Who throws a Spinnerbait in Summer?

[33oldtimer]

A Spinnerbait is my favorite bass lure. But by the time summer rolls around bass don't hit it much and I move on to other lures. But I still see bass busting on shad in the summer. I use paddle tails for my spinnerbait trailers. I'm wondering is losing the trailer or using more subtle trailers would help get bites in summer. Also bass hang around bluegill beds and there are bluegill colored spinnerbaits, wondering if those colors are better in summer.

 

Just wondering who uses spinnerbaits in summer and what your tactics are for them, downsize, different trailers, fish them differently, different colors in summer, etc. ?

[softwateronly]

I usually choose to fish swimjigs over spinnerbaits in the summer, but this year the water has been high and off colored for weeks straight.  I've had good luck slow rolling compact spinnerbaits w/out trailers in 10-15 fow.  I usually slow roll down the hydrilla tops on breaks, but also do well paralleling the deep weed lines.  Unfortunately, I've had 3 pike bite offs and 2 mangled by frequent catches and I'm down to my last war eagle and out of sv-3's.  This is the first time on my water that a spinnerbait has been this effective during the daytime in june/july for me and it's been fun.  I think I've been mimicking shad, but I'm catching in areas full of juvenile bluegill, so I don't know.  Lots of fun by catches too....

 

scott

 

 

[Bird]

I'm mostly soft plastics in the summer but always have a spinnerbait tied on.

 

They are still very effective in summer especially around wood and sparse grass.

Spinnerbait = my all-time favorite bait.

[Cgrinder]

Wind picks up, I pick up a spinnerbait. I'm only adding a trailer if I need weight, color, or more action.

[LrgmouthShad]

Summertime is the worst time of year to fish a spinnerbait if you are looking for really big fish and fishing shallow. It will still catch quality, but seldom a truly big bass. I started fishing spinnerbaits using the most uncommon blade combinations. The first spinnerbaits I fished were single colorado's and double indianas. I struggled in the summer until I started fishing a compact bait with a willow main blade. In the summer if you are fishing shallow and just want to catch bass on a spinnerbait, you want

1. Compact bait

2. Willow main blade

There are some exceptions to the rule. I fished unpressured ponds in NY in the summer and usually whacked em on a compact single colorado, but those fish hadn't seen as many baits.

 

I am exploring using really large double willows to catch suspended bass in standing timber or rolling them deep for a bigger bite, but honestly I believe the best window for that is over. Seems like an early summer tactic. 

 

The best times of year to fish a spinnerbait for LMB IMO are early winter/late fall, early prespawn, and early postspawn. From early winter-early prespawn I think a spinnerbait is a hugely underrated bait for trophy size bass. You can catch em on it when water temps are in the 40s.

[casts_by_fly]

We get so much grass here that a spinnerbait is a tough road in the summer. One exception I will do next trip is a lighter one with a big blade fished like a wakebait. I’ll still fight the grass but fishing it through the cuts should yield a couple good ones. 

[ChrisD46]

Early , late , or cloudy days can be good for a spinner bait . In the South slow rolling a big black or purple single  Colorado blade 3/4oz. Spinnerbait was great on hot summer nights deep. 

[king fisher]

When the wind blows fish a spinnerbait around wood any time.  Wake a short arm Colorado blade spinnerbait on a calm summer evening right before dark.  Start by reeling the bait fast enough for the blade to break the surface, then slow the retrieve down until the blade causes a wake, but doesn't actually break the surface.  It takes some practice to get the speed just right, but when done right, it can catch giants.  If your bait goes by a log, or other visible piece of cover, stop the retrieve for a split second and hang on.  Waking a spinnerbait was the most popular way to fish the bait, before buzz baits became popular and is still very effective.

[A-Jay]

I fish a spinnerbait a ton in August and into September for smallmouth up here.

Stiff Warm wind blowing across a big flat is prime time for this guy.

Getting pretty pump too because it's about to go down again 

in just a few weeks.

When a big fatty smashes a bait burned right under the surface,

the strike is ferocious. 

(and addicting).

A-Jay

https://youtu.be/Z95g3H4qmp0?feature=shared&t=83

 

 

 

[Pat Brown]

August is usually when I really start to fish them again and then September they tend to catch some good fish before it gets really cold, but my son Jake and our buddy @LrgmouthShad proved to me a week or two ago - without a doubt, you can get great numbers in July on a spinnerbait.

