Something I’ve noticed about spinnerbaits

Last few years it seems like all makers of spinnerbaits seem to be slimming down what’s on the shelves as far as selections.
Can hardly find anything besides a double willow leaf or a Colorado/willow combo.. why is that?

Used to be you could find any variety and blade combo there was. Hardly find a big thumper blade or just a decent Colorado blade anymore. Still miss my old copper blades as well. No Indiana blades either

Is it that people just prefer the double willow? Or is the art of spinnerbait fishing dying off with chatterbaits and swim jigs?

Find what you want here.
https://bumperstumper.com/

Click on a spinnerbait and you'll see the pptions.

Oh I’ve looked at their stuff and website But doesn’t give you options to change sizes on blades

I think the art of throwing a blade has taken a backseat to a chatterbait. And I don't understand it. They are two TOTALLY different baits. No where near the same to me. I've gotten to where all I throw are the Booyah Coverts and man it's hard to find the variations I throw. We don't have much for tackle stores down here minus Academy and they don't hardly carry anything anymore.

Call them, they will build what you want

^ correct

Doesn't list Indiana or turtleback blades.

It's hard for tackle stores to carry every possible combination of spinnerbaits so I think most, to save shelf space stick to the generic combinations that are proven.

Hop on http://www.santonelures.com/index.cfm lots of options when it comes to blades, skirts, etc. Also, something I take advantage of, is when checking out if you want to tweak something there wasn't an option for you can leave a comment and they will do their best to get what you asked for.

YeahBabee will make whatever you want. Him and his wife are locals.

I've got a little over 25 and some homemade, I keep enough parts onboard my rig to build anything I want. Barlow Tackle and Brannon's Bass Shop can keep you stocked up in what you need. Branon's is also a big Santone dealer as well.

Oh I buy parts ans tweak them as needed but Was commenting on just what’s out there on the sales floor. All the same long arm double willow blades

Santon is a great company. But I think I’ve flung more blades off with their spinnerbaits than anyone else

It's really hard when the places you go to purchase fishing lures, is more interested in selling tennis shoes and spandex leggings.

Hildebrant makes any blade you want in all sizes. there are plenty of skirt companies if you don’t like what you see, change out the components.

I have not bought a full spinnerbait in 20 years, I order them bare just the wire frame, white or black heads and the hook, I put on the blade combo and skirt.

Lurenet look at the covert line

What ever happend to titanium wire spinnerbaits? I remember when the original Terminators hit the market just about every maker came out with their own titanium model as well. Now I am not even sure if Terminator still makes a titanium model.

The titanium wire has memory and to defeat the memory and make the R-bend for the line tie, it is heated which makes it brittle.

I have sent back several to be replaced that broke at the R-bend on the blade side where the 90 degree bend is. I got fed up will having to do that and quit purchasing that wire type.
It was a good idea until it wasn't.
Here are some that I did not bother to return:

Interesting. Knew there had to be a good reason for it.

I always used the Manns Ti-Classic and BPS had a titanium version I liked as well. I never had issues with them but I did see one break in the same spot as yours but it wasnt my bait.

They will customize for you. Just reach out to them.

I send all my old spinnerbaits to Don Harper for complete rebuilds, better then new

I wish they would replace all the spinnerbaits in tackle stores with more designer baits. Spinnerbaits stopped working years ago.

I guess that means my Snagless Sally's are really useless.

Seriously;
Any good bass angler knows you often have to do your own modifications to get that "perfect" bait.
Change out hooks, replace split rings, better skirts, better swivels, change out blades, add lead tape, etc.
I have boxes of spinnerbait frames of all styles and weights. Goes with my boxes of blades.

Buy a lure with as many good features and components as you can find. Then make it perfect.
Only children expect instant perfection.

I disagree. Sometimes a spinner bait is the only thing I have success with. Other times it's a shallow diver. Next time it might be a smaller lure. You just never know.

Trust me, my comment was made in jest. I have one tied one year round. When that perfect spinner bait condition arises I get it out and throw it.

This is what I enjoy doing most of all with your spinnerbaits. The only bait I threw for 20 years was a spinnerbait; so I definately know the combinations that catch fish. I have never taken a bait out of the package without modifications to the bait before fishing it. I truly believe that switching to Living Rubber skirting material on any bait that uses a skirt is one of the big keys to catching more fish. Rubber holds Scent and continues to move for a longer period of time when at rest. Throwing blades is a lost art. It takes years of success to make the correct modifications. I do have two spinnerbaits that I call my Tournament Blades for all round conditions; but most are configured from the list below.

There are many presentation with a spinnerbait that calls for these modifications and each one is slightly different.
- Baits for stained water
- Baits for clear water
- Baits for sunny days
- Baits for cloudy days
- Baits for inclement weather conditions
- Baits for shallow water
- Baits for deep water
- Baits for ledges
- Baits for muddy water
- Baits that run the surface
- Baits that bump the brush
- Baits that drop-in beside cover

same here on flinging blades on santon. still love their jigs, though! Andi at Talon can make pretty much any combination and size spinnerbait you want that will last forever! wire tied skirts, and blades never fall off.

I didn't know that Booyah joined together with Hildebrand. I was at Academy looking at the Booyah spinner baits and some of the packages also had the Hildebrand logo on them. Naturally they were a few dollars more than the standard Booyahs.

I throw a ton of spinnerbaits , I have the same problem with standard wire baits , after you catch 15-20 bass on one , and each time to readjust the shape of them I eventually hook another bass the wire breaks and I come back with only the blade section .

Check out Nichols Lures....the only Spinnerbait I buy. Shattered Glass!! Love the Chartreuse and White (cloudy) or Blue Shad (sunny)....getting pretty close to the best spinnerbait time of the year.

Stan sloan's Zorro baits makes some nice spinnerbaits. You select options on website that you want

Donald Harper puts alot of work into his custom lures as well and can make to you specs as well. New and rebuilt with your old frames.

Good! No offense intended. I throw a spinner bait a lot more than a chatter bait but I am gaining more confidence in them.

Ditto on flinging Santone Spinnerbait blades off. Between that and the wire coming loose in the head, you can expect their spinnerbaits to be toast after a couple of fish catches.

I’ve had good luck with the coverts.

I have bought 95% Oldham Spinnerbaits for many years. I also keep a wide selection of blades of all types(copper,brass, nickel), smooth or hammered & several skirt sizes. I mix & match as warranted by time of year, water color,depth, etc. Haven't purchased a spinnerbait off the shelf in many years.

Thanks.

When My did that I thought I had just worn them out catching fish or lilly pad stems. Yea, I had many a Terminator do that to me, but they sure catch the bass

Ive been throwing their Get Five for years and never had one single issue with a wire, blade, or anything. Actually won quite a bit of money on them back in the day. Ive been throwing more of Santones swimjigs over the past few years. I just feel I get way more bites on them compared to spinnerbaits or chatterbaits. Ive never had a quality issue with any of Santones products.

I've got a gallon ziplock bag full of broken Santone baits sitting on my workbench in my shop. Also have a boxfull of blades,beads and clevis' frond them.
They've made me money and cost me money but they do catch fish.