Spinnerbaits are one of the most effective lures for bass fishing and are used by anglers all year round. But, if you’ve recently taken fishing as a hobby, you’re probably wondering when to use a spinnerbait to catch fish.
Anglers use spinnerbaits to catch fish throughout the year. But, spinnerbait fishing is the most productive in spring when shad spawns and in fall when bass stock up on meals before winter comes. Fish spinnerbait on cloudy, rainy, and windy days with rough water or any time in muddy water.
Keep reading to learn how to use a spinnerbait and everything you should know about when to fish a spinnerbait.
What Is Spinnerbait Good for?
Anglers have been using spinnerbaits to catch fish for the past 50 years. Over the years, spinnerbaits have become one of the most popular bass lures.
The spinnerbait comes in many sizes, colors, and weight options and can be used in any body of water. Spinnerbaits are popular fish lures because of their excellent casting ability.
The spinnerbait is mainly used for targeting predatory fish like perch, bass, and pike. This type of lure is particularly effective for attracting fish early in the morning.
Using Spinnerbait Throughout the Year
The spinnerbait is a versatile and effective lure that catches fish all year round. Many bass anglers use the spinnerbait to target bass throughout the year.
Summer
Spinnerbaits are an effective lure during summer under certain weather conditions. Overcast days, rainy days, and windy summer days create lower water visibility, ideal for using spinnerbaits.
The spinnerbait’s blades create strong vibrations underwater that attract bass even if they can’t see the lure properly. High-pressure summer days with clear blue skies are the only time when spinnerbaits will fail to hook a fish.
Winter
Slowly moving the spinnerbait in deep water is an excellent way to catch bass during the winter. To have a productive fishing day in the winter, use a fish finder to locate the areas bass is hiding in during the cold season.
Like all other fish, bass tends to move sluggishly during winter, so slows down the retrieval speed. Moving the spinnerbait slowly gives the bass enough time to catch the lure.
Spring
Many baits are designed to imitate shad, but a few are as effective as spinnerbaits for catching bass during the shad spawn. Spinnerbait blades flashing in the water look exactly like shad, tricking the bass into biting.
Whenever you observe schools of shad in open waters or shoreline grass, use spinnerbaits to trigger a bite from the bass.
Fall
The fall is also a great time to use spinnerbait to cover large water areas and catch bass. During fall, the bass is actively foraging and searching for baitfish to create food reserves for winter.
In anticipation of colder weather, shad begin to move to creaks, so fishing the areas where shad groups is a great tactic for catching bass. Staging areas in the lake’s central area near creak arms hold large amounts of bait during fall and are great spots to throw a spinnerbait to target bass.
What Time of Day Is Best to Use Spinnerbaits?
Use spinnerbaits to catch fish all day long. Spinnerbaits remain an effective lure for bass regardless of the time of the day.
Whenever you start fishing on a new lake or river, start by throwing a spinnerbait. The vibrations and flashy effect created by the spinnerbait will quickly attract any fish swimming by and encourage it to chase your bait.
If the fish aren’t interested in biting the spinnerbait, start throwing other bait to see what type of lure is the most effective for the day.
Can You Use Spinnerbaits at Night?
Spinnerbaits are one of the best lures for night fishing. The spinnerbait’s blades create strong vibrations in the water, which attract bass. Using their lateral line organ, the bass sense the vibrations created by the spinnerbait and quickly locate the lure.
When fishing during the night, use a spinnerbait with a single, large blade to create a lot of resistance and powerful vibrations during retrieval. The vibrations of the blade will attract the bass to come closer and examine the bait.
When the bass gets really close to the bait, it will notice the skirt and the trailer, which often triggers a biting response.
For night-time spinnerbait fishing, use dark colors, like black, brown, or dark purple, for blades and skirts. If you’re fishing under a full moon, switch to gold or silver blades which will reflect the moonlight and create flashes of light in the water.
What Weather Is Best for Using Spinnerbaits?
The best weather conditions for using spinnerbaits are cloudy, rainy, and windy days. To put it simply, spinnerbaits are the most effective in low light conditions or when the wind is blowing and creating a ripple on the water’s surface.
Overcast skies and rain reduce the water visibility making it difficult for baitfish to notice approaching predators. On the other hand, the reduced visibility makes the bass and other predatory fish more active, making the spinnerbait a highly effective bait on cloudy days.
Windy days with choppy water also create some of the best conditions for fishing spinnerbait. On days when the wind is blowing, look for spots with rough water and cast the lure parallel to the wind. The best places for spinnerbait fishing on windy days are tributary creeks and points where the wind is blowing into the creek’s mouth.
Conclusion
Spinnerbaits are a very versatile and effective lure for catching bass. The shiny blades spin, reflecting light and creating vibrations that attract bass and other predatory fish all year long.
Spring and fall are the best times to fish spinnerbait, though you can also hook bass using the spinnerbait during summer and winter. Use the spinnerbait during overcast, rainy, and windy days which reduce water visibility, making the bass more active and likely to bite.