I haven’t had one strike throwing a 5/16 white/chartreuse war Eagle finesse w the gold Colorado front and chrome Willow back. Awesome looking bait and I really want it to work but it just doesn’t get touched.  Is it likely too big? 
 

I ordered a KVD Strike King mini king 1/8 and I’m hoping that makes a difference, I imagine it will. I really like the bigger one though as I can cast it much further.

I have caught a lot of river smallies with spinnerbaits . I dont have to downsize either . They will hammer a half ouncer .

Big Yes.

   Pay attention to the color of the forage fish in your location. They will probably have a low level of contrast compared to their underwater surroundings. Choose your skirt color accordingly.     jj

Spinner baits are very effective for river smallies especially if they are using mid-river structure. Some days, when they are holding tight to cover, they aren’t going to work, but I’ve had some of my best days on the river when the bass were using rock strewn flats. Just as with every bait in your tackle box, you need to use it during the right conditions. 

13 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Pay attention to the color of the forage fish in your location. They will probably have a low level of contrast compared to their underwater surroundings. Choose your skirt color accordingly.     jj

It seems like white/chartreuse is universally agreed to be the most versatile color.  If I were to match the hatch I’d go white or gray as shiners populate most of my waterways, but I think the combo gives it more visibility idk.

I have drilled them for years using 1/4-3/8 double willow and willow/ colorado baits. Cloud cover has been my main dictator for color. Also location. I have the most success burning in ripples

   I retrieve spinnerbaits two ways.

   The first is a steady retrieve parallel to the shoreline, at a depth that you can just barely see the blades. That's where I'll use light colored skirts.

   The second is a stop-drop-and-pop retrieve, usually perpendicular to the shoreline. You need patience for this style retrieve. I'm a notoriously impatient person, so I don't use it very often. Work the spinnerbait slow, dropping it every few yards, then "popping" it up to make another hop. When I do that, I use a skirt color to a-l-m-o-s-t match the background in the water. Usually, that means a dark skirt. For War Eagle, I use Pond Scum Perch, Gold Shiner and maybe Mouse. Mouse seems to be a little light for dark backgrounds.

   I've also had a little luck with black or black-and-blue skirts, but it hasn't been consistent.   jj

  

If a bass hits a white or chartreuese then it probably hit a duller color too . 

 

Seems on certain days smallmouth will just hammer a spinner bait, particularly in stained and or rising water. Other days not so much.... Fish are kinda like women, you don't know whether you said something or did something but your eventually gonna hear about it.