When you are fishing with a spinner bait and ole Mr. Bass swirls on you but doesn't get hooked up, how do you work your spinner bait?  I'm not talking about throwing back with a soft plastic, I mean do you kill the retrieve and let the spinner helicopter down or do you burn it in from that point like it's trying to get away?  And what has been your results with either or both methods?

I wouldn't recommend killing it. When this happens I usually speed it up just a tad and I start to twitch it violently. That twitch will usually cause a second strike. Or I will burn it back in, cast to the spot and chug it on the surface, making the blade/s flop on the surface.

Do not throw the bladed bait back to the fish as a follow up lure. I will usually burn the bait back in and fling a senko, fluke, or some other soft plastic where the strike occured. Hopefully you can catch the fish while its still excited.

I usually just reel the spinnerbait in as fast as I can and then throw a tube or a trick worm. They rarely come back and hit the spinnerbait again.

It depends on the bass's mood, shad_master.  I've had times, when they would bump my SB, and I've let it fall all the way to the bottom, and actually WATCHED the bass slurp it up off of the bottom of the lake.  I've also seen times when all I do is give it a little twitch, and continue my same retrieve, and they will come back for it.  I'ts all up to "Big Mr. B."    

I agree with heresdustin. Give it a little twitch and continue with the retreive but only for 4 or 5  more turns of the handle. If she doesn't come back don't waste another second. Bring it in quick and toss a plastic back at her. Last night I was fishing a team tourny and my partner had a fish miss a buzz bait. I tossed in behind him with a finesse worm on a jig head and brought the fish to the boat. It's very important to have a follow up bait ready at all times. I put mine down at my feet and fish barefoot to keep from stepping on it.  

I've done all of the above with highly differing results.I gotta be honest,with me a missed strike is usually just that.I'll try one of the above mentioned techniques,but for me it's usually "get over it" and get to the next target.

Exactly. plus,...sometimes trying too hard can cause you to lose that vital window of excitedness to hit 'em w/ the follow up if your smart enough to have 1 (or2 or 3) at your feet.

If I have a bass that comes up from some sort of cover or bottom structure and rolls on my bait and dosn't get the hook I then burn my bait back and fish a drop bait. The reason why is the bass is using the cover or structure as a ambush point and will go back to his home after the miss. If the bass is following behind my bait or if I can tell that the fish tracked my bait from a distance I might twitch my spinnerbait to make my blades smack together and continue reeling at the same pace or just continue reeling. If he is tracking the bait it will follow the bait and try another swipe at it. If the bass is coming up from cover they are ambushing it not tracking it so pay attention this will let you know what your next move should be.