Spinnerbait blades

[Rich]

Guys, been doing a little customizing on some spinnerbaits, and just got to wondering-What kinds of blades do y'all prefer-hammered or smooth?

I really don't have a preference except in clear water and sunny conditions I seen to have better luck with hammered blades.

[catfishtonyd]

I've never really thought about it. I just grab one out of the box. I think I used the same spinnerbait all year last year. Just retied the knot, and put a new skirt and trailer on it a couple of times.

[macgyver]

I really don't have much preference either, I'm with Cajun, grab one and throw it I'm awful envious of you though :-/, if you got that much time on your hands ;D Along the same lines, I know a lot of folks who modify baits. I understand why they do it, not sure HOW they do all of them. But do you folks think that we do it out of a passion for a better BAIT or for more opportunities to be with our FISHING TACKLE ;D, I know most will THINK IT'S FOR A Better bait, but be honest.

Lizards

[bassman602]

I have 2 that I use more than anything. The colorado, which is smooth and the Diamond by Strike King which gives unbelievable flash.

[bearpaw]

Actually Lizards,

I normally "modify" my bait right after I get home from the store.
Modification is not a prerequisite on all baits , I.E. high dollar baits (Lucky Craft etc..)
For starters, I change hooks on alot of my crankbaits, put red hooks on some baits,change round line tie to an oval one, change skirts as necc. etc...
The things that "I" have confidence in.

[bigman15]

Don't they offer some of the same spinnerbaits with the different blades, or is that the reason for changing them. What are the different conditions for the different blades. Do multiple blades really produce more then single blades.

[Rich]

Trav, one of the problems is most spinnerbaits do not come with different color blades. Â*For example, have you ever seen one made by some of the major manufacturers with copper blades? Â*I can't think of one. Â*Silver, gold, chartreuse, even red, but not copper. Â*Ever rarer is a gold/copper tandem, with a gold Colorado blade in front of a copper willow leaf blade. So, I customize them by changing the blades. I'm not anywhere near where Zooker is, but I do modify them a bit.

Different conditions for different blades? Â*A long time ago I heard "Silver in the sun, copper in the clouds" regarding spinnerbait blades, and in my experience there is some truth to that. Â*I will also use different size blades depending on where I am fishing-if I am going deep smaller blades don't have as much lift and are easier to keep down in the water column.

Multiple blades will usually out-produce a single blade except in two situations: Â*night and muddy water. Â*In low visibility conditions the single blade puts out more vibration that a tandem or double willow setup and is easier for the fish to find using it's lateral line. Â*I use multiple blades when I want flash, but switch to a single blade for night or muddy water fishing.

[Rob Mak]

normally i go with a smooth blade in clear water. and hammered in stained. ever fish a copper over copper reb?

lizards
the lakes i fish are heavily pounded by anglers the reason i use a "modified " bait is quite simple. i am looking for a bait that looks totally differant than what every tom ,dick ,and joe bob ;D are throwing. i am willing to bet in a couple of these lakes a 4 pound bass has seen every color shad rap ever made. you are the one who likes to think out side the box. there are known color producing plastic baits on every lake.be it june bug,or red shad,or what ever.the trick is to find the color that.#1 catches fish and #2 almost no one ever uses on said body of water.

zooker

[Rich]

ever fish a copper over copper reb?

Yep-not too often, but in dingy water and cloudy conditions it is a great combo.

[John_Cullum]

I prefer hammered, Caught most of my fish on that kind in Solorado Blade form.

[bigman15]

What is the difference in a colorado blade, and a willow leaf. And besides cloudy or clear conditions, how and where would you use them.

[Rich]

Trav-Colorado:




Willow


The willow has more flash and less vibration, making it good for clear water where the Colorado has more vibration and less flash. I use double willow in real clear water, and Colorado/willow tandem in stained water, and a single Colorado in muddy water.

[mike0062466]

[quote author=Rebbasser link=board=MessBoards;num=1101186996;start=0#11 date=11/23/04 at 19:26:31]Trav-Colorado:




Willow


The willow has more flash and less vibration, making it good for clear water where the Colorado has more vibration and less flash. Â*I use double willow in real clear water, and Colorado/willow tandem in stained water, and a single Colorado in muddy water.[/quote]
Reb, I don't know if it's the angle or what, but that Colorado almost looks more like an Indiana. This is the Colorado I got from BPS:

[Rich]

Marty, seeing them together I think you might be right. Thanks!

[bigman15]

So you would use the colorado for use of the vibration to attract the fish. So the flash of the willow leaf, will attract the fish. What about skirt colors, and sizes. Are they just preferences or is there a pattern to those choices as well.

[Rich]

So you would use the colorado for use of the vibration to attract the fish. So the flash of the willow leaf, will attract the fish.

Correct-with clear water you want flash, muddy water you want vibration.

Colors-they run the gamut, but I mainly use shad colors, white, chartreuse, and blue. This is also an area where "matching the hatch" can be a benefit. If I see a shad and am using a willowleaf blade I try to get a blade approximately the same size as the shad.

[bigman15]

If you see a shad, use willow, so if you see little bream, use colorado? And how is chartruse a shad color? I haven't figured that one out!!

[Rich]

I think I may have confused you a bit. Â*What I mean is say you catch a bass on something and when you get it in the fish spits up a shad. Â*When that happens to me and I am throwing a spinnerbait I try to use a blade approx. the same size as the shad, but it is not necessary. Â*If the bass are feeding on bream I go with a firetiger or bream/bluegill colored bait and don't worry about the size of the blade. Â*The only time I use a single Colorado blade is in muddy water, and then the blade size really doesn't matter. Matter of fact in real muddy water the bigger the blade the better IMO.

Chartreuse really isn't a shad color, but if you take a look at a shad out of the water oftentimes it will have a little chartreuse color to it, and a bluegill will have some chartreuse and even fluorescent blue in it. Â*One other thing about chartreuse-if the visibility is low-not really muddy water but close-chartreuse shows up better. Â*That's why chartreuse crankbaits work so well.

[mike0062466]

There are a load of articles which give advice on how to choose spinnerbait colors. This article claims to broadly summarize Kevin VanDam's choices:

http://www.egyptian.net/~angling/page15.html