Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Strange but true

I was up north (200 miles away), fishing and got a 28" walleye on the same day as Dwight caught his walleye from his pond. I was casting a black 3/8 oz short arm spinner bait with a gold blade for LMB and NP at the weedline in about 10ft of very clear water under bluebird skies. Released to make babies. It must have been our day, on the same day. Picture:

I have a dumb question. I was googling pictures of the short arm vs long arm and the various color black skirts or black jigs etc. I noticed that some spinnerbaits have a ring where you tie on and some have only a crook in the wire.

Do you use a swivel or clip to hook on to the spinnerbait and if so, what keeps it from sliding out of that crook in the wire?

I've tried to hook on to those spinnerbaits with the bend in the wire and I can't get it to stay put. That forces me to tie directly to the bend in the wire to my line but I don't feel confident that it is going to stay put there when I tie a clinch know against it.

Great story! is it true that the black colors are better in very clear water? I thought the rule was bright colors in clear water and muddy colors in muddy water?

I am not a fan of the twisted eye spinner bait since the line can easily cross up behind the twist. I only use larger ones with the twisted eye when trolling for NP, and then I use a steel leader with a snap to go through the eye. Even an "R" bend spinner bait can get a twist around the knot and make the spinner bait tip to one side. I use a improved clinch knot tied directly, so I can look and see the line is not wrapped.

On color, the old rule is white in clear water. I think fisherman confidence, location, and presentation are far more important than color.

Thanks for the reply. So the R bend is different than the ones that have a closed ring? You like the R bend best? It seems the R bend is the one where the clips or swivels will constantly slip out of place and slip down one arm. I wonder why they make so many spinner baits with that R bend?

I see the picture now which is a stellar fish and looks like weather was stellar too.

Tie your fishing line in the center of the bend with a good knot, and you won't have that problem. As far as I know, most everyone ties a spinner bait on this way.