I’ve caught more big smallmouth on a spinnerbait than all other baits combined over the years. I fish gin clear Georgian Bay, and lake Simcoe, and many smaller inland lakes all around central Ontario, from clear to heavily stained, and time and again the spinnerbait has produced a lot of the better fish for me. I’m like most guys, in that I use them at a good clip. Usually 1/2-3/4oz, always tandem willow, and 90% of the time it’s some sort of white, white/chartreuse, or metallic colour skirt. As for blades, in clear water and sunny conditions, mainly some combination of silver and gold, and I’ve had great success on dark, cloudy days or in slightly stained water with painted blades ( usually white or chartreuse).

They'll work in flat calm water on some days, but often are better when there’s a bit of a chop on the surface, but some of my best days are spent burning one about as fast as I can reel, and casting off a bow that I can hardly stand up in, cause the waves are so big. On those days, if your on the right lake, be prepared to have your rod tore right out of your hands ?. 

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Heck no, these are some nasty creatures. Skipjack herring, I’ve never heard of anyone attempting to eat one. But they are great bait. My wife caught a 36 striped bass with a dead one

Ah hahaha! I'm sure if we had them up here, there'd be some pickling going on somewhere. No experience with stripers, but that sounds like a bruiser of a fight!

4 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

I’ve caught more big smallmouth on a spinnerbait than all other baits combined over the years. I fish gin clear Georgian Bay, and lake Simcoe, and many smaller inland lakes all around central Ontario, from clear to heavily stained, and time and again the spinnerbait has produced a lot of the better fish for me. I’m like most guys, in that I use them at a good clip. Usually 1/2-3/4oz, always tandem willow, and 90% of the time it’s some sort of white, white/chartreuse, or metallic colour skirt. As for blades, in clear water and sunny conditions, mainly some combination of silver and gold, and I’ve had great success on dark, cloudy days or in slightly stained water with painted blades ( usually white or chartreuse).

They'll work in flat calm water on some days, but often are better when there’s a bit of a chop on the surface, but some of my best days are spent burning one about as fast as I can reel, and casting off a bow that I can hardly stand up in, cause the waves are so big. On those days, if your on the right lake, be prepared to have your rod tore right out of your hands ?. 

@Way north bass guy That's fantastic! Thanks for breaking down all the conditions you've experienced. Canadian approved, thread concluded!

11 hours ago, Fat Ika said:

Nice. Thanks for the info @Bluebasser86 What kind of body of water, primary forage and conditions work for you with these baits?

We only have smallmouth in lakes here, none in ponds or creeks/rivers. Every lake that smallmouth inhabit have shad, bluegill, crappie, various shiners, and rough fish that are the smallmouth's main baitfish prey items. Our smallmouth rarely seem to venture deeper than 10' when feeding, so most of my spinnerbait fish are caught on windblown, rocky points, around docks, and bushes. Water clarity is typically a foot or two to maybe 5-6 feet.

I'm from Quebec.  I also fish lake St-Francis and the St Lawrence river

I have had a good amount of success with spinnerbaits and smallmouth. The last two years though an underspin has been so dang effective for me on both the lake and river. 

 

Both have their place in my rotation. 

I have had a good amount of success with spinnerbaits and smallmouth. The last two years though an underspin has been so dang effective for me on both the lake and river. 

 

Both have their place in my rotation. 

1 hour ago, Birdman2136 said:

I have had a good amount of success with spinnerbaits and smallmouth. The last two years though an underspin has been so dang effective for me on both the lake and river. 

 

Both have their place in my rotation. 

I have had a good amount of success with spinnerbaits and smallmouth. The last two years though an underspin has been so dang effective for me on both the lake and river. 

 

Both have their place in my rotation. 

Definitely. Underspin was a new addition this year and i had some success. Although, never count out the old fashioned beetlespin style spinner. I started rolling my own this year with heavier wire and larger blades and pairing them with swimbaits. I had some really good success with these.

I made a couple with white plastic toy boat props.  Worked great. Still use them .   Some serious rpm noise.

4 hours ago, Bdnoble84 said:

Definitely. Underspin was a new addition this year and i had some success. Although, never count out the old fashioned beetlespin style spinner. I started rolling my own this year with heavier wire and larger blades and pairing them with swimbaits. I had some really good success with these.

I started using the Bett's spinner #3 in gold. I use a 1/4oz ball head jig with a baby menace with great success this year. May I ask what gauge wire you are using? Are you using pliers to bend your wire or a wire bending jig? Thanks

Burn a 3/8 ounce War Eagle double willow leaf in sexy mouse color 

On 1/2/2022 at 2:49 PM, heavyduty said:

I started using the Bett's spinner #3 in gold. I use a 1/4oz ball head jig with a baby menace with great success this year. May I ask what gauge wire you are using? Are you using pliers to bend your wire or a wire bending jig? Thanks

.029 or .032. Same wire i build normal sb frames from. Y use round bend plyers. Hook snap i build like a normal beetle spin, but i stick with an “R” bend line tie. 

1 hour ago, Bdnoble84 said:

.029 or .032. Same wire i build normal sb frames from. Y use round bend plyers. Hook snap i build like a normal beetle spin, but i stick with an “R” bend line tie. 

 

Well done, thanks!

On 1/2/2022 at 1:33 PM, bowhunter63 said:

Burn a 3/8 ounce War Eagle double willow leaf in sexy mouse color 

I really like any mouse variety from War Eagle on shad water, those things absolutely slay, I still have and fish a bunch of different Revenge Spinnerbaits too, no idea if/where those can be found anymore, I also use a few River2Sea spinnerbaits, Strike King makes some good stuff, and last but certainly not least are the $1 Walmart spinnerbaits, they do the job and you don't feel bad for losing them, I hear this lure get called old fashioned and all kinds of nonsense about fish "not falling for them anymore" and it's all bunk, the spinnerbait isn't leaving my arsenal anytime soon, because it gets bit a lot in the spring and fall.