Spinnerbait tips

[Mike Cork]

We all have our own little tweaks. One of the fastest ones that can make a ton of difference is to bend the spinnerbait wire further from the hook or close it towards the hook.
What it does:

If you want your spinnerbait to run higher in the water column at the same retrieve speed, bend the blade wire further away from the hook. This gives the blades more mechanical advantage and more lift.

If you want the spinnerbait to ride lower in the water column at the same speed, bend the blade wire closer to the hook. This streamlines the bait and prevents lift.

What are some of your spinnerbait tips?

[Smallie_Stalker]

Add a free- swinging trailer hook (my #1 favorite).

Adding different trailers to control the fall rate.

Adding a second skirt or thinning out the original controls both fall rate and to a lesser degree affects the speed of retrieve.

Changing blade sizes - larger to fish slower and smaller to burn the bait.

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[Steve81]

Always vary your retrieve. I like to impart action by adding a number of pops or twitches during the retrieve. I try to imagine that a bass is looking at the lure coming by and when that "twitch" happens, the bass perceives it as the prey being noticed and panicking. I think that triggers bites.

[zippyduck]

Seems obvious but always maintain contact with the cover. This will cause the bait to change directions and speed.

After covering an area turn back around and use a different blade and/or color.

[Steve81]

Seems obvious but always maintain contact with the cover. This will cause the bait to change directions and speed.

Absolutely! This is probably the best tip out there, regardless of the type of lure.

[coldfront]

Add a free- swinging trailer hook (my #1 favorite).

Adding different trailers to control the fall rate.

Adding a second skirt or thinning out the original controls both fall rate and to a lesser degree affects the speed of retrieve.

Changing blade sizes - larger to fish slower and smaller to burn the bait.

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I use the free-swinging trailer hook all the time (buzzbaits, spinnerbaits)... but use a black spinnerbait collar as my 'keeper'.  figure it adds an 'eyespot' to what is basically a shad lure.

[chrisD46]

* Add a trailer hook (not too large , a 1/0 or 2/0 will stick 'em just fine)
* Add a trailer (such as a Zoom Fluke , Split Tail , Dead Ringer 4" , or paddle tail swim bait)
* Change outer spinner blade size ( larger blade for more lift , flash and vibration ; smaller blade for faster retrieve)

[BassmanRudy]

Read about this one the other day and while it does take a couple mins to do I like it already.

So on most spinnerbaits you don't have the wire "twisted" at the top. This allows the knot if not tied tightly or under extreme pressure to slide down the wire arm and possibly lose a fish or break the lure.

What the tip is is to tie a small amount of braid around the ^ (top bend) part and then adding glue to seal it. I start by doubling the line and once cinched on the wire alternate wraps then tie overhand knots. Then add a drop of glue and done. Once done your knot can't go past that point and you can even use a clip if wanted to change lures easier.

This pic is horrible I'll take a better pic once back home.

[coldfront]

Read about this one the other day and while it does take a couple mins to do I like it already.

So on most spinnerbaits you don't have the wire "twisted" at the top. This allows the knot if not tied tightly or under extreme pressure to slide down the wire arm and possibly lose a fish or break the lure.

What the tip is is to tie a small amount of braid around the ^ (top bend) part and then adding glue to seal it. I start by doubling the line and once cinched on the wire alternate wraps then tie overhand knots. Then add a drop of glue and done. Once done your knot can't go past that point and you can even use a clip if wanted to change lures easier.

This pic is horrible I'll take a better pic once back home.

as someone who uses a palomar knot, find that 'two strands' on the wire, when cinched tight, don't move much at all.  never had the knot 'move' after tightening.  braid, flouro or mono.
what's wrong with me?

as an aside, I also use a palomar knot on my Poppers...  mostly 1/4 oz size.  not a loop knot.  cinch it tight and then push it down to the bottom of the eye where it meets the cupped face.  allows me to get more of a 'smack' sound vs bloop... better mimics bluegill 'smacking' insects off surface.  with that knot placement, there's a little 'belly' in the line and it walks just fine too.

that knot doesn't slip either until I boatflip those 5 pounders...  then I have to push the knot back down.  it doesn't move 'easy'.

[Eric-Maine]

We all have our own little tweaks. One of the fastest ones that can make a ton of difference is to bend the spinnerbait wire further from the hook or close it towards the hook.
What it does:

If you want your spinnerbait to run higher in the water column at the same retrieve speed, bend the blade wire further away from the hook. This gives the blades more mechanical advantage and more lift.

