×

Don’t forget to try those spinnerbaits for prespawn bass

On most lakes and rivers here in our area, we are entering the peak of pre-spawn activity for bass. Although bass season is now closed until mid-June, bass anglers who embrace catch-and-release can enjoy some great fishing for big bass in shallow water this time of year as these fish go on a major feeding binge in preparation for their annual upcoming spawning ritual. For either lake-dwelling largemouths or river smallmouths, casting spinnerbaits can be an exciting way to take advantage of this window of opportunity for this aggressive feeding behavior.

Spinnerbaits, like so many other bass lures, come in an endless array of sizes and color combinations. Spinnerbaits are composed of three main components. The wire frame with its hook molded into a lead head is the key component.

Most bass spinnerbaits come in sizes from 1/4 ounce to 1/2 ounce. For smallmouths, 1/4- and 3/8-ounce sizes work best, while 3/8- and 1/2 are generally most useful for largemouths. Regardless of the size spinnerbait, make sure it has high-quality, razor-sharp hooks.

The next consideration is the blades. Most spinnerbaits are fitted with either long, slender willowleaf blades or the wider, egg-shaped Colorado blades, in either a single or double configuration, with gold and silver being the most popular on most brands of factory spinnerbaits, but spinner blades come in every color imaginable. Willowleaf blades spin faster and give off more flash, which sometimes makes them more effective in clear water, while Colorado blades produce greater vibration, which can help attract bass in off-colored water.

The third component of a spinnerbait is the skirt, usually made from strands of silicone rubber that will undulate and wiggle in the water to imitate some sort of fleeing prey to a hungry bass. Here again, the choice of skirt colors can be endless. White, chartreuse, black and firetiger are among the most popular colors offer by many manufacturers, but I have recently had good success with many of the more subtle, multi-colored skirts designed to mimic baitfish such as bluegills, shad, perch and others. When fishing for largemouths, I’ll sometimes attach some type of soft-plastic trailer like a twister tail that protrudes and inch or two past the skirt for an extra bit of movement and attraction. For smallmouths, I usually don’t employ a trailer.

With so many choices available, it’s easy to be overwhelmed when shopping for spinnerbaits, but starting with a basic assortment of six to 10 different sizes and styles of these versatile lures cover most situations. Spinnerbaits are also a favorite with compulsive tackle tinkerers like myself. Once you have a few spinnerbaits in your tackle bag, it’s simple to switch blades and skirts on a particular lure, even out on the water, to suit the conditions at hand. I have a box of spinner blades and skirts in all sizes and colors that allows me to experiment with all sorts of new combinations.

Some anglers, including a few of the “bass pros,” install a so-called trailer hook to hook short-striking bass. To each his own, but I have never been a fan of trailer hooks on a spinnerbait. First, I’ve never noticed that my number of hook-ups increased much when using a trailer hook, especially not enough to justify fussing with the extra hook. If I do anything, I will trim the skirt even with or a little shorter than the hook bend. I’ve also fished for bass enough to know when they want a lure or bait they have it, right now. And bass typically hit a spinnerbait like a train wreck. If a bass follows a spinnerbait or any other lure and just nips at it, which sometimes happens, the fish was just curious and wasn’t on a mission to kill an item of prey. Throw a different lure to that bass if you have another rod and reel rigged and ready, or move on and find another fish that is ready to kill something.

Fishing a spinnerbait is not difficult. I have always preferred throwing spinnerbaits on bait-casting tackle, using 10- or 12-pound-test line. Of course, if you are not proficient with casting tackle, you can fish spinnerbaits on spinning tackle as well. Cast it where there should be some bass and reel it back. This time of year, target structure in water 2 to 4 feet deep. About the only variable to consider most days will be the speed of your retrieve. When the bass are in an aggressive mood, as they often are during the pre-spawn period, a relatively fast retrieve will draw some crushing strikes. If quick retrieves don’t bring results, slow things down until you find the correct rhythm for the day. Because of their design, spinnerbaits rarely hang up so don’t be afraid to fish them over or around heavy cover. You just might pry the biggest bass of the season from such a spot.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today