Traditional spinnerbaits are easily trashed by redfish, so this beefed up "heavy duty" spinnerbait is one to add to your tackle box.
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Favorite Redfish Spinnerbait
I love catching redfish and one of those favorite lures to throw is the spinnerbait. It's time tested and catches everything from largemouth bass to speckled trout.
Spinnerbaits come in a variety of color, size and weight and can be found ready for purchase virtually anywhere, fishing tackle is sold.
I doubt tackle stores that don't carry them exist!
However, there's a big problem with the majority of spinnerbaits that could be used to target redfish.
The Redfish Spinnerbait Problem
Spinnerbaits have their roots in bass fishing. And, if you have been following this Blog and my podcast, Inshore Interviews, then you know that I love catching those big, bucket-mouthed fish.
It's no secret that spinnerbaits work incredibly well for bass.
In fact, most of the baits you would use to catch bass work really well for redfish! After all, they co-exist in the marsh on Louisiana's coast.
One cast could yield a ditch pickle, the next cast a pumpkin!
But, bass don't put up a fight like redfish do. It's nowhere close. They pull a little, jump, shake their heads and then come to the boat. That's it.
Redfish? They spin 20lb drag washers like a DJ spins a record.
So, it's not uncommon to have redfish completely smash spinnerbaits, bending the wire and ripping off the jighead.
That's a problem, because you're multi-dollar lure is now worthless and incapable of catching another redfish.
Besides, even if it isn't bent that bad we all know that once a spinnerbait is bent it never really swims the same ever again.
So what's needed is a better spinnerbait, one made by a redfish angler for redfish anglers.
The Redfish Spinnerbait Solution
Josh Hall is an avid inshore angler who's been fishing (and winning) redfish tournaments for years.
He has many wins under his belt, from the Louisiana Saltwater Series to America's Redfish Cup.
Josh Hall with tournament partner Mitch Chevalier. This fourth place win got them a cool $15,000 in this high-stakes redfish tournament. This is just one of many checks he's cashed, as well as first place wins he's taken home.
So it is clear that he has fished with a lot of different lures to get redfish to bite, and spinnerbaits has certainly been one of them.
Like most of us, he has had the same experience with conventional spinnerbaits, feeding them to hungry redfish and watching them get destroyed.
So, he took the initiative to create his own spinnerbait, the Hall's Heavy Duty (HD) Spinnerbait.
Hall's HD Spinnerbait Features Stronger Wire
The HD Spinnerbait has a stronger, thicker wire redfish have a tough time bending.
HD Spinnerbaits use a 1.6mm wire, whereas conventional spinnerbaits use 0.9mm wire.
Yes, that's a buzzbait, but the concept is the same.
Better Jighead
Josh spares no expense when it comes to the jighead of his spinnerbaits. He uses Laguna jigheads with a Trokar hook.
Ribs like these don't let soft plastics or skirts slip off.
The jigheads also feature three ribs to hold any soft plastic in place. No sliding off!
Better Hook
These Trokar hooks are sharper than average, which is needed for good hooksets on a hard redfish mouth. They are sharper because they are made using Trokar's Surgically Sharpened Technology.
This technology is the same used to sharpen surgical needles. That's sharp!
This hook easily sets in the tough, leathery mouth of a redfish.
Smooth Streamlined Design
The wire used for this redfish spinnerbait is bent by hand, and features no clip for attaching a jighead.
Hall's HD Spinnerbait is designed this way, intentionally, so that it doesn't snag aquatic grass and other underwater cover.
Instead, the jighead is attached with heavy duty split rings, and can be easily changed out.
Conclusion
I have used Hall's HD Spinnerbaits for years and can say that they not only stand up to redfish but also the test of time.
My last order (in August 2017) consisted of ten of them, that's how much I believe in this lure and they're still going strong today in 2021.
They come in a variety of options, like jighead weight, blade type (like willow or colorado) and blade color (silver or gold).
Two is one and one is none. In this case, 10 is 9.
Where to Buy
You can find these in tackle stores local to Louisiana or on Happy Mullet Tackle.
Or, you can contact Josh at his Facebook page to get your own.
Keep in mind, Josh makes these by hand, and this is a trade he does on the side.
There may be a waiting time depending on how many orders he is doing, but they are worth the wait!
Another great article, thanks for posting.
I use this spinnerbait and love it!