Spinnerbaits are baitfish-imitating lures, and well-known for their ability to create aggressive reaction strikes from many species of fish.
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Suggested Seasonal Use: Year-round, open water
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Species: All species
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Types: Spinner baits come in many different styles, but the five main types include in-line spinners, tail spinners, beetle spins, live bait spinners and overhead arm spinners. Each style of spinner bait features some sort of rotating blade that creates flash and vibration when retrieved. Blades come in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, colors and textures.
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How to Use: Due to the diversity of spinner designs, these baits can be fished in a variety of ways ranging from a steady, consistent retrieve to an erratic, stop-and-go motion. They can also be deflected off of various types of aquatic cover or habitat in order to generate reaction strikes from fish. Certain types may also be used for vertical jigging presentations in deeper water. Be sure to adjust the retrieve of your spinner bait based on the fish you are targeting, the depth of the water you are in and the type of cover you’re fishing around.
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Additional Information:
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In-line spinners feature a blade, or multiple blades, that spin around a central wire or axis of the bait.
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Tail spinners, a versatile type of spinner that can be fished horizontally or jigged vertically for species large and small, feature a weight-forward design where the body or weight of the lure, the line tie and a treble hook are at the very front of the bait and the spinner blade extends off the back of the bait by a swivel.
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The beetle spin, essentially a miniature version of the overhead arm spinner, includes a small jig head – which can be tipped with small grubs, swimbaits and other tiny soft plastic or live bait offering – attached to an L-shaped wire arm. Typically, at the very end of the wire arm is a single blade that is connected to the wire via a swivel which allows the blade to rotate when pulled through the water.
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Live bait spinner rigs – which can be purchased or self-made in many different forms – generally include an extended harness with single or multiple rotating spinner blades, colored beads, and a single or multiple baited hooks. Depending on how it will be fished, the rig can be set-up with a weight-forward design – which is more applicable to casting and retrieving the rig – or with a weight-down design such as connecting the rig to a sliding sinker setup or bottom bouncer weight.
Attaching weight below the rig makes the setup more suitable for trolling or drifting applications. The blend of spinner blade flash and vibration with the allure of live bait makes the live bait spinner rig a unique and productive tool for targeting a variety of both cold and warm water species.
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