(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
The spinnerbait is about as old-school as it gets, and while it still catches bass anywhere they swim, it has fallen out of favor with many modern anglers. That’s a mistake, said Mike Iaconelli, who learned from watching old-school pros like Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin and Hank Parker on TV. The New Jersey pro said that the blade is “always in my rod box,” regardless of where he goes or what season it is.
The spinnerbait offers key characteristics like snaglessness and vibration, and also flash, often so much that Ike calls it “the early version of the Alabama Rig.” However, while you could probably tie on a white or white/chartreuse 3/8- or 1/2-unce double-willowleaf version and catch lots of fish any time, anywhere, the key to maximizing your catch is finding the perfect spinnerbait for the conditions.
Ike carries a full box components with him at all times, ready to “match the hatch” as needed. When he goes to build or modify a spinnerbait, he assesses the conditions he’s confronted with before choosing a blade style.
The first consideration is water clarity. If it’s clearer, he thinks more about flash, while if it’s stained or dirty he thinks more about vibration. The second is water temperature. If it’s colder, he wants more vibration and if it’s warmer, he wants more flash. The type of cover he’s around also influences his choice. If it’s open water or grass, he likes a willowleaf, and in hard-cover situations he leans toward a Colorado or Indiana. Finally, he considers the forage – in Florida, he’ll probably want a long gold willow blade to replicate a shiner, while in post-spawn situations where bluegills are everywhere he looks to rounder styles.
A double willow combination provides the most flash, a single blade allows him to helicopter the lure, and a tandem (willow with a Colorado or Indiana) is the best of both worlds.
When picking the colors that he’ll use, once again it’s a multifaceted analysis. He’ll look at the water clarity and the amount of light – if there’s more of either or both, he’ll go more translucent, and if there’s less he’ll aim for brighter colors. Of course there are exceptions. For example, when chasing smallmouths in clear water an all-chartreuse often gets the call.
There are times when the fish are biting aggressively and a straight moderate retrieve is best, but most of the time some variation is necessary to trigger strikes. As with a crankbait, deflection is often the name of the game. Obviously you can effect a change in direction by banging your lure off of a stump or dock post, but you can also achieve the same result with your rod and reel, or even with body English. If the water is cold or dirty, he’ll employ a slow-roll retrieve, and another one he likes with a single Colorado is “the drop” in which he allows it to helicopter down slowly, thereby maximizing the time in the strike zone.
Eighty percent of the time he’ll add a trailer hook to nab short strikers, and the other 20 percent he’ll add a plastic trailer – like a chunk, a grub or a small swimbait – which slows the bait down a little and adds bulk. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but Ike, the ultimate tinkerer, views that as an advantage rather than a handicap.
If you’d like to learn more of Ike’s keys to spinnerbait success, including his tackle choices, check out the full video seminar by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
