It comes to a shock to me as I grew up with the lures, but many people don’t understand how to use a spinnerbait. This is a shame as it’s an outstanding lure that is nearly weedless, catches most game fish, and is a wonderful lure to fish with kids. Every single angler (and especially parent anglers) should have a few spinnerbaits in their tackle box. Read on to learn how, when, why, and where to use spinnerbaits in this complete guide.
What Is a Spinnerbait?
A spinnerbait is a type of fishing lure used primarily for largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as northern pike, chain pickerel, and muskie. It is a semi-weedless lure that essentially looks like a jig with a bent wire frame that has one or more blades attached to it (the “spinners”). Most spinnerbaits feature some sort of skirt which can be made from a variety of materials, but usually some form of silicone or rubber. The spinnerbait is considered a big fish lure and a go-to bait during the fall.
Spinnerbait Components
A spinnerbait is essentially a jig that is attached to a bent wire frame that in turn attaches to a blade of some sort. The “jig” is normally dressed with a skirt made of different components that hides the hook. Many of these components can be swapped out for different situations, so it’s useful to know what each one does so you can understand the best time to use it.
Spinnerbait Blades
There are several different types of spinnerbait blades, with the most common being willow leaf, Colorado, and Indiana. Each has their strengths and weaknesses and do better in different situations.
Willow Leaf Spinnerbait Blades
Willow leaf spinnerbait blades are long and narrow and emit a lot of flash. These have the least amount of drag of all the different blade options and allow spinnerbaits to move the quickest through the water. They are shaped similar to a small baitfish, and give predators the idea that they’re chasing a small school. I prefer using this style of spinnerbait when trolling or burning in a retrieve across some submerged weed beds.
Colorado Spinnerbait Blades
Colorado spinnerbait blades are the exact opposite of the willow leaf style. These don’t really on flash to draw in strikes, but rather vibrations. The circular shape creates a noticeable rumble when moving through the water. An advantage of a rounded blade on a spinnerbait is that it makes a vibration that fish can sense with their lateral line and helps them zero in on the lure even in dark or murky water. You’ll note that most spinnerbaits marketed for night time will have a Colorado blade.
Indiana Spinnerbait Blades
Indiana spinnerbait blades are often marketed as somewhat of a middle ground between Colorado and willow leaf styles. They have a teardrop shape that exhibits somewhat subdued benefits of both the other styles. A good middle ground for situations where you aren’t willing to go all in with one or the other, such as in slightly stained water where you still want the flash, but need a little extra vibration.
Blade Size
Spinnerbait blades come in a variety of sizes. Generally speaking, the ones that come with the lure have been tested and are the right balance for the lure. There usually isn’t a need to go tinkering, but if you have the urge and can’t help yourself, be aware of what changing the blade size will do.
A larger spinnerbait blade does two things: it increases the vibration the blade emits in the water, and it increases the lift the blade produces. This means that you will need to slow your retrieve to keep your spinnerbait lower in the water column if you use a larger blade.
Sometimes it makes sense to switch blade sizes rather than trying a completely new style. For example, a slightly larger willow leaf blade may make more sense if you’re trying to keep your lure higher in the water column than going to a Colorado, especially if you still want the flash.
Blade Color
You’re basically going to have three options for spinnerbait blade color. Silver, gold, and painted. Silver and gold are both great options that look realistically like baitfish and reflect the sun well. Given most of the baitfish in the areas I fish are silvery, I go with these normally when I can.
I don’t have as much confidence in painted blades, but some people swear by them. If you’re trying for a very specific look to match the hatch, it makes a lot of sense to double down. For example, some blades look like yellow perch and when paired on a spinnerbait of similar color, it at least looks natural and like the fish is about to slam into a school of them.
Spinnerbait Skirts
Spinnerbaits can be dressed with skirts of various material. The most common these days by far is silicone, though if you look in old tackle boxes, you might find some (often mangled) rubber ones.
Rubber
If you ever score an old tackle box on e-Bay or in an estate sale, chances are you’ll find some old spinnerbaits with rubber skirts that have melted together. When spinnerbaits were first produced, rubber was the go to material for the skirt. Unfortunately, it tends to melt together on hot days, which isn’t that great for a sport that takes place outside in full blast of the sun. When properly stored, they’ll last awhile and produce a lively action, but you’ll probably want to upgrade them to silicone skirts sooner than later.
