Spinnerbaits, Old Lure New Techniques by Mike Iaconelli

Courtesy of Bass University

Spinnerbaits (wire baits)

A very old lure. Gained popularity in the 80’s
- Was called an idiot bait. Cast out and reel in!
- Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, Hank Parker
Great lure for a lot of reasons:
- Weedless/snagless
- Flash
- Vibration
- Perfect Imitator Of Bait

Things to consider
- Water clarity – vibration or flash? The general rule is: the clearer the water the more you want flash; the dirtier the water the more you want vibration. Tandem configuration is the most versitile
- Water tempatures – cold, mid, hot. The general rule is the colder the water the more you want vibration and the warmer the water the more you want flash. Tandem configuration is the most versitile.
- Type of cover – little or no cover and grass I like willows better. Hard cover like wood, trees, brush I generally like Indiana Better
- Forage – match the hatch. Match blade size, shape and color to forage.
- Water depth – mainly I’m thinking about weight of the lure.

Neon Charmer – shock color, (perch or panfish), and also good for dirtier water.

Steady – great for active fish and stained water
Burn – Great for clear water
Slow Roll – great for cold or dirty water
Jerk – great when the bass are inactive (REACTION)
Feather – keep the bait in the strike zone longer and looks like the real movements of forage.

No matter what technique you choose, always try and make your spinnerbait change direction. You can do this by:
- Hitting/deflecting off of cover
- Using the Rod and Reel
- Using Your Body

Add On – trailer hook and or soft plastic trailers
Rod – 6’6” to 7’4”. But the 7’ M is my favorite (70/30). Slight DELAY needed!
Reel – Ratio depends on the technique. 6.4:1 to 7.9:1, but 7.0 is my favorite.
Line – 75% of the time straight flora (12-20 with 15 being my favorite). 25% of the time braid or mono (40 or 50 pound braid or 14-20 mono).

The End
Thank You!

Courtesy of Bass University

A relatively new style of lure. It fits somewhere between a spinnerbait, a crankbait and a jig!
The name Lover!
Extremely snag free
Tremendous amount of wobble and vibration
Great Imitator of forage

Like a jig and spinnerbait, its one of the most versatile lures you can throw in different conditions
- All Seasons – winter (cold water), spring, summer (hot water), and fall!
- All Water Clarity’s – great in clear, stained, or muddy (dirty).
- All Types Of Cover – wood, rock, grass, anything!
- Imitates All Forage – bait, panfish species, crustations and crawfish

Steady Retrieve – stained water and active bass
Burn – Great for clearer water and schooling bass. This is where I love to use the treble hook version!
Slow Roll – cold water and dirty water
Drag and Pull – great for cold water and deep water (ledges).
Feather – keeps the bait in the strike zone longer

No matter what technique you choose, always make the Lover change direction. You can do this by:
- Hitting/deflecting off of cover
- Using the Rod and Reel
- Using Your Body

I like to select my Lover trailers based on two three factors:
My Favorite Types Include:
- Natural Action – Chunks and Flukes
- Moderate Action – Devils Spear, Swim Baits and Craws
- Heavy Action – both single and double tail grubs

Rod – I use the exact same criteria as my spinnerbait rods. 6’6” – 7’4” medium action rods with the 7’ being my favorite! Slight delay (60/40)!
Reel – Again the same criteria as a spinnerbait. Choose the reel based on the technique. 6.4:1 to 7.9:1 with the 7.0 being my favorite.
Line – Once again same criteria as line for a spinnerbait. 75% of the time I’m using flora (12-20) and 25% of the time braid or mono (40-50 lb. braid and 14-20 lb. mono).

The End
Thank You!