WHICH HOLE TO USE ON THE TOP OF THE BLADE BAIT: I meant to mention this in the video, but because the body of the bait is made of metal, I use a #2 Duo Lock snap to the bait. I only use the middle hole. This allows the bait to fall slightly nose down. The Front Hole will keep the bait more horizontal which is good when vertically jigging the bait below the boat or in ice fishing. The back hole, conversely, will put the bait very steeply nose down. This is also good for vertical jigging or when you need the bait to fall straight down very quickly.
I thought it was just me! You are absolutely correct about the line fouling the bait. By far, the most in-depth tutorial I have watched. Blade baits catch quality fish, a bigger bass is more likely to feed verse smaller fish so that to maintain size. Again, wonderful insight, thank you.
I'm just starting to fish and got 2 1/4 oz blades since what's around me isn't too deep and is weedy so I got these for when I'm in a little deeper water with no weeds. Tight lines from Minnesota.
The last missing piece of my late fall smallmouth fishing arsenal. I am going to pick up a few of these lures to try early spring fishing when the water temps are sub 50 degrees. Thanks again for the good, relevant, content. Much appreciated.
Really nice vid, bro. I typically "pop" the lure to get it fluttering and then drop and let sit. I like the way you continuously pump the bait. I SUB'd.
Hey - The best white one I've found is a buckeye lures blade bait. There are a ton of variations though. Most companies that sell blade baits should have some variation of white
Very cool Cousin Nowak :) I started fishing Silver Buddies about 15 years ago for yellow perch during their spawning run. Had no clue they were good for bass up until a few years ago. Spotted bass deep at our hot water discharge are all over them when vertically jigged.
That's so cool. Mikey was catching them similarly down in AL when they were suspended up. I bet that bite would be so much fun. Match the blade size to the baitfish and go to work!
@@brnowak_fishing Yeah, we have a coal plant that dumps 70 degree water in the dead of winter....so the surrounding water is 40 degrees and you have this 100 yard wide creek dumping out 70 degree water with a really strong current. Current plus warm water = dinner time for winter fish. I looked on tacklewarehouse and they have a dang 2oz , 5'5" silver buddy!
egomaniac247 I wonder how that giant buddy would work. I wonder if because of the size it really wouldn’t fall super fast. Or maybe it’s designed to fish on ledges like those Magnum Spoons
Sorry - I meant to touch on this in the video. Because the body of the bait is made of metal, I use a #2 Duo Lock snap to the bait. I only use the middle hole. This allows the bait to fall slightly nose down. The Front Hole will keep the bait more horizontal which is good when vertically jigging the bait below the boat or in ice fishing. The back hole, conversely, will put the bait very steeply nose down. This is also good for vertical jigging or when you need the bait to fall straight down very quickly
Love the Blade! I have caught TONS of white bass on Pickwick with them. Still trying to find the wintering smallmouth holes, but being a river/not a lake, it's a challenge.
Great video as usual. I drove through Midland the other day , I thought it was slang for middle Michigan not realizing it's actually a town . I also stopped by Frank's on the way to my grandfathers got 6 inches of snow up here franks had all the ice fishing gear out. it cold
I haven’t - I’ve finally found a system with the #3 rings where the bait doesn’t foul too much, I can change out the hooks easily when they get dull, and the fish seem to lose some leverage on the blade when they try to throw it. Is there a secret using oval rings?
@@brnowak_fishing I haven't tried them but thought it might prevent the hooks from fouling in the line... might be worth looking into but it might make it worse? You seem to have it figured out...lol... the understatement of 2019
Russ B haha oh, I thought you had a sneaky trick or something lol. I might give it a shot though! Thanks for the idea. When it comes to blades, if I could figure out how to make even 10% more casts not foul up, I’d be happy lol
@@brnowak_fishing Its been a longtime since I had enough time on the water to come up with tricks...however, you and some of the others on TH-cam have started to rekindle the fire I used to have.... whether this broken down body can handle it is another question...lol... I know for a fact that I could never step foot onto a bass boat on the Great Lakes unless it was slick day... Although if I ever had the chance to get put on the water with the giants you've caught in the past month or so I'm sure I would have to think long and hard before passing that kind of epic fishing!(neck injuries put a damper on rough bass boat runs)..