Silicone
Today, most spinnerbait skirts are made of silicone. They have the good qualities of rubber skirts without melting like them. They come in a variety of colors and shapes, with some having a little bit longer “tail” that extends past the main body. These skirts pulse in the water when you give them a little “pop.” They’re probably the first thing on your spinnerbait that will fail, as they tend to be mauled a bit by fish strikes. Luckily, many manufacturers sell replacement skirts that are easy enough to swap out.
Hair & Other Objects
While silicone skirts are the mainstay for most spinnerbaits these days, you can find ones made with other material, like hair, fabric, and even tinsel. All have different properties and who knows? Perhaps that’s what the fish will want on any given day. You might have fun attaching anything relatively waterproof to your spinnerbait skirt and seeing if it gives you an edge.
Spinnerbait Hooks
Each spinnerbait comes with a permanently affixed hook that you are not changing, however you can add a “stinger hook” or “trailer hook.” There are advantages and disadvantages to doing so.
Generally, you should use a trailer hook on your spinnerbait when you feel that the fish are striking short, or you want a little more insurance that you’ll hook them. These provide two chances to snag the fish after all, which is better than one.
The disadvantage of using trailer hooks on spinnerbaits is that they make the lures less weedless. It is, after all, one more hook that can catch a weed and ruin your cast. A trailer hook also makes it more difficult to release a fish safely as they sometimes get these pretty deep. Make sure that you have good plyers if you do decide to use them.
Should I let my trailer hook dangle free on my spinnerbait?
Many packs of spinnerbait trailer hooks come with a little rubber inset. There’s some debate if you should use this to keep the stinger hook in one place, or if you should just use it to prevent it from sliding off the main hook, but let it dangle free. I prefer to let it dangle. Given the spinnerbait is moving so fast, it normally drags at the right angle, anyway, and having it dangle gives it a little better chance of hooking a fish, in my opinion.
How to Rig Up a Spinnerbait
There isn’t much of a trick to rigging up a spinnerbait. You basically just toss it out as it was designed! However, there are a few questions that come up from time to time that I’ll answer.
Do You Use a Leader with a Spinnerbait?
I don’t generally use a leader with spinnerbaits. While I suppose it couldn’t hurt as it’s pretty unlikely to impact the action for this type of lure, I find it unnecessary. The bent wire frame arm itself provides a measure of protection to the line making a leader generally unnecessary. I base this question off of dozens of hours of fishing with a my friend who is a fishing guide and who also doesn’t use a leader, even though he specifically targets northern pike.
Do You Need a Swivel for a Spinnerbait?
I highly recommend tying directly to your spinnerbait rather than using a swivel. There is no need for a snap swivel when using a spinnerbait. This is not the sort of lure that is going to give you much line twist. Further, the design of most spinnerbaits makes using a snap swivel difficult. Back in the 1980s, when snap swivels were more popular, spinnerbaits had a closed off “eye” where you could attach one. Now, they are mostly left open. Putting on a snap swivel requires you to figure out how to close this off, or generally turns into a hassle as your swivel will slide down the bent wire arm and occasionally get stuck.
Do You Use Weights with Spinnerbaits?
I don’t personally add weight to my spinnerbaits though it would be possible to add a bit to the hook via a clamp or such if you needed to get to deeper water. Weights aren’t really necessary to do this, however, as you can simply count down and let the spinnerbait sink before reeling in. You’re probably better off just tying on a heavier spinnerbait if you really feel you need to. Weight is one more thing that can catch weeds and go wrong somehow. I like to keep things simple.
Spinnerbait Trailers
I normally don’t put a trailer on my spinnerbait, but there are advantages. You should put a trailer on a spinnerbait if you want a bigger profile, a bit more bulk, or a bit more action. I usually find it difficult to put a trailer and a stinker hook on, however, and I usually opt for more points.
How do you put a trailer on a spinnerbait?
To put a trailer on the spinnerbait, thread it through the main hook as you would if you were fishing a plastic worm or fluke. Pierce the trailer through the hose and thread it down through the plastic about as long as the shaft of the hook it will eventually sit on. Then poke through and slide it up. In most cases you’ll want it to sit relatively level with the hook.
What are the best trailers for spinnerbaits?
