Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits generate enough flash and vibration to trigger strikes from bass most of the time. However, there are times when adding a trailer will enhance your chances of getting more bites.
Here is our breakdown on when to add a trailer when fishing a spinnerbait or buzzbait.
I rarely add a trailer to a spinnerbait when fishing in clear water because I want the lure to have a smaller profile. I occasionally add a single-or twin-tail plastic grub to the rear of my spinnerbait when I wake the blade bait across the surface in clear water during the fall. The trailers add buoyancy to the spinnerbait making it easier to wake the lure without having to reel at a high speed. I also like to add a plastic trailer to my spinnerbait for slow-rolling the lure at night during the summertime. When pork baits were popular I used an Uncle Josh split-tail eel as my spinnerbait trailer, but I have switched to a plastic split-tail trailer now. I like the split-tail trailer because it adds some bulk to the spinnerbait to make it a larger profile bait for bass to see in the dark. The split-tail trailer also produces less tail action than the single- or twin-tail grubs, which tend to overpower the slow motion I want on my spinnerbait.
The best water conditions for adding spinnerbait trailers are stained to muddy water. I favor using plastic trailers with plenty of tail action, so my choices are usually single- or double-tail plastic grubs or 7-inch ribbon tail plastic worms. Bass might short strike a spinnerbait with a full 7-inch plastic worm attached so I cut the worm in half to create a shorter trailer with a lot of tail action. With that setup I have more bass attacking the blade bait than nipping at the plastic trailer.
I never used trailers on buzz baits until a skirt on one of my buzzers fell apart and I decided to replace the skirt with a solid body plastic toad. The toad’s tail action enhanced my buzz bait and increased my catch that day, so now I frequently replace the skirts of my buzzers with plastic toads. Another good plastic trailer for buzz baits is a solid body swimbait. When attaching a trailer to either a spinnerbait or buzzbait make sure the trailer and lure’s blade match. Using a large trailer with a small bladed bait will cause the lure to roll too much.
Tasty Trailer Options