I see that some Smallmouth fishermen put all caught fish in the livewell for a few minutes while they fish that location looking for other fish in the same spot. I had heard that these guys feel the caught fish let off a pheromone that spooks other fish close by. What do you think about this strategy?
I 100% abide by that theory. I think just like scared animals in nature, Bass will warm their buddies that there’s something out of the ordinary and can shut down a school. I think this is more true with school fish than anything, but yes, I think it matters
Looks like Im going to cabelas tomorrow to grab some blade baits! Never fished them before and cant wait to see what they produce! Quick question, is there a specific temperature range you feel that a blade bait wouldnt work, or is this a bait that could be used in the summer time as well?
Blades definitely have a strong drawing power, especially in cold water. I haven't really fished them during the summer months, but I'd have to imagine that it'd be a great bait for those deep fish as well - it's just something I don't really throw because I'm caught up throwing baits like a dropshot or tube
hi im no probug im sure urs a fall , winter lure used when fish are inactive but.i did here Ike sau its a lure for sll seasons. i mean crankbaits are all seasons so i guess this ca n be too
TheKodiakWay honestly, not a clue. I bought them 5 years ago, but they’re amazing. I wear them starting late October through early season with just a pair of sweatpants and don’t get cold. I started looking at striker jackets - the guardian gear looks really nice
@@brnowak_fishing 5 years is great quality. Striker suggested guardians for me as I can always remove the liner and change layers to match temperatures. I'm not ice fishing, only fish from the boat, but winter water is no joke!
The 3 holes on the top of bait is this where you tie your line, does it matter which hole? Do you use a snap or split ring or tie direct? Never used before but would like to give it a try.
Sorry - I meant to touch on this in the video. Because the body of the bait is made of metal, I use a #2 Duo Lock snap to the bait. I only use the middle hole. This allows the bait to fall slightly nose down. The Front Hole will keep the bait more horizontal which is good when vertically jigging the bait below the boat or in ice fishing. The back hole, conversely, will put the bait very steeply nose down. This is also good for vertical jigging or when you need the bait to fall straight down very quickly
Oh my word! Love to watch those fish catches. Thanks for the in-depth tutorial. You seem to be a natural teacher and great communicator. Got to get me some blade baits.
Hey man, would you fish this? Maybe pick one up and review it....I can't decide if it's gimmicky or if it looks amazing. It's by the same company that let out the Whopper Plopper and that's been a pretty big success. River2Sea Larry Dahlberg Clackin' Crayfish 130
I’m not sure. It looks decent, but I’ve not been one to follow the “super realistic” baits. It looks similar to the Livetarget Craw they came out with last year - it intrigues me, but would say it’s not different enough to get that many more bites than a standard jig in my opinion
@@brnowak_fishing EXACTLY, it kinda looks too real but those "real" baits also seem really "stiff" to me....like their whole attraction to a fish is just the appearance, not the action. I definitely got that feeling with the LiveTarget crawfish.
It definitely can. In my opinion, clear water is relative to the lake you’re fishing. If parts of the lake are 1 ft and you’re in the part with 3 ft visibility, you’re in “clear” water. I recommend throwing a gold or painted blade
Do you ever swap out those trebles for some single hooks? I think people only do that so the blade bait doesn’t get stuck in everything in and around the boat.
I actually don't - I know Paul Mueller does that a bit, but I don't have too many issues hooking and landing fish. A lot of people complain about landing percentage, but I have no real issues with fish coming off. I think the spinning rod also helps quite a bit with that
Wow! Awesome video, Mr. Nowak! This video really helps as my last #MonsterBass box had a blade bait in it, and I wasn’t really sure how or when to use it. I think I need to add some blade baits to the arsenal. I know you are fishing them primarily in cold water conditions, but I’d be curious how they’d do as a “finesse” type presentation at other times due to their silence. In any case, I’m going to grab some more
So I'm confused where do you like to fish them? What's your set up? What colors and sizes do you throw? Why did you not mention any of this in your video? Is there links for this stuff? Is it dead?
Been missing the videos Ben, hope all is well. I’m sure your getting as excited for open water fishing as I am! Hopefully we will be hitting the bay up within a few months!
