Spinners and stickballs

[Don]

Back, way back, when I knew everything, fishing was awesome. In the meantime I forgot everything and on top of that they re-wrote the book it seems. I sure would like to know more about stickbaits (defined as Rapala and other long thin hurtful items). When PA was doing his darnedest to help me hook up with a striper I met a guy on shore with two keeper stripers. When asked what he was using he said number 3 or 5 Rapala and he barely move it if he moves it at all. This conversation was a 3:30 am after fishing all night. It would seem to me that this way of moving a Rapala would be pretty enticing to Bass as well. Then there are the ugly lures referred to as stickbaits that look like #2 pencils with hooks. There are plastics that resemble......Plastics. Some folks it seems call certain plastic worms soft stick baits.
Lastly there are spinners and also stick baits with spinners, and also plastics with spinners. I want to know everything: size , colors, patterns, hook size, weight, I'm not asking much, am I?
I flyfished for two years and it was fun. Now I'm trying to get back to basics for the remainder of this year. It has been a blast. You guys have inspired me and have been patient. I was finally at a spot where I was able to act on good advice. Its been enjoyable. Thanks

 

[Melvinp]

Those funny little stick baits get a whole lot more movement when attached with a loop knot or rapala knot

 

[truecrimson]

I catch more fish on size 3 to 7 Rapalas in rainbow pattern than any other thing I have ever tried. Rainbows are stocked all over PA as fngerlings as well as adult trout, so every piscivorous fish in PA waters thinks of ther color pattern as food.

You want a reel with a fast retrieve. As TS said before, I can reel slower, but is very hard to crank a lot faster.

You can reel them in fast or slow, you can pause, you can jerk, you can walk the dog (a side to side motion as you retrieve created by jerking on a slack line as opposed to jerking on a tight line which jerks it forward). You can put split shot in front of them to make them run deeper. You can put split shot right on the hooks if you want, to make them run deeper but not nose down.

You can get them in floating, sinking, jointed, rattling and other styles and combinations of styles.

They are incredibly versatile.

 

[A-5]

I only throw the 13 jointed for musky. Hate crank baits and stick baits. Just hate them. Give me a bass jig and a speed craw and life is good

 

[Don]

Those funny little stick baits get a whole lot more movement when attached with a loop knot or rapala knot

I would not have believed this statement until I had read it so many times on Fly forums. it really shines on Clouser or minnow style flys. I'll try it on Stick Baits.

 

[Don]

I only throw the 13 jointed for musky. Hate crank baits and stick baits. Just hate them. Give me a bass jig and a speed craw and life is good

Stop being a hater. Love telling Speed Craw stories. I saw on a Zoom description that their speed craws could be dragged very slowly on the bottom. How does one get them to the bottom? Are they wieghted? How do you keep them weed free? Do you only fish them on the bottom in weed free areas? They look good, I think Solitario uses them as well.

 

[Don]

I catch more fish on size 3 to 7 Rapalas in rainbow pattern than any other thing I have ever tried. Rainbows are stocked all over PA as fngerlings as well as adult trout, so every piscivorous fish in PA waters thinks of ther color pattern as food.

You want a reel with a fast retrieve. As TS said before, I can reel slower, but is very hard to crank a lot faster.

You can reel them in fast or slow, you can pause, you can jerk, you can walk the dog (a side to side motion as you retrieve created by jerking on a slack line as opposed to jerking on a tight line which jerks it forward). You can put split shot in front of them to make them run deeper. You can put split shot right on the hooks if you want, to make them run deeper but not nose down.

You can get them in floating, sinking, jointed, rattling and other styles and combinations of styles.

They are incredibly versatile.

Are you a Dr.? Sounds like allot of surgery. I see no reason for too fast but youre right that you can slow down. I usually get hurried and crank too fast anyway.

 

[Don]

When you folks talk spinners are you referring to in-line spinners or are you also including offset spinners?

 

[troutspinner]

The terms used in different species and saltwater fishing always seem to intersect but then have different meanings. LOL

The term stick bait you are referencing could be called a pencil popper in salt but I think most in Pa call it a jerk bait. In simplest definition, a minnow style bait meant to stay on top of the water. There are jerk baits that also dive like a crank bait and then there are ones that suspend, say 5' below the water line. There are also soft jerk baits like a fluke. Right now through Winter is a great time to use jerk baits or flukes.

There are also the stick baits that you mentioned that are soft plastic, like a Yum Dinger or Senko. I don't know why people call these stick baits, I call then worms.

 

[troutspinner]

When you folks talk spinners are you referring to in-line spinners or are you also including offset spinners?

I think the typical Bass Angler uses offset, any other species would be inline.

 

[troutspinner]

This is how I fish a “speed crawl” although I prefer using a Rage Baits crawl or bug depending on water temps. Craws for higher temps, more action, bugs for lower temps, less action. I fish it on a 3/4 ounce football head jig. Notice the weed guard on it. This particular one uses a metal weed guard but I do prefer brushes. This just happened to be on my rod from my last trip. I may have stopped by Cabelas the other day and restocked.



This is my preferred “daily” bass fishing method unless they can be easily found shallow on wood. The football head jig can be fished deep and at 3/4 ounce it holds the bottom easily. Due to the shape and line attachment position, you can drag or jig it over rocks easily.

What I love about football jig fishing is that it is to an angler what braille is to a blind person. You feel everything you are traveling over, mud, rock, wood, etc. and you get to fish over fish that are not as pressured as bank fish.

 

[A-5]

That’s what I do up there ^. Or you can use a bullet weight pegged with a bobber stop and just rig it weedless

 

[A-5]

 

[Don]

TS, Pencil Popper is the word I was trying to remember. Heddon Zara Spook and similar comes to mind as that is what I used for Blues.
Understand that I'm new to Plastics but not to surface minnows.

A-5 how deep are you fishing as there are no rocks, mud, wood where I fish. Just weeds, weed to weed to weed. The craw above looks reasonable as far a weedless is concerned.

does anyone use an inline harness for rubber worms??

 

[Solitario Lupo]

As for any lure whatever it’s called. Can work great on some days and then may never work again. Some may just never work.

 

[Solitario Lupo]

Stop being a hater. Love telling Speed Craw stories. I saw on a Zoom description that their speed craws could be dragged very slowly on the bottom. How does one get them to the bottom? Are they wieghted? How do you keep them weed free? Do you only fish them on the bottom in weed free areas? They look good, I think Solitario uses them as well.

I’m surprised you didn’t want any. Those craws are deadly for a bunch of species. all in one day and on the same craw I caught a walleye, musky, and smallmouth.

 

[Solitario Lupo]

Just another way to rig it.

 

[truecrimson]

Love those weighted hooks for plastics if you need to get down a bit.

 

[truecrimson]

Are you a Dr.? Sounds like allot of surgery. I see no reason for too fast but youre right that you can slow down. I usually get hurried and crank too fast anyway.

No, I'm not a DR, just a Respiratory Terrorist, um, therapist. And don't try to promote me! I don't need all that responsibility, I have more than I can handle now

It's not rocket surgery, or brain science. You can try a bunch of different presentations with one bait to see what the fish are responding to. Some times they like it fast.

When you folks talk spinners are you referring to in-line spinners or are you also including offset spinners?

I use the term for both. I usually say "spinner" for things like a Panther Martin or the beetle spins, and "spinner bait" for the big helicopter things.

 

[A-5]

Don Rivers. Bottom of dam. You float fish. Then in slower water jig the bobber.