Multi-blade Spinnerbaits.

A few years back StrikeKing came out with a Spinnerbait with 4 small willowleaf blades. Shortly there after I saw George Cochren hyping it on TV because saying, “it looks like a whole school of Minnows”. I hate to admit it but I’m very cynical of the new baits because most are designed to catch fisherman, not fish. So I blew them off as another gimmick.
I’ve always believed that most spinnerbaits on the market come with to large of blades. I frequently replace them with smaller blades or add weight to the body. What I want is a bait that I can burn without it rolling on its side, or a bait I can fish in deeper water.
Finally, the light came on that the multi-blade spinnerbaits are what I’ve been looking for all along. Most are 3/8 or ½ oz with smaller blades. They run true and can be fished deep at a reasonable speed.
The bait in the photo is a Booyah Supper shad. As I first ran it through the water I noted the smallest (4th) blade didn’t rotate well so I cut the clevices and remove the blade. Now I have 3/8 oz bait with small willowleaf blades that run true and/or deep. I have to note that this type of spinnerbait is intended for clear water where flash is more important than vibration.
There are a few other baits that are designed for these applications. Nichols makes a bait called a 44 special. They are designed for the great-lakes smallmouth guys. They come in ½ or ¾ oz size with small double willows. Stanley has Rick Clunn signature bait with a small willow/colorado blades. I’m sure there are others out there but that’s what comes to mind for now.

What do you guys like in a spinnerbait?

River,

Over the years I’ve moved in the opposite direction. I have an old “Do It” mold and have made a lot of Spinnerbaits for my own use. What I ended up with has a single, BIG, willow leaf blade. I’m talking about a 2 1/2 or 3 inch long blade. I use ball bearing swivels so the blade spins very easily, and I used a dremel tool to open up the cavity in the mold so my baits were 1/2 oz or so. The kind of water I fish usually involves weedbeds and I feel it’s very important to make contact with those weeds as much as possible. When I hit a hole in the weeds, a big single blade lets me flutter it down in there and sometimes that works. Maybe it’s just me but I think a single blade drops better.

Rootski

John,

You have too much time on your hands!

Seriously though, I agree with you for the most part. In the spring and fall though when the fish are not quite as active, I opt for more blade and more weight.

Joe

Joe,

Yah, winter is getting long already and I agree your view of with the cold water periods. I do fish lots of different combinations.

Rootski,

You’re right, the multi-blade spinnerbait will not make a good drop bait. However, it can be fished deep enough to catch the tops of the weeds at a faster tempo. The stuttered cadence of catching, and being jerked of the weeds can draw hard reaction strikes.

Much of the discussion about spinnerbaits revolves around flash, vibration and color. Speed and depth control and versatility are every bit as important. A single spin is probably the most versatile configuration in that it can be fished both horizontal and vertically. Sounds like you agree that the run-of-the-mill spinnerbaits don’t fill every niche.

This is the kind of feedback I hoped we would generate on this forum. The spinnerbait can be altered and fished so many different ways. How about the rest you guys, what do you do to improve the performance of you spinnerbaits?

John… I love this topic… really for one main reason… A short story (its winter and we all have time). You may or may not know Wingdam, a seasoned and well-respected bass fisherman by many (certainly by me and the members of the Jerkin’ Lips club). Champman… you certainly know this guy, right?

We were fishing along some chunk rock, brush, wingdam areas with current in late summer/early fall. I began throwing my favorite spinner, the above lure (Titanium Strike King Quad Fry with French Cut alternating colored blades – I believe Bass Pro Shops still carries ~$10/piece).

Anyway, here I am fishing a weekday tourney with Wingdam and he’s tubing it and cranking it, and everthing else trying to prove to me my method isn’t the best method… in fact, I believe his words were that it “shouldn’t work.”

Needless to say this one of those times (there are only a small number – 2!) I actually outfished Wingdam… A proud day for me. I will post the final catch on the next post. You know, I believe Wingdam’s clarvoyancy came through at the landing…give them what they want!

Now in 2003, with the way the water was and how the fish migrated, this pattern worked steadily for me… in 2004, it was a different story, the quad-fry stayed in the box most of the year.

John – I’m with you… the smallest blade really doesn’t move well, and I may try your method of removal, sure has some merit.

On a final note, of course the story has been embellished and some liberties taken, but it makes for a much better story…

Wingdam… I truly look forward to fishing some soft water with you soon!

Teh winning catch… nothing too impressive, but a picture nonetheless… we need to see more of these to remind us that the cabin fever will soon break!

John… I did get a bit side-tracked… your discussion brought up some great memories. The French-cut blade really vibrates much more than the willow and its different enough from the colorado to be something “unique” that the fish don’t see often. The soft cup also gives a “flutter” through the water column as opposed to a rotational vibration… you really can work it slow.

I have found great success with this lure in gin clear water, proabbly due to the different vibration and flash. The thin titatium really allows the blades to dance, too. This, I believe, is the key to the lure’s effectiveness.

Ryan,

Great story, I’ve been on both sides of “that shouldn’t work”. It’s fun to hand one out but painfull when you have to swallow your pride. I met wingdam this fall and have to agree he is a great guy. Keep the feedback comming!

G-man, (ReelGuy)

Thought I should fess up to the fact the spinnerbait worked quite well for me in 2004.

In fact, in the fall tourney where I met Riverfan and JHall, (Champions rule!) I spent a significant amount of time throwing a spinnerbait (just not a quad).

I have been addicted to the Strike King line of spinner baits for years. My personal favorite is a half oz double willow one gold one silver. Now I have to change the skirt out because they dont offer the skirt I prefer on this bait.

I too have been threw the quad shad’s and I find they arent the best unless there is clean water. Another situation where they excell for me is when the bass are blowing up schools of small shad fry.

When we made our own spinnerbaits in the early 90’s we was making a 3 bladed bait wich is now on the market as a Gambler Ninja Spin. It has the half moon hatchet blades and is deadly on schooling fish in the grass.

I have taken the time to sit back and analyze my spinnerbait fishing over the years and found this.
When fishing grass I tend to catch more fish on a willow leaf bait with a slender or bullet shaped head.
When im fishing wood I prefer colorado or indiana blades with a thin wire and a blunt head. Examples would be Hank Parker Classic, Bulldogg type head, and the River Finatics by Strictly Bass. Although the River finatic has a narrower head it has a thin wire great vibration. Plus the most important part of all a red blade.
Fishing farther south on the river we get more off colored water and less grass.

I would proabally begin building my own baits again if the prices on building materials wasnt so high to get exactly what I want.

This year I hope to put the War Eagle Screaming Eagles to the test. Heavier bait with smaller blades straight from the factory.