WHICH HOLE TO USE ON THE TOP OF THE BLADE BAIT:
I meant to mention this in the video, but because the body of the bait is made of metal, I use a #2 Duo Lock snap to the bait.
I only use the middle hole. This allows the bait to fall slightly nose down.
The Front Hole will keep the bait more horizontal which is good when vertically jigging the bait below the boat or in ice fishing. The back hole, conversely, will put the bait very steeply nose down. This is also good for vertical jigging or when you need the bait to fall straight down very quickly.
Thanks for addressing this! I was gonna ask this very question...
white and gold 100% all I need. Also change out my split rings for braid loops.
Great info on the lighter line and colors of the baits.
Thanks man!
@@brnowak_fishing Thank you man.
I thought it was just me! You are absolutely correct about the line fouling the bait. By far, the most in-depth tutorial I have watched. Blade baits catch quality fish, a bigger bass is more likely to feed verse smaller fish so that to maintain size. Again, wonderful insight, thank you.
Thank you so much. I’m glad you enjoyed it and I really appreciate you watching!
I'm just starting to fish and got 2 1/4 oz blades since what's around me isn't too deep and is weedy so I got these for when I'm in a little deeper water with no weeds. Tight lines from Minnesota.
MN Nice that’s sweet! Those should be perfect!
Great video....better hat!
Thanks Joe! The Wings are struggle busing, but gotta represent :-)
Nice
Thanks Ben for the tips
No problem! Thanks for watching!!!
Just order some of your blade bait cant wait to get it
Thank you! I will get them to you ASAP!!!
Never in my life have I thought about putting a toboggan overtop of a hat. I like it!
Looks cold out there, nice video!
+Anna Goes Outside thank you Anna!
Great explanation Benjamin!
Thank you so much!
The last missing piece of my late fall smallmouth fishing arsenal. I am going to pick up a few of these lures to try early spring fishing when the water temps are sub 50 degrees. Thanks again for the good, relevant, content. Much appreciated.
Heck yes man! Always! I’m glad you enjoyed the video
Learned a few things today Ben thanks for the tips.
Andrew Franko no problem man! Glad I could help out with a few things!
LOVE. the cap man! go red wings!
Heck yeah! Go wings
Great video. Awesome instruction.
Thanks Ernest!
Great job Ben!
Really nice vid, bro. I typically "pop" the lure to get it fluttering and then drop and let sit. I like the way you continuously pump the bait. I SUB'd.
That’s the way I plan on using it.
Another great video !! Got a box full of blades and the itch to go real bad!
Thanks Doug! Yeah, a blade bite is so much fun - I equate it to summertime jig fishing for largemouth!
They definitely work. I found your videos last year and picked up some blades and put a bunch of big smallmouth in the boat.
Doug Shaffer that’s so awesome man! I’m glad to hear that
I have even caught smallies while dealing the blade back in. Cold water killa
Team Jesus Outdoors right?! Blades catch smallies everywhere
Nice video Ben!
Thanks Connor!
Great video Ben...lots of good info!!!
Thanks Victor!
Good stuff Ben
Thank you Rich!
What the best brand blade baits, I don’t find white one
Hey - The best white one I've found is a buckeye lures blade bait. There are a ton of variations though. Most companies that sell blade baits should have some variation of white
Very cool Cousin Nowak :) I started fishing Silver Buddies about 15 years ago for yellow perch during their spawning run. Had no clue they were good for bass up until a few years ago. Spotted bass deep at our hot water discharge are all over them when vertically jigged.
That's so cool. Mikey was catching them similarly down in AL when they were suspended up. I bet that bite would be so much fun. Match the blade size to the baitfish and go to work!
@@brnowak_fishing Yeah, we have a coal plant that dumps 70 degree water in the dead of winter....so the surrounding water is 40 degrees and you have this 100 yard wide creek dumping out 70 degree water with a really strong current. Current plus warm water = dinner time for winter fish.
I looked on tacklewarehouse and they have a dang 2oz , 5'5" silver buddy!
egomaniac247 I wonder how that giant buddy would work. I wonder if because of the size it really wouldn’t fall super fast. Or maybe it’s designed to fish on ledges like those Magnum Spoons
Awesome vid! These baits don’t get enough attention
Right!? These are amazing cold water baits
What is the strategy for using the different attachment holes in the top of the bait? Good information in this vid.
