98 Mississippi Sportsman^ | April 2015
field notes
A
spinnerbait is one of the most-effective lures
when it comes to catching bass, but clearly not
all spinnerbaits are created equal.
The number of color combinations, skirt styles
and differences in sizes and shapes of blades
is enough to turn a fisherman’s brain into soup
when he tries to narrow down his options.
This is where bass pro and guide Andy Montgomery steps in.
Montgomery, who hails from Blacksburg, S.C. and fished in
the 2015 Bassmaster Classic earlier this year, said he can nar-
row things down greatly for fishermen.
Most spring situations, he said, can be covered by one of three
combinations.
“I guess the No. 1 situation in spring is when we have off-color
or dirty water, and for that I will use a white/chartreuse bait
with a combination of Indiana and Colorado blades,” he said.
“This is the ‘thumper’ bait. You want to fish it when you need
bass to feel the vibration of that Colorado blade.
“No. 2 is for when the water is just a little stained; that would
be a double willow-leaf combination with No. 3 and No. 4
blades in silver and gold. It doesn’t matter which one is which
— I like to fish plain nickel blades, but that doesn’t matter.
“When the water is slightly stained, they don’t need to find the
bait by vibration. You want them to see the visible flash of the
blades, and willow-leaf blades are perfect for that.”
If the water’s clear, the only time you really use a spinnerbait
in the spring is when the wind ripples the water and visibility
might not be perfect for bass.
“When the water’s clear and it’s windy, I like a three-bladed
spinnerbait with three little willow-leaf blades,” Montgomery
said. “The color doesn’t matter as much, but I’ll use a combina-
tion of silver and gold blades.” ■Picking the right
spinnerbait
By Dan KiblerIt all depends on water clarity
Determining which spinnerbait
is best in the spring is all about
the clarity of the water.Celebrate your sporting heritage — classically
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