Always.....if it ain't broke.......

Usually a Mister Twister 4" double -tail

Always, Zoom spinnerbait trailer or 4” ribbon tail grub using tandem bladed spinner baits. Pork trailers on Twin spins and single Colorado blades.

Tom

Seldom

Always.

I have before but don't anymore.  Buzzbait - a lot I do - spinnerbait - nah - kinda messes up the action to me usually.

  When I want to add a contrasting color to my bait I will add a trailer.  Most of the time I fish multi colored skirts that already have enough color contrast.  I believe a spinnerbait has more than enough action and profile, without adding anything.  I used to always add a plastic trailer, but I noticed I still caught lots of bass without one, so why should I help the Bait Monkey when I don't need to.

Trailer does a few things

1. Adds bulk

2. Adds lift

3. Complements profile

4. Adds vibration (optional)

5. Adds color (optional)

6. Levels out a spinnerbait to a degree

 

Do I always want more lift? Do I always want more bulk? This is why my answer is "sometimes". Spinnerbaits are highly effective with and without a trailer.

Drop me in the ‘almost never.’ I think bigger trailers take some of the vibration away from the skirt, inhibiting the skirt’s action/pulsation, which is where the money is. Slow rolling a big pulser slow? Ribbon tail worm. 

 
 

 

I had said “Always” previously and that’s still true but 99% of the time it’s the small, old school split tail. The 1% is a small swim bait of the complimentary color, but very rarely.

I too fall into 99% split tail camp as they're unobtrusive yet provide so much animation, all without interference of the baits own action, both natural and induced. I find the continuity of this setup helps eliminate a bunch of guessing and lets me focus on actually fishing.  

 

 

On 12/4/2024 at 3:30 PM, NorthernBasser said:

 

This. Or I'll go with none at all. But most of the time I want an added profile like the Strike King Blade Minnow provides (trimmed down a tad). Not a fan of paddletails on spinnerbaits at all.

 

 

That's a nice looking bait there. I recommend wire tying or putting a small zip tie on it though as that collar is about to break.

 

Allen