Sorry - I meant to touch on this in the video. Because the body of the bait is made of metal, I use a #2 Duo Lock snap to the bait.
I only use the middle hole. This allows the bait to fall slightly nose down.
The Front Hole will keep the bait more horizontal which is good when vertically jigging the bait below the boat or in ice fishing. The back hole, conversely, will put the bait very steeply nose down. This is also good for vertical jigging or when you need the bait to fall straight down very quickly
Love the Blade! I have caught TONS of white bass on Pickwick with them. Still trying to find the wintering smallmouth holes, but being a river/not a lake, it's a challenge.
I can bet! It’d be interesting to try and find smallies down there. Totally different than what I do up here
Great video as usual. I drove through Midland the other day , I thought it was slang for middle Michigan not realizing it's actually a town . I also stopped by Frank's on the way to my grandfathers got 6 inches of snow up here franks had all the ice fishing gear out. it cold
Haha that’s great! Franks is an awesome store. I’m getting excited for ice season, we just need this crazy weather to go away
I'm having a problem with the front hook fouling on my silver buddy during retrieve. Any idea what is causing this problem. Thanks so much.
Good stuff! 👍🏻
Thank you!
YEAP I JUST LEARNED ME SOMETHING!!!👌🤙😁
Hahah well, I'm glad!
Catching this right before I go into work for the night. Glad you did this more in depth video on the blade bait
Thanks Zach! Yeah, I feel like there's a bit of decent info that will hopefully help people become more confident fishing a blade!
Great stuff Ben! Ever tried the oval split rings for attaching the hooks?
I haven’t - I’ve finally found a system with the #3 rings where the bait doesn’t foul too much, I can change out the hooks easily when they get dull, and the fish seem to lose some leverage on the blade when they try to throw it.
Is there a secret using oval rings?
@@brnowak_fishing I haven't tried them but thought it might prevent the hooks from fouling in the line... might be worth looking into but it might make it worse? You seem to have it figured out...lol... the understatement of 2019
Russ B haha oh, I thought you had a sneaky trick or something lol. I might give it a shot though! Thanks for the idea. When it comes to blades, if I could figure out how to make even 10% more casts not foul up, I’d be happy lol
@@brnowak_fishing Its been a longtime since I had enough time on the water to come up with tricks...however, you and some of the others on TH-cam have started to rekindle the fire I used to have.... whether this broken down body can handle it is another question...lol... I know for a fact that I could never step foot onto a bass boat on the Great Lakes unless it was slick day...
Although if I ever had the chance to get put on the water with the giants you've caught in the past month or so I'm sure I would have to think long and hard before passing that kind of epic fishing!(neck injuries put a damper on rough bass boat runs)..
I see that some Smallmouth fishermen put all caught fish in the livewell for a few minutes while they fish that location looking for other fish in the same spot. I had heard that these guys feel the caught fish let off a pheromone that spooks other fish close by.
What do you think about this strategy?
I 100% abide by that theory. I think just like scared animals in nature, Bass will warm their buddies that there’s something out of the ordinary and can shut down a school. I think this is more true with school fish than anything, but yes, I think it matters
Looks like Im going to cabelas tomorrow to grab some blade baits! Never fished them before and cant wait to see what they produce! Quick question, is there a specific temperature range you feel that a blade bait wouldnt work, or is this a bait that could be used in the summer time as well?
Blades definitely have a strong drawing power, especially in cold water. I haven't really fished them during the summer months, but I'd have to imagine that it'd be a great bait for those deep fish as well - it's just something I don't really throw because I'm caught up throwing baits like a dropshot or tube
hi im no probug im sure urs a fall , winter lure used when fish are inactive but.i did here Ike sau its a lure for sll seasons. i mean crankbaits are all seasons so i guess this ca n be too
What model striker bibs are those? And how do you like them? I'm thinking of picking up a set of guardians.
TheKodiakWay honestly, not a clue. I bought them 5 years ago, but they’re amazing. I wear them starting late October through early season with just a pair of sweatpants and don’t get cold. I started looking at striker jackets - the guardian gear looks really nice
@@brnowak_fishing 5 years is great quality. Striker suggested guardians for me as I can always remove the liner and change layers to match temperatures. I'm not ice fishing, only fish from the boat, but winter water is no joke!
