Spinnerbait

The shape is odd and it works. The wire arm rides above the hook and deflects cover, so a spinnerbait comes through brush and grass that would destroy a treble-hook bait. The blades throw flash and vibration, and the skirt gives it a body.

Blade choice sets the character. Round Colorado blades thump hard and are the choice for dirty water and cold water where fish hunt by feel. Long willow-leaf blades flash more and vibrate less, which suits clear water and grass. Many baits carry one of each.

It is a shallow search bait above all: rip it past laydowns, over grass tops and along riprap, and slow-roll it deeper when the water is cold.

It is also one of the few baits that is genuinely better in bad conditions. Wind, chop and dirty water all help it, which makes it the thing to tie on when a front has blown the lake up and the finesse presentations have stopped working.