BLING
in the sp ® ring
Spring 2022
page 52
SPINNERBAIT LIKE ISH MONROE
THE LURE DESIGN
Bling comes from River2Sea and is designed by Ish Monroe. Ish wanted maximum vibration; so, it is built on a light-wire frame. He wanted easier rotation at slow retrieves; so ultra-thin blades were developed, and a premium ball bearing swivel was used. He wanted the lure balanced during the retrieve, even when deflecting off structure, so a flared-head was incorporated.
Bling comes in 3/8 and 1/2-ounce sizes with a hand-tied silicone skirt. Different blade combinations are available.
SPINNERBAITING THROUGH THE SPRING TRANSITION
Lakes can change drastically from early spring to late spring. As the season progresses, water temperatures rise, and clarity increases. Just like the conditions change, spinnerbait choices should vary with those conditional changes.
“Paying attention to what’s going on and having multiple spinnerbaits in your box to adapt to those details is very important,” said Ish. “Specific colors and blade styles are more effective during different conditions, watching for those changes can mean the difference in successful spinnerbait fishing or not.”
During normal circumstances, the beginning of spring brings high water situations, with cooler temps and a dirtier color. Ish’s go-to Bling color for this is ‘Lemonade with a
Twist’.
“It is a chartreuse and white spinnerbait,
that shows really well in that dirty water,” he
explained. “For this early season time, I want a
Colorado/Indiana blade combo to fish a little
slower. This usually is around March.
“By May, it is typically time to fish a little
faster. I transition into a more shad patterned
version of Bling. I like ‘I Know It’. This is a clear,
blue and chartreuse color combo. Then, later in
the season, I like ‘Powder’ with a double willow.”
QUICK REFERENCE
BLADE CHANGES
“As the water warms and the fish are transitioning from bluegill to shad, this is how I
transition the blades,” said Ish.
• Colorado/Indiana –
early season
• Colorado/Willow –
mid season
• Willow/Willow – late season
GEAR
While Ish’s rod stays
the same throughout the
season, he does change his
reel with the conditions.
Rod: Daiwa Tatula Elite
Series Takahiro Spinnerbait
Crankbait Rod (glass rod)
Reel: Daiwa Tatula Elite 6.3:1 gear ratio and move to a 7.1:1 gear ratio as the retrieve gets faster. •