Knowing which spinnerbait is best for bass fishing can be a matter of personal choice for some, but the reason so many different options exist is because anglers are faced with a multitude of situations in fishing. A spinnerbait was the first lure I latched onto as a child. I had fished plastic worms some in my younger years, but the first time I threw a spinnerbait and watched a bass come up and tackle the blades under the surface, I was hooked.
The market is flush with spinnerbaits now. A quick look at Tackle Warehouse shows 330 different spinnerbaits. Never mind the different color options for each. So choosing the best spinnerbait for fishing might be a bit daunting.
Several factors matter in spinnerbaits, but this article will focus mainly on the best options available to anglers. We also recommend you watch our video on How to Pick the Right Spinnerbait.
OUR TOP PICKS
- Shimano Swagy Strong Double Willow – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Berkley Power Blade Compact DBL Willow – Buy from Basspro
- Damiki Tot Type 1 Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- War Eagle Screamin Eagle Painted DBL Willow – Buy from Basspro
- Nichols Catalyst Double Willow – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Best All Purpose Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Best Deep Water Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Honrable Mention: Megabass SV-3 Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Terminator P1 Pro Series – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Strike King Tour Grade Finesse Compact – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Accent J. Wheeler Custom Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Best Night Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Booyah Covert Seres Double Colorado – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Z-man Sling Bladez Power Finesse – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Greenfish Tackle High Class Blade – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
- Advantage Double Willow Spinnerbait – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
HOW TO CHOOSE AND TEST A SPINNERBAIT
There are basically 7 things that matter on the build of a spinnerbait. How a spinnerbait behaves in the water is dictated by the following:
- Number of blades
- Blade Size
- Blade Spacing or Arm Length
- Head shape
- Type of Wire Arm
- Weight distribution
- Flash
Obviously you want your spinnerbait to have a good hook, be made with durable components and last for a number of fish. They aren’t made to last forever. The wires get bent while fishing, The hooks will dull and they can eventually start to rust.
But I’ve caught dozens of bass on a single spinnerbait and a few in my box have probably caught more than a hundred. I keep extra spinnerbait blades and components in a small box so I can alter and update spinnerbaits. I keep a hook file with it as well to keep my hooks sharp. It seems like spinnerbait hooks can get get dull faster than a lot of other lures.
But a single blade spinnerbait has more vibration and more lift than a spinnerbait with two blades closer together generally speaking. Lift describes the tendency of the spinnerbait to want to ride up in the water column.
A double spinnerbait blade can pull harder or lift more if it has larger blades, rounder blades or if the blades are spaced apart more or the front blade is smaller.
The rounder and bigger the blade the more thump and vibration a spinnerbait will have and the harder it will pull. The narrower the blades, the tighter the vibration will be. And a blade in front of the back blade cuts the vibration of the back blade unless they are spaced apart more.
The head shape will determine how a bait runs. A cone or minnow head will run better in open water and high speeds. A spinnerbait head with a triangle shape will run okay in both open water and around cover. And a head with a bigger or flatter “chin” will come over cover and rocks better when fished lower in the water column.
The wire arm can be made out of a thinner more flexible wire or a thicker more steel like wire. A flexible thinner wire will transmit more vibration but will also get bent out easier. A thicker wire will stay tuned a little easier but won’t have as much thump. A lot of short arm spinnerbaits use thicker wires to keep them in tune for night fishing when it’s hard to see if your spinnerbait is out of whack.
Spinnerbait blade size and configuration can give some spinnerbaits a little more flash. Typically speaking a willow has more flash and Colorado blade is more for vibration.
We have a lot more great resources on spinnerbait fishing on our site to go into greater detail on this topic, but this basic knowledge will help you make good choices on spinnerbaits at your favorite tackle store and on the water.
BEST NEW BASS FISHING SPINNERBAITS FOR 2023
There are a lot of new spinnerbaits on the market and we thought we’d name a few we thought met all the standards for the best new spinnerbaits for this year.
This spinnerbait features smaller blades that are spaced to give the back blade a bigger thump than your typical larger-bladed willow leaf spinnerbait. The blades flash really well and the spinnerbait rides well at slow to medium speeds. It doesn’t want to lift even with an increased thump. It did get out of track on a high speed burn.
The head is a minnow rounded triangle head. So I would call this a hybrid head made for both open water and some cover applications. Offered in 3/8 and 1/2 options, 6 solid colors, great paint jobs, single-wire trailer keeper and high-end components. It’s at the top end of the spectrum in price at $13.99.
