CTFishTalk.com: Help, I have spinnerbait fear syndrome - Connecticut Bass Fishing ( CT Bass Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

BigEd · Joined: 22 Feb 2012 Posts: 103 Location: Monroe

Hey guys, I am just wondering how many of you use a spinnerbait with regular success? In the past I have never had any real luck with them and have resorted to using other baits and methods such as shallow cranks, swimbaits or jerkbaits. Last year I fished Candlewood several times and it was the only place I had a few fish hit the spinners, but again I always did better on something else and found myself once again putting the spinners back in the tacklebox. I think I have spinnerbait fear syndrome now. I've tried burning them, slow retrieves, twitching and changing speeds, and feel like I have really tried to change the presentation but they never seem to work well for me. I'm trying to convince myself to keep giving them a shot but I always feel that when I do I will be missing fish. So who here IS a big fan of throwing spinnersbaits?

DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

I have the same FEAR... Very Happy

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Here are two reasons why I LOVE spinnerbaits:

Obviously, spinnerbaits work best when fish are active, but they also make enough commotion in the water to induce inactive fish to bite. I like throwing spinnerbaits in places where a lure with treble hooks would hang up too much, like over slightly submerged weeds (e.g., the northern pike) or in flooded forests (e.g., my personal best largemouth bass). Don't give up, yet! Very Happy

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bdiggy · Joined: 15 Aug 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Thomaston, CT

Spinners for the win!
1st fish this year:

Past examples (last couple seasons):

All caught on 1/2oz chartreuse, or some blend of it. I use them 80% of my season because they land the biggest fish for me. Maybe not as many numbers wise, but i'd rather catch size. Don't give up on them!

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

Huge spinnerbait fan. Looks like these guys have shown you enough examples why not to give up. Ill tell you why I like em. You can retrieve them many different ways and fish the entire water column with them. Sometimes the fish are picky about size, color, blade (size color and shape) so keep a bevy on hand. I find I catch more fish on a white spinnerbait with Colorado willow tandem though. Usually 1/2oz 5/8oz does the trick. Sometimes you need more sometimes you need less. Like PECo said you can throw them in pretty heavy cover without losing them or getting hung up and you will get a lot of bites by bangin and deflecting off the cover.
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Ryanmalloy44 · Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 92

There's a lot to know when you're using one. It's worth reading a book or online article just about spinner-baiting. If you're not catching them there's a reason because as these guys are showing you it works and I fish them with success every year.

hila2006 · Joined: 22 Jul 2011 Posts: 582 Location: Ellington

As most people on here know, I'm a huge spinnerbait fan. I have one tied on every single time I'm out. I throw it more than any other lure. It takes some practice to figure our how you're going to get them to hit, but practice is the fun of it. I pretty much stick with a 1/2 ounce model, then play around with the blade combos. My favorite blade combo is a big colorado/small willow. Good luck.

BigEd · Joined: 22 Feb 2012 Posts: 103 Location: Monroe

Alright, you guys are convincing me to keep at it! It's still gonna be hard to favor a spinner over other lures I feel more comfortable throwing. I suppose I can throw two casts to each area, one with the spinner and then follow up with a go-to lure
Very Happy

Actually I just ordered some StrikeKing's today in sexy shad and char. sexy shad colors. Do you guys usually run a trailer (worm, grub, craw, split tail etc.) or throw them plain?

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

I've gotten bites either way. If I use a trailer, usually something small like a zoom split tail or a one or two tailed grub. If I don't have a trailer, I always have a trailer hook.
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MarkO · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 330

When the water is dead calm and the skies are sunny, stay away from the SB. Windy, overcast, low light conditions have been the best for me when using a spinnerbait.

Low light or dirty water conditions=larger colorado blade for lots O' thump with dark colors on the skirt.

Willowleaf blades and lighter color skirts around and over das weeds.

hoppy · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 393 Location: congamuck

Although i dont throw them often at all i have dabbled with them here and there and at the right time or place is can be lock and load. Im with Marko in that sunny calm days arent the best days for them. They are killer at night time so dont be afraid to try that to. Single big colorado blade at night. the more thump the better.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I fished the Mattabesset River from the Connecticut River, today. Both rivers were very murky. A white 3/8 ounce Strike King Redeye spinnerbait got me a tiger trout in the Connecticut and a smallmouth bass in the Mattabesset.
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rmflint · Joined: 16 Mar 2012 Posts: 360 Location: Wallingford

My philosophy is when in doubt whip out the spinner bait...when soft plastics, poppers, buzzbaits (my other go to lure), crankbaits, and my good old jidderbug aren't working. When nothing is working the spinner baits always seem to catch fish for me...try keeping it simple with the green with orange colored one and the purple with blue colored one depending on the lighting or what seems to be working...also i find sometimes that the small booyah spinners work great...sometimes better than the big spinner baits
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jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

A spinnerbait is thge one lure that comes to mind as one I've never caught something with.

New England Angler · Joined: 02 Jan 2010 Posts: 4

When it comes to fishing at night I have a hard time throwing any thing other than a spinnerbait. But un like most I use mostly 1/4 and 3/8 oz baits and I try to match the color with the bait in the water or the condition of the water.[/quote]