C
ooler water bassin’ is synonymous with
schooling baitfish, suspended bass and finicky
bites. Here we look at the underspin as a method to combat each of those scenarios. The art of using
underspins is a niche way to target winter bass that are
keying on small to medium-sized baitfish.
FROM THE BEGINNING
The underspin has been around for 15 to 20 years. The original underspins where very basic lead jig heads that were modified to take a small to medium spinnerbait blade, often paired with small fluke-style baits as a trailer. In those early days of the underspin, they were thought to be primarily a spotted bass lure. The selection of heads and trailers for underspins has come a long way since their origin of using flukes on the back of unrealistic lead heads with spinners.
Underspins are best known for catching schooling fish feeding on small baitfish that are easy prey in the winter and summer months. A common forage that the underspin mimics are smaller baitfish such a pond smelt, minnows, and silversides that are found in places like Shasta, Oroville or Clear Lake.
In addition to schooling fish, underspins are very often fished as a means to catch either highly pressured bass or suspended fish. The underspin can be classified as finesse reaction bait.
FIRST TIMER
Daiwa pro Tony Lain’s first encounter with an underspin was during an early spring tournament at Clear Lake.
“I noticed that the bass were feeding on small silversides and I couldn’t get them to hit anything,” said Lain. From that Lain learned, the underspin is an excellent
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