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Willow leaf blade size...


DitchPanda

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I'm looking to make a few double willow spinner baits and wanted suggestions on blade size. Going to be making some in 3/8th oz.

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Spinnerbait blade sizing is about lure depth and retrieve speed.  The smaller the blades the deeper and slower the lure will run.  Most anglers pull spinnerbaits too fast.  If speed is what is required, there are better choices like chatter baits and rattletraps.  I like 3/8 oz. tandem spinnerbaits.  They normally come with a 4.5 or 5 size top blade.  I downsize the blades so they run slower and deeper.  

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2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

Spinnerbait blade sizing is about lure depth and retrieve speed.  The smaller the blades the deeper and slower the lure will run.  Most anglers pull spinnerbaits too fast.  If speed is what is required, there are better choices like chatter baits and rattletraps.  I like 3/8 oz. tandem spinnerbaits.  They normally come with a 4.5 or 5 size top blade.  I downsize the blades so they run slower and deeper.  

I use purchased baits. Most of the rear blades are 4.5 I believe. How far can I downsize these without affecting how true the bait runs?

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3.5 front an 4 rear for clearer water

4 front and 4.5 or 5 rear for murky

 

These are just general sizes on regular baits.

 

I could write a book on the many different spinnerbait combinations. That would take too much time so I am waiting on smalljaw67 to write one and I can just add a chapter or two to his.

 

Allen

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23 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

I'm looking to make a few double willow spinner baits and wanted suggestions on blade size. Going to be making some in 3/8th oz.

So what factory spinnerbait do you like? That would be a good start into making baits. List the bait and we can tell you what size blades are on it.

 

Allen

12 hours ago, Jig Man said:

For my double willows I like a 3 and 4.

E408A2C8-97BF-42BC-816A-264C86B9A2D2.jpeg

I salute you for being able to put those blade stickers on straight.

 

Allen

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25 minutes ago, Munkin said:

So what factory spinnerbait do you like? That would be a good start into making baits. List the bait and we can tell you what size blades are on it.

 

Allen

I salute you for being able to put those blade stickers on straight.

 

Allen

Nichols metal flake

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Just now, DitchPanda said:

Nichols metal flake

Let me go look at the one I have in the basement.

 

Allen

Twin #4's on a R3 .040 frame is what is on my 3/4oz pulsator. You can make one of these easily just make sure you measure the space between the baits correctly.

 

Allen

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I like tandem spinnerbaits with a Colorado front blade and a willowleaf rear blade. My front blade is a #3 1/2.  I normally downsize the rear blade to a #4.  I also use a Zoom split tail trailer and a trailer hook.  I throw my spinnerbaits on 20 pound mono with a 5/1 casting reel.  There is a lot to learn about spinnerbait fishing.  Wire size, shape, body material, blade size, blade color, flash, vibration, cadence, component quality and retrieve speed are all involved.  Where to throw them is actually more important than what you throw.  Once you get things right, good things happen.  If not, you are just chunking and winding.

 

 

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On 10/27/2020 at 8:47 PM, Munkin said:

3.5 front an 4 rear for clearer water

4 front and 4.5 or 5 rear for murky

 

These are just general sizes on regular baits.

 

I could write a book on the many different spinnerbait combinations. That would take too much time so I am waiting on smalljaw67 to write one and I can just add a chapter or two to his.

 

Allen

How that is a book I would buy.

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For a 3/8oz double willow I use a #3.5 willow on the clevis and a #4 on the swivel. Go larger and you really have to slow roll the bait because it will have too much torque and cause the bait to lean over on retrieve. You can get away with a #3.5 on the clevis and a #4.5 on the swivel but that would be the largest I would go.

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When modifying a spinnerbait, you are attempting to change the appearance, action or running depth of the lure.  Much of the time you are "matching the hatch" as they say in trout fishing.  For example, if the primary forage in your lake is small bait fish, you may want small willow leaf blades. If the primary forage is large golden shiners like we have in Florida, large gold blades might work better. Or, if everyone is throwing 3/8 oz. spinnerbaits, you may do better with a 1/4 or 1/8 oz. spinnerbait.

 

Nothing is written in stone and the fish seem to make up their own rules. I remember a time when I was killing fish on a gold spinnerbait in Haynes Creek.  For some reason, the bite shut off.  I threw my gold spinnerbait for days without a bite. I fished a buddy tournament that weekend and my partner was catching bass on a white and silver Terminator.  I switched and we won that tournament.  What caused the bass to switch from gold blades to white with silver blades?  When you figure that out, you can write that book.  :>)

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With know this hard for most bass anglers to conceive but spinner baits top arm with blades is inline with the line pull the head hanging downwards. 

The forward blade spins around the top wire shaft, if it's too big it doesn't spin, only the back blade spins on the swivel creating very little drag. The front blade needs to be small enough to spin around the wire on it's clevis. You up size the rear willow blade to match the baitfish size. The front blade is used to control speed and depth. 

I always prefered Indiana size 2 front blade and size 5 or larger willow rear or size 4 Indiana rear.

Tom 

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