What are your preferences for spinnerbait fishing for bass? No wrong answers.

This technique is one of the oldest yet least specific techniques when it comes to rod choice.

Not every spinnerbait is the same so I always break spinnerbaits down into two groups. Heavy cover and open flats. Heavy cover being thrown against banks, rolling through brush tops, working through grass... The open flats being the slow roll heavy and single blade presentations.

For larger SB's I prefer a baitcast 6'6" MH moderately fast rod with some give in the tip. The shorter rod makes larger baits with higher resistance moving through the water easier to reel back over longer periods. For smaller spinners I prefer a 7' MH also with a moderately fast tip with some give and bend to it since I use only braid I need a little rod tip forgiveness for hooksets and tearing up the fish mouth. (Preferred brand is War Eagle)

I generally do not throw spinners into heavy cover here in central Florida. They get hung up too much so I mainly use them in open water in and around cover, grass, brush, etc.

I do have a weedless spinner that works well in cover which I would use a 7' MH or H rod with a fast tip to it mainly for more control over fish in the cover than for forgiving hooksets.

The Panther Martin- and others like it- is one I can toss into heavy cover- redfish love them too.



I guess I should throw in there that I have used rooster tails since I was a kid. I know alot of adult bass fishermen who stopped using them all together, but I am nearing 60 years old who still uses them and catch a lot of fish on them in fresh and saltwater.

I use the larger ones on the St. Johns River. And when I say larger I mean the biggest Yakima makes- the 216 which is a half ounce, the 217 is 3/4 ounce and the 218 is a full 1 ounce. I have to special order these sizes. These large spinners I can cast a country mile on a baitcast reel up or down river long distances and cover a ton of water with them. For these I use a 7' to a 7'3" H baitcast rod with a somewhat forgiving tip a moderately fast rod.

In the St. Johns river this setup catches bass, sunshine bass, mud fish, and even redfish. And the occasional speck. Even caught a cat or two on these and one time I caught a ten pound carp that hit one. Hook was in the mouth which surprised me. I have had them hit rat'l traps too.

For the smaller rooster tails and other fast moving baits I'll switch over to spinning rod and reel and use a 7'6" medium with fast tip and 10lb or 12lb braid with no leader and tear them up, especially schooling bass. Since I can cast these long distances the fish never even know I am there.

For rod choices, and since I always only use braid and no leaders ever, I try and be somewhat considerate of the soft fish mouths and not wanting to tear them up so I lean towards heavier rods with moderate forgiving tips with a little more bend.

Next I have to consider at my age, 8 foot rods hurt me- literally- my forearm hurt for 3 days last time I used a 7'11" crank launcher rod. So I stopped using rods over 7'6" and that is mainly only for flippin and pitchin with baitcaster, or a medium spinning rod I like to use for long distance casting up and down the river along shoreline or channel. Great for schoolies.

Here is a video I like to share showing a young man who stumbled upon my St. Johns River schooling bass secret near my area. Notice when he drops his fly rod overboard and then reaches in to pick it up. He stands it up on the river bottom and you can see the river depth is around 12 to 18 inches, yet the bass are schooling like crazy in front of him and behind him and he is getting all excited over it as he makes this video. Literally every cast he hooks up.

I use to live in this same area for 10 years and fished this part of the river nearly every day and I was always on the schoolies like this and kept it to myself. But since there is no cover in the river channel when the water level is down below the banks as shown here, the bass are like monkeys in a barrel and will hit on anything that moves out there. And so here I prefer the 7'6" medium spinning rod and reel setup and can wear my arm out on the bass June, July, August and first part of September from about 3pm to just before sundown virtually every day. Just gotta find where the bass schools are at up and down the river, but they seem to prefer certain areas and easy to find daily.

