Pro bass angler Ott DeFoe shares his process for choosing the best spinnerbaits for bass based on water clarity, cover, and cloud conditions. While balsa crankbaits are his favorite for covering water fast, cover like grass, brush and laydowns often favor spinnerbaits for their weedless properties. DeFoe uses spinnerbaits to fish visible cover down banks and quickly establish a pattern, but there’s some nuance to lure selection.
Here are DeFoe’s criteria for selecting spinnerbaits for bass based on the conditions.
SUPREME VERSATILITY
Spinnerbaits has regained some of the popularity lost to ChatterBaits due to the ability to customize to the situation. They’re easy to fish for all anglers and catch bass most of the year, but DeFoe favors them during all phases of the spring, spanning the prespawn through the post-spawn period.
FEATURED TACKLE (retail links)
SPINNERBAIT SERIES – Terminator Pro Series Spinnerbaits
• Double Willow, Buy at Omnia Fishing: https://wired2.fish/3R1aVZi
• Colorado Willow, Buy at Omnia Fishing: https://wired2.fish/3XWDaeb
• Double Colorado, Buy at Tackle Warehouse: https://wired2.fish/3kqNFmC
• Painted, Buy at Tackle Warehouse: https://wired2.fish/3R4riED
• TRAILER HOOK – VMC Ike Approved Trailer Hook, size – 1/0, Buy at Tackle Warehouse: https://wired2.fish/3XBMQee
• PLASTIC TRAILER – Bass Pro Shops Cajun Trailer, Buy at Bass Pro Shops: https://bassproshops.vzck.net/x9eQAk
SPINNERBAIT BLADE SELECTION FOR CLEAR WATER
Choose spinnerbaits that produce flash and have a natural appearance in clear water. DeFoe prefers spinnerbaits with a natural skirt and head color paired with a double willow blade combination. Use silver blades to generate the most flash on sunny days in clear water.
SPINNERBAIT BLADE SELECTION FOR STAINED WATER
DeFoe recommends adding more gold-colored blades and vibration as the water gets dirtier. Use a big gold willow leaf blade paired with a smaller silver blade in moderately stained water. He’ll mix in a double Colorado blade combo to produce the most vibration, which excels in the dirtiest water or in the winter when he wants to slow his retrieve speed.
SPINNERBAIT BLADE SELECTION FOR CLOUDY DAYS
Painted blades or spinnerbaits with a kicker blade are an excellent option when it’s cloudy and in dirty water. Metal blades don’t generate a lot of flash without the sun, whereas vibrantly painted blades are highly visible.
HOW TO CHOOSE SPINNERBAIT WEIGHT
The two most significant factors when choosing the best spinnerbait weight are depth and retrieve speed. For bank fishing, this means either a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce spinnerbait. Use 3/8-ounce in the shallowest water and step up to the 1/2-ounce when you want to fish faster and deeper.
HOW TO CHOOSE SPINNERBAIT TRAILERS
Spinnerbait trailers as visual appeal through mass and profile, and in some cases, additional flash and vibration. DeFoe’s go-to is a typical split-tail trailer. He’ll mix in a paddle tail swimbait when seeking extra flash and vibration in dirty water.
WHEN TO USE PINNERBAIT TRAILER HOOKS
DeFoe uses a trailer hook nearly 100% of the time in tournament situations – they significantly improve hooking and landing percentages when the cover allows. He’ll bypass a trailer hook only in the gnarliest cover or when fun or pre-fishing. You can quickly build a homemade spinnerbait trailer hook setup or choose a purpose-built hook.
OTHER GEAR
• ROD COMBO – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite 2.0 Baitcast Combo 7’3″ MH, Buy at Bass Pro Shops: https://wired2.fish/3wtXurE
• LINE – Bass Pro Shops XPS KVD Signature Series 100% Fluorocarbon, 17-pound, Buy at Bass Pro Shops: https://wired2.fish/3R14LIS
• TACKLE BOX – Plano EDGE Master Spinnerbait Box, Buy at Omnia Fishing – https://wired2.fish/3HsDMCQ
• SUNGLASSES – Costa Del Mar Reefton, Buy at Tackle Warehouse: https://wired2.fish/2RkFoRK
► SUBSCRIBE for more AWESOME FISHING TIPS: https://wired2.fish/YTSub
FOLLOW US HERE:
► https://www.wired2fish.com
► https://www.instagram.com/wired2fish_official
► https://www.facebook.com/wired2fish
► https://www.twitter.com/wired2fish
My go to bait. If it's not working or it's to much I step down to a swim jig with a boot tail or a paddle tail stick bait. But I absolutely believe it's one of the If not the best search bait out there. Covers a ton of water all column at the same time. It also has a tremendous drawing power. The fish don't have to see it they feel it and they find it. Great topic ott
That's always a surprise when they hit it at the boat. Great video thanks for sharing 🎣
Thanks Ott. A spinnerbait does shine in spring and fall but really should be always on your deck. The combinations of blades and some quick change skirts not to mention weights from 1/8 to
1 1/2oz baits make them the most versatile bait there is. You can just put a white and chartreuse combo bladed on and have fun, I do love spinnerbaits.
Indeed playing casting is a very fun game 👍
My favorite time to fish a Colorado blade spinnerbait is a big single-bladed Colorado Slow Rolling it through some hydrilla grass Lanes
Ott has the best laugh in all of Pro Bass Fishing.
What’s going on with Ott’s shirt? Inside out?
Spinnerbait and crankbait bites are so awesome because you typically already have a tight line and they just thump the hell out of it and it's on! 🇺🇸👍
for some reason i can never catch fish with this lure
Can't tell you how many times I accidentally put my Mossy Oak Fishing T shirt on inside out. Ha ha ha
Great info! Thanks!
Good information on your video thanks and good fishing 🎣
Good stuff Ott!
👀 🎣 👊🏼💯🇺🇸
Thanks for the tips my friend!