While scouring the web for some new and interesting spinnerbaits to test out, I found some rather unique contraptions. Some slightly resemble a normal spinnerbait, others have taken a pretty big detour from the mainstream.
I took five of those baits out on the water to see how they would perform. Here’s what I found.
McCoy V-Twin Spinnerbait
I actually really liked the McCoy V-Twin Spinnerbait. This two-armed spinnerbait has two willow leaf blades, one on the end of each arm. When I tossed this one in the water, I learned right away that the two arms make it track really well, keeping the bait upright. They also slowed the bait down.
With this in mind, I fished the V-Twin through some pretty gnarly cover. It did hang some — as any spinnerbait would — but it also came through some pretty thick cover clean. And I actually caught two five-pounders on this bait, making it the most productive of the test by far.
6th Sense Flock Blade Single Colorado Spinnerbait
The 6th Sense Flock Spinnerbait is a pretty little rascal in the water. For those who grew up like me by fishing for anything that would bite, this is basically a glorified Beetle Spin.
I think this bait could be pretty sweet to use with LIVE sonar. I cast it around like a normal spinnerbait. The lure tracked true, not spinning in the water. And the feather (instead of a skirt) and detailed paint job on the head make me think this one would be really good around small bait fish in clearer water.
Flatlands P.T. Flash Spin Spinnerbaits Triple Willow
This is one interesting little guy. This Flatlands P.T. Flash Spin marries a spinnerbait and an underspin. This one comes with no skirt, though you could certainly put one on it. The assumed intent, though, is for you to slide a swimbait up on this bait.
Like the others, this one ran true in the water. And it sank really fast, making me think it would be another cool option to try with forward-facing sonar.
LIVETARGET Baitball Spinner Rig
On to the LIVETARGET Baitball Spinner Rig. Now, this bait is categorized as a spinnerbait simply because it fits no other bait category any better. Instead of multiple blades, this rig has one blade and then three dummy baits riding above the main bait, which is the only one that has a hook in it. This could be a pretty cool option for lakes with restrictions on umbrella rigs with multiple hooks. But it’s pretty light and likely best suited for casting around shallow flats and points where there’s bait present — not for fishing deeper than 10 feet.
It looks fantastic in the water, but I lost one of the little dummy baits before I ever even got a bite on it. So plan on having some little swimbaits on hand to reload with.
Jewel Baits Gem Blade Spinnerbait
The Jewel Baits Gem Blade Spinnerbait doesn’t look like anything out of the ordinary to begin with, other than it has a swimbait and no skirt. But you put this one in the water and you’ll notice that the bait falls faster and stays down better than most spinnerbaits. That’s because this spinnerbait arm is bent to where the blades are tight to the bait, decreasing the bait’s resistance on both the fall and the retrieve.
You can throw this one and let it sink, and then keep it down way better than a typical spinnerbait, making it another interesting bait to try out with LIVE sonar.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, I was most impressed by the McCoy V-Twin Spinnerbait. On the day that I tested these baits, I caught a roughly five-pound bass on the V-Twin pretty early on. I then tested the rest of the baits and circled back to the V-Twin and caught another five-pounder. It’s been a long time since I’ve caught two five-pounders on the same bait on the same day, so this funny-looking thing got my attention for sure. I think the bait’s slow pace, created by the two outstretched arms, made it perfect for slow-rolling on that cold winter day.
The others were interesting, too. But I think they all would be better suited for open water, as compared to fishing around cover like you would with the V-Twin or with a traditional spinnerbait. If you’re a fan of forward-facing sonar, all the others warrant a look.
