Spybaiting Unleashed: Smallmouth Bass

So maybe you’ve heard the talk about spybaiting. 

Watch this 30 second clip for a preview:

You’re not sure what spybaiting is or how it’s different from other techniques. After all, when you watch a retrieve, it looks like the anglers are just reeling in the bait slowly and not imparting much action to it. Let’s take a look at some of the key concepts and break this down!

David Swendseid recommends the following setup for deep water smallies: Duo Realis Spinbait 80, 6 ft Ultralight Moderate action, 4-6lb test fluorocarbon (you want that baby to sink and wobble). This is a finesse technique and is best used in at least moderately clear water. It will help you catch those bass that want to just follow your bait.

Just because this has props, doesn’t mean its a topwater lure. It was designed specifically for the technique developed in Japan known as spybaiting.

I’ve curated several of the top videos on the topic below:

First watch the underwater action. The wobble and the shimmy during the retrieve and on the drop when paused are key…

Hear Dave Swendseid describe the bait:

This next video is a quick description of the technique using the Spinbait 80: Make long casts, count down the bait and then start a slow retrieve. It is a 3/8 ounce lure.You want to keep the bait in the depth where the bass are holding. The props will be spinning and the lure will be shimmering/wobbling creating a unique action and profile that the bass are not used to seeing.

Here’s a a quick video of a slaunch caught on the St. Lawrence River. Awesome:

There is a longer video from Japan that describes with subtitles, this technique. If you want to spend a little more time studying the retrieve, this is a great one to watch:

If you’ve begun using hte Spinbait 80, please let us know in the comments below. If you are looking to get started, you can pick up these lures here: click

Tight lines and good luck!