The Forgotten Spinnerbait

I’m amazed at how many seasoned bass anglers turn their noses up at the black spinnerbait.  When I first started using black, a lot of anglers rolled their eyes.  When I was observing for the Mr. Bass Championship, I threw the “Midnight Special” spinnerbait.  I caught 3 bass within 10 minutes before my boater told me not to fish anymore, since I was only an observer.  I told him what I was using and he said,
“Bass must be hitting at anything”.  Meanwhile, he hadn’t caught a fish yet and ignored my suggestion.  Yet another angler asked “Aren’t you embarrassed throwing that?”

The general theory behind using black is it makes a better silhouette in dark conditions, and it stands out more in stained, murky water.  In short, any condition where it is difficult for bass to see/find your lure.  I strongly favor black spinnerbaits armed with Colorado blades, which create a lot of vibration.  The Strike King “Midnight Special” sports a single Colorado blade with an additional rattle. 

In my location, stained water has a light color; white and chartreuse spinnerbaits blend in with the suspended silt.  Black in this situation is seen by bass as a shadow, which is more visible than the lighter colors which are camouflaged.  So the strategy is to attract bass with vibration, close enough for her to see the silhouette, and finally the kill.

Here’s another viewpoint; what is a spinnerbait?  To me it looks like a jig with spinners.  Remember when you used to fish with beetlespins to catch crappie and bluegill?  Black bass are in the same family.  So if you use a trailer with a heavy black spinnerbait and a small single blade you’ve essentially have a beetlespin for bass.  This is called slow rolling. 

Keep a black spinnerbait in your box.  You may be surprised.