There was a period in the 80's when a big bladed spinnerbait was the rage in Arkansas. It was particularly good in deep clear water reservoirs worked deep. It was very effective in 20 to 30 foot depths. Your video reminded me to get them back out. You would think you would lose feel that deep but the hits were savage. Thanks for another great video Matt.
And that was before Braid! On the 1/2oz. Terminator Pro spinnerbaits I've fallen in love with this summer, you really need a med-heavy power with a medium fast -fast action tip.. They drag so much water It feels like your spinnerbait is trying to pull you in, instead of you pulling them out.
I’ve always upgraded my Spinnerbaits with size7 and 8 blades on light wire. Been doing this since the 80’s, Roland Martin made me try it. Slayed them spring throughout summer. Even crazier at times I’ll go the opposite and throw 1/8oz and smaller Spinnerbaits 😊
Yea I remember Hilderbrandt used to make the Roland Martini big bass spinner bait with the giant willow leaf on the back. Used it a lot, but like all things I forgot about and seem to use chatterbaits more.
Hello Matt. I have been making this modification to my spinner baits for several years and the results have always been excellent when fishing Large Mouths in Southern Brazil.
Thank you Matt.... for spilling the beans. This has been my secret for many years. I saved my willow, Colorado, Indiana and tortoise shell blades from damaged, rusted and older lures. Barkeepers friend, Brasso and even Turtle wax used to clean and shine them the best. I think it was Hildebrandt that came out with a spinner bait with a sleeve on the blade arm to change the blade size, I was mad then too. Great video anyways!!
I love using the big blade as a single blade. I drop a touch of slack during the retrieve and it creates a flutter just like when you bump into something. A very good trigger. Flutters way better with a single blade.
aaaah quit giving away all my secrets been using big bladed spinnerbaits for summer and fall fishing for several years now. Thanks for sharing . keep the tips coming love the vids. congrats on your win.
Tip for dull/tarnished spinner bait blades and spoons. Mr. Clean magic eraser. No polish or polishing needed. Just wipe them off with the eraser and they’ll shine like new.
Hi Matt: Try a big tortoise shell blade on the back or an Olympic blade as they are sometimes called. I used to use these when I started building spin baits for my company back in the early '90s used to crush big large mouth I could float it over thick vegetation and drop it down pockets. Can't run a too fast but we're awesome.
I had an old Blue Fox spinnerbait. It was huge and heavy. I only threw it on rainy days when I was a kid. I only caught a dozen or so fish on it, but they were all over 5 pounds. I had a few over 8. In Northeast Pennsylvania, that is a really big largemouth. Early 90's
@@MattStefanFishing I know it sounds remedial, but that's how I learned to fish a 1/2oz spinner bait. It had a 7 or 8 willow leaf blade. I still throw big blades, especially at night. Big, thumping Colorado blades . Brown and orange or black and red skirts. Hammered copper blades. We win a lot of night tournaments on big blade
Matt, Thanks for the video. The details on how to physically perform blade changes are open to discussion, too. Some fishermen change out their barrel swivel and replace it with one fitted with a snap clip. They then use the snap clip to interchange blades. Others make an “R” bend at the end of the wire arm over which they slide a solid or coiled-wire sleeve to lock their swivel/blade in place. I see in your thumbnail picture for this video that you have chosen yet another method by employing what I would call a “Beetle Spin” wire loop. It’s noted that you have done the bend and bend angles in a manner and direction that would gather as few weeds as possible on the spinner arm. Can you speak briefly on your preference here and why you have chosen this, or is this a built-in feature of a specific commercial spinnerbait?
I do a lot of spinnerbait blade tinkering with blades from Cabelas and Jann's Netcraft. Do you have any opinions on three-blade or four-blade spinnerbaits??? I have added a third blade to several spinnerbaits but I have not yet decided whether this increases strikes. Do you ever employ extra blades on your spinnerbait arm???
Matt, I have been adjusting blade sizes on my spinnerbaits as well, but earlier in the summer I was dropping blade sizes to increase retrieve speed. I guess I had things backwards.
Yet another excellent educational video by Matt. Thank you ! Appreciate you. On super windy white cap days I've changed to larger blades on my spinners and noticed also a better bite.