Also offered in a Tandem (small Colorado and bigger willow) model.
Another very well made spinnerbait with a lot of great features that runs true vertical at all speeds from slow roll to waking under the surface. The spinnerbait casts well with it’s hidden weight design that makes it a compact spinnerbait. It features narrower spin and tighter vibration with a triangle head that makes it a good multi-use spinnerbait.
The Power Blade comes in 16 color blade combinations, in 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4 ounce options, with high end components, a hidden weight design and multi-collar cylinder lead keeper for trailers.
This new arrival from Damiki features spare-no-expense components and a thicker wire with custom flat blades that give the spinnerbait a heavier thump and vibration than standard willow blades. And the pressed scales add flash to the bait. It’s hidden weight design and medium wide spin give this bait a lot of balance at all speeds. The flanged cylinder keeper holds trailers well and the triangle-minnow head design keeps it upright in open water and sparse cover. It’s a very nice larger profile spinnerbait.
These painted blades really excel at drawing fish from distance in deep clear water, on overcast days and the proven open water success of the Screaming Eagle line from War Eagle make this one of the best options for open water painted blade spinnerbaits. Catching some fish out on the main lake this fall with these really proved its drawing power. They built this spinnerbait on the 1/4 ounce frame but made it in 1/2 and 3/4 ounce sizes. So you can burn this bait when fish want to chase in open water or slow it down and draw fish in stained water. Hand-tied skirts, white and chartreuse blades, hidden weight design with cone head design make this a keeper at a heck of a price.
The Catalyst features new custom 24k gold and nickel-plated finish blades that are more durable with more flash. Minnow head, single-cone keeper, pro-tie silicone skirts, Worth swivels, and an Owner hook make this a high-quality spinnerbait. It has a medium pull with a lot of flash. It runs true at most speeds and is built to last at a good price point.
BASSMAN COMPACT MAG WILLOW
I was late to the Bassman line of spinnerbaits but it has quickly become one of my favorites in the compact niche of spinnerbaits. It has a mag-willow (Oklahoma) blade and small Colorado lead blade. It has a ton of flash. Throws really well. And it comes through cover really well too. So it has a nice thump for dirty water but can wake and gurgle at high speeds in open water. So it’s why I like it as the Best versatility spinnerbait. It features a replaceable custom skirt, one flanged cone keeper, sticky sharp hook and stainless steel compact arm.
STANLEY VIBRA WEDGE EXTREME
The Stanley Wedge Series have been staple ledge spinnerbaits for those in the know for years and nothing new has really replaced it yet in our minds. It walks over stumps and rocks easily keeps running true as it bumps bottom, cover and fishes equally well over the open water sections fishing deep. It’s been a staple in the 3/4-ounce size for deep water spinnerbait fishermen for a long time. Features quality skirts, quality Wedge blades, quality painted heads that last and climb cover like no others.
They offer a bigger one ounce size in their Big Shot series.
HONRABLE MENTION: MEGABASS SV-3 SPINNERBAIT
The SV-3 incorporates a larger minnow head with a big chin, custom hybrid hammered willow baldes, a heavier wire, stick sharp hooks, a multiple ribbed cone keeper, and custom hand tied skirts for the total high-end castable package. The unique design makes it a great casting spinnerbait and its swimming wire keeps it vertical for a perfectly tuned bait at all speeds. And it falls with a nice pitched glide so it looks good running fast and falling.
TERMINATOR P1 PRO SERIES
These spinnerbaits were designed with input from pros who made a living competing on small rivers and backwater areas all over the country. These are exceptionally well made spinnerbaits, some of the most affordable and very good fish catchers. They have become our river and creek spinnerbaits and we fish them a lot on small lakes and ponds as well. They just fish well in a lot of situations where you don’t want a spinnerbait to over power the situation like cleaner water, smaller forage, and narrower waters.
Read our full review of this spinnerbait here: Terminator P1 Spinnerbait Review.
STRIKE KING TOUR GRADE FINESSE COMPACT
This well-made, great-running spinnerbait has a medium amount of vibration, hand tied skirt, lots of flash, compact profile, triangle head, true vertical position at high sppeds and triple flanged cone keeper. It comes in 13 great colors in a 1/2-ounce size. It throws well and comes through cover well with its consistent level running.
Read our full review of this spinnerbait here: Strike King Tour Grade Spinnerbait Review.
