Beginners Guide to Fishing

A guide to spinnerbait fishing:
blades, colors and retrieves

Spinner baits have long been a favorite among bass fishermen. How a spinnerbait looks, sounds and feels to a monster bass as it swims through the water is influenced on the shape of the blades used. Spinner baits come with a variety of blades, and can be modified (customized) with different blade sizes, shapes and colors. Basically there are three types of blade shapes: Indiana, which looks like a tear drop; Colorado, which looks like a fat and shorter teardrop; and the Willowleaf, which is more of a leaf shape. All varieties come in hammered or plain finishes.

When to use which blade

The Colorado spinnerbait blade is more rounded and cupped. This causes more vibration also known as noise. The Willowleaf, being longer and slimmer creates the least vibration "noise". And the Indiana is in-between in vibration. The Willowleaf spinnerbait blade works well in clear water where bass are more likely to strike on sight and color. The Colorado blade is best for muddy or night fishing, when big bass tend to strike on vibrations more than sight. And the Indiana blade works good in clear to stained water, or during cloudy weather conditions.

Which color/finish blade to use

Spinnerbait blades come in three basic colors, silver, copper, and gold. Although you can find them painted in other colors such as black, chartreuse, or white. Some are even painted to look like a minnow or other bait fish. Use the silver blades for clear water and good sunny weather. Use the gold and copper blades for stained to muddy water, or for fishing in poor light. And painted spinnerbait blades depend on the viability of the water as to what color to use, experimentation is the key to painted blades. But they do tend to work well in muddy water.

Which skirts to use

For muddy water, use a bright colored skirt, chartreuse, or hot pink work well. In clear water try something more realistic such as clear flake, melon green, or smokey grey. And colors such as white or yellow in stained water. If desired you can use the same type of trailers as with a jig using the color theme above. Pork frogs seem to work well with spinnerbaits. Also if you are getting a lot of short strikes, try using a trailer hook.

Spinnerbait head weight

The depth at which a spinnerbait runs depends on the weight of the head. Use 1/4 to 3/4 ounce for shallow water. This weight will float easier on grass without getting hung up so often. Use a weight as heavy as 1 ounce in deeper water. Also a heavier weight spinner bait head may be required on windy days for casting purposes.

Twilight zone retrieve

Cast the spinnerbait, and retrieve just fast enough that the blades are just barely visible. You will have to fish the lure in deeper water to achieve this in clear water.

Slow roll retrieve

Retrieve the spinner bait just fast enough to keep the blades rotating. This is usually used in cooler water such as in fall and early spring. And can be productive in the winter in deeper water. But the slow roll can be used in summer when the bass are suspended in deeper water.

The helicopter retrieve

Use a short arm spinnerbait with Colorado or Indiana blades for this retrieve. Cast to a steep bank and let the spinnerbait drop or helicopter, keeping the line tight. This is a great cold water retrieve.

Buldging retrieve

In muddy or stained water, cast over shallow logs and stumps and retrieve quickly so the spinnerbait runs right under the water surface and the blades create a wake or bulge on the surface of the water.