For All the Guys Unhappy W/their Spinnerbait Bite 2025
fishfordollars reply :
Lately there have been a few complaining about the spinnerbait bite and the lack of. One in particular, threw his away.
If you are just fishing it out of the package that's probably the problem. You need to tweak it to maximise the chance of getting bit more often. Here are a few things I do to 90% of them before I tie one on:
1. Downsize the blades...most of the spinnerbaits are packaged with over sized blades. Step them down a notch. If all the shad in the water are 1" or less it will help you. It also allows you to bring it through the water a little faster. This allows the fish less of a chance to see it as a fake.
2. If you are fishing a skirt with more than one color make sure the darker color is up top. I've yet to see anything swimming in the water that is darker on the bottom. It does not look natural. If you are fishing a skirt that is uniform with say chartruse and white mixed evenly throughout, cut the color off the bottom side of the skirt.
3.If you are fishing clear water and the fish just flash on the lure and do not take it, thin the skirt. I've seen this make a huge difference when it comes to changing the lure from a bulky to a streamlined lure that has less resistance. I have taken a 40 strand skirt and cut them down to as little as a dozen strands. Again you want it moving to keep the fish from getting a good look at it.
4. If you need to slow it down, flatten the blades. contrary to what a lot believe flattening the blade causes more resistance, not less. It will cause the blade to swing in a wider arc, slowing it down. Cup the blade to create less resistance.
5. Trim the skirt evenly. A skirt with strands uneven on the back end with several strands longer than most of the others is a major reason for short strikers. This is especially important when fishing a buzzbait.
6. I prefer a short shank trailer hook for my lures. I do not want it showing out behind the end of the skirt.
These are a few things I do to my lures and it really helps increase the number of hookups I get with my spinnerbaits. It's like any other lure, you have to pay attention to detail to make it work.
Good luck, now I am off to Sam Rayburn to fish the state championship. Will give a report Sunday or Monday when I return.
Jack
senile1 reply :
Excellent post, Jack! Good luck in the tournament!
roadwarrior reply :
What about a soft plastic trailer?
8-)
ks cranker reply :
Good stuff thanks!
rat-l-trapper reply :
Good post, maybe this will improve my success a little. What would you recommend for a trailer? So far I've tried curly tail grubs and small curly tail worms, with very little success. Also, should the trailer be the same color as the skirt or different? Thanks.
J Francho reply :
What kind of trailer? A hook. 
Seriously, I just use the skirts with the built in trailer, like *** sells. I always run a trailer hook.
senko_77 reply :
Good post Jack and good luck at the tournament.
Another thing to try is to speed that bait up. A fish that slaps at your spinnerbait might respond better to a faster retrieve.
As far as trailers go, I never use them and I would especially not use them if I'm dealing with fish barely biting.
This time of year on lake Lanier, a lot of the guys will use up to 3 trailer hooks to get fish and that's with Spotted Bass which are way more energetic than LMB
roadwarrior reply :
I'm using a 5" GYCB Single Tail Grub, but I am mostly interested
in whether Jack fishes them with or without a plastic trailer. I would
like to hear anyone's opinion on this.
8-)
CWB reply :
QuoteI'm using a 5" GYCB Single Tail Grub, but I am mostly interestedin whether Jack fishes them with or without a plastic trailer. I would
like to hear anyone's opinion on this.
8-)
Solid advice FFD!
I use a BPS Cajun twintail trailer and do pretty good. I've never found a trailer to adversley effect the bait but that can be subjective. I've been using the *** and Strike King skirts like J.F. suggests more that seem to eliminate the need for a plastic trailer. I think one reason for decline in spinnerbait bites might be that it is probably the bait the fish see the most. I'm not talking about tournaments or even experienced weekend warriors. Just about every novice I see is throwing a spinnerbait, probably due to it's ease of use and snaglessness. Just my 2 cents.
slider head reply :
Good stuff FFD. I am going to implement some of that. Good luck with your tourney!
I do not fish a trailor or trailor hook. The fish here in my neck of the woods inhale it if the spinnerbait bite is on. When a fish does just slap at it I just let it fall as if injured. A great deal of time they come back around and just crush it!
Tourney partner once said it was the damndest thing he had ever seen and I was the luckiest person in the world to catch as many as I did after they slapped at it. 8-)
Another way I fish it when throwing to some type of structue. I will throw it out let it "flutter" to the botom. Let it sit for 3 seconds. Engage the reel and give it a quick little rod jerk to pull it up off the bottom and I can feel the blades begin to thump. If the bite is on in 3-5 handle turns it gets drilled!
Glenn reply :
In case you haven't seen it yet..
http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/spinnerbaits-bass-fishing.html
.ghoti. reply :
QuoteI'm using a 5" GYCB Single Tail Grub, but I am mostly interestedin whether Jack fishes them with or without a plastic trailer. I would
like to hear anyone's opinion on this.
