Spinnerbait

Spinnerbaits are cover contact lures known for their vibrating blades that spin above the skirt that make a thumping noise, for fishing shallow in low lure visibility especially wind/waves and using the burn retrieve in high lure visibility.

Anatomy: Spinnerbaits lures are skirted lures with a single straight shank hook typically thick wire, skirted swim jig head and a V wire which holds one or more blades. The shank sometimes has a bait keeper to help hold a soft plastic trailer.

One Blade: [Figure 2]
Two Blades: [Figure 1] Common for double willow if two willow blades, tandem if one will blade and one colorado blade, and double colorodo blade. Also, available in double indiana blade.
Three + Blades: [Figure 3]

Variants & Other Names:

Tandem: [Figure 1] A combination of willow blade and colorado blades. Common for the willow blade on top and for the colorado blade to be smaller.
Twin Arm Spinnerbaits: [Figure 4] Have two wires holding blade(s).
Inline Spinnerbait: [Figure 5] Not common. No V-Wire as the hook is inline with the skirt.
Non-Skirted: [Figure 6] Spinnerbaits without skirts often feature hooks for soft plastic trailers, jig heads for soft plastic trailers and blade bait style with treble hooks.

Lure Action: Flash and vibration plus the puff of the skirt and, if rigged, a swim action of the soft plastic trailer.

Search Bait: Common

Pros’ Choice: Less common (was common)

When to Fish Spinnerbaits

Spinnerbaits are cover contact lures typically selected when:

When Targeted Depth is:
- Shallow: Common
- Deep(Offshore): Common, for a horizontal presentation, with some suggesting long casts then letting the lure drop to the desired depth and slow roll to keep the lure at the desired depth.
  - Above Bass: Some suggest always keeping lure above the bass so they don’t go for the blades.
When Fishing Speed is:
- Fast: Common as it is used as a search bait it is considered one of the fastest lures to fish and thus covers water.
- Slow: Less common and with a slow roll retrieve in low lure visibility scenarios often deep and some say also a consideration for cold water.
When Lure Visibility:
- High Lure Visibility: Less common, but the use of a silver blade will produce flash to attract bass. When used in high lure visibility it is common warm water and using the burn retrieve so the bass does not get a good look at the lure with the goal to trigger a reaction bite. The speed restricts the use to shallow water.
- Low Lure Visibility: Common as the lure has flash plus:
  - Engaging Lateral Line: Vibration of the blade(s),
  - Engaging Hearing: The blades produce what is referred to as a thumping sound. The blade arm is generally at 45 degree angle to the hook but if you increase that angle the vibration will increase.
  - Engaging Sense of Smell and or Taste: Some suggest that adding a soft plastic trailer will result in the bass holding on to the lure longer potentially due to mouth feel, odor and taste.
Targeting Cover: Some suggest all lures are good near cover where spinnerbait lures are used when contacting:
- Grass: Common, as spinnerbaits are mostly weedless, especially used to get through not too thick submerged grass, working a grass line, slow rolled over thick submerged grass, or targeting new grass in the spring.
  - Weedless: Generally considered weedless.
- Rock: Common to target and bounce off isolated rock.
- Wood: Less common to bounce off stumps and trees, albeit higher risk of snag, then pure weedless.
- Dock: Not common
- Off Cover: Common, typically in low lure visibility especially wind/waves.
- Pause after Contact: Some suggest a small pause in the retrieve when you hit cover to mimic a natural action of a bait fish.

Specific Spinnerbait Lure Selection

Selecting the Spinnerbait Lure Type, as a skirted lure there are the following key decisions:

Jig Head:
- Hook Size:
  - Small: Not common.
  - Common: 3/O, 4/O, 5/O
  - Large: Not common.
- Lure Weight: Generally, the weight provided of the package is that of the jig head as such does not take into consideration the weight of the blades, the blade type, the soft plastic trailer all which will impact fall rate and retrieve speed to keep in strike zone.
  - Light: 3/8 oz
  - Common: 3/8, 1/2 oz, 5/8 oz,
  - Heavy: 3/4 oz, 1 oz
Blade: [This is repeated content from Blade section]
- Blade Shapes for Lure Visibility:
  - Most = Colorado Blade (also fished slowest): [Figure 1] A circular design that produces the most vibration and thus is used in low lure visibility and often shallow. Colorado blades also provide maximum feel of the lure and the slowest to retrieve. Common when muddy shoreline fishing. Colorado blade provide the most “thump”, the term used for the noise produced by the vibrating blade.
  - Least = Willow Leaf Blades(also sinks and fished fastest): [Figure 2] Long leaf like design that is narrow and provides the lowest resistance and thus fished fastest typically in high lure visibility. Also, the sink faster, thus better when fishing deep in the water column. Willow leaf blades best support burn retrieve which will keep the lure near the surface.
  - Mixed Blades: For tandem(2) spinnerbaits it is common to have a main top blade and a secondary blade. Similar for multi blade spinnerbaits.
  - In-between = Indiana Blade: Tear shaped design that is a balance between colorado and willow leaf.
  - Tomahawk Blade: Less common, also known as Hatchet Blades, are shaped like the blade of a hockey stick and create a distinct vibration.
- Blade Color for High Lure Visibility:
  - Silver: Some suggest silver to maximize the flash of the sun. Some will use two silver blades and some recommend one silver and one gold blade. Some suggest using the burn retrieve to compel a reaction bite and to ensure the bass doesn’t get a good look at the lure.
  - Gold Blades: To capture low light that gets through either due to medium water clarity or overcast conditions.
- Blade Color for Low Lure Visibility:
  - Painted Blades: If very little sun gets through for example murky water some suggest blades black, white, chartreuses, orange, red that create more profile to the lure.
- Blade Size: Blade size and quantity contribute to the overall profile and thus size of the lure.
  - Large Blades: Enable slower fishing speed.
  - Small Blades: Easier to get through grass cover.
  - Measures: Blades generally come in 8 sizes from 00,0, 1….6. Size is inches:
  - Small: 00 which is .43″, 0 which is .55 ” and 1 which is .75″.
  - Common: 2 which is .87″, 3 which is 1″, 3 which is 1.13″
  - Large: 5 which is 1.38″ and 6 which is 1.56″.
    Largest Blade: Generally, the first blade is the largest one.
Soft Plastic Trailer: Common, with the trailer being the same color as the skirt. The trailer is also the source of additional action and vibration created by the lure.
- Common Soft Plastics: For trailers:
  - Swimbait Soft Plastic: Provide a variety of action depending on the choice including a paddle tail.
- Less Common Soft Plastics: For trailers:
  - Grub:
  - Jerkbait Soft Plastic:
- Size: Common to cut the soft plastic to desired length to maximize lure action The size will also impact the lure buoyancy and thus the lure depth. Lastly, it is common to cut the skirt to help feature the soft plastic trailer.
  - - Small: 1″ to 2″
    - Common: 2″ to 3″
    - Large: 3″ to 4″

