Spinnerbaits are a type of lure that has been around for a long time. Some sources place it as old as 200 years, but no one is exactly sure. At its core, a spinnerbait consists of a blade, a body, and a hook. The idea is that as the lure is retrieved, the blade will spin in the water which can attract predatory fish by targeting their lateral line system (LLS). The LLS is a system of sense organs that run down the fish. It is used to quickly detect movement, vibration, and pressure changes in the water. The spinnerbait is effective at triggering the LLS by using a blade that spins to create flash, vibration, and movement.

Inline vs. Safety Pin 

There are two main types: Inline spinners and safety pin spinners. They largely function the same with the main difference being that the safety pin spinnerbait features a stiff wire at a 90-degree angle with blades on one end and the lead body and a single hook on the other end. The inline spinnerbait consists of a blade, body, and hook (typically a treble hook) all on a straight piece of wire. On both designs, the hook is typically dressed with some type of skirt consisting of silicone, feathers, or hair (either natural or synthetic).

The safety pin spinnerbait offers a couple of advantages because the hook and blades are on opposite sides of the 90-degree angle. This can help the lure move through weeds and even create the impression of there being multiple baitfish in the water.  These advantages do come at a cost as the safety pin design requires much more space in your tackle box to store them.

Blade Design

The blade design on the lure can greatly influence how it performs in the water when retrieving it. There are 3 main types of blades:

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  Colorado – The colorado blade is the most circular and round blade of the three. It creates the most turbulence and vibration in the water as it spins.

• Indiana – The Indiana blade is a teardrop shape and is a compromise between the Colorado and Willow design. It creates a decent amount of vibration in the water, while also being streamlined enough to spin rapidly and act as a visual stimuli.

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  Willow – A willow blade is the longest and narrowest blade resembling a leaf. It spins the fastest of the three and moves less water than the other two designs while spinning.

Choosing a blade design should be dependent on the type of water where you are fishing. If fishing a murky and silty lake, the colorado will work well by triggering the fish’s LLS system. If fishing in Clearwater, the willow design will be a better choice as it will rely on creating a lot of spin and motion for the fish to see.

Why You Need One

A spinnerbait creates more motion than any other lure on the market. You can fish them off the bottom by “slow-rolling,” or retrieving slowly. They also work great with a quicker retrieve riding just below the surface. When other lures can’t get the attention of the predator fish you are chasing, a spinnerbait can pique their interest. The safety pin spinners are my favorite as they can be skipped off logs, rocks, and even pulled through weeds. Pick up a couple with varying blade designs and start fishing them. You will love the results.