Spinnerbait Fishing: How to Choose Blade Count, Color, and Speed

The morning after a 30-degree temperature drop on Pickwick is one of the quietest places on earth. Four guide boats at the ramp, everybody drinking coffee instead of rigging rods, because we all know what's coming. Post-front bass don't leave the structure they were on — they just stop chasing. That's the whole trick to fishing a cold front: same spots, smaller profile, stupid slow.

But sometimes, even when the fish are moody, you can still provoke a bite. That's where a spinnerbait, a tool many folks have sitting in a dusty box in the garage, still earns its keep. It’s one of those lures that’s been around forever, probably caught more bass than half the new-fangled stuff put together. But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. Most anglers throw a spinnerbait without much thought beyond the color, cranking it back at some generic speed. But if you dig into the details — blade count, color, and retrieve speed — you can turn an old standard into a go-to producer, especially when other baits fail.

The Core Appeal of a Spinnerbait: Why Bass Bite

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of selecting the right spinnerbait for the job, it’s worth thinking about why bass eat these things in the first place. A spinnerbait doesn't imitate any single baitfish perfectly. Instead, it’s a 'reaction' bait, designed to trigger an instinctive strike. It does this through a combination of flash, vibration, and silhouette. The blades spinning through the water send out pressure waves that bass can feel through their lateral line, even in murky water or low light. The flash imitates the scales of a fleeing baitfish, and the skirt provides a general profile of prey. Bass are ambush predators, and that combination of sensory input often just flips a switch, making them hit without really thinking. Understanding this helps you pick the right tool: are you trying to mimic a fleeing shad, or just create enough disturbance to piss off a territorial bass?

Blade Selection: The Heart of the Action

The blades are what really make a spinnerbait sing, or sometimes, just hum along. Picking the right combination is probably the most critical part of spinnerbait blade selection.

Single Blades:

• Willowleaf: These are long, narrow blades that put off a lot of flash but less vibration. They cut through the water cleanly, which means you can retrieve them faster and they’ll stay deeper for their weight. Think of them for situations where you want to mimic schooling shad in clearer water, or when you're spinnerbait fishing in deeper water and need to get down quick. A 3/8 oz War Eagle spinnerbait with a single #4 or #4.5 silver willowleaf is a classic for burning over points on Pickwick in summer.
• Colorado: Round and cupped, Colorado blades are the exact opposite. They create a huge amount of vibration and "thump" but less flash. They also create a lot of drag, making them excellent for slow retrieves, especially in cold water or murky conditions where bass are relying more on their lateral line. They'll run shallower than a willowleaf of the same weight. A gold Colorado blade on a white/chartreuse skirt is a killer in stained water on a cloudy day.
• Indiana: These are kind of a hybrid, a teardrop shape that gives you a good balance of flash and vibration. I don’t use them as often, but they can be a good choice when you’re not sure if the fish want more flash or more thump.

Double Blade Combinations (Tandem Spinners): This is where most of my spinnerbait boxes live. Combining different blade shapes lets you fine-tune your presentation.

• Double Willow: This is probably the most popular setup, two willowleaf blades (often a smaller one in front, larger in back). It's built for speed and flash. I'll throw a 1/2 oz Strike King Tandem Willow spinnerbait with two silver blades when I’m trying to cover a lot of water on Kentucky Lake, especially during the fall shad run. It’s great for buzzing just under the surface or ripping through submerged grass.
• Colorado/Willow (or Tandem Colorado/Willow): This is a killer combination. You get the thump and lift of the Colorado blade up front, paired with the flash and reduced drag of a willowleaf in the back. This setup is incredibly versatile. It lets you slow roll spinnerbait in deeper water or heavy cover, giving off a strong throb while still having that flash. A 3/8 oz War Eagle Tandem Colorado/Willow in chartreuse/white is always tied on when I hit the muddy banks of Sardis in the spring.

Here's a contrarian observation: Most guys think bigger blades mean more vibration. While that's true to an extent, a smaller, faster-spinning Colorado blade can sometimes trigger more bites in cold, clear water than a big, thumping one. It’s less intrusive but still offers a distinct pulse. Don't be afraid to drop down a blade size from what you see most folks throwing.

Color Matters, But Not Always How You Think

Spinnerbait color isn't just about the skirt; the blades play a big role too.

Skirt Color:

• Matching the Hatch: When bass are keyed in on a specific forage, like threadfin or gizzard shad, a white, pearl, or shad-patterned skirt is usually your best bet. If you're in an area with a lot of bluegill, something with greens, yellows, and oranges can mimic that.
• Contrast in Stained Water: In muddy or heavily stained water, exact imitation goes out the window. Here, contrast is king. Black and blue, chartreuse and black, or bright chartreuse and white are proven colors. The fish aren't seeing the details; they're seeing a blob of color that's either bright enough to stand out or dark enough to create a distinct silhouette against lighter water.
• Natural in Clear Water: For clear lakes like Table Rock or parts of Pickwick, natural shad patterns, subtle greens, or even clear/ghost skirts can be deadly.

Blade Color:

• Silver Blades: These are my go-to for bright, sunny days or clear water. They reflect a lot of light, mimicking the flash of baitfish scales.
• Gold Blades: Great for overcast days, stained water, or when you want a more subtle flash. Gold blades tend to produce a warmer glow in the water that can be more appealing in low light conditions.
• Painted Blades: Black, white, or chartreuse blades can add another dimension, especially in muddy water or low light. A black blade on a black/blue skirt creates an incredible silhouette, while a chartreuse blade can enhance visibility in murky conditions.

My take on color: most folks agonize over specific shades in clear water, and then throw whatever in muddy water. I find the opposite is often more productive. In clear water, general shad or bluegill patterns are usually fine; it's the action that matters more. But in muddy water, being deliberate with high-contrast colors and making sure the fish can find the bait is paramount. Don't leave your black/blue or chartreuse/white spinnerbaits at home when the rain blows out the lake.

Dialing in the Retrieve: Speed, Depth, and the Slow Roll

This is where the art of spinnerbait fishing truly comes in. The retrieve isn't just about cranking the handle; it's about controlling depth, mimicking prey, and triggering a strike.

• The Burn and Bulge: This is a classic for aggressive fish, especially in shallow water or when bass are busting on bait. You cast out and reel as fast as you can, keeping the spinnerbait just under the surface, creating a noticeable "bulge" in the water. It’s all about evoking a chase response. A 1/2 oz double willow spinnerbait on a 7.1:1 gear ratio reel is built for this.
• Medium Retrieve: Your everyday retrieve. Cast it out, let it sink to your desired depth, and reel it back at a steady pace. This is good for covering water and finding active fish, allowing the blades to spin consistently. It’s a good starting point for spinnerbait bass on channel swings or around sparse cover.
• The Slow Roll Spinnerbait: This is where the big bites often come, especially in colder water, around deep cover, or during a cold front. It's exactly what it sounds like: a super slow retrieve, just fast enough to keep the blades turning. The goal is to keep the bait close to the bottom or right in the strike zone of lethargic fish. You want to feel the blades thumping, but barely. A 3/4 oz or 1 oz Colorado/Willow tandem spinnerbait, often on a 6.4:1 gear ratio reel, is ideal for this. You're trying to make it look like a struggling baitfish, or just something moving slow enough for a hesitant bass to commit.

I remember one early spring trip on Arkabutla after

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