Spinnerbaits For Ozark Highland Lakes

[Ham]

I've recently moved up to Mountain Home,AR from Minden,LA. I'm getting more time on Table Rock and Norfork. I'm not sure how much I'll fish Beaver and Bull Shoals, but we'll see.

I've been using spinnerbaits with decent success. I have mainly been slow rolling them, but I have also caught a few pretty shallow when the wind was blowing into the bank prety good.

I've got lots of spinnerbaits from my mudhole fishing days that have large blades and lots of chartreuse in the skirts. Up here, I've been using clear skirts with a little hint of color (blues,greens,purple over clear that might have some very small silver flake in it).

I've caught more fish on double willows, but I'm certainly fishing them more too.

I like the profile and blades size of some of the 1/4 oz models, but the delay in the bait getting down is troublesome and at times I will need a retrieve speed that will be too fast to allow the bait to stay down.

I have considered adding weight to the hook shank to keep the same profile/blades but be able to retrieve faster while staying deep.

At night, I think I have what I need. Black with colorado blades.

I will be doing the majority of my lake fishing in Spring and Fall. I'll see how miserable full on winter fishing will be, but likel;y I'll be a trout guy during the winter and a river smallie guy during summer.

I hope that spinnerbaits will work through late fall and again pre-spawn.

I would appreciate feedback on what type of spinnerbait others have had success using (head size blade size and/or brand name), Areas of the lake you like to use them, Time of year or better yet water temp and conditions that scream spinnerbait at you, and how you prefer to retrieve it back to the boat (slow roll , bulge, steady retrieve, stop and go, etc.

I ain't asking for much am I?

[Don House]

Ham, no I don't think you are asking to much, what are these boards for anyway!

I prefer using WAR EAGLE Spinnerbaits myself, 3/8 to 1 ounce. They have some great colors, like firecracker, Blue Herring, Ghost Shad, Mouse, Chart and White, all white and a whole bunch more. These baits have great blades in all types of colors and even holograms patterns. I love to use the basic double willow I think they are 3's and 4".

I will slow roll them just about anytime there is wind and clouds on those banks that wind coming into them with and without wood present. Really I have tried all type of presentations from super fast, to super slow, bulging, yoyo'n them just about anyway you can think of.. But it all boils down to what the fish want that day.

Time of year, really even more in the spring and late summer from October on to now. Area of the lake well that all depends on were I'm picking up my clients, but we have really had fun on the mid to back sections of the main lake creek arms, but I have used them everywhere, even on the main lake for small mouth... Anywhere there is stumps, trees, brush piles, lay downs, rock piles and even bridge pillars...

Water temps well does not really matter to me, but the colder the slower I go and really the big thing is the wind more wind the better of course. If I'm not running a spinnerbait I will throw a grub on the same banks.

Well that gave you alittle bit of information some of the other great guys on here will speak up also..

Good Fishing and Welcome to Table Rock Lake!!!

Capt. Don

[J.E.]

HAM!!!

you're here!

Don't forget my offer buddy. Call me anytime and we'll hook up. Capt. Don is the best on the lake. He says I'm a slow learner however, we can have some fun running the side finder and catching a fish or two.

PM'd the number incase you've got the old age problem I have!

Capt. Don,

I forgot I've got a DR. apt. Monday AM but will be heading down mid day and will be out all day Tuesday then on Wed. from early to around 1 PM.

[dtrs5kprs]

I build most of my spinnerbaits, have played with a bunch over the years. Latest one I'm stuck on is a small head-hidden weight type (like screaming eagle or mini-me), built on a compact frame with a 4/0 or 5/0 mustad round bend hook. Prefer small blades: #2 or #3 Col lead / #4 Willow trail. Will go up to a #4 / #4 1/2 willow combo on a heavier head (3/4oz).

Like the heavy heads due to the wind that is required for a good blade bite in the clear water. Can even drop them down thru flicking shad in the fall. Will throw some smaller heads in the spring around bushes and up the rivers. The above blade combos will slow roll or burn equally well, and are just bit smaller than most stock combos.

Prefer light shad colors...blue hi-lite pepper, clear silver flake, hi-lite no flake, as base colors. There is a purple hi-lite pepper that is hard to find, but makes a great "lavender shad" pattern with some smoke purple and purple strands. Mix in some light blues, smokes, lavenders, chartreuse, etc as accent colors. "Spot Remover" chartreuse patterns are also important. I use a lot of painted blades...white, pearl white, chartreuse. Snowball is good...white head/skirt/blades. Other combos are mostly gold lead, nickel trail.

War Eagle is hard to beat for a commercial bait...have had some trouble with fish throwing the screaming eagle due to the small hook (I think). S.O.B. Mini-Me's are well made for this type of water also. Don't get caught up in paint details...War Eagle heads pretty much prove those are not necessary on a blade.

It took me a while to figure it out because I learned to fish in mud in IA and northern MO where it didn't matter as much, but wind is absolutely the key. More wind is better, but sometimes even a little will make some blade fish catchable. The wind theme shows up in almost every report, technique review, etc on this forum.

[Ham]

I'll be trying some of the War Eagle SB's next year, but at first blush, I'm not wild about the hook they use. I'd prefer it to be a round bend Gammy or Mustad Ultra Point.

I'll be buying some War Eagle replacement skirts for sure and wish I could get their Purple shad or smoke purple.

I really want to avoid having to make y own baits or skirts BUT I will IF and only IF I have to do so.

I really don't care if the spinnerbait head is painted or not. I've caught too many bass on plain leadheads to worry about it.

[J.E.]

Ham,

I've got a guy down on Table Rock that makes SB's at a good price. I don't know about War Eeagle skirts but he'll sell you skirtless baits you can set up yourself.

[Ham]

Hey JE

I'll be glad to take a look at what he has. I probably would be plenty happy with what he has skirts and all. I'm not as OCD about spinnerbaits as I am my spook type baits, I just want some shaddish colored stuff.

I've seen the War Eagle Purple shad color work behind me when I was throwing a "Spot remover" type color so I am interested in picking up some shad colored skirts with a little purple in them.

I also have some spinnerbaits that I think wll work they just need clear water skirts. I've run across a few brands of skirts now so I might be able to fins what I want.

Skirts do have a shelf life so I need to be careful about how far ahead I get. I do the cable tie thing once I have a good skirt on a good bait.

BUT that sort of makes on the water changes more difficult.

low rolling through rocky points with sunken cedar trees will help me use up some of my existing spinnerbaits though.

I had gotten used to throwing spinnerbaits on 20/25 pound line in Louisiana, but I guess I'd be better off with 14-17 lb up here?

[dwiebenga]

What is the name of the guy in Nixa that makes custom spinnerbaits. he made me some nice Table Rock Shad patterns last spring. Please let me know.

[pstone]

Does anyone know where I can find Hawg Jaw spinnerbaits? I heard the company went out of business-don't know if anyone still carries some inventory or not. Thanks for the info.

[carolina-rig-01]

http://www.tablerocktackle.com/fishingtackle.htm looks like you can get them here, not sure though. i would say just google it and see what you find.