The Latest Spinnerbait Blade Shapes
(Royal, Serrated and Whiptail Blades)

Willow, Colorado, Indiana, Fluted, Chopper and Deep Cup Colorado blade shapes (covered in earlier chapters) are all over 100 years old. The Oklahoma shape isn't a century old, but it's certainly not a recent newcomer like the Royal, Whiptail and Serrated blades which hit the market in 2007 and 2008.

Royal Spinnerbait Blades

The Royal blade was a new shape introduced for the 2007 season.

This is a modern "creased" blade shape. The centerline crease causes a better spin, a flash off both sides and a third flash off the centerline itself.

The Royal blade was developed for inline pike and musky spinners, but it does work wonderfully for bass spinnerbaits.

You should try them because they do something no other bass spinnerbait blades do well. The double Royal blade configuration (when spaced properly) almost constantly keeps both blades turning. Even just with a tight line glide so the bait slowly descends and pendulum falls forward toward you on a tight line or super slow-rolling retrieve. When you kill the spinnerbait and just let it deadfall, both Royal blades rotate on the fall better than any other blade pair combination. Especially the front blade stalls on many other blade types. When the retrieve is paused, stopped or too slow, most any other front blade stalls or stops, and on a very slow roll, the back blade can stall or stop too. But not the Royal blade. The Royal blade pair hardly ever stops turning, no matter how slow you go or on a deadfall, and that's the reason you should use it.

Pair of #4 Royals go together swell when spaced as shown.

You may catch a lot of fish with a #4 Royal spaced as shown in front of a #5.

Blades Make the Spinnerbait! Oklahoma and Royal blades behave together exceptionally well. In the sizing and wider spacings like shown below. Oklahoma/Royal blade pairs have got that certain something.

---

Serrated Spinnerbait Blades

Serrated Blades. Brand new design for 2008. The manufacturer describes the Serrated blade as a Willow blade that they put a bit of a turbo charge in it. The manufacturer sculpted an aggressive notched outside edge to add more turbulence as it slices through the water. The cupping on the blade in conjunction with the notched edges gives the Serrated blade a very tight rotation and distinctive vibration as the blade cuts through the water says the manufacturer.

Style	Size	Length	Width
Serrated	#4	1.872"	.673"
Serrated	#5	2.260"	.818"

Serrated blades (#4 and #5) compared to same size smooth Willow blades.

Serrated Blades. Since the Serrated blade spins in a wider arc, the spacing above and on the photos below has been pulled a little closer together than usual on this pair. So the head of the back blade tucks up under the tail of the front blade. This is possible due the the wider arc of the front blade's tail, and it helps the two blades blend together closely, possibly giving the impression of a single larger baitfish or a singular spinning, flashing mass. That is, it doesn't appear as much to be two separate blades, since the head of one is tucked under the tail of the other, so they tend to blur into each other as they spin.

Pair of #4 Serrated blades tend to match nicely with lighter weight spinnerbait heads of 1/4 or 3/8 ounce.

Pairing #4 and #5 Serrated blades tend to be a better match for 1/2 ounce and up.

---

Whiptail Spinnerbait Blades

The Whiptail blade shape is new for 2008. Please enjoy!

The manufacturer describes the Whiptail as having baitfish details, and when used in tandem, as having a swimming baitfish school resemblance. Probably the most important aspect of the blade design is the vibration created by its aggressive tail cupping and unique curvature. The Whiptail has a tight rotation and a distinct thumping vibration says the manufacturer.

Style	Size	Length	Width
Whiptail	#3	1.529"	.818"
Whiptail	#4	2.044"	1.086"

Close-up of #3 and #4 Whiptail spinnerbait blades.

Close-up of #4 Whiptail spinnerbait blade.

Whiptail blades (#3 & #4) compared to standard #4 & #5 smooth Willows.

Whiptail Blades. The Whiptail blade is scuplted with baitfish details, a scaled back, smooth belly, and engraved jawbone, eye, gill and fin. When used together in pairs, spaced wide apart, there's a swimming baitfish school resemblance. Due to the uniquely hooked blades as they rotate, it may appear at times as there's more than two baitfish (although what a fish sees is anyone's guess), but the rotation casts off a lot of images on both sides of the wire arm remindful of a movement of several baitfish in concert. Probably the most important aspect of the blade design is the vibration created by its aggressive tail cupping and unique curvature. The Whiptail has a tight rotation and a distinct thumping vibration. When the blades slow down, the curvature creates a left hook or kick out move to the side, and a singular thump can sometimes be felt in the rod tip when the spinnerbait is close enough to watch and feel that happen. Because one edge of the blade is scaled and the other edge is smooth, there is a dual visual dimension to the spinning blade flash. This dual dimension adds something that's just not possible with either an entirely smooth or an entirely scaled finish blade. Even using one smooth and one scaled finish blade wont achieve the same effect combined in the Whiptails. The asymmetrical curved or hooked tail creates the flickering illusion at times of a swimming, jumping or flexing baitfish movement that's just not possible with most other symmetrical straight blades like Willows, Indianas, etc.

Pair of widely-spaced #4 Whiptail blades.

Combo of #4 and #5 Whiptails.