Although he spends most of his energy fishing heavy jigs and Texas rigs, Pineville Bassmaster pro Chad Wiley knows reaching for a ¾-ounce spinnerbait at the right time and place also can pay big dividends.
“I primarily throw heavy spinnerbaits at Toledo Bend when bass are in the grass,” Wiley said. “I can get down there and stay just on top of the grass rather than bogging down in it all the time with a lipless crankbait.”
Wiley likes to use willowleaf blades to help keep his bait down, since big Colorado blades give baits too much lift.
“Now, if I’m fishing a bad, windy day, I’ll sometimes put a Colorado blade on a heavy spinnerbait,” Wiley said. “Only this time I turn to the heavy spinnerbait just so I can get my cast in.
“A heavy spinnerbait throws better in the wind, and that big Colorado will still keep it up where I need it to be.”