If you want the spinnerbait to ride lower in the water column at the same speed, bend the blade wire closer to the hook. This streamlines the bait and prevents lift.

What are some of your spinnerbait tips?

On is a small round craft bead above the knot. This helps deflect grass that wants to sometimes hang on the knot and line tie.

The second is to tie, using a snell knot, to the hook a length of braid. Bring the braid to the line tie and make a loop. Tie on as normal passing the line through the loop. This makes a leash of sorts that will save a lost fish should the spinnerbait arm break. (Usually near the head)

Burning  painted blade willowleaf  spinnerbaits on 8 to 12 flats for smallies is a go to for me. Be prepared for some bruising.

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[FlatsNBay]

Here's a recent article that I did with Jason Christie about spinnerbait fishing.

https://www.lurenet.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-spinnerbait-for-bass/

[Smallie_Stalker]

Here's a recent article that I did with Jason Christie about spinnerbait fishing.

https://www.lurenet.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-spinnerbait-for-bass/

2 things he touched on - continuous experimentation and taking the time to learn the characteristics of each individual bait is so important. IMO we should do it for every type of lure we own.

Great read all around Steve!

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[chrisD46]

Here's a recent article that I did with Jason Christie about spinnerbait fishing.

https://www.lurenet.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-spinnerbait-for-bass/

*What is it about the Oklahoma bass guys and their absolute mastering of spinner baits ? Both Jason Christie and Jimmy Houston (both from Oklahoma) have their Doctorate degrees in Spinner Baits .

[Smallie_Stalker]

Here's a recent article that I did with Jason Christie about spinnerbait fishing.

https://www.lurenet.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-spinnerbait-for-bass/

*What is it about the Oklahoma bass guys and their absolute mastering of spinner baits ? Both Jason Christie and Jimmy Houston (both from Oklahoma) have their Doctorate degrees in Spinner Baits .

2 masters for sure.

It's kind of like the Carolina's and crank baits

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[Steve81]

*What is it about the Oklahoma bass guys and their absolute mastering of spinner baits ? Both Jason Christie and Jimmy Houston (both from Oklahoma) have their Doctorate degrees in Spinner Baits .
[/quote]

As someone that is from Oklahoma, I firmly believe that it has to do with how the lakes in Oklahoma set up. Nearly all of the lakes would be considered muddy by the rest of the country's standards. There's very little grass but lots of rock and wood cover. Lastly, Oklahoma has a well-earned reputation for being windy. All of those make fine ingredients for a spinnerbait!

Growing up there, its so odd when you find an Okie that doesn't know how to fish a spinnerbait. You're more likely to find an Okie that is a USC fan.

[coldfront]

Here's a recent article that I did with Jason Christie about spinnerbait fishing.

https://www.lurenet.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-spinnerbait-for-bass/

*What is it about the Oklahoma bass guys and their absolute mastering of spinner baits ? Both Jason Christie and Jimmy Houston (both from Oklahoma) have their Doctorate degrees in Spinner Baits .

you left out that great 'other okie':  KVD?

[bigjim5589]

The very first spinnerbait I ever owned was a Rebel brand, and it was made with a single, large Colorado blade, and a clevis was used instead of the typical ball bearing swivel.  Back then they used the old style vinyl skirts. 

I've made some like that since then, with the blade & clevis, and that has a completely different action & vibration to it compared to the tighter turn of a blade with the swivel.

If you make your own, that's also a less costly way to make them, as good ball bearing swivels can be costly. A clevis & bead is not expensive.

You don't see commercially produced spinnerbaits made this way now, but that's still an option, and sometimes that makes a difference in getting bites, when it's something the fish don't normally see since the blade will have a much wider swing and works well when fished slow.

They can still be made with two or more blades, but single blade spinnerbaits do catch fish. 

This one is very different than any you'll see on the market. 

[chrisD46]

A popular old school tip here in Georgia is to use an all-white spinner bait with white painted blades in either a double willow OR large willow / small Colorado blade set up painted white . Some local spinnerbait makers sell the completed spinnerbaits in all white - I take an all white spinnerbait I already have and carefully spray paint the blades white . Seems to work best on either an overcast day or clearer water where you want to tone down the spinnerbait blade flash a little - yet still provide enough interest to generate reaction bite . You could even choose to just paint the small Colorado blade on a tandem spinnerbait fluorescent orange for using in the Spring / stained water to show bas a little something different . *One thing is for sure : Spinnerbaits offer a huge variety of possibilities which I will always have in play all year long .