The 3 holes on the top of bait is this where you tie your line, does it matter which hole? Do you use a snap or split ring or tie direct? Never used before but would like to give it a try.
Sorry - I meant to touch on this in the video. Because the body of the bait is made of metal, I use a #2 Duo Lock snap to the bait.
I only use the middle hole. This allows the bait to fall slightly nose down.
The Front Hole will keep the bait more horizontal which is good when vertically jigging the bait below the boat or in ice fishing. The back hole, conversely, will put the bait very steeply nose down. This is also good for vertical jigging or when you need the bait to fall straight down very quickly
Oh my word! Love to watch those fish catches. Thanks for the in-depth tutorial. You seem to be a natural teacher and great communicator. Got to get me some blade baits.
Jim Warden thank you Jim! I appreciate the kind words - I definitely try to communicate my scrambled thoughts as clearly as possible :-)
Hey man, would you fish this? Maybe pick one up and review it....I can't decide if it's gimmicky or if it looks amazing. It's by the same company that let out the Whopper Plopper and that's been a pretty big success.
River2Sea Larry Dahlberg Clackin' Crayfish 130
I’m not sure. It looks decent, but I’ve not been one to follow the “super realistic” baits. It looks similar to the Livetarget Craw they came out with last year - it intrigues me, but would say it’s not different enough to get that many more bites than a standard jig in my opinion
@@brnowak_fishing EXACTLY, it kinda looks too real but those "real" baits also seem really "stiff" to me....like their whole attraction to a fish is just the appearance, not the action. I definitely got that feeling with the LiveTarget crawfish.
Yes, exactly
Can blade baits still be effective in 1-3 foot water clarity? Never heard of people throwing them much around me
It definitely can. In my opinion, clear water is relative to the lake you’re fishing. If parts of the lake are 1 ft and you’re in the part with 3 ft visibility, you’re in “clear” water.
I recommend throwing a gold or painted blade
7lb fluoro? What you fishing for panfish???
Do you ever swap out those trebles for some single hooks? I think people only do that so the blade bait doesn’t get stuck in everything in and around the boat.
I actually don't - I know Paul Mueller does that a bit, but I don't have too many issues hooking and landing fish. A lot of people complain about landing percentage, but I have no real issues with fish coming off. I think the spinning rod also helps quite a bit with that
GLAD TO SEE A VIDEO - BEEN A WHILE - MISSED YOU - PS I DIDN'T GET A NOTIFICATION !!!
Thank you Roy!
Great video Ben! If you get hung up a lot, do you ever cut off the lower hook on the trebles? I heard this helps, just wondering your thoughts
Wow! Awesome video, Mr. Nowak! This video really helps as my last #MonsterBass box had a blade bait in it, and I wasn’t really sure how or when to use it. I think I need to add some blade baits to the arsenal. I know you are fishing them primarily in cold water conditions, but I’d be curious how they’d do as a “finesse” type presentation at other times due to their silence. In any case, I’m going to grab some more
Great video. I’ll be supporting. Dropped that like too.
So I'm confused where do you like to fish them? What's your set up? What colors and sizes do you throw? Why did you not mention any of this in your video? Is there links for this stuff? Is it dead?
Hahahhaha...I wish I would have covered all this info - it certainly would have made the video a whole heck of a lot more useful lol
Nice to have friends like Alex!
didnt he cover set up, colors and size.
Lol... Pretty salty? Let me guess.... You have a video and you covered literally everything and think you're better? Worry about yourself.
Been missing the videos Ben, hope all is well. I’m sure your getting as excited for open water fishing as I am! Hopefully we will be hitting the bay up within a few months!
Thanks man! Things are good - life has just been crazy busy. I hope things are going well for you too! I can’t wait for open water
The only time I ever use a blade bait is when I yo-yo for wipers. I’ll have to remember it’s good for something else!
Heck yeah! When it’s cold, pick one up and it’ll catch em!!!
Exact line are you using for your braid and leader? What length leader?
I use Power Pro Vermillion Red braid 15# main line and Sunline Sniper FC 8# leader. I run a 30ft top shot leader
Good tips..blade baits rock!
Too Fat To Hunt Outdoors right! They catch so many fish!!!