08-14-2003, 02:32 PM
[cool]Hey Southernguy, good questions. I have several compartmented plastic boxes sorting out my different spinner blades. Ask anyone who regularly uses spinners and you will get a lot of different opinions on what is best for what. I use everything from willowleafs, to Indianas, Colorados, fluted, rippled, diamond patterns, painted, clear plastic, etc.
This could literally be the subject for a book. But, in my usual humble style, I will try to condense my opinions and observations. First, you will note that most of the blades in my examples are hammered finish...both brass and nickle. I think they deflect a more broken light pattern. Personal preferenc, but I use plain too.
The Colorado Blades activate more on a slow retrieve...or for vertical jigging...which I do a lot. They also put out more vibration in low light or colored water.
Indiana blades are slightly elongated versions of the Colorado. It takes a bit more pull to get them spinning as fast. These are sometimes better for trolling, fast retrieves or fishing in fast current.
The longest thinnest blades are the willowleaf. They are used a lot on big bass spinnerbaits, to simulate fluttering baitfish, more than to spin and create vibrations. It takes a pretty fast retrieve to get them humming. Lots of bass guys have interchangeable clevices on their spinner baits so that they can interchange sizes, shapes and colors of blades to better fish changing conditions with the same head, skirt and trailer.
Colors? I use brass blades on blacks, some chartreuse, crawdad colors (green, brown, pumpkin seed), etc. I do use nickle on blacks with silver integrated, and on many chartreuse too. I choose which one to tie on, based on water clarity, temperature and light conditions. Brass seems to be more visible in stained water or low light conditions.
I use the nickle blades on light and bright colors...especially for fishing in clear water and warmer temps, when the fish are more active and will chase a lure better.
I have not pictured any baits with painted blades, but for walleye and bass, the use of chartreuse, hot red, black or dark red can sometimes work well. I also make a lot of trout spinners, just like the Panther Martins, with the inline spinner blades. You can either buy or custom paint your own painted blades, and those with colored spots are sometimes deadly. I also make most of my trout spinners with a single hook rather than a treble. Better holding power, especially on large fish, and the damage to the fish is less if you practice C&R. I don't notice much difference in the strike to hookup ratios.
My lure boxes for warmer months include few spinners with gold blades. Most of what I use is white, silver or rainbow metallic...with silver blades. As the water cools in the fall, I integrate more crawdad colors and black with the chartreuse eye and gold tail.
As I said in my disclaimer, these are my own personal choices, and I know a lot of other spinner fans have their own. There is nothing absolute. It sometimes takes a bit of experimentation to find out what works best...and then be prepared to change as light and temperature conditions change throughout the day. That's why they call it angling and not harvesting.
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This could literally be the subject for a book. But, in my usual humble style, I will try to condense my opinions and observations. First, you will note that most of the blades in my examples are hammered finish...both brass and nickle. I think they deflect a more broken light pattern. Personal preferenc, but I use plain too.
The Colorado Blades activate more on a slow retrieve...or for vertical jigging...which I do a lot. They also put out more vibration in low light or colored water.
Indiana blades are slightly elongated versions of the Colorado. It takes a bit more pull to get them spinning as fast. These are sometimes better for trolling, fast retrieves or fishing in fast current.
The longest thinnest blades are the willowleaf. They are used a lot on big bass spinnerbaits, to simulate fluttering baitfish, more than to spin and create vibrations. It takes a pretty fast retrieve to get them humming. Lots of bass guys have interchangeable clevices on their spinner baits so that they can interchange sizes, shapes and colors of blades to better fish changing conditions with the same head, skirt and trailer.
Colors? I use brass blades on blacks, some chartreuse, crawdad colors (green, brown, pumpkin seed), etc. I do use nickle on blacks with silver integrated, and on many chartreuse too. I choose which one to tie on, based on water clarity, temperature and light conditions. Brass seems to be more visible in stained water or low light conditions.
I use the nickle blades on light and bright colors...especially for fishing in clear water and warmer temps, when the fish are more active and will chase a lure better.
I have not pictured any baits with painted blades, but for walleye and bass, the use of chartreuse, hot red, black or dark red can sometimes work well. I also make a lot of trout spinners, just like the Panther Martins, with the inline spinner blades. You can either buy or custom paint your own painted blades, and those with colored spots are sometimes deadly. I also make most of my trout spinners with a single hook rather than a treble. Better holding power, especially on large fish, and the damage to the fish is less if you practice C&R. I don't notice much difference in the strike to hookup ratios.
My lure boxes for warmer months include few spinners with gold blades. Most of what I use is white, silver or rainbow metallic...with silver blades. As the water cools in the fall, I integrate more crawdad colors and black with the chartreuse eye and gold tail.
As I said in my disclaimer, these are my own personal choices, and I know a lot of other spinner fans have their own. There is nothing absolute. It sometimes takes a bit of experimentation to find out what works best...and then be prepared to change as light and temperature conditions change throughout the day. That's why they call it angling and not harvesting.
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