21 and satisfaction

[Swamp Girl]

I launched at 5:00 a.m. in fog.

 

 

I caught 21 bass. 20 on a spinnerbait and one on a chrome and blue Rapala Skitterpop. I tipped the Terminator SS spinnerbait with a green pumpkin NetBait B Bug and when I ran out of those, a Rapala Mayor in glitter green pumpkin. This was the first bass.

 

 

I caught a lot of well-shaped fish, like these two, thick bass.

 

 

I like this long one.

 

 

 

And here's a wiggler.

 

 

This was my second biggest bass.

 

 

And here's my biggest. Pity she was wiggling too and you can't see her full length.

 

 

I caught them in shoreline notches.

 

 

I finished fishing at 7:30ish. It was a satisfying morning (I can get some satisfaction!) because I could easily see someone fishing the same 2.5 hours and catching one or two or even getting skunked because the bass were tight to cover, which required pinpoint casting, and once I hooked one, there were weeds and wood everywhere. I came home to breakfast and my pup sleeping at my feet. 

 

 

Say, I had a 22nd bass hooked, but my spinnerbait broke. I know I was weakening the metal by bending it back into shape many times. Do you guys use a spinnerbait to catch a dozen or so bass and then junk it?

 

 

[gim]

8 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Do you guys use a spinnerbait to catch a dozen or so bass and then junk it?

 

Depends on how bent the frame is.  If you can still get it to run true, it will still work.  I've personally never had much luck trying to bend one back, which is why I stopped buying the cheaper ones myself.

 

Honestly if you caught that many good bass on a standard steel framed version, that's pretty good.  Consider yourself lucky that a pike didn't destroy it after one assault which happens here regularly.

[Mike L]

As with all things fishing wise that’s why I always try to buy the most expensive ones I can afford depending on different factors tho. 
 

Don’t misunderstand, even the “top of the line” anything sometimes wasn’t the smartest decision.

 

I have a tendency to replace something right or wrong if anything seems off. 
It’s just what I do, there was a time I couldn’t 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Blue Raider Bob]

Katie, if I caught a dozen bass on a spinnerbait, I wouldn't junk it......I'd frame it!

[fin]

I've only lost one, that I recall, to a breakage, but I still remember the hurt of losing that fish, and I hate to leave a bait hanging from a fish's lip.

 

You might get more mileage without the trailer. I almost never use a trailer on them, and I still catch a lot on spinnerbaits in my pressured lake. I like the action better. It seems more frisky and versatile to me. I like trailers on chatterbaits, but not spinnerbaits.

[Swamp Girl]

15 minutes ago, fin said:

I hate to leave a bait hanging from a fish's lip.

 

Me too. It's bothered me all day. I didn't use a trailer. No need that I could see. 

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings and Happy Friday All,

@ol'crickety Bravo! That looked to be a very gratifying angling adventure. Well Done!

 

I aspire to emulate your performance. Depending on the weather, we are in our monsoon pattern currently, so safety is a priority with those rapidly developing strong storm cells.

 

Wear and tear, work hardening of the metal on spinner baits is right there with the lottery numbers. Make your best guess. Depending on the metal and construction they are only good for so many bends. There are some tell tail indicators of work hardening, again it depends on so many things. If the metal wire changes appearance, from a shinny surface to a frosted like appearance it is probably time to retire it.

 

If you have a plain metal paper clip handy you can do your own confirmation. Usually the undisturbed metal wire will have a glossy, shiny surface appearance. Flex the metal and depending on the type of metal, the appearance will change at the area of stress. Continue those flex cycles and the metal becomes work hardened. Often showing metal structure, hence the frosted look from the micro fractures developing between the metal grains. Pretty soon you can simply point at it declaring, "well, there is your problem."

 

Thank You so much for sharing photos and stories of your adventures. Give the tail wagger some good loving too! Be well, and Cheers!

[Swamp Girl]

@Fishing_Rod: Your comment was so detailed. That really helps me. Thank you for your generosity.

