I decided to start a thread along with the one @Munkin has going. Many of us have changed out blades on spinnerbaits. For years I always had spinnerbaits with hammered double Colorado blades. I always thought hammered were better than the plain smooth ones, but I had good days with both types. 

My question is do you prefer plain or hammered type blades? Any conditions where you prefer one over the other?

I dont prefer one over the other . I have to use something so I just use a willow Colorado combo and dont think about it .

   I don't think the blade design makes any difference; I've had good results with both. What makes a difference is putting the spinnerbait where the fish is.  ?       jj

I've tried different blades in my area. What works best for me are willow blades, could be 2 chrome/sliver, or 1 chrome and one gold, this would apply to all sizes of spinnerbaits.

I like the look of the willow and Colorado tandem combo. However, like @Hammer 4, it seems that the double willow has been more effective. Perhaps for every 10 spinnerbait bass, maybe 7 would be in the double willow. 
 

the single Colorado has never worked for me in any size or condition. ?
 

I forgot to mention I like both hammered and smooth finishes on blade. 

The way I see it, hammered blades are better under tough conditions because they both break up the reflection off of them and that reflection is similar to a disco ball going out in multiple directions.  They basically turn a spinnerbait from a reaction bait, to an attraction bait.  After saying that, I don't use one to attract fish, therefore I don't have many hammered blades. I throw a Colorado/Willow combination the majority of time.

The one exception for me, is pre-spawn when bass a cruising. Then, give me a double hammered Colorado blade.

The next post should be about blade colors. When and why chrome works better than gold.

 

I would choose hammered blades if I had to pick. 

My favorite is double holographic willow for tandem and hammered for single spins.

 

I’ve done some light messing around with blade styles including mostly hammered and fluted. 
 

I haven’t found a situation so far where hammered seemed to do better than smooth blades. 
 

But there really might be something up with fluted blades. I really do seem to get better bites on them. It’s probably just in my head though and a reflection of me being a spinnerbait geek. Always looking for that next awesome combination. It’s an awesome hobby

8 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

The next post should be about blade colors. When and why chrome works better than gold

As the kids say these days, “Bet”

I always go with hammered colorado blades and smooth indiana and willow blades.  Why?  Because that's usually what the store has in stock.  

 

I gotta go with Jimmy Joe on this one.  When the bass are biting spinnerbaits, it doesn't seem to matter much what you use, but where you throw it.  When the bass aren't biting spinnerbaits, it doesn't even matter where you throw it.  I've many times lost a spinnerbait and had to switch it out for a completely different style with no impact on my catch rate.  

4 minutes ago, Bankc said:

it.  When the bass aren't biting spinnerbaits, it doesn't even matter where you throw it.  I've many times lost a spinnerbait and had to switch it out for a completely different style with no impact on my catch rate.  

Might be a regional thing for me. Back home in NC, there really are days like you said where spinnerbaits work and days they don’t. But I fish some relatively unpressured ponds here in NY and it seems like they will literally always bite a spinnerbait. 
 

Is this because I’ve gotten better with a spinnerbait? We will find out next time I’m home.

Hammered all day. I don't know what it is, but they have always just worked way better for me. 

No hammered blades for me thank-you.

1 hour ago, Scott804 said:

Hammered all day.  

 

In my younger years I could pull this off but not anymore.

 

Allen

Hammered blades excel when bass are feeding on schools of baitfish because you get multiple flashes goes in all directions like a small school of disoriented baitfish. They also seem to work better in stained to dirty water than clear water. They prefer them over smooth blades here in a lot of situations. They're not easy to find in many blade combinations though, so I had to start making my own. 

In some cases, I don't think the blade design matters and the difference between a hammered and smooth Colorado is probably generally fairly negligible. In theory, they might replicate a school of baitfish better by throwing reflections in different places, but if I'm going for reflection I would use a Willow blade or at least an Indiana blade.

On 10/18/2021 at 11:44 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Hammered blades excel when bass are feeding on schools of baitfish because you get multiple flashes goes in all directions like a small school of disoriented baitfish. They also seem to work better in stained to dirty water than clear water. They prefer them over smooth blades here in a lot of situations. They're not easy to find in many blade combinations though, so I had to start making my own. 

This reminds me that I have some more of those blades to send you.  I still can't believe you use ones that big on a bass bait.

 

Allen 

1 minute ago, Munkin said:

This reminds me that I have some more of those blades to send you.  I still can't believe you use ones that big on a bass bait.

 

Allen 

What size is that

Just now, Bdnoble84 said:

What size is that

 

Big,  I think they are like size  8 or 10 copper hammered Colorado blades. 

 

Allen