The spring is a great time to throw both a bladed jig and a spinnerbait. Both of these lures work well from shallow water out to about 7 or 8 feet. They work in open water and around cover. They work in clear water as well as muddy. And they both draw strikes from monster bass.
But, these two baits are not always interchangeable. There are certain times when a spinnerbait is better suited for the job. Likewise, there are situations in which a vibrating jig will work better. So, how do you know when to use which one? We’re here to help with that.
Shallower -
Though spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs (or bladed jigs) both work well shallow, a vibrating jig like a ChatterBait works better ultra shallow. A 1/4-ounce ChatterBait Mini Max can be fished shallower, slower than even a 1/4-ounce spinnerbait can. And the former will definitely give off more vibration than the latter.
So, if you’re fishing in a situation where there are only a few inches between the surface of the water and the bottom of the fishery, a ChatterBait is likely the better selection. Once you get into water that’s more than a foot or two deep, the advantage of the lift that a ChatterBait has dissipates, and you’re back to a depth range where both spinnerbaits and bladed jigs work really well.
Deeper -
In water that’s deeper than 7 or 8 feet, a spinnerbait is typically the better selection. Though 1/2-ounce bladed jigs are effective at this depth range and shallower, it’s hard to keep a bait this size down in the water column. Wheres it’s easier to slow roll a 1/2-ounce spinnerbait in deeper water, thanks to its vertical arm orientation.
Once you transition to water that’s nearing 10 feet, you’ll want to move to a heavier 3/4- or even 1-ounce bait to get your lure down deep and keep it there—whether fishing a spinnerbait or a bladed jig. Though you can certainly catch fish on these bigger bladed jigs, spinnerbaits still win out more times than not when fishing in deeper water.
Cover type -
The type of cover you’re fishing around is one extremely important determining factor when deciding whether to throw a spinnerbait or a bladed jig. The blades of a spinnerbait help the hook point stay upright while the blade arm actually acts almost like a big weedguard for the hook. This combination allows a spinnerbait to come through brush and laydowns really well.
Bladed jigs however have a tendency to hang in wood, since their exposed hook points roll to the left and right as the bait rocks back and forth. On the flip side however, it’s much easier to rip a bladed jig out of submerged vegetation, like hydrilla, milfoil and coontail. So a bladed jig is a better selection when targeting bass around vegetation like this.
Skipping, extreme cold and night fishing -
If you’re wanting to skip a shad-imitating bait under docks, bushes and pontoon boats, a bladed jig is a great choice. These baits skip better than most others, and certainly far better than spinnerbaits. Thus look to a bladed jig as the best option of these two when wanting to skip a bait.
In extremely cold water, down in the 40s, spinnerbaits usually work better than bladed jigs. Since bass are coldblooded, they become lethargic and slow to react in super cold water. It’s hard to fish a bladed jig as slow as you can fish, say, a double Colorado blade spinnerbait. Using a spinnerbait to fish ultra-slow usually draws more strikes in cold water.
If you’re interested in fishing at night, both spinnerbaits and bladed jigs offer a good bit of vibration to help bass locate the baits. You can use the same criteria we’ve already laid out when selecting between the two. If you’re fishing super shallow, try a vibrating jig at night. If you’re targeting wood, go with a spinnerbait.
It’s important that you know the subtle differences between these two bait types, to help you choose the best bait for each set of circumstances. Here are some great baits to tryout if you’re interested in dialing in your bladed jig and spinnerbait skills.
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