 

I've been trying to gain confidence in the spinnerbait and I have that now. I'll still use it, but not 90% of the time. I tried a jig and a T-hooked Rage Tail, but the bass were not interested in these subtler presentations. Again. I'll keep trying them, hoping to determine when the bass do want them.

[PhishLI]

13 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Say, I had a 22nd bass hooked, but my spinnerbait broke. I know I was weakening the metal by bending it back into shape many times. Do you guys use a spinnerbait to catch a dozen or so bass and then junk it?

Try these. Hildebrandt Snagless Sally | Tackle Warehouse

 

Hildebrandt Super Sally | Tackle Warehouse

 

They don't break, and you can fish them in places you can't with r-bend spinnerbaits. Even with the wire weed guard, hookups are great.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

What a cute pupper Katie!   Beautiful fish as well, great job finding the fish!

 

In terms of spinnerbaits, there's a reason why the original titanium Terminator baits were the best ever made.    It's criminal that nobody has replicated them since they discontinued them.  

[Swamp Girl]

I like the look of these...a lot. I'm ordering some this evening. Thanks, good buddy!

[Bazoo]

Nice morning. Sorry to hear about that breakage. I can't say I've ever ran a spinnerbait until it broke. I've lost plenty enough though.

 

I would think that if I was into catching fish with them and not losing them, it'd be a worthy investment to buy some of the old Terminator titanium spinnerbaits.

[Skunkmaster-k]

The Terminator spinnerbait should be re-named the Crickenator , because she is clearly a machine. 

[Swamp Girl]

28 minutes ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

The Terminator spinnerbait should be re-named the Crickenator , because she is clearly a machine. 

 

Whenever I leave a pond, I always tell the bass, "I'll be back."

 

 

[Bankbeater]

Nice catching!  I've had three spinnerbaits break on me over the years.  I lost the fish on the first one, the second broke as I was casting it out, and the third one broke above the R so I got the fish, but lost the blades.

[gim]

On 7/19/2024 at 6:42 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

In terms of spinnerbaits, there's a reason why the original titanium Terminator baits were the best ever made.    It's criminal that nobody has replicated them since they discontinued them.

You can blame Rapala for that.

[MIbassyaker]

I am resigned to the fact that almost any spinnerbait will get lost or destroyed sooner or later.  Although I probably actually lose as many to break-offs/bite-offs as wear out.  I'll keep bending them back until they stop running properly, and then replace.  Which could be after one fish or 30.

[pdxfisher]

That first pic is both beautiful and looks like the start of a Stephen King movie

 

Great job racking them on a spinnerbait! Spinnerbaits used to be my favorite but the last few years I usually throw a vibrating jig instead (better casting distance, especially into the wind). With the smallmouth chasing bait like they are now maybe I need to tie one back on!

 

Thanks for the great report and making me rethink my approach!

[Swamp Girl]

For whatever reason, I don't get spooked in fog, but I can see what you mean, how it's Stephen Kingish. 

 

I need to start fishing with a vibrating jig!

[casts_by_fly]

On 7/19/2024 at 7:52 PM, ol'crickety said:

I like the look of these...a lot. I'm ordering some this evening. Thanks, good buddy!

 

Where are they breaking? I find that the main bend happens when you have the fish in the net and things tangle or when you boat flip a fish and the bait straightens out.  The top arm splays open and you have to bend it down to square it back up again.  if that's what's happening to you, then you can put a small metal split ring at the base of the R-bend and that keeps it from opening up.  I did that to some of my buzzbaits to keep them running true.  Its a real bugger to have them bend out in the dark and you try to bend them back to run true.  I usually give up and tie on another one.  I used skirt tying wire, maybe 3 or 4 bends, and twist it back on itself tight.  

[TnRiver46]

On 7/19/2024 at 2:17 PM, Blue Raider Bob said:

Katie, if I caught a dozen bass on a spinnerbait, I wouldn't junk it......I'd frame it!

I’ve got a dozen that haven’t caught one…..