Blade baits are among the best lures for cold water bassin. These are fairly simple baits, comprised of a thin piece of metal, a chunk of lead and a couple treble hooks. The materials and components used are similar to those of a spoon. But the profile is more like a small lipless crankbait. All that being said, a blade bait is really its own thing and not fished all that much like either of these other lures. 

We checked in with blade-bait enthusiast Ben Nowak to get his take on this tried-and-true lure. Here’s what he said sets it apart from a lipless.

“It’s not like a lipless crankbait, in the sense that it has rattles and is kind of intrusive and obnoxious. Basically all of the action, all of the sound of the lure is imparted through the vibration of the blade.”

This tight vibration and minimal sound signature make the blade bait the perfect lure for triggering strikes from lethargic fish along the bottom. And while you can certainly jig a blade bait like a spoon or slow roll it like a lipless, the best way to fish it according to Nowak is a little unique— especially as compared to other treble-hooked baits.

“I like to soak a blade bait. What that means is let a blade bait sit on the bottom for a long time. Bass are observant creatures. Sometimes it takes a little bit of sitting the bait there to get them to come over and eat it.”

Nowak suggests letting the bait fall all the way to the bottom when fishing in cold water, then gently pop the bait up off the bottom just enough to feel it start to vibrate. Let the bait fall back to the bottom and let it lay there for a few seconds, then pull it up off the bottom again and repeat the cycle. 

The ‘when’ as it pertains to fishing a blade bait is anytime the water temps are below 50 degrees, according to Nowak. He also suggests fishing it around, “clean bottom areas with limited muck or grass,” stating this technique works best around sand, mud and rock.

“Pay attention to when you get your bite and how you were working the bait. Also pay attention to the attitude of the fish.” 

Deducing the cadence needed to trigger a reaction from lethargic bass is the key to unlocking the blade-bait bite. Some days, slow rolling it along the bottom like a lipless may do the trick. Other days, you may need to fish the bait vertically like a spoon. But on most days, it’ll come down to determining the length of time to let the bait lay on the bottom and the intensity of the pull of the bait off the bottom to see what gets the most bass to bite. 

Nowak’s top colors:

Silver - in sunny conditions and/or clean water

Gold - fishing around perch or gobies

White or painted - in overcast conditions and/or dirty water

Nowak’s Gear:

- 7’3 M TFO Option Bass Spinning rod

- 6 speed spinning reel 3000 size

• 10lb Braid to 8lb fluoro

**MONSTERBASS recently released our own blade bait, the Vibemaster. It weighs 1/2 ounce, comes in 8 colors and will prove itself to be a great fish catching addition to your winter tackle box, if you’ll give it the opportunity. 

More on the Vibemaster: 

The MONSTERBASS Vibemaster Blade Bait is a highly realistic baitfish imitator that uses top quality components so anglers can catch more fish in a wide range of conditions. At its core, the Vibemaster was designed around layered sheet metal bonding process which gives it greater vibration, better response, and a distinct high pitch sound.

The Vibemaster features three rigging slots, which allows anglers to change the amount of vibration from a tight vibration to a wide wobble with the included snap without ever having to re-tie. Armed with two Mustad double hooks for increased hook up ratio short striking fish, the Vibemaster is perfect for vertical jigging deep structure, burning across flats, and catching schooling fish that are feeding on small baitfish.

Want to catch bigger bass?  Then take you fishing skills to the next level and get the best baits for the places you fish, delivered to your door? Hook yourself up a subscription to MONSTERBASS.  We'll give you everything you need to catch your new PB the next time you hit the water.  join now

Need it in a hurry? Check out our Amazon Store and take advantage of Amazon Prime shipping!  shop now  

Did you know? Tackle Direct carries the full line of MONSTERBASS products. learn more