Bass Pro Shops® Tail Spin

Target Species: Smallmouth Bass
Also Good For: Trout, Largemouth Bass, Walleye

It is said that, sometimes good things come in small packages. The Tail Spin from Bass Pro Shops is a small, lead-body lure not much larger than the size of a quarter dollar. But, drop this spinner deep and you'd be surprised the size of the lunkers that come calling.

First Impressions

The Tail Spin is an awkward looking lure. The body is comprised of solid lead with a polished Colorado blade attached to the rear. Armed with a single treble hook, the lure is small in stature but incredibly heavy for the size. For our review, I used the 1/2 oz. size which is just about the size of a US quarter.

My first Tail Spin was purchased a couple years ago as an impulse buy, basically just adding it to my cart as I was shopping for other items. I figured we'd "test it out" some day for the site and then I put it aside for a season or two. Big mistake.

Fishing the Lure

No doubt this lure is small, but since it's also heavy you can cast it a country mile. Due to it's profile, a 40 yard cast or more is easily achieved with the right set-up allowing you to cover water like few other baits. While it may cast like a rock, it sinks like one too which somewhat limits this lure's overall versatility in shallow water and around obstructions. However, where the Tail Spin lacks in skinny water it makes up for in the deep. You can't throw it into the weeds, but plunk it off the side of the boat or dock and it can work the drop offs and bottom like no other spinner or crankbait in your tackle box.

There are two types of retrieves using the Tail Spin. You can crank it at a steady pace, allowing the spinner to cause reactionary strikes or; using a vertical jigging technique, pausing on the retrieve allowing the bait to drop erratically like a dying shad. Both are equally effective and will entice fish many times bigger than what would be expected with such a small lure.

Review Summary

Our reviews are tough. We rate the Bass Pro Shops at 61 out of 100, or a Very Good rating. The lure's build and weight may limit the overall versatility, but the lure also fills a spot in the box that no other lure can accomplish when fishing deep or drop offs. We will knock it for a lack of available colors, lowering the overall rating as we'd like to see more options. Overall, we definitely suggest adding the Tail Spin to your arsenal, just recognize that you'd better keep the rod tip up if you're in water with less than 10' of clearance.