Turn Follows Into Bites with Spinnerbaits

In stained water, fish feel your spinnerbait before they see it.

Vibration often gets their attention. It pulls them out and makes them track.

But attention is not the same as commitment.

That’s where presence matters.

Presence is what the bait looks like and feels like when the fish gets close. If the profile doesn’t match what they expect, they follow without eating.

That’s why you get interest without bites.

A bait can have strong vibration and still fail if the profile is off. Too bulky feels unnatural. Too small disappears.

To convert those follows:

• Use vibration to draw them in

• Match profile of the skirt, the color, and the blades to what they are expecting

• Add in a little “kick” with a pop of the rod every 4 feet or so

Once you find the key for the day, that turns follows turn into committed strikes, rinse and repeat.

The Best Methods for Converting Followers:

The Kill Switch, or “Stop-and-Go”: Stop your retrieval entirely for one to two seconds after spotting a follower or passing cover. This will allow the bait to drop before you rip it forward.

Accelerate Spinnerbait (Do or Die): Do not stop or slow down while a fish follows. Rather, quickly speed up the retrieve. According to this YouTube video,

“Tick” Cover with Your Spinnerbait: Run the spinnerbait through wood or over rocks, and when it impacts, use a rapid reel turn to make it bounce and change direction. Frequently, fish will strike out of reaction, attacking the front of the bait.

The Pump/Pulse Retrieve: According to this YouTube video and this YouTube video, continuously pump the tip of your rod while retrieving to cause the skirt and blades to flare, then fall, mimicking a dying, throbbing baitfish.

Use a Trailer Hook on Your Spinnerbait: Using a trailer hook is crucial for short-striking fish that follow behind.

Key Tweaks for Your Spinnerbait:

• Change up the Weight of your Spinnerbait: Use a 1/2 oz. head with smaller blades for a better “flutter” downward compared to smaller, lighter spinnerbait. I love to use a 1 ounce spinnerbait with a giant colorado blade in the winter. This combination is effective because it presents a big bait and you can slow roll the spinnerbait inside likely bass holding cover like brush piles and stumps. Don’t overlook very shallow water even in cold water especially when the water is rising.
• Use Darker Blades and/or Skirts on Your Spinnerbait: In bright conditions, use black or painted blades, which can produce more bites because they provide a more subtle, less startling flash. Sometimes bass want a more finesse or subtle presentation. This happens because of various reasons but a cold front or rapidly falling water comes to mind in my experiences catching bass with spinnerbaits.
• Add Plastic: Add a swim bait or grub trailer for more bulk, improving, according to this YouTube video.

Spring Spinnerbait Fishing