You can basically put any soft plastic lure onto a spinnerbait as a trailer. I’ve used grubs a lot with some success (curly tailed grubs work really well and have an awesome action going through the water. Zoom makes a dedicated spinnerbait trailer that I’ve also used and enjoyed. It’s twin tails dart around as you’re pulling in the bait and provide good action too.
Do You Put a Worm on a Spinnerbait?
Sometimes my son will put a worm on a spinnerbait as sort of a trailer. There’s no harm doing this but I don’t know that it really helps too much, if we’re being honest. Perhaps if you were slow rolling your spinnerbait, fish would get a chance to catch a whiff of the worm. However, with most quick-paced retrieves, it’s going to look like any other trailer, so I’d use something more durable.
What Color Spinnerbait is Best?
There’s a joke on Lake Champlain that you can use any color spinnerbait so long as it’s white. I don’t know that I completely agree with that. Some of the first fish I caught were on chartreuse spinnerbaits, after all. Even so, white is an outstanding color that does well in a variety of situations. It looks very similar to baitfish, so you match the hatch. It stands out well in the water, which helps predators zero in on it. It’s also a color that is available in pretty much any spinnerbait you choose. Hey, those guys on Champlain might be on to something after all.
What Color Spinnerbait to Use in Muddy Water?
Muddy water calls for a spinnerbait that is easier to see. Chartreuse works very well on Lake Champlain south of the Crown Point bridge, where the water is extremely stained. This bright yellow does the trick more days than not. You can also look for colors that are going to contrast more such as red or black in murky water. I’d stay away from hyper-realistic colors, like those that mimic baitfish, as nothing is going to be able to see it.
Are Black Spinnerbaits Good?
There are days when a black spinnerbait is going to be best. It contrasts very well in muddy or dark water, so even though it is counter-intuitive, a black spinnerbait is your best chance at night, or just when its really overcast. I’ve had days out fishing for pike when black spinnerbaits were all they wanted. The challenge is finding one that comes with the willow leaf blades that pike usually go for!
My Personal Favorite Spinnerbait Brand
Everyone has their own opinion on what makes the best spinnerbait, but lately I’ve been fishing War Eagle products. I had a kick where I was using Terminator spinnerbaits for the longest time, and they have their benefits, but I’ve noticed they can become brittle and break at inopportune times. The War Eagles are more durable, in my opinion, and I like the way they feel going through the water. Check the price at Amazon and pick yourself up a few. You won’t regret it.
What Kind of Rod Do You Use for Spinnerbaits?
Most people would agree that the best rod action and taper for spinnerbaits is a medium-heavy power, fast action rod. This is basically the gold standard in bass fishing, and most manufacturers offer several lines in this variety. The medium-heavy power allows you to easily thrown 3/8oz and 1/2oz spinnerbaits near cover that hold fish, and they can stand up to a jarring strike. While you could get away with a medium or even heavy rod in a pinch, a medium-heavy rod with fast action is definitely the best type of rod for spinnerbaits.
Best Spinnerbait Rods
Spinnerbaits are such a widely used lure that most manufacturers have rods specifically designed for them. If you’re new to the hobby, I’d definitely suggest picking up a rod in the St. Croix lineup. My favorite spinnerbait rod is a St. Croix Mojo Bass rod. It is lightweight, sensitive, and just makes casting these all day a breeze.
There are two other great options in the St. Croix lineup, and as luck would have it, I’ve written two articles about them. The first is an article detailing the St. Croix Triumph lineup, which is their entry level rod. The second is an article detailing the St. Croix Premier series, which is a step up in every way. Check them out. All of these have good options for a spinnerbait rod in both casting and spinning setups.
Should You Use a Spinning Rod or Casting Rod for Spinnerbaits?
Most anglers use baitcasting rods and reels for spinnerbaits, but spinning rods work just fine. All that matters is that the rod is strong enough to toss the size spinnerbait you are using (so generally a medium-heavy, fast action rod). I personally prefer using a baitcaster because I find I can get more casts in. I also think it is easier to troll with spinnerbaits (which I do often) with a baitcaster, because it is easier to set things up and let out the line you need. However, I used spinning gear for decades and my children use it currently. I’ve never had an issue pulling in a fish on a spinnerbait with a spinning rod.
What Kind of Reel Do You Use for Spinnerbaits?
