Spinnerbait Help!

[BriBass]

To make this shorter so its not too long... I SUCK AT SPINNERBAIT FISHING AND I NEED HELP!!!! I have about 10 spinnerbaits and most are SK in different colors like White, White/Chart, Sexy Shad, Firetiger... I have tried and tried and tried to fish spinnerbaits because everyone says its one of the most versatile baits and people love them... Well i cant get bite to save my soul this year or all last year... I burn em, straight retrieve, "slow roll" (if i even know correctly how to do it), pump it... etc and i get nothing.  :-/

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!          

thanks

BB

[Chris]

1) tune the bait- hold the head of the bait in your hand R bend pointed to you so your looking down the bait and bend the wire so it sits right above the hook. If it is out of tune it isn't going to be effective. Now look at the point where the wire meets the head and bend it slightly at a 90 degree angle. This makes the wire vibrate so you can feel strikes. Now look back at the bait with the r bend facing you and compress the wire and see if it clears the hook when you do this. If the hook hits the wire when you do this trim the wire because you will miss fish if you have this problem. Balance the bait by having the correct size blade to the weight of the lure. This shouldn't be a problem but in case it is here it is. If the bait is running to a side you tune it like a crankbait if the bait is jumping up and down then your blade or blade combo is to big and resists to much water and the weight isn't acting like a keel. The head is to light for the blades.

[BassnMan Mike]

One of my most productive blade techniques is to burn it up to a piece of structure, tree, rock, etc., and just let it die, just stop reeling. Bass will whack the cr@p out of it.

[Hammer 4]

And..if your fishing where there are stumps, toss the spinnerbait so it hits the stump..I've had bass hit my spinnerbait before it hit the water when I hit a stump and a 5.4 bass hit it.

Another thing, you can fish a spinner bait just like a jig, toss it out, give your rod a twitch, or not, let the bait fall, stay in touch with your line, as a bass may hit it on the way down...retrive, twitch, stop, then do a long sweeping motion with the rod, stop and repeat.

You can bottom bounce it too.

[Marty]

Are you failing to get bites while fishing partners are getting bites on the same lures? If yes, I don't know what to say. If no, I'd guess that you haven't been using them in the right time and place. Keep at it, persistence usually pays off.

P.S. This is a long shot, but I used to have a problem with negative odors. This can be particularly bad with skirted baits because the skirt material absorbs and holds odors. Try a little scent, such as garlic, and see if that makes a difference. One never knows. It made a big difference with me.

[BassnMan Mike]

P.S. This is a long shot, but I used to have a problem with negative odors. This can be particularly bad with skirted baits because the skirt material absorbs and holds odors. Try a little scent, such as garlic, and see if that makes a difference. One never knows. It made a big difference with me.

Nobody like's a stinky skirt, HA!  

Sounds funny, but it is a great point

[Hammer 4]

Funny Mike... ;D

[Hot Rod]

The main cover in most of the lakes I fish are weeds.  My most productive time to thow a spinner bait is when the wind is blowing. Throw it over the weeds at any depth when the wind is up and you'll get bit.    The harder the wind blows the heavier bait.  That way you'll be able to throw it in the wind and the bigger baits have bigger blades for more flash and vibration when there is a chop.

I also like 'em in stained water around stumps and laydowns if that cover is available.  Try to bump the cover.

Too many pointers to relay here.  Get yourself KVD's two books.  He has a lot of great insight about fishing spinnerbaits.  I really learned a lot from them and there is a reason he's the master.  It works!

[iceintheveins]

In some places spinnerbaits don't work as well as in others. I think bass get conditioned to them in certain very heavily pressured lakes. You just have to experiment with your retrieve until you find the right one that will catch bass. I do best letting a spinnerbait sink to the right level and just slowly reel in, stopping once every 5 - 10 seconds for about 2 seconds max.

[Chris]

2)blades give the lure lift flash and vibration. Single blades give the most vibration, double blades give the most lift and flash. Willow blades give the most flash and the least vibration because it travels closest to its pivot point and also spins fastest. Indiana blades gives you flash, more lift than a willow blade, and more vibration and is a happy medium to the three styles of blades. Colorado blades slow the lure the most and has the most thump, least flash because it spins slower, most lift of the three styles of blades.

A) willow blades are made to fish clear water

Indiana blades are made to fish stained water

C) Colorado blades are made for muddy water

Use the qualities of the blades that I outlined to adjust your blade selection to what you want the bait to do.

A) Willow blades because it has the least resistance in the water can be fished deeper. It also goes through weeds the best and for slow rolling deep.

Indiana blades are a good all around blade.

C) Colorado blades helicopter on the fall the best and is best for slow rolling shallow.

[BriBass]

thanks guys, i will take the blades into consideration too! Any brands you happen to use exclusively or that are your favorites?

BB

[CWB]

I notice you are from Chicago. Where do you fish? Look around and chances are 90% of the guys will be throwing spinnerbaits over weeds. I'm not saying they won't work but mixing things up might get you bit.

Try a Pure Poison or a 4.5" Shadalicious swimbait for a different look.

Both will fish in the same areas a spinnerbait will. Keep throwing it and you will catch some on it though.

[NovaBasser]

I love fishing spinners!  Its my go to lure everywhere I go!  I catch bass all year long.  If fishing is tough and I'm not getting hit on other lures, I tie on a spinner and got to work and usually scrounge up a bite or two.  

I only fish Strike King KVD spinners.  Not really endorsing the brand but its just what I use.  Great skirts w/ tails, and comes with red main and trailer hooks.  Very sturdy, stood up to some musky and Pike bites last summer and I just bent the wire back and continued snaggin up buckets and smallies.  My favorite is Chart/White or Blue Shad and I select blades by water color or time of day like discussed earlier in the thread.  I experiment with retrieves to find out what presentation the fish want.  

Just starting to use the burners and going to pick up some bottom dwellers and give those a try.

Just like any fishing style,  you have to work at it until you gain enough confidence by catching fish.  Keep with it!

[The_Natural]

Like soft plastics, I recommend a smaller bait if you are starting out or having trouble.  A finesse spinnerbait gets a TON of bites, and will boost confidence.  I have a 3/16oz Leverage that won a tournament in post-spawn a couple of years ago, and currently use the War Eagle finesse spinners as well.

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