This just in: Matt Stefan, pro angler is quitting bass fishing. Recently seen wearing a musky t-shirt and promoting larger lures. I've seen the trend to larger lures over the past several years in musky fishing as well. Small lures can still work in the spring but I've seen some eye-popping fish caught on full size lures early too. Once into that late spring/early summer peak, I rarely fish anything small or even medium.
Matt, I fish from shore and fish very shallow cover. Accordingly, I have a bunch of 1/4 oz. and 3/8 oz. spinnerbaits. What size blade would you use as a "big" willowleaf on 3/8 oz. spinnerbaits? This may not work on 1/4. oz. spinnerbaits.
One, or more, of the old TV pro's from back in the 80's let this gem out. Had to be either Houston, Parker, Martin, or Dance? Seems crazy when you see it but remember they're not 4 inches long. How many squeakers have you caught on a 7 in worm? You may have to jump up in weight if you experience the lure running off kilter. My favorite bait is the one the fish want.
I have been using the do it wacky hooks for dropshoting after watching your video. I have a way of using them texas rigged.after Snelling the hook on I add a owner screwlock. (I use a size 2 with the small size screwlock)works great with the bps 3in stiko
My observation is that when you switch out to larger blades is that it will typically work better on a slightly heavier spinnerbait than you would normally use for the given depth you are fishing as the bigger blades will usually add more lift to the bait .
You nailed this one , I agree completely and I use a clip on wire short arm clip on to a 1/4 oz ball head and I put a soft swimbait on it like a 3.3 to a 3.5 keitech fat Albert or a pot belly style like a shad profile in the same size a smaller size works great here , but a bigger willow blade u have to tune it a lil so the blade does not get caught in the hook while fishing it though
Flats Class RUclips just put out another video of catching redfish in the marshes of Louisiana on plastic toads, and the same captain uses spinnerbaits there in brackish water for bass and redfish and speckled trout together. Might be interesting to you. My Hover Rigs and Tush hooks should be here this week and I can't wait to tell you how they do in the saltwater. They should be awesome.
Fishing clear water small blades generally have done better, but this trick has shined after a front pushes through, big difference in bites and quality of fish caught.
Years ago lure manufacturers made spinnerbaits with a large willow leaf or Colorado blade in sizes 6 or 7. I’ve found a manufacturer who makes a good spinnerbait with a large Colorado blade but only dark colors for night fishing. I have larger blades that I swap out occasionally but admit I don’t change them often enough. The only double willow baits now that I find are 1oz or heavier ledge buster spinnerbaits which are too heavy for fishing around most of the cover I fish.
Terminator Pro Series Spinnerbaits are like that. On Friday, I lost a pig of a bass that was more or less than 10 pounds on one. Almost landed it, but I rushed it, had my drag on too high, and didn't re-tie after landing a three pound smallmouth about an hour before. I was using 30lb. Suffix braid and tied a double pitzen knot. i'm not sure if anyone else would have re-tied, either. It was a good hookset, but the line broke right at the bank, in 5 inches of water, after a full bodied head shake, and giving me some hard runs that peeled maybe about 20 feet of line off my Tranx 151. I thought the drag was perfectly set because so much line was being pulled from the 13lb maximum drag. So I didn't back off the drag, like I usually try to do when fighting a good fish. I even jumped in to try to grab it, but it had backed up to about 8-9 inches of water and slipped through my hands and legs with my 1/2oz. Terminator Pro Series Spinnerbait still firmly in it's upper lip, I tried to grab it's head but couldn't manage it before it slipped away. I should have grabbed for the Spinnerbait instead, perhaps? It still hurts 2 days later. The lake is one of a few in Southern Californian that have Northern Strain Largemouth. I don't know what the state or lake records are for Northern Strains, but I wouldn't doubt it was close.
Quick question - does this increase strikes on the rear blade instead of the lower/skirted hook? Thanks for the tip! Have to try this, spinnerbait fishing is my favorite.