[youtu.be]

Here is a buddy of mine on a cool March morning trying to conceal his "secret" location but for us locals we can use the background to identify this spot to within a 100 feet from the video. Here he lands a 9 pound sunshine bass made in the laboratory by state of Florida biologists just for us bass fishermen. The same techniques used for bass work for these fish too. And these are good eating as far as freshwater fish go. Great on the smoker and grill. And these fight like crazy too. They love small spinners and rat'l traps and other minnow type crank lures.

Tom here is not too far from one of the well known bass schooling spots just north of his location here in Lake Harney.

[youtu.be]



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2021 04:23PM by Kent Griffith.

For the 3/8 and 18122 oz spinnerbaits I use, I really like my old SB812 blank from Loomis. Loads well with them, and has the power to snap the lures through weeds pretty well. If I remember right, it's a little shy of 7 feet and described as Med power, fast action.

I have three rods that I use for spinnerbaits. All are heavy power, and fast actions. One of them is an old 5'6" pistol gripped Shimano Speedmaster. I use it when I am in tight to cover. Either roll casting or pitching.

One of my other spinnerbait rods is also an old Shimano Speed Master rod. It's 6'6" and was actually the very first casting rod I ever owned. I originally got it for fishing the Mann's Rat, but it's a great spinnerbait rod, and is actually the rod I caught the biggest largemouth I have ever weighed, with. I caught it on a spinnerbait. It weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz. I use it for making longer casts over shallow flats, or if I am pitching a spinnerbait to cover in clearer water.. And I still use it for fishing frogs. I mentioned taking big bass honors in a recent tournament I fished, in another thread on this site. I caught that fish using the same rod. It's great for walking a frog as well.

The other rod I use is an older 7' Shimano Crucial casting rod. Heavy power, extra fast action. It's the rod I use if I am slow rolling a spinnerbait, but I use it for long casts over flats and for pitching a spinnerbait around cover. Those three Shimano rods are the only factory rods I have left. And the two Speed Master rods are the first rods I ever worked on, Replacing the guides on both of them. Love those old rods.

Occasionally I'll also throw a spinnerbait on a rod I built on an Immortal IMMC73ML blank. I use it when I am fishing a spinnerbait over rock and gravel flats, for smallmouth bass. Its' named power is medium light, but its' specs and the way it fishes are what I would consider to be medium power.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2021 09:20PM by David Baylor.

For 3/8 to 1/2 spinnerbaits my favorite rod of all time for this purpose is an older G Loomis Spinnerbait Rod model SB812C. For heavier 3/4+oz spinnerbaits, I prefer something with a little heavier action. G Loomis used to offer a SB813C for that reason which I never owned but would have liked to.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2021 09:36PM by Leonard Bourdage.

Check the "Magic Wand" series in RodMake by Rich Forhan - arguably the most influential custom rod builder of all time. Also check the forum archive for posts from Steve Gardner, who is very well versed in task specific rods.

Rich will be providing a seminar on this and other topics at the 2022 ICRBE. Steve will likely be there as well.

............

St. Croix rods, that are labeled for spinnerbaits, are all moderate-fast between 6’6” and 7’0”. I don’t own one of these, but generally find that moderate-fast actions are a sweet spot for spinnerbaits. I usually fish spinnerbaits on my nicest baitcasting rod that is leftover after I best rig for the specific parameters expected for the day. I always tie Decoy brand snaps on at home for baits that work well with snaps, which aren’t spinnerbaits. Unless it’s topwater season, it’s usually my Rainshadow Immortal, 7’0, heavy, MF, popping rod that gets left to tie a spinnerbait on when I get to the lake or river. If it’s topwater season, it’s often a pre-Shimano ownership G. Loomis rod that gets the honor. It is rated as “fast”, but it is really “moderate-fast” by today’s standards. My point is that spinnerbaits can work great for many anglers on multi-technique rods that fall in the mid-spectrum of action, weight, and length. I did a build on a 7’2”, medium-light, moderate action, St. Croix-SCV blank for crankbaits. This rod suffices okay for lighter spinnerbaits, but it is really too soft and light. My fast, heavy to extra-heavy rods are too far in the opposite directions. This makes me believe, by the Goldilocks method, that the medium to heavy, moderate-fast action rods are “just right”. I’m not fishing very much through vegetation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2021 02:05AM by Kendall Cikanek.

