What Is a Spinnerbait? The Ultimate Spinnerbait Guide

Table Of Contents

• What Is a Spinnerbait?
• Types of Spinnerbaits
• Best Fish Species Targeted With Spinnerbaits
• Ideal Water Conditions for Spinnerbaits
• Best Spinnerbait Colors
• Best Color Spinner Baits & When To Use Them
• Common Questions About Spinnerbaits
• Spinner Bait Overview

Spinnerbaits are among the most versatile and effective lures in freshwater fishing. Whether you're targeting bass, pike, or other fish, understanding spinnerbaits can significantly enhance your chances of getting tight lines, and fish in your bag. Personally, for me, and many other anglers, spinnerbaits are among our favorites because of their simple design, and ease of use, their flashy behavior in the water, and their ability to catch just about any fish you want.

What Is a Spinnerbait?

It’s a classic, is all this article should really have to say, but a spinnerbait is a hybrid fishing lure that combines a weighted head, a single hook, and one or more rotating blades. These blades spin as the lure is retrieved, creating vibrations and flashes that mimic small baitfish, attracting predatory fish. Anglers often add a trailer hook to improve hookup ratio. The single hook is also typically covered in a rubber skirt that has some sort of bait fish pattern. You can fish a spinnerbait right out of the package, or you can add soft plastics as a trailer to increase the profile of your spinnerbait in the water. For me, I like to fish it as is out of the box.

Parts of a Spinnerbait

Although we broke down some of the main parts of spinner baits above, understanding the parts of a spinnerbait is crucial for selecting the right one for your fishing conditions. Here's a more complete breakdown of each of the components to the ideal spinnerbait:

• Head :Usually made of lead, the head provides weight and helps the lure sink. It is also typically the same color scheme as the skirt.
• Wire Fram :Bends into a "safety pin" shape, holding the blades and hook.
• Blades :Spinning components that create flash and vibration. These are either gold, silver, or the color of the skirt. We will talk about types of blades later on.
• Skirt :Made of silicone or rubber, it adds bulk and mimics prey with the color scheme looking like a baitfish.
• Hook :Usually a single hook, sometimes with a trailer hook for better hook-ups and you can add a soft plastic skirt to increase the size appearance of your lure.

Types of Spinnerbaits

Spinnerbaits come in various designs, each suited for different fishing conditions. Even though a spinnerbait is one of the most iconic lures in tackle boxes across the country, there are still plenty of variations of them, so we think it’s important to cover the different kinds of spinnerbaits.

1. Safety Pin Spinnerbait :The most common design, featuring a wire bent into a "safety pin" shape. It's versatile and effective in various conditions and water depths.
2. Tandem Spinnerbait :This design includes two blades, often a combination of a Colorado and a willow leaf, providing both vibration and flash.
3. Double Willow Spinnerbait :Equipped with two willow leaf blades, this spinnerbait is ideal for clear water and fast retrieves.
4. Colorado Blade Spinnerbait :Featuring a single, wide Colorado blade, this spinnerbait produces a strong thump, making it effective in murky waters.

Best Fish Species Targeted with Spinnerbaits

Spinnerbaits are effective for almost all predatory fish species. For me personally, if you have read our other articles, you know that I enjoy Pike and Muskie fishing up in Lake Huron. The bays of 18-30 foot depth of crystal clear water with high vegetation make for incredible spinner bait conditions. I have caught large Northern Pike & Muskie on spinner baits of all colors at larger sizes in these waters. When I am at home in Ohio, throwing smaller spinner baits in ponds and even some rivers can help me land both Largemouth and Smallmouth bass as well.

• Largemouth Bass :Highly attracted to spinnerbaits, especially in shallow and warm waters.
• Smallmouth Bass :Respond well to spinnerbaits, particularly in cooler waters, try throwing in deeper pockets of rivers, or outflows where lakes and rivers meet.
• Northern Pike :Aggressively strike spinnerbaits, especially in weedy areas glide the spinner bait just above the weeds and wait for a hungry pike to grab on.
• Walleye :Occasionally caught on spinnerbaits, particularly in low-light conditions.
• Striped Bass :Effective in both freshwater and saltwater environments.