 

@king fisher pointed out the most important thing IMO - looking for the right conditions!  Dirtier water/wind/shade/the right kinda cover/shad/bluegill fry etc.  You can catch fish any time of year on a spinnerbait if the conditions are right and you got the right kinda bass around the right kinda cover.

 

[gim]

I use them all season here (spring, summer, fall).  Brighter colors when the sun is out and black when it's cloudy, raining, or at night.

 

This time of year, I am burning them along docks early in the morning before the sun gets too high.  Fish will slide out and hammer them.  Once the sun rises higher and there are more established shade lines, I have to switch to a slower presentation like plastics.

[LrgmouthShad]

25 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I fish a spinnerbait a ton in August and into September for smallmouth up here.

Stiff Warm wind blowing across a big flat is prime time for this guy.

Getting pretty pump too because it's about to go down again 

in just a few weeks.

When a big fatty smashes a bait burned right under the surface,

the strike is ferocious. 

(and addicting).

A-Jay

https://youtu.be/Z95g3H4qmp0?feature=shared&t=83

 

 

 

I was about to message you because you’ve got some fun fishing coming up. Looking forward to seeing some tank smallies 

[A-Jay]

11 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I was about to message you because you’ve got some fun fishing coming up. Looking forward to seeing some tank smallies 

Thanks ~

Getting out onto some of the best but distance waters might be a little tricky.

But I'll go when I can and Fish Hard while I'm there.

A-Jay

[scbassin]

I fish a Spinnerbait year round. It depends on water temperature on what cover i fish. 

[bowhunter63]

Year Round Super versatile 

[Scott804]

Single blade. I truly believe single blade spinnerbait is probably the most underrated bait in bass fishing. Esp on tidal water. The issue is there aren't a lot of manufacturers making them. The new berkley single blade colorado is good, I have used the compact one a lot this year. I really like a single willow in the summer though and they are not easy to come by. 

[LrgmouthShad]

3 minutes ago, Scott804 said:

I really like a single willow in the summer though and they are not easy to come by. 

Take a single colorado and replace the Colorado with a willow??

[Jar11591]

Yes. In the summer I’m targeting 8-15’ of water, and looking for milfoil or hydrilla. Then I try to locate the outer edge of that hydrilla or milfoil. I throw a 3/4oz all summer to make sure I’m fishing it deep enough. 

[scaleface]

I like bream patterned baits around wood and moss in the summer. 

[GreenPig]

Only throw a Spinnerbait at night during the Summer with a heavy singlr Colorado blade.

[Mike L]

13 hours ago, king fisher said:

When the wind blows fish a spinnerbait around wood any time.  Wake a short arm Colorado blade spinnerbait on a calm summer evening right before dark.  Start by reeling the bait fast enough for the blade to break the surface, then slow the retrieve down until the blade causes a wake, but doesn't actually break the surface.  It takes some practice to get the speed just right, but when done right, it can catch giants.  If your bait goes by a log, or other visible piece of cover, stop the retrieve for a split second and hang on.  Waking a spinnerbait was the most popular way to fish the bait, before buzz baits became popular and is still very effective.

This is me also

 

It takes time learn especially with a fairly heavy ripple but it will catch em year round 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[GRiver]

I see them using spinner baits at the mouth of the Ocklawaha all year long, there will be a dozen plus boats. I break out the binoculars, ( yes I’m spying on them) 95% are slinging spinnerbaits. 

[Catt]

1/2 oz Stanley Wedge, double gold willowleaf, white skirt 

 

[FishTax]

Yes they work all the time. Except when the fish don't want them. Always worth trying though. I definitely like gold blade over silver based on my results. 

Many times something else works better but most trips on the boat I'll at least try it. That's why I have several rods

[Functional]

I must be weird...

 

I fish a spinnerbait when its almost dead calm, just wisp of ripple. With willow blades I feel it gives a much more subtle action and slow rolling it around has produced well for me. When the wind picks up I switch to the more aggressive chatterbait UNLESS I'm throwing into heavy wood. Heavy wood gets the spinnerbait always, light wood or  a branch or 2 the chatterbait is ok. 

 

This is when I'm picking between the two.