I am somewhat of " The Man" when it come to Spinner baits & Buzz baits in N.C. ! I absolutely Love a Willow leaf in The Bronze color most times ,,, Chrome works good in high sunny conditions ! But always white and chartuese in daylight and Black and chrome at night ! My Biggest , most aggressive always seem to be 3 or 4 inches of water ! Saying that ,,, I Make Long cast to Lay downs tree's and try to get that bait to hit right at the shore line ! As soon as it touches the water with a Splash I've got it moving and working ! As slow as possible , deep enough that I can barely see it ! It run's small mouth , Large mouth and Muskie crazy , I try to hit every limb , coming out & as soon as reach the end of the tree , I'll dead fall it . for about 2 seconds and slow roll it outta there ! Buzz baits,,, ? if you'll stick the hook in the gasket of your truck mirror, and let that blade spin at 60 mph home ! It wear's those small holes out in the aluminum Blade and "wauller's" it out . when you throw it on the lake , you'll hear Chirping and Whistleing from those holes ! It's a Killer ! It almost songs like whistling for your dog ,,, Chirp chirp chirp chirp , keep it slow enough to barely keep it on top ,,, and Hang on !
I'll give it a go tomorrow- if I have some big blades. I probably do- I buy stuff like that and put it up and forget I have it. I fish bluegill fisheries, so I usually go with a gold blade. But the increased size would probably help as well, bluegills tend to have a larger profile then other baitfish. I usually use the War Eagle, 1/4 oz., Finesse in the Mouse color- it has a weird rear blade that's a cross between an Indianna and a Colorado. I think it works better because it mimics a bluegill better- just a guess. But this may do an even better job of that.
I never tossed a spinnerbait, tried it by riverbank to get some smallmouths maybe, caught a nice pike third toss in. I'll be tossing it again sometime soon lol.
I fish finesse, I do follow this idea bigger blade in the back of my spinnerbaits, so i make my own finesse spinner baits. I use a pony head underspin, add a betttle spin wire, and add a screwin blade to back of 3in stick bait. Looks more like tiny Alabama rig, Its my monster, but it kills and use any size jighead. But bigger blades in summer so far are correct tool.
Yesterday caught over 20 small mouth on a scorcher spinnerbait. Average was 2.5 lbs. Biggest was 5 lbs 3 ozs. Burning it over 18 feet of water. Painted blades. Chartreuse and white
I prefer to have my blades matching in size. If I wanna move more water I add a 3rd blade to the back and the two blades oppose each other and move like a propeller through the water.
There was a period in the 80's when a big bladed spinnerbait was the rage in Arkansas. It was particularly good in deep clear water reservoirs worked deep. It was very effective in 20 to 30 foot depths. Your video reminded me to get them back out. You would think you would lose feel that deep but the hits were savage. Thanks for another great video Matt.
Keep up the good work. Very impressed with the show tempo.
And that was before Braid! On the 1/2oz. Terminator Pro spinnerbaits I've fallen in love with this summer, you really need a med-heavy power with a medium fast -fast action tip.. They drag so much water It feels like your spinnerbait is trying to pull you in, instead of you pulling them out.
Thanks for sharing!
Jimmy Houston talks about this same technique. Thanks for sharing. I have noted it does work.
awesome!
Yes! The old Roland Martin big bass spinnerbait! This has worked on lower Champlain and into South Carolina for me!
awesome!
I’ve always upgraded my Spinnerbaits with size7 and 8 blades on light wire. Been doing this since the 80’s, Roland Martin made me try it. Slayed them spring throughout summer. Even crazier at times I’ll go the opposite and throw 1/8oz and smaller Spinnerbaits 😊
Awesome
Yea I remember Hilderbrandt used to make the Roland Martini big bass spinner bait with the giant willow leaf on the back. Used it a lot, but like all things I forgot about and seem to use chatterbaits more.
Hello Matt. I have been making this modification to my spinner baits for several years and the results have always been excellent when fishing Large Mouths in Southern Brazil.
Great to hear!
Different subject, but I caught my first hover rig bass today. With a Caffeine Shad.
Swimming caffeine shad with the paddletail, or the standard caffeine shad?
@@joebaggs78 it was the regular one with the worm like tail.
Yes!
I've mentioned this before and works for me on the fly. I carry an assortment of sizes, shapes and colors to make what I need on the fly.
Nice!
Great tip, I've been doing this trick for a few years now.
Good stuff!
Thank you Matt.... for spilling the beans. This has been my secret for many years. I saved my willow, Colorado, Indiana and tortoise shell blades from damaged, rusted and older lures. Barkeepers friend, Brasso and even Turtle wax used to clean and shine them the best. I think it was Hildebrandt that came out with a spinner bait with a sleeve on the blade arm to change the blade size, I was mad then too. Great video anyways!!