Choosing the best reel for spinnerbaits depends on how you intend to fish them. If you’re going to burn the spinnerbait in, you’ll want a higher gear ration. If you intend to slow roll them in the dog days of summer, a slower ratio will help. I personally prefer using something with a 6.4:1 ratio, which is pretty standard. I find this is the best gear ratio for spinnerbaits because it allows me to use any technique I want, relatively easily.
Can you use a spinning reel with a spinnerbait?
You can absolutely use a spinning rod and reel with a spinnerbait. While most professional tournament anglers prefer baitcasters for this technique, you’ll find no shortage of fishing guides sending their clients out with spinning gear. Further, several manufacturers now make spinning reels with higher gear ratios that can handle spinnerbait techniques like burning them in.
What is the Best Line for Spinnerbaits?
You can use whatever line you have lying around for spinnerbaits as long as it is reasonably strong. You’re going to be making repeated casts and, ideally, catching many fish and big ones at that. Most anglers prefer monofilament or fluorocarbon in about the 17lb test range. If you’re fishing spinnerbaits with braided line, I’d suggest 20 – 30lb test just for ease of casting.
Can You Throw a Spinnerbait on Braided Line?
You can throw spinnerbaits on braided line without any issue, even in clear water. A spinnerbait is such a fast-moving target that fish hardly have a chance to notice the line. If you’re really worried about visibility, you can always put on a fluorocarbon leader. Braid also has an advantage when fishing spinnerbaits around vegetation. It is sharp and can slice through some of the minor weeds, which is helpful.
Is Fluorocarbon Line Good for Spinnerbaits?
It seems that most professional bass tournament anglers these days throw spinnerbaits with fluorocarbon line. All the advantages of fluorocarbon are going to pay off with spinnerbaits, and most of the disadvantages aren’t as bad with this lure. For example, the abrasion resistance will be very useful if throwing a spinnerbait near wood or rocks. Further, the “memory” that fluorocarbon has isn’t going to be as big of a deal with spinnerbaits since they’re almost always under resistance moving through the water. Your line won’t have much of an opportunity to coil up.
Can you Use Monofilament Line with Spinnerbaits?
Plenty of anglers have used monofilament line with spinnerbaits throughout the years, including me. It is inexpensive, reliable, and battle-tested. My son uses it on his spinnerbait rod, just because he gets so many tangles that I don’t want to spend the money on braid. The only issue with monofilament is that it can get a little unwieldly as the size increases. If you’re going to fish very heavy monofilament on your spinnerbait rod, it had better be a baitcaster setup.
What Kind of Fish are Attracted to Spinnerbaits?
Ever wonder what kind of fish will bite a spinnerbait? The answer is pretty much everything. While it’s definitely a lure primarily used for bass, muskie, pike, and pickerel, you can catch pretty much anything in the lake on a spinnerbait if you’re lucky. I’ve had very large catfish attack them before, as well as tiny perch that can barely fit the hook in their mouth. With that said, spinnerbaits do work best for attracting the sort of fish you’d expect – anything that normally hunts by darting out with a burst of speed. In fact, they work so well for catching pickerel and pike that many tournament bass fishermen don’t prefer them as they spend too much time catching these fish that won’t count for their weigh in.
What Spinnerbait is Best for Bass?
The best spinnerbait for bass depends on your situation. Generally, you’ll want something between 3/8oz and 1/2oz in size, but if the bass you’re fishing for our deep, you’re going to want something even heavier, like a 3/4oz. If you’re fishing clear water, willow blades work well. In muddy, go for a Colorado. Colors like white and chartreuse are old standards but bass will also hit some of the more natural looking colors as well. Consider visiting a local bait shop or a fishing forum and asking local anglers what they’re using. Often, local bait shops can really only afford to stock stuff people will actually buy, so what they have in stock probably works in your area.
What Spinnerbait is Best for Northern Pike and Chain Pickerel?
Northern pike and chain pickerel are sight hunters and so will be attracted to spinnerbaits that have a bright flash that catches their eye. They also enjoy chasing down their food and usually are more likely to strike a bait that is moving fast rather than slow. This makes spinnerbaits with a tandem willow blade ideal for catching northern pike and pickerel. These blades are meant to be fished fast, and they emit a good deal of flash. Both combine to make them irresistible to pike and chain pickerel.
