Spinnerbait Basics

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Spinnerbait Basics By Charles Graves

Spinnerbaits, or "Blades" as they are commonly called among circuit fishermen, are, without a doubt,
one of the most versatile lures a fisherman can have in thier arsenal.
They can be fished from just below the surface, all the way down to the bottom.
They can be burned back, or they can be slow rolled.

I love crankbaits, but if I had only one lure to pick to fish with on a givin day, it would be a spinnerbait.

The three keys to a good spinnerbait is wire diameter, blades, and balance.

1: The best spinnerbaits have a ultra thin wire for maximum vibration.
I prefer the spinnerbaits made by Retriever Lures, because they have a super thin 0.031 Daimeter wire.
This really kicks up a fuss and vibration.

2: Blades are the second thing you must consider when choosing a good spinnerbait.

Let’s look at the many different blade types that are available and what the differences are for each type.
There are Colorado blades, Willow Leaf blades,and Indiana blades.
The Colorado blade is a blade that is meant to be used in dingy to dirty colored water due to the fact that it gives off the most vibration of all the blades currently on the market.
The Colorado blade comes in sizes 00 to 7, 7 being the biggest. Colorado blades are also available in numerous color variations.
Next is the Indiana blade which is between a Willow Leaf and a Colorado blade. This is my first choice of blades
The Indiana blade gives off a little less vibration than the Colorado but it gives off a little more flash than the Colorado blade. The Indiana blades also come in sizes from 00 to 7 and they are also available in some colors.
The Willow Leaf is next. It is one of the more popular blades currently on the market today and its shape resembles that of a baitfish. This blade gives off less vibration than any other blade, but it gives off the most flash than all the other blades. These blades are available in sizes from 3 to 7 and they are available in more colors than any of the others.
3: Balance is also sometimes overlooked. In order to be snag resistant, and appealing too fish /the spinnerbait must run upright. If it rolls over it is not properly balanced, and a new bait should be used.

Trailers and trailer hooks. Should they be used?
In my opinion, Yes.While this is a matter of personal choice, I always use trailers, and trailer hooks.
Trailers come in a variety of styles, including straight tail, split tail, and curl tail. My favorite is a 4" Screw Grub, made by The Original Fish Formula. It is a straight tail grub.
My Trailer hook of choice is made by Daiichi, and is Bleeding Bait Red. Super Sharp.
Trailer hooks turn short strikes into caught fish.
Skirt Material and color.

Skirst are made of either rubber or silicone.I prefer the silicone. Lively action, but does not stick together as rubber tends to do.
Color is only as important as your confidence.
Fishing a Spinnerbait.

When fishing a spinnerbait, there are many different ways to fish them.
There is a method called “slow rolling.� This method can be done with baits ranging from ¼-oz to 2-oz baits.
The bait is thrown out and allowed to sink, you would then turn the handle slow enough so that the blades on the bait barely turn. This gives the bait the look of a dying or wounded baitfish.
Another method is when you throw out the bait and you reel the lure very fast to where the lure is making a wake on the surface, you can also allow the lure to blow out of the water occasionally making it look like a baitfish is running away and leaping out of the water. This method is called “burning� a spinnerbait.
Another method is where you just reel at a normal speed and pump the rod. This method makes the skirt pulsate and allows the bait to come to life.
While you are reeling if the lure gets hung up in the grass, just twitch the rod tip pulling the lure free, just don’t pull too hard or the lure will move too fast. When the lure is pulled free from the cover, you have the opportunity to get a reaction strike from the fish.
Spinnerbaits can be fished on line from 10-lb to 25-lb depending on the cover that you are fishing around. There are some braids on the market that you should also give a try. The braids are thinner in diameter and they provide such sensitivity that you will be amazed at what you can feel. Fishing with a braid, you will know when your blades quit turning either from a fish or from weeds stopping the rotation of the blades. I fish all my spinnerbaits on Spiderwire Stealth.
I use a 6'4" MH Falcon LR Spinnerbait Special Rod. It has an action specifically designed for casting and controlling spinnerbaits.
I match it up with a Pflueger Trion LP 6.3:1 Reel for the ultimate spinnerbait combo.


Good Fishing,

Charles