Talk about a tough question! Ask yourself: If you had to pick just one lureto use on largemouth bass for all eternity, what would it be? A lot ofpeople have posed that question to me over the years. And I confess, theanswer has been different at various stages of my career.
In my younger days, my top choice was a purple worm rigged Texas-style.Later, I vowed the jigworm was the eternal choice. Then I veered to atandem, willow-blade, chartreuse spinnerbait. Then I went back to a jigworm.Etc., etc., etc.
Frankly, the question is so difficult that it’s hard for any bass angler todecide on any one lure. But after a remarkable day of bass fishing last weekusing one bait, I’ll issue my current pick for one of the most productive,versatile bass baits of all time (mind you, my answer might change by thetime this column gets printed). Today’s pick is…
A black spinnerbait with a single, pounded copper Colorado blade!
Why a Spinnerbait?The answers are numerous. First and foremost, bass love to hit spinnerbaits.The beefy profile, flashing/thumping blade and pulsating skirt team up tocreate a 1-2-3 punch that triggers both reflexive and feeding strikes.
Spinnerbaits are also incredibly easy to use. They cast well, swim throughheavy cover and can be fished anywhere in the water column; fast or slow;steady or erratic. You can work them high like a topwater; slow-roll themlow to bump bottom; and even drop them vertically in and around cover. Theyare simply one of the most versatile bass baits around.
Why Black?Like all bass fishermen, I have a full spectrum of spinnerbait colors in myarsenal. But black is a go-to color because it silhouettes so well againstthe sky above. Bass are designed for upward hunting. The positioning oftheir eyes tells us this. And their affinity to attack topwater targetsproves it.
As Mr. Largemouth lurks at an ambush point in shadowed heavy cover, he’sin-tune to potential meals overhead. It’s no surprise that baitfish evolvedto have white underbellies. The white protects them since it blends in wellwith the bright sky above (when viewed from below). Black, on the otherhand, forms a crisp silhouette that’s easily seen.
I also consider black to be the “common denominator”color in many watertypes: clear, cloudy, stained, etc. Now, are there conditions when othercolors outperform black? Absolutely. But back to the subject at hand: If Ihad to pick just one color, today it would be black.
Why a Single Blade?
A lot of bass anglers will argue with me on this one. Some guys swear bytandem-blade spinnerbaits. Don’t get me wrong, I love them too. They’resuperior when you’re running the bait just below the surface because twoblades give the lure more “lift,”so you can keep it higher with a slowerretrieve. Two blades also push more water when you’re “bulging”the baitbelow the surface.
But a single blade gives you more versatility than a multi-bladespinnerbait. You can still “bulge”it below the surface. It’s better forslow-rolling in deep water. And here’s my favorite: You can bring the baitto the edge of a weed break, pocket, stump or other cover and let itfree-fall. The single blade makes the spinnerbait descend like a helicopterand bass love to pounce on it while it’s falling.
Why Pounded Copper?
Frankly, I can’t give you a scientific reason why I prefer copper to silver,gold, or painted blades. All I know is that from years of personalexperience, black and copper seem to make a magic combination. As for thepounded texture, each dimple in the blade imparts extra flash, which usuallynever hurts.
Why Colorado?
Thump, thump, thump⦠that’s why. The Colorado blade’s stout shape rings thevibration dinner bell on bass. Indiana blades and willows do a great jobtoo, but for my money the Colorado blade tickles a bass’ lateral line betterthan the others.
Some Spinnerbait Tips
You can fish a spinnerbait right out of the package and catch a lot of bass.But there are a few alterations you can make that can improve your catchrates. The first thing I like to do is give the spinnerbait more body byadding a second skirt. You can mix and match colors here and experiment withperformance. Other ways to enhance the body of the bait is with twist-tailgrubs, strips of pork rind or even live leeches, minnows or crawlers. I tendnot to use fat plastics and pork products because they fill too much of thehook gap and can impede good hooksets.
If the factory skirt on the spinnerbait is exceptionally long, it can resultin short strikes. Trim the skirt back to just beyond the curve of the hookand you’ll get better hookups. Another smart solution to short strikes isthe addition of a stinger hook. Keep in mind that a stinger will hang you upmore in heavy cover – but that’s a hassle I’m willing to endure if it meansmore fish in the boat.
Finally, remember to routinely check the alignment of the wire on yourspinnerbait as well as your line knot. If the bait runs tipped to one side,it’s out of tune. A simple bend of the wire to put it in alignment with thehook shank will solve the problem.
As many of you read this, you’ll think: âah Babe is out of his mind! A whitetandem willow is much better than a single-blade black’ or some such thing.And I think that’s great if you disagree with me. That’s one of the thingsthat makes fishing so wonderful! We all have our favorite baits,presentations, species, lakes, etc⦠as it should be.
But one thing we can all agree on is this: No bass tackle box is completewithout a simple, black, single-blade spinnerbait.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people tofish and hunt for more than 25 years. Watch the award-winning “Good Fishingâand “Outdoor Secrets”television shows on Versus (formerly OLN), Fox SportsNet, WILD TV, WFN and many local networks.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