Bushido MB68 10/17, it's a bit slower than many mag bass blanks and does very well with spinnerbaits.

Great posts. Thank you guys.

I asked the question because I have seen the spectrum of rod types as wide as what is posted here. Everything from 7'6" flippin sticks to medium or lighter pistol grip rods.

Tom, thank you for the search information. I know have another weeks worth of studying lined up.

I use two different rods typically. A 6'6" MH fast for the bank cover related spinnerbaits and a 7'4" Heavy Fast for deeper stuff. I am using 15-20lb fluorocarbon.

I am just finishing up a NEO cut down to 6'9" to experiment in spinnerbaits with braided line. The tip has enough give that even with braid I feel it will work well for hard hooksets. It also has enough backbone to haul them in as well. We will see.

mine is an ugly stick with the glass tip sanded down to really soften it especially for cold water slow rolling..i like to keep the rod length around five feet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2021 01:29PM by ben belote.

It is my understanding that Gary Loomis sold only the marketing rights to the name G Loomis and not the actual rod blanks. The Loomis rods mentioned above can be found today at Mudhole as they bought the mandrels that were designed by Loomis and now produced by MHX, and the SB812 on their website !!

[www.mudhole.com]

Tom Wewerka Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is my understanding that Gary Loomis sold only
> the marketing rights to the name G Loomis and not
> the actual rod blanks. The Loomis rods mentioned
> above can be found today at Mudhole as they bought
> the mandrels that were designed by Loomis and now
> produced by MHX, and the SB812 on their website !!


And where are these rods actually manufactured? Precise location of manufacture please.

Also, mandrels only give a blank its shape, not its construction "technology."



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2021 01:36PM by Kent Griffith.

Right Mr Wewerka, The Shimano G Loomis rods are only G Loomis by name. I watched a YouTube video some time ago where Mr Loomis was talking about his Edge brand of rods. In the video he mentioned that he hadn't had any involvement with Shimano in 10 years, and the video I was watching was in my estimation, pretty old. When the interviewer asked Gary, why? Gary said, and I can't remember his exact words, but the look on his face and the tone of his voice conveyed to me, that they just kicked him to the curb.

A here's some money for your name, now go away. I don't know if that is in fact true, but that is the feeling I got from that portion of the video.

David Baylor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Right Mr Wewerka, The Shimano G Loomis rods are
> only G Loomis by name. I watched a YouTube video
> some time ago where Mr Loomis was talking about
> his Edge brand of rods. In the video he mentioned
> that he hadn't had any involvement with Shimano in
> 10 years, and the video I was watching was in my
> estimation, pretty old. When the interviewer asked
> Gary, why? Gary said, and I can't remember his
> exact words, but the look on his face and the tone
> of his voice conveyed to me, that they just kicked
> him to the curb.
>

I disagree with this assessment. As far as I am aware Gary sold G.Loomis because he was diagnosed with cancer and given a short time to live. So he sold his company for the money for him and his family while he was still alive.

Gary tried to continue with G.Loomis, but I think had a falling out when Gary got back into the rod business elsewhere and was sued for creating a competing company which violated the terms of his sale agreement.

I think Gary won or it was settled because of the difference of making blanks or finished rods. If finished rods then he might have been in agreement violation. But by making just blanks at the time of the lawsuit they were not in competition with the finished products of G.Loomis and not in violation as I understood it.

I believe after this lawsuit was settled Gary was no longer associated to G.Loomis.

His latest venture is North Fork Composites and they are at the top of my go to list.

I think what you saw on Gary's face was regret in selling his company prematurely because that video was done once he had beaten the cancer and lived past the prognosis timeline and the man was in conflict with a company bearing his name out of his hands and out of his control.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2021 01:57PM by Kent Griffith.

