Springtime Wrecking Blade

If I had to pick one bait that not many people throw that is a huge weapon in the spring, it would be the chartreuse/white bladed spinnerbait.

Everyone uses a spinnerbait with chartreuse and white skirt, but I’m talking about the blades…you know, the thing that makes a spinnerbait a spinnerbait.

It’s ugly, gaudy, childish looking…and I promise you it is a smallmouth and largemouth killer at various times in the spring. It seems to shine in stained to muddy water in the pre-spawn to early spawning stages. Typically April to Mid-May around here. Water visibility in the 6 inches to 2-foot range. Water temps anywhere in the 50’s is about right. The Columbia River backwaters and Moses Lake have been especially receptive to this spinnerbait. Anywhere things are looking “stained” or “dirty” or downright “muddy”.

Make sure you understand that this is a big-fish bait, so be prepared.

I’ve used both 3/8 and 1/2 ounce versions, wind and depth depending. They both work. One of the unique things is that most tandem willows on the market in this configuration will have the white blade in the rear and the chartreuse blade up front. The Nichols spinnerbait has always had the chartreuse blade in the rear (as pictured). Not sure what difference that makes, but just something to note.

At times the Nichols was hard to come by or I would think, “c’mon, it’s just a spinnerbait, I’ll make my own…

Other Components

As you can see, I always use a split tail trailer and in a tournament situation, I always use a trailer hook.

Trailer hooks are in the 2/0 to 3/0 range and while I’m not necessarily a big believer in the whole “red hook” thing, my most epic days on this spinnerbait have been with the red trailer hook.

The Proper Rod?

Unfortunately, most “Spinnerbait” rods are not your best options. Most are “fast” or “extra-fast” action rods that are too brittle, too difficult to cast and too expensive. Chances are that your existing “mod-fast” to “moderate” reaction rods that you are using for other techniques (swim jigs, bladed-jigs and even crankbaits). You don’t need to break the bank when buying a rod for spinnerbaiting, as I’ve done all my spinnerbait fishing with rods in the $79-$150 price range.

The Megabass Levante “Diable Spec-R” is rated as a “fast” but it really falls more into the mod-fast range. It is an excellent choice for an all-around reaction bait rod. I don’t find it necessary to use a rod with this kind of refinement for a “winding” technique like spinnerbaiting, but it is a lighter, prettier option.