Good stuff!
Lol! 👍
I love using the big blade as a single blade. I drop a touch of slack during the retrieve and it creates a flutter just like when you bump into something. A very good trigger. Flutters way better with a single blade.
Awesome
aaaah quit giving away all my secrets been using big bladed spinnerbaits for summer and fall fishing for several years now. Thanks for sharing . keep the tips coming love the vids. congrats on your win.
Good stuff
Tip for dull/tarnished spinner bait blades and spoons. Mr. Clean magic eraser. No polish or polishing needed. Just wipe them off with the eraser and they’ll shine like new.
Great tip!
Hi Matt: Try a big tortoise shell blade on the back or an Olympic blade as they are sometimes called. I used to use these when I started building spin baits for my company back in the early '90s used to crush big large mouth I could float it over thick vegetation and drop it down pockets. Can't run a too fast but we're awesome.
ill give it a try
I had an old Blue Fox spinnerbait. It was huge and heavy. I only threw it on rainy days when I was a kid. I only caught a dozen or so fish on it, but they were all over 5 pounds. I had a few over 8. In Northeast Pennsylvania, that is a really big largemouth. Early 90's
thanks for sharing!
@@MattStefanFishing I know it sounds remedial, but that's how I learned to fish a 1/2oz spinner bait. It had a 7 or 8 willow leaf blade. I still throw big blades, especially at night. Big, thumping Colorado blades . Brown and orange or black and red skirts. Hammered copper blades. We win a lot of night tournaments on big blade
Matt, Thanks for the video. The details on how to physically perform blade changes are open to discussion, too. Some fishermen change out their barrel swivel and replace it with one fitted with a snap clip. They then use the snap clip to interchange blades. Others make an “R” bend at the end of the wire arm over which they slide a solid or coiled-wire sleeve to lock their swivel/blade in place. I see in your thumbnail picture for this video that you have chosen yet another method by employing what I would call a “Beetle Spin” wire loop. It’s noted that you have done the bend and bend angles in a manner and direction that would gather as few weeds as possible on the spinner arm. Can you speak briefly on your preference here and why you have chosen this, or is this a built-in feature of a specific commercial spinnerbait?
thats a good video topic!
Yes. I'm definitely interested in this topic! Thanks, Matt!@@MattStefanFishing
I do a lot of spinnerbait blade tinkering with blades from Cabelas and Jann's Netcraft. Do you have any opinions on three-blade or four-blade spinnerbaits??? I have added a third blade to several spinnerbaits but I have not yet decided whether this increases strikes. Do you ever employ extra blades on your spinnerbait arm???
i think additional blades help but are illegal in my tournaments so i dont use them much
Have been using them for years at Kentucky lake I use a 7 or 8 white blade works for me best’s
Thanks!
Matt, I have been adjusting blade sizes on my spinnerbaits as well, but earlier in the summer I was dropping blade sizes to increase retrieve speed. I guess I had things backwards.
if you want to burn and keep down you need to decrease blades or increase weight
Yet another excellent educational video by Matt. Thank you ! Appreciate you. On super windy white cap days I've changed to larger blades on my spinners and noticed also a better bite.
Fantastic!
This just in: Matt Stefan, pro angler is quitting bass fishing. Recently seen wearing a musky t-shirt and promoting larger lures.
I've seen the trend to larger lures over the past several years in musky fishing as well. Small lures can still work in the spring but I've seen some eye-popping fish caught on full size lures early too. Once into that late spring/early summer peak, I rarely fish anything small or even medium.
haha
Matt I've been doing this for quit awhile. I know it works great. Thanks for sharing 🎣 👍
You bet
A great tip that I forgot about, thanks for the reminder...and it does work .
You bet!
Matt, I fish from shore and fish very shallow cover. Accordingly, I have a bunch of 1/4 oz. and 3/8 oz. spinnerbaits. What size blade would you use as a "big" willowleaf on 3/8 oz. spinnerbaits? This may not work on 1/4. oz. spinnerbaits.
6,7 8
One, or more, of the old TV pro's from back in the 80's let this gem out. Had to be either Houston, Parker, Martin, or Dance? Seems crazy when you see it but remember they're not 4 inches long. How many squeakers have you caught on a 7 in worm? You may have to jump up in weight if you experience the lure running off kilter. My favorite bait is the one the fish want.