How and When to Fish a Spinnerbait
Spinnerbaits are great lures to use with kids and fishing novices because they are so easy. Literally all you need to do to catch fish with them is cast out your lure near cover and reel it back in. Chuck and wind, chuck and wind. Do this enough and cover enough water, and you will catch fish.
With that said, there are a few things that will increase your odds of success. First is reel speed. Whenever people ask, “how fast should I reel in a spinnerbait” I tend to tell them, “pretty darned fast.” These lures imitate something fleeing. Just like running away from dogs is a bad idea, a fish running full speed away from a pike triggers their killer instinct. Many times, a faster retrieve will draw strikes that slower ones won’t.
You also should pay attention to the time of day. Most spinnerbaits are great when the sun is out, because they have a lot of flash and tend to be a very visual lure. I’ve found that the spinnerbait bite does tend to die off a bit as the light levels start to drop before dark. Once low light conditions come around, you’ll need a different spinnerbait made specifically for night time (for example, the War Eagle Custom Night Time spinnerbait) to continue being successful.
Do Spinnerbaits Work Year Round?
While you always have a chance of catching fish on a spinnerbait year round, they do tend to work better at certain times of years than others. For example, spinnerbaits work fantastic in the late spring, summer, and fall. They lose their luster in winter and early spring when the water temperatures are too cold.
I normally wait for water temps to hit around 60°F before I’ll start tossing spinnerbaits regularly. Lower than that and I find I have much better luck with a lipless crankbait or jerkbait.
While you can find some professionals who have managed to have good success fishing spinnerbaits in the winter, I will simply say this: if I wanted to catch a fish within winter water temps, it would not be my first or tenth choice.
Advanced Spinnerbait Tips & Tricks
While you can simply chunk and wind a spinnerbait, there are a few variations you can add to your retrieve to catch more fish in certain situations.
How to Buzz a Spinnerbait
“Buzzing” a spinner bait means reeling it in very quickly so its wake creates a bulge just below the surface. Think of it as a subsurface buzzbait. When fish are very active and feeding high in the water column, this can be explosive. Also, it is useful if you need to keep the spinnerbait above cover like submerged weeds. Spinnerbaits with willow leaf blades are generally best for this technique.
Slow Rolling a Spinnerbait
Slow rolling a spinnerbait is the opposite of burning it in. Instead, you’re trying to reel it in as slow as possible where it will stay upright and functional. This is a great technique in the height of summer when bass go deep. A Colorado blade can help here because it has more lift which is useful at the slow speeds. I’ve caught some huge bass doing this when nothing else worked in the summer.
Trolling with Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits are fantastic lures for shallow water trolling. I like to get my boat moving the speed I want (usually between 2.5 and 3.5mph) and then toss a spinnerbait out as far as I can cast it. If I need to, I’ll let out a little more line at a time until I’m set up the way I want. I wrote an entire article about trolling for chain pickerel that uses this technique. You might find it helpful.
How Do I Get More Bass on My Spinnerbait
The best tip I can give you for catching more bass (or any fish, really) on your spinnerbait came from Kevin Van Dam. He’s one of the greatest fishermen of all time and is specifically a “power fisherman” which means he likes to cover a lot of water. One thing I learned from a very early book of his was to give your retrieve a little “pop” here and there, just to throw some variation in. Basically, reel in your spinnerbait, but every now and then give your rod tip a little pop or twitch. Very often, this will trigger a following fish to strike.
Case in point, I used this technique on one trip with Captain Maynard, my former wife, Crystal, and my dad. Crystal and Dad were just reeling in their spinnerbaits. I was adding the pop. I out fished them significantly that day (not an easy task to do with Crystal, at all).
Conclusion: The Spinnerbait is an Extremely Versatile Lure
There’s a reason spinnerbaits made the cut for the four lures you should fish with children. They’re extremely versatile, relatively safe, easy to use, and catch big fish! You can burn them in or slow roll them. You can work them in open water or around cover. They’re relatively weedless and unlikely to snag. There is nothing about them that isn’t amazing and the biggest problem most anglers have with them is they catch too many pike and pickerel!
If you haven’t used spinnerbaits, you owe yourself to try them. Please leave a comment or send me an email and let me know how it worked out!
Thanks,
John Paxton
