Enjoy the outdoors with Gary Finch
Lure fast strike from the big one
By Steve Layton, Vice President, Finch Enterprises
Now that the water temperature is on the rise, fish are coming to life. Two months ago we were crawling plastic worms along the bottom, begging for a bite and trying to coax bass to nose up to the bait. The sluggish bass strikes of the cold weather required fishermen to practically force-feed plastic worms to them while feeling for a subtle bump.
With an increase in water temperature, those same fish have now been transformed into true predators with lightning fast strikes. During this time of the year, bass are in the beginning stages of feeding on the spawns of shad and young bream that will replenish their strength and weight losses of the past winter. They have transferred some of their diet to include a menu of truly “fast-food”. It hasn’t taken long for them to become attracted to the flash, action and speed of some of their favorite fish dishes.
With warmer temperatures, the bass are adjusting their “strike-triggers” to become trained and tuned to different signals. Now they are focusing on the idea that; if it moves fast or makes a lot erratic action, it’s probably worth eating. For bass fishermen, this is the prime time to dig a little deeper in the tackle box and bring some flash to the game.
The invention of the spinnerbait transformed the way many fishermen now approach warm weather fishing. Imitation baits like plastic worms and plugs attempt to mimic the appearance, feel or even the scent of the bass’s favorite foods. The idea behind designing a spinnerbait never really makes that attempt. What these baits actually target is the strike reflex rather than a fish’s hunger pains.
Call it gluttony or greed, but when a bass sees something flashing, splashing and waving through the water, he is an opportunist. He may not even be hungry, but it’s just the way he’s wired. If he doesn’t eat it, another fish will, and that simply can’t be allowed in his competitive environment.
There is an enormous selection of spinnerbaits and no tackle box large enough to hold the variety of sizes, colors and designs. Anglers who throw these baits tend to lean on the ones that have consistently produced fish. The lures come with single or multiple blades that sport silver, gold or painted patterns. When it comes to choosing colors, the primary considerations are either light or dark. Beyond that, the selection is based on personal preference or proven success with a particular color scheme.
The lighter colors seem to work best in bright light and clear water to attract strikes from a large area. They take advantage of reflected sunlight and are typically represented in white or chartreuse. The idea behind these colors is to attract bass that are in the habit of crushing schools of shad.
The darker colors tend to be more easily seen in low light conditions where there is no benefit of sunlight and a darker silhouette against dingy water is required. The darks more often resemble crawfish or bottom dwelling minnows. Some models may even be equipped with rattles to audibly attract fish in poor visibility conditions. These versatile characteristics make the spinnerbait the ideal fish locator for quickly covering large areas and a variety of water conditions.
As with most artificial lures, the hooks are an important part of the package. Since spinnerbaits rely on triggering the fish’s reflex action, the best opportunity is going to be on the first strike. That first aggressive strike is what makes spinnerbait fishing so much fun. But, if the fish is missed and makes contact with the wire frame or metal blade, he is going to become very shy at making a second approach.
Make sure hooks are properly sharpened even if they are new from the package. Check them again if you become snagged or seem to be missing strikes. If fish are short striking and tugging on the skirt, the addition of a trailer hook may solve the problem of finicky feeders.
Unlike many of the finesse lures that have to be constantly manipulated or tuned, spinnerbaits are easily used by professionals and beginners alike. Most fishermen immediately think of bass fishing when the term “spinnerbait” is used. But, even the popular “beetle-spin” type lures are actually scaled-down versions of the larger bass designs.
As spinnerbaits go, they are equally effective on panfish. This miniature spinnerbait is a great teaching lure for young fishermen who want to step up to casting a rod and reel combination. When these tiny spinners are tossed to feeding bluegill on ultra-light tackle, young fishermen will certainly get to experience the excitement of taking fish on artificial lures.
Spinnerbaits are typically seen as being one of the most economical and snagless lures to throw. The only real variation in its use is in the speed of the retrieve. The rate of the retrieve allows the angler to control a lure that fishes shallow, deep, fast or slow. It’s the ultimate scouting lure for new fishing locations.
By slinging blades in the spring, fishermen are able to create and control their own style of fishing. Spinnerbaits have found a permanent place in the tackle box as an exciting lure for attracting and catching the most aggressive fish.