Kent, so you saw the video I was talking about? Cool!!! Do you happen to have a link to it, because I was trying to find it again, and am not having much luck. So what did you think his facial expression and tone of voice meant?

Like I said, to me it seemed like he had been kicked to the curb, but maybe you thought otherwise?

I have not seen the particular video you referenced, but I am just saying I disagree with G.Loomis kicking Gary to the curb. Gary sold his company and lost control of it by his own actions as I see it. He tried to continue working with them, but eventually came to conflict. To me it is just a relationship that soured over power and control and who has it. With Shimano versus Gary Loomis was same as Goliath versus David.

I am finding online where G.Loomis has since sued Gary 3 times. Here are some links for good reading on this subject:

[www.theflyfishingforum.com]

bankrupt.com/misc/North_Fork_80_Sales.pdf

static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/106093/12771918/1308352303487/G.+Loomis+Inc.+v.+Loomis+-+Order+granting+attorney

[www.plainsite.org]

[www.tackletour.net]

[forums.mudhole.coms]

Q: Who's blanks are they "copied from"?

A: Regarding "copy" verses "original" confusion – Mud Hole may have been guilty of this in our effort to explain the MHX line up of blanks to our customers. Mud Hole was G Loomis' largest blank distributor when G Loomis announced they were going to stop selling blanks – we knew a void in the blank market would need to be filled (you see G Loomis had done this before and we lived through that – Mud Hole's been around 35 years, you learn a few things. So right off the bat we took the best-selling models and had them replicated or copied while supervising, modifying and testing the proto types. (the whole "copy" idea in the blank business is a convoluted, long and lengthy conversation with many interesting characters, several law suits, bankruptcies and several shall we say "interesting" business deals– we'll just say this, blanks – meaning the patterns and mandrel tappers, have been copied for a long, long time in the US not just offshore). As any blank manufacturers will tell you, if you just copy a blank you get junk, you have to have a deep understanding of the blank manufacturing process, mandrel tappers, material properties and layups, blank actions and fishing applications to "copy" a blank and have it work as it is intended. There are more poor copies of blanks than good copies – often the original blanks intent is lost.

[www.tackletour.com]

The Sale of G.Loomis to Shimano: During the early 1980s, Gary made blanks for Cabela’s and his own company. But, once word got out about the quality of his blanks, many OEMs across the nation began using his blanks for their products.

“At one time I was making blanks for nearly all the rod companies in the U.S. that were unable to build their own,” he said. “It was a fun business and most of these people are still friends of mine. I would like to become their blank provider again, offering them a domestic product while keeping jobs in the U.S.”

By 1997, Gary had built G.Loomis into one of the most renowned blank and rod manufacturers in the world. Unfortunately, he had been delivered some bad news in 1995 that was about to change his life.

“In ’95 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” he said. “I didn’t believe I had it so I ended up going to the Mayo Clinic so they could prove it to me. They told me I not only had the cancer but it had also leaked out to the surrounding areas - 37 radiation treatments followed.

“After the radiation treatments, they implanted 91 radioactive pellets into my prostate gland and then waited to see what the effects would be. My PSA went down but it didn’t take long for it to come back up. That’s when they told me I had 18 months to live.

“I knew that if I wanted to leave anything for my family, I better sell the business now. That’s what made up my mind to sell the company in 1997. I had a few offers, some for more money than Shimano's offer, but I sold to Shimano because I had been fishing their reels since the 60s, and felt that the best reel company should own the best rod company. They also guaranteed that there would be no changes to the business for five years. G.Loomis had become a family, and I wanted to make sure all of my employees would still have jobs.

“As part of the sale, G.Loomis kept me on as a consultant under a three year contract. They wanted five, but I told them I was unlikely to be around for that long. Turns out, I stayed for over 10 years trying to teach them what G.Loomis was all about.