Thanks!
I have been using the do it wacky hooks for dropshoting after watching your video. I have a way of using them texas rigged.after Snelling the hook on I add a owner screwlock. (I use a size 2 with the small size screwlock)works great with the bps 3in stiko
Good stuff
That's a good tip. Il have to try it
Thanks!
My observation is that when you switch out to larger blades is that it will typically work better on a slightly heavier spinnerbait than you would normally use for the given depth you are fishing as the bigger blades will usually add more lift to the bait .
You are correct
I've been using those big willow blades for years. They're very productive but they call up a lot of pike lol.
Yep
Good video Matt, that for the new tip
Happy to help
I wonder if just going from a 3/8 spinnerbait to a 1 or 1 1/2 with bigger blades already on it would produce the same results???
interesting
You nailed this one , I agree completely and I use a clip on wire short arm clip on to a 1/4 oz ball head and I put a soft swimbait on it like a 3.3 to a 3.5 keitech fat Albert or a pot belly style like a shad profile in the same size a smaller size works great here , but a bigger willow blade u have to tune it a lil so the blade does not get caught in the hook while fishing it though
Awesome!
Flats Class RUclips just put out another video of catching redfish in the marshes of Louisiana on plastic toads, and the same captain uses spinnerbaits there in brackish water for bass and redfish and speckled trout together. Might be interesting to you.
My Hover Rigs and Tush hooks should be here this week and I can't wait to tell you how they do in the saltwater. They should be awesome.
Very cool!
🍺Nicely presented video well done.🤠
Thank you! Cheers!
Fishing clear water small blades generally have done better, but this trick has shined after a front pushes through, big difference in bites and quality of fish caught.
Thanks for the info
Years ago lure manufacturers made spinnerbaits with a large willow leaf or Colorado blade in sizes 6 or 7. I’ve found a manufacturer who makes a good spinnerbait with a large Colorado blade but only dark colors for night fishing. I have larger blades that I swap out occasionally but admit I don’t change them often enough. The only double willow baits now that I find are 1oz or heavier ledge buster spinnerbaits which are too heavy for fishing around most of the cover I fish.
Thanks for the info!
What weight spinnerbait are you doing this with? The one in the video looked to be a 3/4 or 1 oz
ill do it with all spinnerbaits, but generally when you go big blade a 3/4 oz is my preferred
Works great!
Good to hear!
@@MattStefanFishing awesome on summertime small mouth¡ Up north works great
Thanks Matt
You bet!
I tried this and done well during blue gill bream spawn
Thanks!
Terminator Pro Series Spinnerbaits are like that. On Friday, I lost a pig of a bass that was more or less than 10 pounds on one. Almost landed it, but I rushed it, had my drag on too high, and didn't re-tie after landing a three pound smallmouth about an hour before. I was using 30lb. Suffix braid and tied a double pitzen knot. i'm not sure if anyone else would have re-tied, either. It was a good hookset, but the line broke right at the bank, in 5 inches of water, after a full bodied head shake, and giving me some hard runs that peeled maybe about 20 feet of line off my Tranx 151. I thought the drag was perfectly set because so much line was being pulled from the 13lb maximum drag. So I didn't back off the drag, like I usually try to do when fighting a good fish. I even jumped in to try to grab it, but it had backed up to about 8-9 inches of water and slipped through my hands and legs with my 1/2oz. Terminator Pro Series Spinnerbait still firmly in it's upper lip, I tried to grab it's head but couldn't manage it before it slipped away. I should have grabbed for the Spinnerbait instead, perhaps? It still hurts 2 days later. The lake is one of a few in Southern Californian that have Northern Strain Largemouth. I don't know what the state or lake records are for Northern Strains, but I wouldn't doubt it was close.
Thanks for sharing
Quick question - does this increase strikes on the rear blade instead of the lower/skirted hook? Thanks for the tip! Have to try this, spinnerbait fishing is my favorite.
I haven’t had that issue
I will try it for sure spinner baits have caught me bass year and a lot of big small mouth .
