captsully18 Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Hey guys, I would like to hear different opinions about what makes a good/great spinnerbait. Would like to hear from some of y'all that make such grand looking baits. Would just like to collect some different views on the subject. Thanks David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike-A-Pike Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 I like something just a little different than what all the others are using. I like an in-line spinner with either a french style, indiana, or fluted indiana blade. I make them in all sizes; crappie and perch, pike and bass, and musky. Fire tiger, chartreuse and blue, red, black and silver, black, and white are my favorite combinations. When I want more vibration from the spinner, I add a second blade for a blugger effect. The blades quickly takeoff at the start of the retrieve with a nice smooth rotation. Make sure you allow enough room on the shaft where the components can move back and forth on the shaft and add a small bead in front of the clevis to keep it from hanging up on the line attach eye. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 A good spinnerbait will provide flash and vibration which are the key elements for a spinnerbait but most of us began making our own because we couldn't buy what we were looking for off the shelf like certain colors or blade configurations. A great spinnerbait (for my fishing) has alot of flash and a ton of vibration along with different color, something that the fish haven't seen, the vibration part is done by using quality swivels with light wire and the flash comes from using highly polished blades, most spinnerbaits that you buy that aren't titanium have a heavy wire so the lures are a little more durable but they sacrifice vibration but it's understandable because who wants to spend 5 bucks for a lure that may break after catching a few fish. Most will make baits specific to the bodies of water they fish so they can match the size and color to the predominant forage, I started to make them because I couldn't find a bait that I could fish in moving water (rivers) without rolling over or burn it just below the suface without the bait doing the same thing. These are qualities that make a good bait better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTfishingrods Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Wow!! 5 Bucks for spinners small jaw. your getting a great deal. The majority of my Pike spinners retail at the sporting goods store here in town for $15.00 to $17.00. Of course they get a pretty good chunk of profit off of that. In fact I think they make more off them than I do sometimes but oh well. They also have a lot more over head than I do and I do this more for fun than anything else. I make great money off the rods I sell in thir store so I have a good deal going. Anyway back on topic. Balance vs action of the spinner are important. As you get into making these you will see what I mean. Adding more weight and larger Blades and larger bucktails can really affect the action in different ways. It is important to get the three things balanced so they work together for the correct action. Also as Bruce pointed out, Beads are not just for decoration. They also act as bearings and keep things from hanging up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 David, those are great tips from Bruce, Smalljaw and MT. I might add one other thing that to me is very important for a spinnerbait to do and that is come through all kinds of stuff without hanging up. Bass hang out in this garbage and often you have to go in and entice them out of their comfort zone. A spinner that can do that without getting hung stands a much better chance of getting bit. In my opinion, there is nothing that is true 'weedless', but you want to be as weed-free as possible. Many of the spinners on the market are sure pretty, but the head will hang on a blade of grass. Good thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 David Not sure if you are talking about in-line spinners or spinnerbaits. As mentioned before, crucial to either one is balance and vibration. Tacklemaking.com has some really good articles and tutorials on wire baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike-A-Pike Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 Dave, Seeing George's post reminds me of another key aspect of a spinners, both in-line and spinnerbaits, a good quality finish. During the TU Meet in Clinton this year, I got to meet George and see first hand the level of quality he produces in his spinnerbaits. The paint and skirt are top notch and lure fishes great. I spent about 30 minutes casting one of his pike/musky sized lures and it bagged a nice pike... But, as I was fishing it, I kept looking at the spinner, watching it work, and I finally had to remove it a put it back in my tackle box. You see, I value that spinnerbait too much to risk loosing it. Common of most spinnerbaits, it has an "R" bend frame. Since I couldn't use a musky leader with the "R" bend frame, I tied it directly to my 60# braid and that one pike told me I was risking more than I was prepared to lose. So Dave, figure out if there are any design issues that have to be considered for the targeted species before you build too many. And George, that spinnerbait will go after large mouth bass in the future, but no more toothy critters where line breakage could be an issue - It tracks great and the action is fantastic! If you ever start making a spinnerbait with a twisted eye design, just let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTfishingrods Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 Dont I feel like the village idiot. LOL. I had in line spinners on the brain not spinnerbaits. I am going to blame it on making up a bunch of them yesterday for a pike tourney this weekend. You all know how it goes, one track mind. But balance still does play a large factor on both types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike-A-Pike Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 Hey, I'm an in-line wire bender of nearly 35 years and I don't feel like no stinkin' village idiot (I might look like him; but I'm not him). LOL. The thing is, these baits have some similar characteristics and use similar, if not the same, components. You'd be surprised how much an idea for one type spinner can impact the other. I know George, Dave, and I had several discussions about "spinners" and exchanged a pretty fair amount of info. You let guys from different backgrounds talk about a common subject for awhile and you'd surprised what they can come up with. Dave, I hope I haven't hijacked your thread or taken it too far off topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie525 Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 vibration, flash, wire diameter, hook, head design, and the ability to catch fish without breaking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted June 7, 2008 Report Share Posted June 7, 2008 Gosh Bruce, thanks for the nice compliments. I only try to do the best I can and hope that it is acceptable to others. Am glad it worked out for you and the pike. It is a 1oz that was designed for BIG bass. And really, if you want another just let me know, not a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spnrbatr Posted June 8, 2008 Report Share Posted June 8, 2008 the key is your wire. used the smallest you can get away with. I like .029 wire with a closed loop. You need to make alot of them due to breakage but man do they catch alot of fish. One more piece of advice, get your mold pretty hot for even pouring. Hope this helps, let me know how every thing comes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted June 8, 2008 Report Share Posted June 8, 2008 I have gotta go along with small gauge wire as #1 requirement .... for personal use or for some one who knows that they are not going to last all that long ... have a bag full of them. Use as large a blade that you can without off balanceing the lure (gotta have that smaller "lead" blade) .. Proportioned size skirt and hook ... and I do want a plastic trailer to give the bait some body. Colors ... as long as I have Black and white (Shades of white may vary) I personaly do not worry about the color of the head ... if you are selling them you have to be concerned about how it looks to catch as many fishermen as you can. My 2 cents JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captsully18 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Wow! What a great response. Just the type answers I was hoping to get. ALL of these are good tips and well worth hanging on to. Thank y'all a lot. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Grump Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Dave,Seeing George's post reminds me of another key aspect of a spinners, both in-line and spinnerbaits, a good quality finish. During the TU Meet in Clinton this year, I got to meet George and see first hand the level of quality he produces in his spinnerbaits. The paint and skirt are top notch and lure fishes great. I spent about 30 minutes casting one of his pike/musky sized lures and it bagged a nice pike... But, as I was fishing it, I kept looking at the spinner, watching it work, and I finally had to remove it a put it back in my tackle box. You see, I value that spinnerbait too much to risk loosing it. Common of most spinnerbaits, it has an "R" bend frame. Since I couldn't use a musky leader with the "R" bend frame, I tied it directly to my 60# braid and that one pike told me I was risking more than I was prepared to lose. So Dave, figure out if there are any design issues that have to be considered for the targeted species before you build too many. And George, that spinnerbait will go after large mouth bass in the future, but no more toothy critters where line breakage could be an issue - It tracks great and the action is fantastic! If you ever start making a spinnerbait with a twisted eye design, just let me know! Assuming I understand what your describing w/ R-bend spinners - keeping the leader from moving around on the shaft of the spinner bait - The solution is simple..... Get your self some 1/8" id clear plastic tubing - any home center / quality hardware store will have it. Cut it in to sections about 1/8 of a inch long, so you have small "donuts". Place a donut over the R bend, then slide the snap of the leader thru the space between the top of the donut and the bend in the spinner bait frame. UG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike-A-Pike Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Uncle Grump, I have never heard of that or seen that done before; but it makes so much sense is such a simple fix... There is a whole new bunch of spinner baits that have just become small musky baits. The snap may slide up and down the spinner when a good size fish gets on, but it is worth testing to find out. George, I'll test this new method a while and if it works as well as I think it will, that big spinner is back in the musky game. I know I could replace it, but it wouldn't have the same meaning that I place on that one. Another Marine on this sight, my son, was surprised to learn how many Marines I met at the meet. Semper Fi George! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Grump Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Spike-a-Pike I've been doing the "donut" thing to my spinner baits for years - all of mine see duty on the toothie critters - up here - MN - you're as likely to encounter a NP as a LMB or SMB. I've not tryed this solution when fishing for musky - but the worst I can see happening is the donut getting busted if the fish could some how exert "backward" pressure on the donut (toward the open portion of the R). I keep a 35mm film canister w/ a couple dozen donuts in my boxes. UG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavycover Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Components and design are the most important features to a good spinnerbait. I think alot of times people let a fancy appearance overshadow functionality. I would compare it to bicycles. A Huffy bike with a pretty paint job "looks" like a great bike compared to the expensive ones, until you ride it for a couple months and it falls apart. But it sure looked good. Wire design for weedlessnes and stability, durable paint, Sampo swivels, and quality blades make a good spinnerbait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captsully18 Posted June 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Thanks, again, guys. This getting to be a really cool thread. Lots of ideas about spinnerbaits, inline spinners, just everything. This is gettin' better than I had hoped for. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Had to put in another 2 cents worth. Ball bearing swivels make a great "Smooth Running" bait .... but do you all ways want it to be smooth running ? I belive the regular old crane swivel fills the bill ... it starts easy and will have a squeal from the "Non Ball Bearing" surfaces as well as added vibration from this rougher spin ..... (the small wire theory is that you get better vibration) ... Take the Buzz Bait and getting a squeal out of the spin ... why not out of a spinner bait ?? Just food for thought and see how it may get battered around .. JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted June 18, 2008 Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 Good thinking JSC, and I tend to agree with you to a point. The crane or roller swivels work well but tend to break easily, especially when hit against and object like a rock. I had some fly apart on me when working a bass and made a bad cast. Bang, game over. I don't think you would have this problem with a ball bearing swivel. There are a lot of kvdwannabes out there that will disagree, but if there is no money on the line, a crane swivel would suffice. As for the plastic tubing used at the 'r' bend, good idea. I often thought of using a rubber skirt collar in the same manner, but now that the tubing has been mentioned, I like it better for the stiffness it would provide. Thanks Uncle Grump for the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike-A-Pike Posted June 18, 2008 Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 It's a thread like this that shows me that there are some great different ideas to be shared by the wire benders known as the wire bait forum, whether in-lines or spinnerbaits (and buzzbaits) are your chosen lure of choice. I know George, Dave, and I had a grand old time discussing the commonalities and differences in the wire bait we make at the 2007 TU Meet. Because of the interest shown by other at the meet, I'm planning to bring my Bogg's tacklemaker next year and let the hardbait guys give it a try. I'd like to meet some of you other wire benders at the 2008 TU Meet, the lure swap was pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted June 18, 2008 Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 George .. Thanx for more ideas on the swiveles ... I am rarely in rocks so have not had this problem ... lotta trees and etc.... Thru the years I have had a couple to foul on me .. using light wire I all ways carry a bagfull as well as replacement stuff. Good thoughts on the Ball bearing being tougher had never thought of it that way ... I really only use BB on baits that are used as "Drop Baits" where I want the spin better on the fall. Thanx JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
