Making Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits

Ronald A. Howard Jr. and

Objectives

Youth Development Objectives

Roles for Teen and Junior Leaders

Potential Parental Involvement

Evaluation Suggestions

Best Time

: any time of year

Best Location

: well lighted, work bench area

Time Required

: 60 to 90 minutes

Equipment and Materials

References

Lesson Outline

Presentation

I. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaitsA. Spinnerbaits1. “Clothespin” luresa) Resembled snap clothespin spring b) Jig on lower armc) Spinner on upper armd) Line attached to central loop2. Combination of jig and spinner a. Usually components offset b. Jig dressed with one or more items1) Skirt (silicone or rubber usually)2) Hair, feathers, marabou3) Soft plastic lure4) Pork trailer 5) Combinations of the aboveB. Buzzbaits1. Specialized for surface/near-surfacefishing2. In-line and offset designs

Application

USE

an illustration or large example of a spinnerbait and a springfrom a clothespin to show the reason for early lures being knownas “clothespin” lures.

POINT OUT

the major parts of a simple spinnerbait and

DISCUSS

the function of those parts.

SHOW

examples of how spinnerbaits might be rigged for somelocal fishing conditions and species.

3. Large, light blades for surface work 4. Many body, dressing typesa. Silicone or rubber skirt b. Hair, feathers or marabouc. Soft plastic lured. Pork trailer e. Combinations of the aboveC. Fishing principles1. Flash, splash and vibration2. Fishing in and around cover 3. Depth and retrieve rate control4. Sized to species and conditionsII. Making a basic spinner baitA. Casting the body1. Componentsa. Jig head1) Size and shape for conditions2) Size and shape for species b. Wire connector 1) Pre-shaped or bent to shape2) Wire diameter and stiffness3) Angle to jig - hook setting gap4) Type of eyea) closed eye b) long loop eyec) open R-bendB. Painting the jig head1. Vinyl or epoxy paints2. Powder paintC. Hanging the spinner or spinners1. Blade selectiona. Style, size and color b. Single or multiple blades2. Placing accessory blades on spinner arma. Clevis b. Bearing beadc. Spacer if needed3. Attaching swivel to spinner arma. Bending a loop b. Closing loop with swivel in placec. Inward bend reduces weed problem4. Attaching main blade with split ringD. Adding hook dressingE. Gap between blade and hook

important1. Permits good hook set2. Prevents fishless and weedless hooksIII. Making a basic buzz baitA. In-line buzzbait1. Componentsa. Broad, light head b. Weed guardc. Light delta blade in frontd. Hook dressing as above2. Head cast and painted on wire or hook

3. Wire weed guards permit fishing incover 4. Bearing bead in front of weed guard5. Delta blade (plastic or metal)6. Skirt and other hook dressingB. Offset buzzbait1. Offset, parallel wirea. Long arm for jig body b. Short arm for delta bladec. Gap necessary for hook setting2. Cast jig heada. Weight influences1) Sink rate/retrieve rate2) Balance3) StabilitySputtering bait

Summary Activity

Lesson NarrativeKnown early in their development as “clothespin lures,” because they roughly resembled the spring from aclothespin, spinnerbaits are an offset type of spinner. The line is attached to a central loop or ring of relatively stiff wire. The lure body with its dressed hook designed to ride upward is attached to the lower arm of the wire form, andthe spinner(s) is (are) attached to the upper arm or arms. Many have a single upper arm, but some models are builtwith tandem upper arms for greater flash, sound and vibration. Each of the spinner arms may have one or morespinners and other dressings on them. The lures range from tiny models in the 1/16 to 1/8 ounce range to large onesweighing one or more ounces. The spinner blades match the mass of the lures in sizes. They are available in a widearray of styles, finishes and sizes. These lures are relatively snag free, essentially a jig with a spinner acting as anattractant and weed guard.Buzzbaits are specialized spinners or spinnerbaits designed to run high in the water - on or near the surface andcreating a surface commotion. One of the first such lures was an in-line model with a flat jig head, rubber skirt, twinweed guards and a light, broad and sharply angled aluminum blade. Retrieved through the water, it would burbleand sputter on the surface. It could be crawled over lily pads and similar cover while inviting strikes from bass, pike, pickerel or similar ambush predators lurking in that heavy cover. Current models may use a similar design or amodified spinnerbait form, featuring two parallel arms - one holding the spinner(s) and the other, longer one holdingthe head and dressed hook.

Making a Spinnerbait

Balance is a vital feature in these lures. The blade size and shape determine the amount of flash, vibration and dragthrough the water. The mass of the head and the type and amount of dressing applied impact those factors as well.The shape and length of the arms and the angle at which they intersect is important in the fishing characteristics of the lure as well. The gap between the blade and the hook is important in hook setting ability. The balance amongthe blade, the mass of the head and the amount and type of dressing strongly influence the way the lure “fishes.”Large, broad blades tend to produce a slower vibration, but a more powerful one than do faster turning blades. For example, a willow leaf blade and a Colorado blade of similar sizes will have very different characteristics. Thewillow leaf blade will turn faster and stay closer to the axis of the blade as it rotates. This produces a twinkling flashthat may appear minnow-like as it turns. It will run deeper if all other things are equal. The Colorado blade willturn more perpendicularly to the shaft. At the same retrieve rate it will rotate more slowly, plane upward more in thewater, fall more slowly and produce more vibration and less flash (viewed from the side). The heavier vibration ismore easily sensed by the angler through the rod and line, making it easier to detect strikes. Indiana, Idaho, French,and similar blades will fall between these two types. Heavily dressed lures will have more water resistance, tendingto make them fall slower and plane more on the retrieve than will sparsely dressed lures.