“At first, G.Loomis kept moving on the path, but over time, Shimano had really changed the company we built. I realized that it was putting a lot of strain on me and the people at work were being pulled in two directions. They had a loyalty to me, but their paychecks were coming from Shimano. When I saw that I was pulling them in a different direction, it was clear to me that it was time to leave.

>
> A: Regarding "copy" verses "original" confusion
> – Mud Hole may have been guilty of this in our
> effort to explain the MHX line up of blanks to our
> customers. Mud Hole was G Loomis' largest blank
> distributor when G Loomis announced they were
> going to stop selling blanks – we knew a void in
> the blank market would need to be filled (you see
> G Loomis had done this before and we lived through
> that – Mud Hole's been around 35 years, you
> learn a few things.

> There
> are more poor copies of blanks than good copies
> – often the original blanks intent is lost.

Gary Loomis said:

> “At one time I was making blanks for nearly all
> the rod companies in the U.S. that were unable to
> build their own,” he said. “It was a fun
> business and most of these people are still
> friends of mine. I would like to become their
> blank provider again, offering them a domestic
> product while keeping jobs in the U.S.”
>

KG opinion:

Gary Loomis rods are only made in USA. There are NO exceptions to this.

A year, or two before MHX blanks came out the rod designer for Lamiglas, Todd Vivian left for Mudhole. Mudhole bought Custom Tackle and Bob McKamey started working for Mudhole, now his son Hunter works there, coincidences?

Spencer Phipps Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A year, or two before MHX blanks came out the rod
> designer for Lamiglas, Todd Vivian left for
> Mudhole. Mudhole bought Custom Tackle and Bob
> McKamey started working for Mudhole, now his son
> Hunter works there, coincidences?


Spencer your are absolutely correct. Todd Vivian is one of the most respected names in the industry of rod blank manufacturing. And I consider Bob McKamey a personal friend and when in Florida I make sure to stop in and say hi. Bob told me that of all the mandrels with one or two exceptions most were dead on, to their ratings. So i keep that in mind when shopping for blanks . And fyi I have built many on their SB812 with no issues and many satisfied customers.

Some basic facts as I know them to be true... and I don't mean for this comment to cause controversy, but basic info all of us may include in our decision making process for what we do. And please keep in mind this is just my opinion and nothing more.

When Gary Loomis makes a rod, it is directly under his nose within his full access and control with his U.S. labor force, and he has full control over the entire process including quality controls from start to finish. As I said above Gary Loomis rods are only made in USA. There are no foreign made Gary Loomis rods. They are wannabe copies if anything. Mandrels only give shape to rod blank materials and nothing else, so this part of it to me is less important than what is shaped on the mandrel.

For Todd Vivian and MudHole, ALL of their rods are made in China half a world away from where they are located. And as far as I know, Todd lives in central Florida as does the people of MudHole while all of their rods are made in China without their direct supervision and overseeing quality controls. Their rod production is pretty much out of their hands on other side of the world using the labor of subjects to the CCP. This can only mean they have to inspect entire shipments one rod at a time for their own secondary quality controls here stateside accepting part of the delivery while carving out those rods that do not pass their inspections here.

Gary Loomis does not make rods like that by telling some Chinese company how to make his rods and then hope for the best and have to inspect entire shipments upon arrival to USA. Quite the difference really.

I won't compromise. I purchase only U.S. made rods. My choice. Todd Vivian may make good Chinese rods, and I own one, but rarely use it, but I don't buy any more. I strictly hunt down only U.S. made rods for all of my needs.

If others are happy and satisfied with their made in China rods then great. I support America first only.

That said, I wish Todd Vivian would or could actually make his own rods on this soil like he did at Lamiglas before going CCP on us so we can all see what he is capable of, but as long as the rods are made in China without his direct oversight, I am afraid I can not make a fair comparison to any rods made by Gary Loomis which I use almost daily.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2021 07:28PM by Kent Griffith.