Ideal Water Conditions for Spinnerbaits

I have had success throwing spinnerbaits in clear water, dark rainy water, murky waters, and even water that is highly agitated from wind, waterfalls, and other disturbances. Just like many other lures, I am under the belief that water conditions play a big part on what type of lure should be thrown. While spinnerbaits excel in various water conditions let’s make sure we are using the proper spinners for the correct water type.

• Clear Water :Typically, this will be in the spring and summer when the weather is sunny and not much rain. Fish are actively feeding, and water conditions are clear, so I like to use lighter colors like white, chartreuse, and green with a faster retrieval to mimic active baitfish at the top of the water column.
• Muddy Water :With muddy water I like to opt for bright, contrasting colors and slower retrieves. This means darker colors and the slow retrieve will lower the lure in the water column, with the slower retrieve this gives fish more time to react to the thumping of the lure.
• Windy Conditions :When it is windy out this can cause mixed water conditions, spinnerbaits are effective as wind helps baitfish stay near the surface so hold your rod tip up and keep your spinner bait just under the surface of the water. Another helpful tip is to retrieve your bait in the direction the water is blowing, as the current will naturally take the bait fish with the current.

Best Spinnerbait Colors

Choosing the right color for a spinnerbait is crucial for catching fish. I personally always have a white, chartreuse, black, and a silver or gold spinner bait in my tackle box so I am prepared for all conditions and circumstances that call for different colors. White and chartreuse spinnerbaits are best for clear to lightly stained waters in sunny conditions to mimic shad and other small baitfish. One of my personal favorites is the Strike King Double Willow Spinnerbait in white and charmeuse color. Black or often black and blue spinnerbaits are a darker color option that are great when fishing at night, or in muddy water essentially when the water is darker. This creates a strong silhouette for the bait and is often a great option for overcast and stormy weather. A great option is the Booyah Moon Talker Spinnerbait in the black and blue color. When fish are very highly pressured, and difficult to catch, turn to a natural colored spinnerbait like a gold, silver, or smoke colored spinnerbait. These natural colors are excellent for very clear water, because they mimic exact baitfish from shiners and minnows to bluegills as well. This natural color combined with the movement of the blades can entice even the most finicky fish. I personally love tying on the Strike King Tour Grade Painted Blade Spinnerbait in the gold color. Finally, there are crazy bright colored spinnerbaits like firetiger or other neon colors. These are great for either muddy water because of their high visibility or when fish are not interested in eating a natural colored lure, the craziness of the bright colors can trigger a reaction strike. One of my absolute favorite selections of bright spinnerbaits is from E & R bait and tackle in Pointe Au Baril Canada. They hand make spinner baits in crazy bright colors that get great reaction strikes on big Pike up north. To get an idea of how awesome this little tackle shop is, I included a picture of this off the highway shop where you can get some of the coolest spinnerbaits I have ever seen.

Best Color Spinner Baits & When To Use Them

Common Questions About Spinnerbaits

• When should I use a spinnerbait instead of another lure?

  Use a spinnerbait when you need to cover water quickly and trigger reaction bites, especially in:

  • Windy or overcast weather
  • Stained or muddy water
  • Around shallow cover like grass, wood, or docks Spinnerbaits are ideal for active fish that are feeding shallow or along transitions.

• What’s the difference between willow, Colorado, and Indiana blades?

  Each blade type changes how the spinnerbait moves and feels:

  • Willow Blades – Long and thin, flash a lot, less vibration. Best in clear water.
  • Colorado Blades – Round, thump hard, create more vibration. Great for muddy water and night fishing.
  • Indiana Blades – A hybrid between willow and Colorado, offer both flash and thump. Good all-around option.

• How fast should I retrieve a spinnerbait?

  It depends on water temp and fish mood:

  • Fast Retrieve : In warm water or when fish are aggressive
  • Slow-Roll (slow retrieve) : In cold water or when fish are sluggish
  • Yo-Yo or Stop & Go : To trigger strikes from following fish or when fishing deeper structure

Spinnerbait Guide Overview :

Overall a spinnerbait is one of the most versatile baits you can throw from color combinations, water conditions, retrieval types, lure customization options, and species you can catch this lure can truly do it all. The spinnerbait is truly one of my favorite lures to have in my tackle box because at the end of the day it is easy to throw and catches fish. Check out our selection of spinnerbaits or talk to our expert fishing gear team if you have any other questions about spinnerbaits. Good luck and let us know what you catch!

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