8-)
I use a spinnerbait a lot. I've completely gotten away from using a trailer. Over the years I've found that faster is usually better. ( see Jack's comment about not letting the fish get a good look at your bait).
Most of the time, you can't crank it too fast. Until you crank it fast enough that it rolls over on it's side. You can even make one spin if you can crank it that fast.
Adding a plastic trailer limits the speed you can crank a spinnerbait. It will roll over much easier with a piece of plastic installed on it's hind-end.
I've never caught a bass on a spinnerbait that has rolled over on it's side.
Down-sizing the blade(s) is a good way to get one to run faster.
Another way is to add more weight. I use the old rubber core sinkers.
Spread the sinker apart. this is easier with two pairs of pliers.
Remove the rubber, and clamp the weight on the lower arm of the spinnerbait. Easy to install, and easy to remove.
Adjust the size of the weight based on the depth and speed you want to hit. These are the most important variables in spinnerbait fishing; depth and speed.
I never use a trailer hook, either. I just trim the skirt back until it just hides the hook.
fishfordollars reply :
OK guys, the ONLY time I ever use a trailer(Not talking about a trailer hook) is springtime when the water is high and very off color. I will use it occasionally then to bulk it up and move more water.
Otherwise I never fish one. Please take into consideration that I have no smallmouth in the local lakes and that's another completely different set of circumstances. I will cover it when I get back.
J Francho reply :
The trailer hook isn't for short strikes at the skirt, guys. Its for when the fish strikes the blades. The bait collapses, and the trailer hook swings up and sticks them in the chin.
Not the greatest pic, but it shows the trailer in the chin:
iceintheveins reply :
For me, usually the slowest possible retrieve and letting the spinnerbait fall, using a stop and go retrive works best.
senile1 reply :
QuoteI'm using a 5" GYCB Single Tail Grub, but I am mostly interestedin whether Jack fishes them with or without a plastic trailer. I would
like to hear anyone's opinion on this.
8-)
I rarely use a trailer. I will use one when I need some bulk such as fishing highly stained or muddy water. I do use trailer hooks and I do use the Strike King Skirts with the long skirt fibers that act as a trailer. However, I fish Booyahs with the regular Booyah skirts just as much as I fish the Strike Kings.
shootermcbob reply :
I have started using zoom trailers since watching the video Glenn made. I have seen a pretty substantial increase in catches since I started using the trailer. Previously, I rarely caught a fish on the spinnerbait. I kept throwing it cause it looks like it ought to catch them, or at least it looks cool. Now, I usually catch at least one fish, many times 2 or 3 an outing.
Since I watched the video I have noticed two things, not many folks here use spinnerbaits, and I have not seen one person use a trailer of those I have seen that do use spinnerbaits.
Red reply :
Spinnerbaits have been my number one bait this summer. Mostly a Redemption in Chart/White and a Stanley in a Golden Shiner color. I do nothing to the baits, no trailer hooks, no trailer, just right out of the package. I just throw it out and retrieve it moderatly fast. I would say 85% of my bites come a crank or two after the bait hits the water. However my new PB this year came about halfway through the retrieve on that Redemption. I may try a trailer next time out though.
Cliff
steezy reply :
I started using a curly tail worm trailer and doubled the number I catch with a spinnerbait and buzzbait.
I think I'll try .ghoti.'s suggestion and speed it up and see if that works better.
Steve_in_Maine reply :
Great info in this thread, going to try a few ideas my next time out.
Thanks!!
Steve
luz2blaze reply :
still looking for the spinnerbait bite but thank for the tips!
Big Phish reply :
Great post, thanks.
Paul Roberts reply :
Great post ffd. Really like it when someone who's done the work shares such details. Not only saves us time figuring stuff out but also allows us to problem solve as we go.
River Rat316 reply :
When you are burning a spinnerbait try killing it in the middle of the retrieve, thats where I get alot of my strikes, as already stated I only go to a trailer when I am fishing dirty water or need the profile. My #1 Spinnerbait is a pure white with white blades (blade is downsized a bit to get some speed out of it) I would say about %90 of the time I am throwing this combo in anything from 3/8oz up up to 1oz
looking4structure reply :
Great post fishfordollars.Hope you do well in you Tourney
Willzx225 reply :
I am a huge believer in speeding up your spinnerbait, especially in clear water. I also use glitter blades in clear water and think that has a lot to do with getting more bites. I only use trailers in the springtime as well but only in stained water and when I'm around heavy cover. I think that it helps draw the fish out of hiding. Another good thing to try when burning your bait is to hesitate for a split second during the retrieve. This allows your blades to bang together and will often trigger a bite from a follower. Another tip for working your spinnerbait fast is to close the frame some. By that I mean making it more streamlined so it creates less drag in the water. You can also work a spinnerbait slower by opening up the frame.
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