Blade Baits

https://i.imgur.com/ySmlK3M.jpg

Blade baits are essentially a plug without a lip. The Heddon sonar was so successful that it launched a vast number of copies. The good news is that they almost all work. As a tackle junkie I try to keep collection down by just buying a few types. My favorites are the Rapala rippin raps and slab raps.
The Sebile Flatt Shads ( flatt is their spelling) are really my favorite. The 35 mm size is about the most perfect size for crappie.

I really like to use these when small bait stealers are present. While the amount of bites goes down the quality of size shoots up.

Most fishermen overlook these deadly lures. I am 70 years old and for more than 1/2 my life. I never used them. Wished I had not been so hard headed. Because I found out they catch fish. They catch a variety of fish. They are easy to learn if you just learn not to over work them. Plus they work all year. Up here in Ohio it is THE lure for walleye fishing on the ice.

Short rod snaps are a lot more effective than long ones. A foot or less of lift work way better than drastic fast lifts. Long pauses work if given a chance. Most bites will be on the fluttering down fall. As you prepare your next lift that is when you will feel the extra weight.

The pic above shows the arsenal I won't leave the dock without them. I mostly use the smaller ones of each type. Bass and walleye fishermen prefer the larger sizes. Being a dyed in the wool panfisherman I like the smaller ones because of the big yellow perch that like the smaller baits.

Blades are one of the most over looked baits. The 1/4 oz. Silver Buddy should work wonders on crappie.

Thanks for the info. Learned something new.


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Thanks, I just bought my first blade bait yesterday, thinking it might work at night on some dock lights. Good to see this post, it reinforces my thought pattern. We have been successful using a jigging spoon.

Good read...Thanks for sharing the info and pics

As a novice to blade baits, can you explain their uses?

All I use them for now is essentially vertical jigging. I have heard of people casting+retrieving, so a little curious about the best methods to use one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by binfordw

As a novice to blade baits, can you explain their uses?

All I use them for now is essentially vertical jigging. I have heard of people casting+retrieving, so a little curious about the best methods to use one.

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Use them the same as you would a crank bait (plus the vertical jigging you currently use them for), such as for :

casting
Pushing
Pulling
Longline Trolling
Planer Board Trolling


There is a little bit of difference in what is commonly known as a "blade bait" and those known as "lipless crankbaits". I would call those pictured by hays47 by the term "lipless crankbaits". To me, a "blade bait" is something more like a Silver Buddy, Reef Runner Cicada, Heddon Sonar, or Cotton Cordell Gay Blade .... basically a flat piece of shaped metal with a lead head/belly. They're also not to be confused with "tail spinners" (like a Little George) or "jigging spoons" (like a Hopkins Spoon).

Thanks for the post . :fish