Lure Color: As lure color selection is mostly tied to the lure visibility download the Acute Lure Color Breakdown™ Infographic.
- Forage:

Rigging Decisions

As skirted lure body type, common rigging considerations includes:

Soft Bait Setup: Use the bait keeper to help hold a soft plastic trailer. As a single hook lure it is mostly weedless.

Main Line: Some suggest fluorocarbon, while some suggest braid
- Light: 10 lb test to 14 lb test
- Common: 15 lb test to 20 lb test
- Heavy: Over 20 lb test
Leader: Not common. If using braid as main line in high lure visibility situations some suggest using a fluorocarbon leader but even then it might not be necessary as likely using the burn retrieve.
Rod:
- Baitcaster Rod: Common with Power = Medium Heavy and Action(Taper) = Moderate.
  - Reel: Some consider slow 6.0:1 when slow rolling and some suggest faster 7.5:1 with burning retrieve.
- Spinning Rod: Not common.

Spinnerbait Presentations

Presentations for spinnerbaits are commonly considered a horizontal presentation and a tight line presentation with the following considerations:

Cast Techniques:
- Common:
  - Overhand: Common, for long distances.
- Less Common:
  - Roll Cast: Common, targeting cover.
Initial Lure Action: Slack line to the desired depth.
Retrieve Techniques:
- Common:
  - Straight Retrieve: To cover water.
    - Burn: In high lure visibility.
    - Slow-Roll: In low lure visibility, near bottom and in cold water.
    - Pop: To further engage the skirt and to vary the speed.
  - Less Common:
    - Hop Retrieve:
      - Yo Yo: When fishing deep to keep the lure in the strike zone longer.
    - Wake: Using a lighter spinnerbait with a soft plastic trailer that keeps the lure buoyant and retrieves the lure such that it is just under the surface which creates a wake.
Secondary Action: Common to add pops to to flare the skirt, pause to have the lure drop deeper in the water column and short burns to bring the lure more shallow.
Hook Set: Typically, pull/sweep hook set after identifying fish on followed by landing the bass.
Repetition at Spots: Not common, albeit some will target a specific cover from multiple directions.

Additional Considerations

Add-on Dot or Strip Weight: Not common
Trailer Hook: Common as trailer hooks can be added to help eliminate short strikes. Some suggest only using a trailer hook when burning the lure without a soft plastic trailer.
Seasons: All seasons with slower speeds when the water temperature is colder.
Sight Fishing: Not common.
- Spawning: Not common.
Suspended Bass: Less common, albeit the depth of the retrieve can be controlled.
Follow Up Bait: Not common

MLF Videos and Articles by Experts

Major League Fishing (MLF) produces videos and articles including:

Shaw Grigsby says that trailer hooks are essential on spinnerbaits, here’s why MLF Video
Trust a Smallmouth Expert: Bright-Colored Spinnerbaits Will Catch More Fish MLF Video
How to Make a Spinnerbait on the Water MLF Video
Christie Focuses on Water Clarity for Cold-Water Spinnerbait Success MLF Article
B. Lat Goes Deep on Spinnerbaits for Bass MLF Article
Major League Lesson: Denny Brauer on Spinnerbaits MLF Video
slow rolling spinnerbaits MLF Video

Videos by Experts

Should You Use TRAILER HOOKS on Buzzbaits & Spinnerbaits? (Tips for Spring Bass Fishing) Debos
Underwater Spinnerbait Footage! Spring Spinnerbait Tricks For Beginners and Advanced Bass Fishing Tactical Bassin
Everything About How to Fish a Spinnerbait – Bass Fishing Flukemaster
8 Spinnerbait Tips for Springtime Bass Fishing Wired2Fish
Choosing the Best Spinnerbait for the Situation Wired2Fish
Technique: Slow Rolling a Spinnerbait + Bait Selection with Kings of Bass TV
The BEST Spinnerbait BLADE Combo (Spinnerbaits Throughout The Year) BassfishingHQ
Using The Classic Inline Spinner For Bass Karls

Articles by Experts

How to Choose the Best Spinnerbait for Bass, Every Time Lurenet
Anatomy of Bass Spinnerbait Great Days Outdoors
Understanding Spinnerbaits and Vibration Fishing Tackle Reviews
Best Spinnerbaits for Bass Best Bass Fishing Lures
Using The Classic Inline Spinner For Bass Karl’s
4 Spinnerbait Trailers You Should Try This Year Wired2Fish
5 Killer Spinnerbait Trailers That Catch Bass Tilt Fishing