How To Choose The Best Spinnerbait For Bass Fishing

A complete guide to choosing the right spinnerbait for bass fishing conditions—blade type, skirt color, weight, and more.

Learn the best spinnerbait to choose for the conditions you face to help catch more bass. | Justin Hoffman

Spinnerbaits are an Easy-to-Use Lure That Excel at Catching Bass

Classified as a 'chuck and wind' lure, the spinnerbait is simple to use and consistently catches bass. Comprised of a lead or Tungsten head, wire body, living rubber or silicone skirt, single hook, and a single or double metal blade, this bass lure offers fish both flash and vibration - two key components for triggering strikes.

But not all spinnerbaits are created equal, with blade styles, weight and skirt options dictating when and where these lures should be fished. Let this fishing guide take the guess work out of choosing the best spinnerbait so you can catch more and bigger bass.

A willow-leaf blade spinnerbait works great around vegetation. | Kurt Mazurek

Spinnerbait Blade Options for Bass Fishing

The blade on a spinnerbait is a critical component that can affect the depth these lures can be fished and the amount of vibration and flash they give off. Picking the right blade to match the lake or river conditions will increase your odds for getting bit.

Here's a look at the three main blade styles and why each works well for catching bass.

Colorado Blades Offer Bass the Most Vibration

Colorado blades are rounded in shape and give off the most vibration out of the three common styles. Producing the most 'thump' for your buck, this is a top choice when fishing muddy or stained water where bass rely on their lateral line as opposed to eyesight when targeting prey.

Lunkerhunt Impact Thump Colorado Spinnerbait. | Lunkerhunt

A spinnerbait with Colorado blades is also the preferred bait when night fishing, as similar to muddy water conditions, bass need to rely on 'hearing' in order to hone in on a bait.

Since Colorado blades produce the highest level of resistance when reeled through the water, a spinnerbait with this blade design can be fished the slowest of the three, meaning it will ride the highest in the water column. Perfect for working over the top of weeds and during cold water situations when a slow presentation is needed to entice finicky fish into hitting.

Willow Leaf Blades Offer Bass the Most Flash

Willow leaf blades, similar in design to an elongated diamond or willow leaf, offer the least amount of resistance out of the three blade styles. This means they can be fished fast. They also produce the most flash but lack the vibration compared to the others, meaning they excel in clear water conditions or when sunny and bright skies are prevalent.

Booyah Blade Double Willow Spinnerbait. | Booyah

Because willow leaf spinnerbaits can be burned back to the boat, they produce best when water temperature is hot and fish are often most active. The tight blade design also makes them a better option when working through grasses or pads.

Indiana Blades Offer Bass the Best of Both Worlds

Indiana blades on a spinnerbait, also called tear drop blades, are a middle of the road design that incorporates the best attributes of the other two. Producing vibration and flash in the middle ground of each of the others, Indiana blades are a good choice when the water is stained, offering limited visibility, or when weather conditions are changing.

Molix Muscle Ant Double Indiana Spinnerbait. | Molix

When water temperature is in between hot and cold, casting a spinnerbait with Indiana blades often gets the nod. Think of an Indiana bladed spinnerbait as the general purpose workhorse, combining winning attributes of the Colorada and willow leaf blades.

Spinnerbait Blade Configuration for Bass Fishing

Options abound when choosing spinnerbait blade configurations. A single Colorado blade takes the cake when it comes to the loudest vibration, so choose this style when fishing at night or in muddy water. A double willow leaf blade combination produces the highest level of flash, so this combo is perfect for those crystal-clear water scenarios.

A tandem bladed spinnerbait offers the best of both worlds. In this case, a Picasso Titanium Pro Indiana/Willow Leaf. | Picasso

A tandem configuration consists of two different blades on the same spinnerbait. This could be a Colorado up top and an Indiana below, or a willow leaf and Indiana pairing. Think of a tandem bladed spinnerbait as offering a bass the best of both worlds.

Pick the Best Spinnerbait Blade Color When Fishing for Bass

The two most popular spinnerbait blade colors are silver and gold. Both produce lots of flash and work wonders for luring in fish from afar. They are also an excellent choice for a double or tandem pairing.

Painted blades also produce well. Think black for night fishing and orange or chartreuse for muddy water.

Which color blade you choose can also depend on the forage in your lake—matching the hatch. If smelt or shiner are on the dinner plate, silver blades get the nod. If bluegill or perch are on the menu, toss gold or copper blades.

Size Matters When it Comes to Spinnerbaits and Bass

The weight of the spinnerbait you choose can be guided by the depth of the water you are fishing. The deeper the water, the heavier the bait you should throw. As a general rule, a 1/2 oz or 3/4 oz spinnerbait should cover most of the conditions you face. However, if fishing very deep water, you might want to upsize to a one-ounce lure. If faced with super shallow water, a 3/16 oz spinnerbait would work better.

Pick the Best Spinnerbait Skirt Color When Fishing for Bass

The skirt color you choose should be determined by the baitfish bass are feeding on and the clarity of the water. If shad are the primary prey, a silver and white translucent skirt is an excellent choice. If perch or sunfish come into play, a skirt with strands of chartreuse and orange make the most sense.

This SPRO Thumper spinnerbait, with the chartreuse and orange skirt colour, as well as gold and orange blade, is a perfect match if sunfish or bluegill are on the diet for bass. | SPRO

Choose a bright colored skirt when fishing in muddy water and a more natural model when working clear water. If fishing at night, the silhouette black produces is your best bet.

Add a Soft Plastic Trailer to Your Spinnerbait to Tempt More Bass

A soft plastic trailer can bulk your spinnerbait up, giving it that extra visual attractiveness while also allowing you to fish the bait slower. A single curly tail grub is a great choice as are narrow 'split tails' which are designed specifically for spinnerbaits.

Z-Man Elaztech Split Tail Trailerz | Z-Man

Spinnerbait Trailer Hooks Can Solve Short-Striking Bass

If bass are short-striking your spinnerbait (you're feeling a strike, but not hooking fish), adding a trailer hook can help you land more fish. Designed specifically for use with a spinnerbait, these trailer hooks come manufactured with surgical tubing covering the eye to aid in keeping the hook in place and riding upright.

Owner Spinnerbait Trailer Hook. | Owner

Definitely a worthy addition when fishing cold or muddy water, as fish will be less active in the first scenario and relying on their lateral line and not sight in the second.

Toss a Spinnerbait this Season and Put More Bass in the Boat

The spinnerbait is an easy lure to fish that consistently puts bass in the boat. By paying attention to blade design and configuration, size, skirt color, as well as soft plastic trailers and hooks, your proficiency with this winning lure is guaranteed to grow.