Bladed Jigs are cover contact lures typically selected when:   

• Targeted Depth is:
  • Shallow: Common, including keeping the rod tip high to keep the lure just under the surface even high enough to create a wake. Lower the rod and adjust the retrieve speed to the desired shallow depth. 
  • Deep(Offshore): Not common, but more common than a spinnerbait as it descents faster. Fishing deep typically is with a heavy lure dropping to the bottom on slack line creating a flutter movement.  Once on the bottom, common options include: a stroking retrieve that will alternate between the blade vibrating with a flutter lure action, or, slow-roll retrieve to keep the lure deep but fast enough to ensure vibration of the blade.
    • Suspended: Common.
• Fishing Speed is:
  • Fast: Commonly considered to swim at varying speeds with a wide array of secondary actions (see below). 
  • Slow: Not common as the lure sinks to the bottom as such the slowest speed would be using the slow-roll retrieve.
• Lure Visibility 
  • High Lure Visibility: Common, some say better with some cloud cover or wind, as some believe it provides a natural presentation similar to a swim jig. Some suggest fishing faster such that the fish doesn’t get a good look at the lure plus in clear water the fish can see the lure from further distances.
    •  Black Blade: Some suggest reducing the flash with a painted blade.
  • Low Lure Visibility: Common, as the blade at the front of the lure creates vibration, sound and flash depending on the color of the blade. The retrieve speed must be sufficient (or ideal) to move the blade.
    • Engaging Lateral Line: Vibration blade. 
    • Engaging Hearing: Some bladed jigs have the blade hitting the jig head producing additional sound. 
    • Engaging Sense of Smell and or Taste: Not a major consideration.
• Targeting Cover: Some suggest all lures are good near cover where bladed jig lures are good when contacting:
  • Grass: Common, mostly grass edges and submerged grass, with a weedguard. Contact with grass is common and some suggest speeding the lure slightly on contact as it will increase the lure’s height slightly avoiding snags. Not common in thick grass. 
  • Rock: Less common.  
  • Wood: Not common, but some suggest using a craw, or beaver style, or creature soft plastic trailer, possibly cut to a smaller size, as the flat body will help keep the hook out of the wood.
  • Dock: Common, with some suggesting using a craw, or beaver style, or creature soft plastic trailer, provide a flat service making for better skipping casts. 
  • Off Cover: Less common, some would suggest using a Yo Yo retrieve and some will use it to target suspended bass.
• Soft Bottom vs Hard Bottom: Only becomes a consideration when using the slow-roll retrieve where soft bottom requires slightly faster retrieve such that the lure doesn’t drag in the soft bottom. Yo Yo retrieve is also a possible option in soft bottom.