Spinnerbaits remain a perpetual favorite of bass pros and weekend anglers alike despite the onslaught tackle innovations such as bladed jigs and swimbaits. The reason is simple, spinnerbaits fish well in a range of habitats, are easy and fun to fish, and most importantly, continue to catch lots of bass.
Professional bass angler Patrick Walters catches a near 10-pounder to prove this point then dives into his blade selection strategy for fishing around the country. Spinnerbaits can be fished through a variety of cover and at a range of depths simply by changing weight and blades. Patrick shares his 2 favorite spinnerbait sizes for 90% of his blade fishing, and his go-to blades for customizing based on running depth preference, baitfish factors and desired action. He finishes it off with the addition of a durable paddle tail swimbait trailer to add profile and vibrations.
Nuances like wire gauge can have a big impact on bait performance. Patrick discusses when he uses light wire spinnerbaits and when to upsize to heavier gauges. Lastly, Walters details his rod, reel and line setup for spinnerbait fishing, and why he opts for heavier line most of the time.
