What's better for early spring in clear to stained water? A double willow fished slow or do it all tandem blades? I usually fish Colorados this time of year but I'll be fishing more waterbodies that are clear to slighty stained. Or does it not matter what style I throw as long as it's fished slow ? 

For me…double willows are only used for Shad spawns and burning the bait just under the surface. In colder water you generally want a slower retrieve. Colorado will provide more lift and vibration. If the water has more than a foot of visibility I’d start with tandem blades.

I dont think it makes a bit of difference . If the water is chocolate milk then maybe blades with more thump works better , maybe . I use a willow / colorado combo almost 100 per cent of the time , clear and stained    . If a bass hits one set of blades it probably hits another.

I have the best luck with double willow blades all year round.

The size and shape of the blades will affect how much resistance there is when reeling in. It’s pretty tough to slow a willow leaf blade down to a crawl. For a this reason I would advise a Colorado or Indiana style blade.

Honestly, I have no idea. I'd start with your favorite and see what the fish like, adjust from there

Tandem.

Double willow blades are tandem, 2 blades in the same shaft.

So what is the question? Mixed tandem blades?

Tom

 

Willow/Colorado for almost everything and a single like Zman BullZeye when less flash less profile is preferred.......by the fisherman that is.

3 hours ago, scaleface said:

I dont think it makes a bit of difference . 

I'm gonna pray for you...

I'll take single Colorado in the Spring, of course my reservoir is muddy to stain till late spring.

A few years back I was fishing this mud hole with a 1/8th ounce Beetle Spin . I watched a bass  wake from  about 10 foot away , track that little spinner lure down and eat it . So I dont over-think blades . I have to  use something  ,so its usually the willow /Colorado combo . Double willows would work just as well .

jason christie has a good video on spinnerbait selection on you tube. now of course everything he says isnt gospel but hes caught more fish than i ever have so its worth watching. what he says makes sense.

A tandem axle trailer has 2 axles. A tandem spinnerbait has 2 blades. So, I don't know if you are asking if we prefer one blade or 2 blades and if 2 blades what combo. Personally, in early spring, I like a double Colorado or a willow/Colorado. As the water warms, I like a double willow. 

I thought a tandem spinnerbait had two blade arms.  But I Googled tandem spinnerbait and nearly every result showed pics of single blade arm with Colorado/willow combination. 

So...I have no clue about tandem.

But....I will say that this post reminded me that I have some double tandem twin arm spinnerbaits that I haven't tried in years.  They might be just the ticket in the cold spring muddy waters I fish

Tandom: having parts arranged one behind the other.

 

Tandom spinnerbaits 

Having two willowleafs 

Having two Colorados 

Having one willowleaf & one Colorado 

Having one Colorado & one Indiana

 

And there's others ?

I’ve never found the blade configuration to be a big deal.  However, blade and skirt color are.  I fish specific colors in stained vs clear water and cloudy vs sunny days.

11 hours ago, scaleface said:

A few years back I was fishing this mud hole with a 1/8th ounce Beetle Spin . I watched a bass  wake from  about 10 foot away

I had a similar thing happen, the lesson I took was I need a tiny spinnerbait with a single #2 colorado blade. I call it my JDM Beetle Spin. Has saved many a day.

I've had some hard strikes on 'micro' spinnerbaits, but my hookup/landing percentage is abysmal 

12 hours ago, WRB said:

Double willow blades are tandem, 2 blades in the same shaft.

So what is the question? Mixed tandem blades?

Tom

 

Yes, but the industry and most anglers use tandem to mean a colorado in front of a willow, luckily, fish don't speak english,

18 hours ago, scaleface said:

I dont think it makes a bit of difference . 

 

14 hours ago, Deleted account said:

I'm gonna pray for you...

 

You better pray for both of us. ?

Not sure what it is called.  But I have a new spinner baits on the truck coming to my house. ( it’s in a box w a Curado 150!)

 

It will bring my spinner bait collection to a grand total of Three.  
 

the one I bought has a red kicker blade.  Hoping to capitalize on a bit of the red craze everyone is touting for spring.  Go time!!!

I'm must be real old school, I fish single blades.

2 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

I'm must be real old school, I fish single blades.

Yes

7 hours ago, Deleted account said:

Yes, but the industry and most anglers use tandem to mean a colorado in front of a willow, luckily, fish don't speak english,

 

9 hours ago, Catt said:

Tandom: having parts arranged one behind the other.

 

Tandom spinnerbaits 

Having two willowleafs 

Having two Colorados 

Having one willowleaf & one Colorado 

Having one Colorado & one Indiana

 

And there's others ?

 

11 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I thought a tandem spinnerbait had two blade arms.  But I Googled tandem spinnerbait and nearly every result showed pics of single blade arm with Colorado/willow combination. 

So...I have no clue about tandem.

But....I will say that this post reminded me that I have some double tandem twin arm spinnerbaits that I haven't tried in years.  They might be just the ticket in the cold spring muddy waters I fish

 

17 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

A tandem axle trailer has 2 axles. A tandem spinnerbait has 2 blades. So, I don't know if you are asking if we prefer one blade or 2 blades and if 2 blades what combo. Personally, in early spring, I like a double Colorado or a willow/Colorado. As the water warms, I like a double willow. 

 

20 hours ago, WRB said:

Double willow blades are tandem, 2 blades in the same shaft.

So what is the question? Mixed tandem blades?

Tom

 

My apologies everyone for not clarifying on the phrase tandem in the post, for me it's always been the classic willow in front and the small colorado blade in the back, that was what I was referring to, some guys said you're better off with fishing a double willow this time of year slow and others say a tandem willow/Colorado is a better alternative.