Spinnerbait Trailers

[eric1978]

I've always used trailers on my spinnerbaits because it looks better to me. But on my last trip I forgot to bring any and still caught plenty of fish. In murkier water I can see how a trailer could help to bulk up the bait, but in clearer water, I don't really see the benefit. Between the blades and the undulating motion of the skirt, I think there's plenty of action. If anything, I think a trailer may just promote short strikes. Any opinions?

[Buzz]

I'm like you, I have always used trailers on my spinnerbaits. I like the added weight plus I believe they can add to the action when the bait is falling. Also it allows you to get a little bit of contrasting color. Instead of changing baits you can change the trailer color and sometimes that is the difference between getting bit and and getting skunked. As an example a few years back my ex-father-in-law and I were fishing Table Rock at night. We just couldn't get any good fish on the same black with black or black with blue spinnerbaits. So I decided to experiment with a bait that had a black/chartreuse skirt and a white with green spots pork chunk. It was like turning on a light, I started catching some good fish and then he dug out a matching skirt and chunk and we caught a lot of good fish the rest of the night.

I sometimes change up the trailer on my day baits too if I'm not getting any good bites. I never use straight colors and will seldom throw one without a trailer, even though the War Eagle's say you don't need one.

[fishinwrench]

I don't use safety pin type spinnerbaits for Smallies much, but when I'm tossing SB's for largemouth or buzzbaits for either I always use a Mann's straight split-tail trailer, or a BPS 3" curl tail grub. A spinnerbait just doesn't "feel" complete without one, to me.

[eric1978]

I don't use safety pin type spinnerbaits for Smallies much, but when I'm tossing SB's for largemouth or buzzbaits for either I always use a either a Mann's straight split-tail trailer, or a BPS 3" curl tail grub. A spinnerbait just doesn't "feel" complete without one, to me.

One of my go-to lures for smallies is a smaller double-willow spinnerbait. They tear 'em up. I have some ideas about how I'd like to make some of my own buck hair spinners, but haven't gotten in to that yet. What spinnerbaits do you like for smallies?

[rps]

Home made twin spin with squirrel or black buck hair and a green spot pork frog.

[fishinwrench]

One of my go-to lures for smallies is a smaller double-willow spinnerbait. They tear 'em up. I have some ideas about how I'd like to make some of my own buck hair spinners, but haven't gotten in to that yet. What spinnerbaits do you like for smallies?

I carry a couple of 1/8 oz. willow/colorado combo's, but I seldom use them. Most safety-pin spinnerbaits (even the lighter weight models) have hooks that are too big for stream Smallies, IMO.

[eric1978]

Home made twin spin with squirrel or black buck hair and a green soot pork frog.

got any pics?

[rps]

Not handy but I'll get one.

[RSBreth]

I carry a couple of 1/8 oz. willow/colorado combo's, but I seldom use them. Most safety-pin spinnerbaits (even the lighter weight models) have hooks that are too big for stream Smallies, IMO.

I use compact spinnerbaits mostly for Smallies, but caught plenty of them on regular sized models. In my opinion most folks fish too "small" and forget 3- to 5-pound Smallmouths will hit whatever they want.

[shaker]

Something that I like to do with spinnerbaits is to push the trailer hook into a 2" to 2 1/2" hollow tube bait and then thread that onto the main hook of the spinnerbait. You can come up with some intersting colors that way and plus it tends to cover the trailer hook. If I'm using a pretty much white spinner I will sometimes use a blue tube with a chartreuse tail, one of my favorites, the sky is the limit on combo's that can be used. Works for me anyway.