the place once tied. Thickest gauge wire I've ever seen on the 1/2 ounce model and the head actually swivels a full 180 degrees to counter a giant mouth tossing the lure. The hook is extra massive and the keeper long and deeply ridged. The skirts can be easily changed out, which is very nice for a quick color change. I have just about every other spinnerbait made and do not use any of them anymore. I've used a lot of them before and have had many failures as well as lost fish. I'm sure they all have there rightful place but nothing has yet to come close to that 1/2 ounce Megastrike for my intended usage, which is landing the biggest bass that I can get. They make a lighter version in 3/8 ounce, same thing but smaller and lighter. That big 1/2 model can be intimidation lol

No affiliation. 

[Deleted account]

I usually strip down spinnerbaits and replace components to my liking, but I also like the original chatter better than the JH, to me the JH is a bit too one dimensional.

[LrgmouthShad]

You’re probably being too picky. Lots of spinnerbaits work. Also, I don’t like a longer hook on a spinnerbait. Those short hooks you say you don’t like… yeah those are my jam

[Derek1]

1 hour ago, Zcoker said:

The 1/2 ounce Megastrike from Megabass solved my problem and is "the one" for BIG bass, imho. That thing is perfect for giant bass and has caught me many fish over 8lbs. The line tie  area is completely looped closed, so the line doesn't slide all over the place once tied. Thickest gauge wire I've ever seen on the 1/2 ounce model and the head actually swivels a full 180 degrees to counter a giant mouth tossing the lure. The hook is extra massive and the keeper long and deeply ridged. The skirts can be easily changed out, which is very nice for a quick color change. I have just about every other spinnerbait made and do not use any of them anymore. I've used a lot of them before and have had many failures as well as lost fish. I'm sure they all have there rightful place but nothing has yet to come close to that 1/2 ounce Megastrike for my intended usage, which is landing the biggest bass that I can get. They make a lighter version in 3/8 ounce, same thing but smaller and lighter. That big 1/2 model can be intimidation lol

No affiliation. 

I’ll have to check out the 3/8’s. Sounds sweet. 

[Deleted account]

51 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Lots of spinnerbaits work. Also, I don’t like a longer hook on a spinnerbait. 

 

Oh, I'm sure I could fish most spinnerbaits out of the package and catch fish, but I just have certain blade combinations that I have dialed in for different situations, so that's what I do. 

[LrgmouthShad]

49 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

 

Oh, I'm sure I could fish most spinnerbaits out of the package and catch fish, but I just have certain blade combinations that I have dialed in for different situations, so that's what I do. 

Me too. But I've given up on the idea of a goldilocks spinnerbait that just works in all situations all the time. Doesn't exist. There's so many great spinnerbaits and blade combos.

 

On my lake of choice now though, I don't think I'll be fishing a spinnerbait nearly as much. It lines up better for other baits.

[MassYak85]

11 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

You’re probably being too picky. Lots of spinnerbaits work. Also, I don’t like a longer hook on a spinnerbait. Those short hooks you say you don’t like… yeah those are my jam

Oh I'm definitely being too picky lol. I'm a tackle junky always looking to fine tune stuff. I love war eagles and megabass and stanleys and a few other favorites but the itch to improve is still there haha.

 

Thanks for all the responses guys! There were a few mentioned I haven't tried yet.

 

[scaleface]

I didnt like the Terminators that a lot of people love but I dont catch pike ,. They kept their shape all right, then break unexpectedly . A stainless wire spinnerbait will start getting bent easily with every bass   giving a warning that its time to retire that bait .