Let's start with spinnerbaits.

[kennethdaysale]

A Time to Grow......Mac
I've learned a lot from the people and participation in this site and this forum in particular, but am having difficulty lately learning about techniques, strategy and presentations. I'd like to see us designate just one week to focus on specifics of presentation. We willingly share the lure we use, but don't often tell exactly how we use it. The value and knowledge seems to be in the How....at least that's what I value learning the most. I posted about my friend outfishing me by wacky rigging small curtail grubs, putting them on the jig hook sideways to make more commotion on the retrieve through the weeds and slowing down the fall on the drop. To me, that's the meat of presentation, not the type of jig, test and type of line, rod, reel, etc. etc. Then to add pauses between pulls, a small twitch at the end of a pause, more meat, food for thought.

OK Mac While it's tempting to talk about which spinnerbait, which rod/reel, which line etc lets focus on presentation alone.

I love spinnerbaits and always have and catch lots of fish on them so I suppose I'm as qualified as most. Throw spinnerbaits where they are certain to contact as many things (sticks-limbs-rocks.....) as possible on their way back to the boat. Before, between and after contact points, a slow steady retrieve is hard to beat. Sometimes give them a quick snap just as or just after they hit whatever. Sometimes kill them just then and allow them to flutter down a moment. Unless the water is very stained try to keep visual contact with them. Throw them in places most people would only throw a texas rig worm or a jig. In places void of vertical wood but lots of vegetation, find lanes or breaks in the weeds to work or run them parallel to weed edges. You cannot fish a spinnerbait too slow as long as the blades are spinning, you can fish them too fast.

[RustyFender]

Down here in the panhandle there's lots of milfoil. Slow roll a tandem just over the tops, letting it fall into any pockets. Bulging a BIG single colorado just under the surface in places where the grass is about to top out also works well at first and last light and windy rainy days.

[bamabassman]

rusty, i do the same thing sometimes with a spinerbait as well. also like to BURN it across the top. almost like it was a buzzbait. but i keep it JUST under the water enough to still warrent it being a spinnerbait. and i have found (thanks WTL) that if i use it on guntersville when the water ahs a nice steady ripple, bringing it across in front of the grass line....it can be DEADLY.

[bassboogieman]

Deadly on Dinks.................. I like that.

I love spinnerbaits, a very versitle search bait or can be specifically targeted. Fish it fast, fish it slow, yo-yo, let it sink to the bottom. You can do a lot with a spinnerbait. I like throwing them over grass in the spring, along docks, in timber, edges of grass and they can be positively DEADLY (hint 'bama) when cast beyond a sitckup and retreived past it. I ALWAYS have one tied on, no matter what the season.

[Highhawk1948]

I like to slow-roll a spinnerbait down or across a point. Cast it and I let is go to the bottom or to the top of the underwater weeds, then reel just fast enough to keep it ticking the bottom or the top of the weeds. Colorado blades give you the best feel and vibration. I like gold blades and yellow/blue skirts. You can also use this method on sloping banks/dropoffs.

[woody]

Something else to keep in mind is how realistic the bait's jighead and skirt's presentation looks is in the water. Does it actually look like a baitfish or like a false imitation. Don't be hesitant to "tweek" the angle of your spinnerbait's wire. Never assume that your bait is running true.. inspect the appearance of your presentation in the water. "Tweek" the wire of your spinnerbait when necessary.


-Mark

[Mac2]

You can get a blade to throb more forcefully by partially flattening the blade, particularly an Indiana or Colorado blade........remove the blade and place it on a hard, flat surface with the edge of th blade down (so it can't wobble or scoot). Then place a piece of white pine on top and pound with a hammer just enough to flatten the blade a bit.....then reassemble the bait for a trial run.....if you don't feel a more forceful throb, flatten it a little more...

[Mac2]

For smallmouth you may want to remove a skirt and replace it by threading a smoke/silver glitter grub onto the hook. Locally, a tandem willow leaf in silver with the smoke/silver glitter grub is one of the most productive. Some even prefer the smaller baits for this application.

[Mac2]

To get a spinnerbait to fall more slowly,try adding bulk......one very effective bait to add to the hook is an Uncle Josh pork chunk. Will slow the bait very well.

[Mac2]

When drifting, using a spinnerbait can be helpful because it carries so well on the cast.
Be aware of approaching cover and try to cast over it. If bass are in the area they won't be as likely to spook as the cover hides you and your boat. For example, you see a bank of weeds coming toward the boat, by casting beyond the bank you are fishing the other side of the weeds and by retrieving you are bringing the bait into the weeds, all on the fishes blind side concerning the approaching boat.

[keithdog]

Spinnerbaits are one of my go to baits. In fact, I always have one tied on. A lot of what I would have said has been mentioned above. A couple things I'd like to add. Slo9w and steady on the retrieve often works great as Ken said. But I usually am going to be working my spinnerbait with a little extra action. While reeling it in, I'll use my rod tip to shake the spinnerbait a little on the retrieve, or add short bursts with sharp tugs, and then let it free fall for a second or two before beginning the retrieve. One of my favorite techniques is to retrieve a spinnerbait across a laydown, and then let it free fall on the shady side of the laydown. I can't tell you how many bass I've caught doing that. It works the same for reeling the spinnerbait from shallow water to an abrupt dropoff, and letting it free fall into the dropoff. Another thing I have noticed is my choice of trailer can make a big differrence when it comes to color contrast. I love to add a big 4-5 inch bright chartruese twist grub to my white spinnerbaits. I really think there is something about the color contrast that draws strikes.

[carolina-rig-01]

My favorite way to fish a spinnerbait is to flip and pitch it to shallow cover. I have caught more big fish doing this than I have ever caught flipping or pitching a jig or soft plastic to the same type of stuff.

[Mac2]

Could anyone add information concerning blade sizes and lure weights specifically? For example, what are the specifics on your most productive bait...blade type, color, spinnerbait weight, type of trailer if used, etc. etc.???

[RustyFender]

Mac maybe I'm wrong but when you cut and paste excerpts from Jimmy Houstons book on spinnerbaits, like you did in the four posts above, you should put them in quotation marks and give Mr Houston credit.

[Mac2]

Hey Rusty,
In short......I didn't cut or paste. I spend a lot of my retirement tinkering and making lures. I do read some from time to time, but haven't read Houston. I'm appreciative that you should take my writing to be that of a pro.

I do gather information from reading and doing, but am also aware of plagiarism. At the same time, I have come up with some minor ideas on my own, (that others already have used) unintentionally......like cutting off the tail of a zoom speed worm and texposing it weightless. I thought that was my very own idea for years until moving south and finding out folks here had been doing it for years before my "inventing" it. I do write about the presentations of the zoom speed worm that I and my wife have discovered to be very productive, including variations of the retrieve and rigging, and in that manner I've taken credit, and given credit as well, but putting a hook in the worm missing the tail idea isn't my idea.

The fishermen are a creative lot and often share information and if Houston got there first, I understand.

Good Fishing, Mac

[RustyFender]

Originally Posted by Mac2

Hey Rusty,

Good Fishing, Mac

Mac. My fault. I guess when I read your initial request for specific techique tips I assumed you were a beginner, then when I read the four posts mentioned they sounded like a very experienced angler. Suppose I had trouble reconciling them as coming from the same person. It's all fine anyway and none of my business. I hadn't had my coffee at 630 am. I hope you're enjoying your retirement, I am.