Have fun
Great tip, does it matter what color?👍🎣
Depends on the conditions
I am somewhat of " The Man" when it come to Spinner baits & Buzz baits in N.C. ! I absolutely Love a Willow leaf in The Bronze color most times ,,, Chrome works good in high sunny conditions ! But always white and chartuese in daylight and Black and chrome at night ! My Biggest , most aggressive always seem to be 3 or 4 inches of water ! Saying that ,,, I Make Long cast to Lay downs tree's and try to get that bait to hit right at the shore line ! As soon as it touches the water with a Splash I've got it moving and working ! As slow as possible , deep enough that I can barely see it ! It run's small mouth , Large mouth and Muskie crazy , I try to hit every limb , coming out & as soon as reach the end of the tree , I'll dead fall it . for about 2 seconds and slow roll it outta there ! Buzz baits,,, ? if you'll stick the hook in the gasket of your truck mirror, and let that blade spin at 60 mph home ! It wear's those small holes out in the aluminum Blade and "wauller's" it out . when you throw it on the lake , you'll hear Chirping and Whistleing from those holes ! It's a Killer ! It almost songs like whistling for your dog ,,, Chirp chirp chirp chirp , keep it slow enough to barely keep it on top ,,, and Hang on !
Thabks
What wieght spinnerbait do you prefer for this technique? Thanks.
Depends on the conditio a
I'll give it a go tomorrow- if I have some big blades. I probably do- I buy stuff like that and put it up and forget I have it. I fish bluegill fisheries, so I usually go with a gold blade. But the increased size would probably help as well, bluegills tend to have a larger profile then other baitfish. I usually use the War Eagle, 1/4 oz., Finesse in the Mouse color- it has a weird rear blade that's a cross between an Indianna and a Colorado. I think it works better because it mimics a bluegill better- just a guess. But this may do an even better job of that.
Give it a try
Roland Martin pushed the Big Bass Spinnerbait probably over 30 years ago. #7 blade as I remember
Thanks!
Yes I have works well 👍👍👍👍👍
Great!
I never tossed a spinnerbait, tried it by riverbank to get some smallmouths maybe, caught a nice pike third toss in. I'll be tossing it again sometime soon lol.
Good luck!
I always keep the big blade close and ready to tie on, 365 days a year. N Ark/ S Mo
Sounds good
Does this apply to willow leaf blades only???
No but I’ve had better results with willow
I fish finesse, I do follow this idea bigger blade in the back of my spinnerbaits, so i make my own finesse spinner baits. I use a pony head underspin, add a betttle spin wire, and add a screwin blade to back of 3in stick bait. Looks more like tiny Alabama rig, Its my monster, but it kills and use any size jighead. But bigger blades in summer so far are correct tool.
Thanks for sharing
Preserve a good defense to size braids that you use or do spinner braids
Thanks for watching
Do you go up on the size of the jig on the spinnerbait also?
Yea you'll wanna go heavier, as the big blades generate a lot of lift
Don't the heavier spinner bait have bigger blades already on them ?thus defeating his theory of adding the larger blade! just curious?@@S2pidMedia
Depends on situation but generally yes
Spinner bait are getting one of my favourites technics , i will try it !
Ps : Is it just me but pikes really like spinner bait ?
They do
I've just used bigger spinner Baits
doesn't that larger blade on the end screw up the balance of the spinner bait itself
No
#1 I love your info and videos brother
Thanks!
MATT AMERICA LOVES YOU
Thanks!
Yesterday caught over 20 small mouth on a scorcher spinnerbait. Average was 2.5 lbs. Biggest was 5 lbs 3 ozs. Burning it over 18 feet of water. Painted blades. Chartreuse and white
Smallies love that presentation
I would like to try that for smallies. What weight did you use? And does color matter?
@@roderunnr450 I used a strike king 1/2 ounce scorcher white and chartreuse bladse
I prefer to have my blades matching in size. If I wanna move more water I add a 3rd blade to the back and the two blades oppose each other and move like a propeller through the water.
Thanks for sharing
Still throw the ledge busters! 1oz and up single willow.
I love Ledgebuster!
Sensei clunn told us this many moons ago .
very good
😀😀😀
Thanks!
Looks like Gambler has copied the Core Tackle hoover rig ruclips.net/video/8UKZFr5ObVc/видео.html. I guess they have figured out how good it works.
yep they knocked it off
You keep costing me money Matt! My wife is pissed... oh wait, I'm not married. Never mind :))
Haha