⚙️ Spinner & metal

Spinnerbait

The go-to pike weapon. One or two flashing blades + a silicone skirt. A Quebec staple.

Depth
0–5 m
Water
Stained to moderately clear
Retrieve
Slow to fast (depending on technique)
Size
3/8 to 1/2 oz (standard)
Level
Intermediate

The #1 lure for pike

The spinnerbait combines vibration (blades), flash (metal) and silhouette (skirt). It's the must-have for pike and bass fishing in weeds and stained water.

Anatomy

  • Lead head (1/4 to 3/4 oz) with a fixed hook
  • V-shaped wire
  • 1 or 2 blades: Willow leaf (fast, deep) or Colorado (slow, vibration-heavy)
  • Silicone skirt: the "target" the fish strikes

How to fish it

  • Slow-rolling: slow retrieve, blade just barely turning. Deep, near bottom. Walleye and bass.
  • Burning: fast surface retrieve. Pike on the chase.
  • Bumping: let it hit stumps and weeds to trigger strikes.

Weed-resistant

That's its strength: the V-wire deflects weeds before they hit the hook. You can cast into spots inaccessible to crankbaits.

Techniques

Slow-rollingBurningYo-yoBumping cover

Best seasons

SpringSummerFall

Popular colors

White + chartreuseBlack + bluePerch

Strengths

WeedlessVery vibratory — great in stained waterMulti-depthKiller in fall

Limitations

Less stealthy than soft plasticsWeak in ultra-clear calm water