By Steve Layton, Vice President, Finch Enterprises
Now that the water temperature is on the rise, fish are coming to life. Two months ago we were crawling plastic worms along the bottom, begging for a bite and trying to coax bass to nose up to the bait. The sluggish bass strikes of the cold weather required fishermen to practically force-feed plastic worms to them while feeling for a subtle bump.
With an increase in water temperature, those same fish have now been transformed into true predators with lightning fast strikes. During this time of the year, bass are in the beginning stages of feeding on the spawns of shad and young bream that will replenish their strength and weight losses of the past winter. They have transferred some of their diet to include a menu of truly “fast-food”. It hasn’t taken long for them to become attracted to the flash, action and speed of some of their favorite fish dishes.
With warmer temperatures, the bass are adjusting their “strike-triggers” to become trained and tuned to different signals. Now they are focusing on the idea that; if it moves fast or makes a lot erratic action, it’s probably worth eating. For bass fishermen, this is the prime time to dig a little deeper in the tackle box and bring some flash to the game.
The invention of the spinnerbait transformed the way many fishermen now approach warm weather fishing. Imitation baits like plastic worms and plugs attempt to mimic the appearance, feel or even the scent of the bass’s favorite foods. The idea behind designing a spinnerbait never really makes that attempt. What these baits actually target is the strike reflex rather than a fish’s hunger pains.
Call it gluttony or greed, but when a bass sees something flashing, splashing and waving through the water, he is an opportunist. He may not even be hungry, but it’s just the way he’s wired. If he doesn’t eat it, another fish will, and that simply can’t be allowed in his competitive environment.
There is an enormous selection of spinnerbaits and no tackle box large enough to hold the variety of sizes, colors and designs. Anglers who throw these baits tend to lean on the ones that have consistently produced fish. The lures come with single or multiple blades that sport silver, gold or painted patterns. When it comes to choosing colors, the primary considerations are either light or dark. Beyond that, the selection is based on personal preference or proven success with a particular color scheme.
The lighter colors seem to work best in bright light and clear water to attract strikes from a large area. They take advantage of reflected sunlight and are typically represented in white or chartreuse. The idea behind these colors is to attract bass that are in the habit of crushing schools of shad.
The darker colors tend to be more easily seen in low light conditions where there is no benefit of sunlight and a darker silhouette against dingy water is required. The darks more often resemble crawfish or bottom dwelling minnows. Some models may even be equipped with rattles to audibly attract fish in poor visibility conditions. These versatile characteristics make the spinnerbait the ideal fish locator for quickly covering large areas and a variety of water conditions.
As with most artificial lures, the hooks are an important part of the package. Since spinnerbaits rely on triggering the fish’s reflex action, the best opportunity is going to be on the first strike. That first aggressive strike is what makes spinnerbait fishing so much fun. But, if the fish is missed and makes contact with the wire frame or metal blade, he is going to become very shy at making a second approach.
Make sure hooks are properly sharpened even if they are new from the package. Check them again if you become snagged or seem to be missing strikes. If fish are short striking and tugging on the skirt, the addition of a trailer hook may solve the problem of finicky feeders.
Unlike many of the finesse lures that have to be constantly manipulated or tuned, spinnerbaits are easily used by professionals and beginners alike. Most fishermen immediately think of bass fishing when the term “spinnerbait” is used. But, even the popular “beetle-spin” type lures are actually scaled-down versions of the larger bass designs.
As spinnerbaits go, they are equally effective on panfish. This miniature spinnerbait is a great teaching lure for young fishermen who want to step up to casting a rod and reel combination. When these tiny spinners are tossed to feeding bluegill on ultra-light tackle, young fishermen will certainly get to experience the excitement of taking fish on artificial lures.
Spinnerbaits are typically seen as being one of the most economical and snagless lures to throw. The only real variation in its use is in the speed of the retrieve. The rate of the retrieve allows the angler to control a lure that fishes shallow, deep, fast or slow. It’s the ultimate scouting lure for new fishing locations.
By slinging blades in the spring, fishermen are able to create and control their own style of fishing. Spinnerbaits have found a permanent place in the tackle box as an exciting lure for attracting and catching the most aggressive fish.
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