ACCENT J. WHEELER CUSTOM SPINNERBAIT
This is our favorite kicker blade spinnerbait currently. It runs true at all speeds, has round head that comes through cover and over rocks well, stays vertical when bumped around, and throws extremely well. It has quality blades, swivels, hooks and it’s just a well made no-nonsense Ind./Col. combo spinnerbait.
See what this spinnerbait can do in this video: Where to Focus Your Spinnerbait Fishing in Dirty Water
I think the Jewel Jolt is the best spinnerbait for night fishing. It has a lot of features that make it a perfect choice for night bass fishing and also ultra muddy water. It has a larger than average single blade, a head that keeps the spinnerbait upright while slow rolled along the bottom, a great chip resistant paint finish, and a great twisted wire for easy rigging in the dark.
Read our full review on the Jolt Spinnerbait here.
BOOYAH COVERT SERES DOUBLE COLORADO
This spinnerbait was designed by Jason Christie and features a raked out gill head design that offsets the torque of the back blade to make sure the spinnerbait will not get out of vertical on any speed retrieve. It keeps the bait always balanced as it is fished through cover, in dirty water where bass hide in shallower than normal places. This is a great hunting spinnerbait at an affordable price.
This tiny compact spinnerbait packs a punch with its LiveWire 17-7 stainless steel wire frame for intense vibration and enhanced durability. It features a Stabilitrack head that prevents rolling at high speeds. It also uses jeweler quality electroplated finishes to produce a brighter flash. A great buy if you’re looking for compact spinnerbaits at a low price.
Read our full review on the Sling BladeZ Spinnerbaits.
This bass fishing spinnerbait comes equipped with hand-tied skirt with unique blended colors, blades perfectly sized and spaced to each weight and head size, premium ball bearing swivels that allow perfect vibration at slow speeds, and a stout hook with a wider than normal gap that delivers an increased hook-up ratio. All of this for an affordable price.
This is a great-looking spinnerbait for sure, but it performs even better. The blades spin freely at low speeds, the Mustad hook is an absolute tank and the blades will blow your mind when you see ’em in the water. If you’re a serious shallow-water angler, I’d definitely consider trying one out.
Read our full-review of this spinnerbait here: Advantage Double Willow Spinnerbait.
|
Spinnerbait |
Blades |
Head |
Weights |
Price |
Link |
|
Accent J Wheeler Double Col. |
2 Colos |
Minnow Round |
3/8-3/4 |
$8.29 |
|
|
Bassman Mag Willow Compact |
1 OK 1 Col |
Rounded Flat Chin |
1/2 |
$12.99 |
|
|
Berkley Power Blade DC |
2 Colos |
Triangle Head |
3/8-1/2 |
$9.99 |
|
|
Berkley Power Blade DW |
2 Willows |
Triangle Head |
3/8-1/2 |
$9.99 |
|
|
Booyah Covert Series Double Col. |
2 Colos |
Cupped Triangle |
3/8 – 1 |
$9.99 |
|
|
Damiki TOT T1 Spinnerbaits |
2 Willows |
Triangle Minnow |
3/8-3/4 |
$11.99 |
|
|
Greenfish Tackle High Class Blade |
2 Willows |
Minnow Head |
1/4-3/4 |
$7.99 |
|
|
Megabass SV-3 |
2 Willows |
Rounded Flat Chin |
3/8-3/4 |
$12.99 |
|
|
Nichols Catalyst DW |
2 Willows |
Minnow Head |
3/8-1/2 |
$9.99 |
|
|
Shimano Swagy Strong CW |
1 Col 1 Will |
Rounded Minnow |
3/8-1/2 |
$13.99 |
|
|
Shimano Swagy Strong DW |
2 Willows |
Rounded Minnow |
3/8-1/2 |
$13.99 |
|
|
Stanley Wedge Extreme |
2 Willows |
Bulbous Wide |
3/8-3/4 |
$8.99 |
|
|
Strike King Tour Grade Compact |
2 Willows |
Triangle Head |
1/2 |
$7.99 |
|
|
Terminator P1 Pro DW |
2 Willows |
Triangle Head |
3/8-1/2 |
$7.49 |
|
|
War Eagle Screamin Eagle Painted |
2 Willows |
Cone Head |
1/2-3/4 |
$7.99 |
|
|
Z-Man Sling BladeZ Power Finesse |
2 Willows |
Triangle Concave |
1/4-3/8 |
$7.99 |
|
|
Advantage Bait Double Willow |
2 Willows |
Minnow Flat Chin |
3/8-3/4 |
$13.99 |
