Spinnerbaits for Clear Water

[Blue Raider Bob]

2 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

I’ll talk spinnerbait trends in clear to very clear water : Pale , natural , translucent skirt colors . Down size spinner bait blades one size (twin willow leafs or willow / small Colorado combo) or use a newer finesse spinner bait (Siebert Outdoors) in same configurations . I experiment with standard silver blades but will add small size glitter in gold , green , pink , blue , white , etc. to one blade side or even both blade sides depending on bass forage,  water clarity , sky conditions , surface wave activity , etc. *Historically spinner baits are best used in stained / dirty water where color , flash , thump , etc. are very helpful . If you go the spinner bait route in clear water - you need  a more overcast sky , some surface ripple , transparent colors , downsize & muted blade flash and most likely faster retrieve speeds to overcome the clear water conditions . If you want to add a trailer - use a 3.3” Strike King translucent color swim bait (Ghost Shad , Smallmouth Magic) and remember to cover water !

Very good info. Appreciate greatly! I used spinner baits exclusively back home in the Cypress Swamps but have had no luck in the clearer middle Tennessee waters. I've read books by Bobby Gentry and Kevin Van Dam describing spinner baits in the clear waters they fish so it's something I need to learn.

[zell_pop1]

 

On 11/14/2023 at 10:53 PM, Columbia Craw said:

Blue glimmer Shad with double silver willow blades.

X2

[bottom_dollar]

Siebert Outdoors 1/2 oz compact tandem in green shad, the bigger spots in the lakes around here can’t stand that thing. 

[rangerjockey]

War Eagle screamin eagle which is a 1/2oz bait on a 1/4 oz frame and blades. If the shad are bigger, I go tothe standard size 1/2 oz. Both in mouse and purple shad. 

The Ozark flash is another good bait. Basically, a copy of the older War Eagles.

[scaleface]

The clearer the water the more I tone down the colors and blades.

[Pat Brown]

I seem to do well with white chartreuse or white and gold or silver or both color blades all seem to work in clear water but in general I go silver.

 

I think if you're dealing with very clear water, You're better off with a natural looking swim jig, keel weighted swimbait or an underspin!  😉😉😉

[RipzLipz]

Blade choice may be dependent on what kind of baitfish are present. I fish some small (10 acres and larger) strip pits that are clear & have mostly panfish as the primary baitfish (no shad). Have caught some nice ones on a single Colorado blade spinnerbait.

 

Booyah Blade 1/2oz in chartreuse/white with Zoom Split tail trailer.

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 11/17/2023 at 6:41 AM, ChrisD46 said:

I’ll talk spinnerbait trends in clear to very clear water : Pale , natural , translucent skirt colors . Down size spinner bait blades one size (twin willow leafs or willow / small Colorado combo) or use a newer finesse spinner bait (Siebert Outdoors) in same configurations . I experiment with standard silver blades but will add small size glitter in gold , green , pink , blue , white , etc. to one blade side or even both blade sides depending on bass forage,  water clarity , sky conditions , surface wave activity , etc. *Historically spinner baits are best used in stained / dirty water where color , flash , thump , etc. are very helpful . If you go the spinner bait route in clear water - you need  a more overcast sky , some surface ripple , transparent colors , downsize & muted blade flash and most likely faster retrieve speeds to overcome the clear water conditions . If you want to add a trailer - use a 3.3” Strike King translucent color swim bait (Ghost Shad , Smallmouth Magic) and remember to cover water !

Very good info. Appreciate greatly! I used spinner baits exclusively back home in the Cypress Swamps but have had no luck in the clearer middle Tennessee waters. I've read books by Bobby Gentry and Kevin Van Dam describing spinner baits in the clear waters they fish so it's something I need to learn.

Thanks everyone! I tried a 1/2 Strikeking with my new translucent colors yesterday and did get a few strikes from tiny spots but it's just too heavy for the way I fish. It was work with a med-light spinning rig. I will ck out some of the lighter spinner baits on the market. Something in a 1/4 oz with small, twin willows.

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 11/14/2023 at 8:12 AM, Siebert Outdoors said:

I like my flash shad in double will.  Here is a pic of it in a co/willow

I fish medium light spinning gear so I ordered a couple of the 1/4 oz compact baits from your site. Fingers crossed!

[RipzLipz]

3 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

It was work with a med-light spinning rig. I will ck out some of the lighter spinner baits on the market. Something in a 1/4 oz with small, twin willows.

…..ooooorrrrr give in to the Bait Monkey & getcha a medium baitcaster setup just for spinnerbuggin (and squarebills and chatterbaits and and and and….) 😆

[Blue Raider Bob]

2 minutes ago, RipzLipz said:

…..ooooorrrrr give in to the Bait Monkey & getcha a medium baitcaster setup just for spinnerbuggin (and squarebills and chatterbaits and and and and….) 😆

Thanks Ripz, but I just like the light stuff. I've got the heavier gear but my way of fishing has changed. I went with a Bigbites swimbait yesterday and the youngins' were eating it. Hooked 31. Two smallies went 15". They're a blast on light tackle.

[RipzLipz]

14 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Thanks Ripz, but I just like the light stuff. I've got the heavier gear but my way of fishing has changed. I went with a Bigbites swimbait yesterday and the youngins' were eating it. Hooked 31. Two smallies went 15". They're a blast on light tackle.

I was mostly joking - ‘tis the season for Bait Monkey attacks.
 

I’ve evolved just the opposite since the advent of fluorocarbon & lighter rods & reels. Grew up fishing light line on spinning tackle & losing fish on Ribbits converted me to almost all baitcasters save for some lightweight & weightless presentations.

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Thanks Ripz, but I just like the light stuff. I've got the heavier gear but my way of fishing has changed. I went with a Bigbites swimbait yesterday and the youngins' were eating it. Hooked 31. Two smallies went 15". They're a blast on light tackle.

 

He's not wrong about a very light physical weight medium power baitcaster being perfect for those 1/4 oz spinnerbaits.  It will go down to an 1/8 oz spinnerbait too.  Something in the 6'6" range.

 

Hope you like the Sieberts compacts.  I was thinking of picking a couple more up myself in the november sale <sets reminder>.  I struggle to fish a trailer on them with all of the weight thats on the hook shank (at least for the 1/2 oz ones) but fishing them without one has been just fine so its changing how I fish spinnerbaits a bit.