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One of the most popular trout fishing lures is the good old Rooster Tail spinner. Most people stick to the classic lures when it comes to bass fishing, but in this post, I’m going to be talking about whether or not Rooster Tails work well at catching bass.
Rooster Tails are one of the more effective lures that should be in your bass fishing tackle box because of its simplicity. The reason Rooster Tails are good for bass fishing is that you can quickly cover a lot of water, the overall technique doesn’t get any easier, and you can catch pretty much every type of fish in the water.
The main thing I like about these lures is that you can have one or two of them in your tackle box and you’ll be able to catch something in pretty much all conditions. That being said, there are certain colors and sizes that seem to work the best when it comes to catching fish. We’ll be talking about all the details below.
Rooster Tail Size For Bass
When it comes to bass fishing, there’s really no specific size that’ll work better 100% of the time. I’ve caught a number of bass on a bunch of different sizes. Anything between 1/4 oz and 1/16 oz has resulted in landing fish in the boat.
That being said, my personal favorite Rooster Tail size for bass would have to be 1/8 oz. It seems to be the perfect balance of numbers and size and should result in a productive day on the water.
Normally, the smaller sizes will catch more fish while the bigger sizes will catch larger fish. It’s not always the case but it is more often than not. A 1/8 oz spinner should get you a good amount of action and some good-sized fish.
If you are tighter on a budget or don’t want to have a bunch of gear sitting around, I’d probably go with a 1/16 oz Rooster Tail. The reason is that you’ll be able to use them to catch bass, trout, crappie, bluegill, and whatever else is in your waters.
Rooster Tail Color For Bass
Just like with the size, I’ve been able to catch bass on a bunch of different colors. I don’t think there’s one specific color that’ll guarantee you catch more fish. Different areas will have different food sources and that’ll affect the bite. For me, certain colors have been a bit more consistent across the board.
To get started I’m going to recommend you get two different Rooster Tails.
The first is going to be chartreuse for dirty water and cloudy days. The reason you’d want a color like this is that chartreuse is bright and will stand out when the visibility isn’t all that great. Bass don’t have the best eyesight and having something that stands out should help you land more fish. I like Copper Glitter Chartreuse (on Amazon).
The second is going to be white for clear water and bright days. The reason you’d want to go with white is that the water is clear and you want to make sure you’re lure is as natural looking as possible. In these conditions, I always like to pick something that looks like what they’re already eating. Are they eating shad, crawfish, or bluegill? Pick something that looks like that if you can. I like Silver Shad (on Amazon).
The reason I recommend you get one chartreuse and one white colored spinner is because you’ll be able to fish in all water conditions. These colors might not perform the best 100% of the time but they should work in most. Sometimes they’ll want bright colors and sometimes they’ll prefer stuff more natural-looking.
The Gear
When it comes to the gear you’ll want to use I’d recommend you use something you’re already comfortable with. It’s really not that important but the main thing you’ll want to make sure is that you can actually cast the Rooster Tail.
Since you’re going to be using a light lure you’ll probably need to use a light spinning rod. You could cast it with a baitcaster but the majority of people will have a hard time getting any distance. That being said, you won’t want to use an ultralight or light powered rod for bass. Either a medium-light or medium powered spinning rod should do the trick.
The reason you wouldn’t want to use a super light rod is that you’ll need some backbone to set the hook. If your rod is too flimsy then you could snap it on the hookset. Medium or medium-light will give you enough casting distance and backbone to set the hook.
When it comes to your fishing line you’ll want to use braid as your main fishing line. It’ll help you get more distance on your casts and it’ll be a lot more sensitive so you’ll be able to feel the bite right away. Braided line is thinner than fluoro and mono and that’ll let you put heavier stuff on without sacrificing distance.
I’ll normally use 10-15 lb braid on my spinning rods and I generally use Sufix 832 braid. There are other solid lines out there but I’ve never had any issues with this line and it’s always performed for me.
I’ll then attach a 10-12 lb fluorocarbon leader directly to the end of my braid (Surgeon’s Knot). Normally I use Seaguar Red Label. I like fluorocarbon because it’s invisible in the water and the abrasion-resistance is better than braid and monofilament. If you don’t know how to spool braid on a spinning reel then here’s a video:
Once everything is set up all you have to do now is attach your Rooster Tail. I like to use the Improved Clinch Knot but whatever you’re most comfortable with. One thing I’ll say is that you should take the twist out of your line every now and then. All you have to do is put your rod tip up in the air, let your Rooster Tail hang above the water, and let it hang there for 5-10 seconds.
The Technique
The good thing about the Rooster Tail is that it’s such a simple lure to fish. Pretty much everyone can catch fish with it but there are a few things you’ll need to figure out before you start casting your line out.
Ponds & lakes. If you’re fishing a lake or pond where there isn’t much current, all you really have to do is cast your lure out and start reeling in. It really is that simple. What you will need to figure out is where you should be casting, how deep the fish are, and how fast you need to reel in.
The first thing you need to figure out is where you should be casting. You’ll probably have the best luck casting near the shore where there are brush piles, rocks, grass, and other places they can hide. This is where they’ll be 90% of the time.
The next thing is how deep the fish are. Are they swimming near the surface or are they sitting on the bottom? They’ll probably be on the bottom when it’s hot out and they’ll be near the surface in the morning and evenings.
The final thing is how fast you should be reeling in. If the bass is near the surface then you’ll want to hold your rod tip up and reel in pretty quickly to keep your spinner near the surface. If they’re near the bottom then you’ll want to hold your rod tip down and reel in slower.
Rivers & streams. The whole process here is pretty similar but there are a few adjustments you want to make. The current will do a lot of the work but you still need to make sure you’re keeping your line tight.
Again, you’ll want to look for where the fish might be. It could be brush piles, rocks, or an eddy. You’ll then want to cast past that point and let your spinner sink down near the bottom. You just have to reel in slow enough to keep tension on your line and the current will bring your spinner past your target point.
One thing I like to do is stop reeling in for a second when the current really takes my spinner. You’ll only be able to feel this when your line is tight, but just stopping for a few seconds can be really effective at triggering that bite.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
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