Ron's Catch: Spinnerbaits For Fall
October is one of the best months for bass fishing all around the country. With water temperatures cooling, bass will spend as much time in the shallow water as possible and feeding primarily on shad and baitfish. The next 30-45 days present a window of opportunity to capitalize on some fantastic fishing.
Once the water gets too cold, fish activity slows, vegetation dies off and bass move deeper which makes them harder to catch forcing slower lure presentations. Because bass are feeding primarily on minnows, a spinnerbait is an excellent choice this time of year. Spinnerbaits are relatively easy to use compared to other lure presentations since it is pretty much a “chuck and wind approach”. Spinnerbaits are great for covering shallow water while they mimic a small ball of baitfish. When casting a spinnerbait, I prefer to throw it on 17 to 20lb test Seaguar InvizX Florocarbon line. I use a heavier line because I like to deflect it off wood and rocks to trigger bites. Most of the time if you can contact cover, the lure will move in such a way where it appears injured for easier target. A good Medium Heavy baitcasting rod such as the Duckett Micro Magic 6″ 10 or 7″3 will work perfectly. This will give you great hook setting power needed when throwing a spinnerbait and will help with long casts as well. A 6:3:1 to 7:3:1 baitcasting reel is the right reel to pair up with your rod for best all-around application.
Now, when we talk spinnerbaits they come in various weights, colors, and of course, blade types. Use heavier spinnerbaits when you’re fishing a little quicker and still need your lure to run deeper in the water column or to slowly reel along deeper drops or ledges. Next, stay with natural colors in clear water, experimenting with bright colors such as White or Chartruse combinations in
stained or dirty water to help lure stand out better. Lastly, and one of the most important components is your blade choice. Today there are 3 popular blade styles:
Colorado: Rounded, cupped blade, moves the most water and displaces water with a good vibration
Willow: Long & slender blade built for flash
Indiana: A combination of the other 2, more of a teardrop shape
Although spinnerbaits available today do come with single blades, most have double or tandem blades. A double mixes two blade types together for flash and vibration while most tandems have two willow leaf blades designed for more flash. Willows excel in clear water where bass can easily see your lure, while adding a Colorado or Indiana blade combination can help draw some vibration and attention in stained water.
As with most lures, the more you experiment with speeds of retrieve, skirt colors, and blade combinations, the more you will identify which spinnerbait should be tied on the end of your line when you see familiar water conditions. Remember, a spinnerbait can produce fish all year long, but if you’re looking to gain some confidence in spinnerbait fishing, October is a good month to give it a go.
Shoppers Supply AZ stores have a wide variety of spinnerbaits, fishing line and fishing rods. We will help get you ready for some fun bass fishing this fall so stop by and check us out.
