Types of Spinner Blades for your Spinner Harness
There are at least seventeen different types of blades, at least nine textures and an infinite possibility of colors and color patterns. Below I show examples of all types and a representative set of sizes, colors and textures. For a complete list of sizes please click here. As a general rule for blades of similar size, the propeller and Colorado blades start to rotate at the slowest speeds (~0.5 to 0.8 MPH), Indiana blades are in the middle while Willowleaf blades need higher speeds for rotation. Also, smaller blades start rotating at slower speeds relative to their larger counterparts. Ultimately, this only really matters if you are backtrolling, trolling <1.0 MPH or drifting. Any faster than 1 MPH, all blades should rotate. If you are trolling at relatively higher speeds, >1.8 MPH, you may run into problems with higher resistance blades so choose blades like Willowleaf, Whiptail or Dakota.
Relative Speeds Required for Blade Rotation
The figure above shows the relative speed require to initiate rotation, which generally also equates to rotation speed and should hold reasonably true for blades of similar size. The data was calculated for blades of the same length, which is not a normal condition, and as such does not account for differences in blade size which has a profound effect on rotation speed. It’s probably best to group the blades into four categories: Fast – Willowleaf, Minnow and Whiptail; Moderate – Dakota, Swing and Tomahawk; Medium or Mid-ranged – Chopper, Olympic, French, Indiana, Fluted and Royal Willow; and Slow – Colorado, Propeller and Smile.
Chopper Blades
Chopper blades come in sizes 3 to 6, 1 5/16″ to 2″ in length. These blades are a slightly trimmed version of Indiana Blade. As such, they have a little less water resistance and the resulting rotation speed is somewhat lower than Indiana Blades of similar size.
Chopper Blades Sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6
Colorado Blades
Chopper blades come in sizes 00 to 8, ~1/2″ to 2″ in length. They have a slow rotation speed, just above the propeller type blades. These are great all around blades as they rotate over an ideal speed range, offer great vibration and sufficient light and color flash.
Colorado Blades Sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6
Colorado, Deep Cup Blades
Deep Cup Colorado Blades are Colorado Blades with more surface area. This gives them greater lift and water resistance which allows them to rotate at speeds slower than standard Colorado Blades. They also come in sizes 00 to 8, ~1/2″ to 2″ in length.
Colorado Deep Cut Blades Sizes 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
Dakota Blades
Dakota blades come in sizes 1 to 6, 1″ to ~3″ in length. They are basically Indiana blades with a section cut out. The have low water resistance and rotate at speeds between Indiana and Willowleaf blades of similar size.
Dakota Blades Sizes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Fluted Blades
Fluted blades come in sizes 2 to 8, 1″ to ~2 3/4″ in length. They are basically Indiana blades with a “folded” section. The have a slightly narrower shaped compared to Indiana blades and rotate at speeds slightly higher than Indiana blades of the same size.
Fluted Blades Sizes 4,5,6,7 and 8
French Blades
French blades come in sizes 0 to 6, ~3/4″ to 2 1/2″ in length. They are similar to Indiana blades in width, but have increased length. As a result, they rotate at speeds similar to Indiana blades of the same size.
French Blades Sizes 2,3,4 and 5
Indiana Blades
Indiana blades come in sizes 00 to 9, ~1/2″ to 2 1/2″ in length. They have a moderate rotation speed, in between Colorado and Willowleaf blades of the same size.
Indiana Blades Sizes 4,5,6 and 7
Minnow Blades
Minnow blades come in sizes 4 and 5, ~2″ to 2.5″ in length. These blades are narrow and run at speeds similar to Willowleaf blades of similar size.
Minnow Blades Sizes 4 and 5
Oklahoma (Olympic, Cascade, Turleback) Blades
Oklahoma blades come in sizes 1 to 7, 7/8″ to 2 1/2″ in length. They are similar to Colorado blades but are a bit longer and more streamlined. As a result, they rotate at speeds higher than Colorado and lower than Indiana blades of the same size.
Oklahoma (Cascade, Olympic, Turtleback) Blades Sizes 3, 4, 4 1/2, 5 and 5 1/2
Propeller Blades
Propeller blades come in sizes 1 to 5, ~1/2″ to 1 1/4″ in length. These blades do not require a clevice and sit at a 90 degree angle relative to the axis of the line. This provides these blades with a large amount of water resistance and results in rotation at relatively low speeds.
Propeller Blades Sizes 2, 3, 4 and 5
Royal Willow Blades
Royal Willow blades come in sizes 3 to 6, 1 1/4″ to 2″ in length. These blades look like a hybrid between an Indiana and Willowleaf blade. The run similar to an Indiana blade of similar size.
Royal Willow Blades Sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6
Mack’s Lures Smile Blades
These interesting bent crescent shaped mylar blades come in five different sizes, 0.8″, 1.1″, 1/5″, 1.9″ and 2.8″. They are a propellar type blade and do not require a clevis as the line is thread through the center of the blade. Similar to the propeller blades, the 90 degree orientation gives them a lot of lift and as a result they spin a low speeds. This makes them a great choice for drifting or jigging applications.
Mack’s Lures Smile Blades in sizes 0.8″, 1.1″, 1.5″, 1.9″ and 2.8″
Swing Blades
Swing blades come in sizes 0 to 8, ~5/8″ to 2 1/4″ in length. These blades are a rounder and stubbier version of a Willowleaf blade. Their rotation speed is lies somewhere between an Indiana and Willowleaf blade of similar size.
Swing Blades in sizes 3, 4, 5 and 7
Tomahawk (Hatchet, Doc Sheldon) Blades
Tomahawk blades come in sizes 3 to 8, 1″ to 3″ in length. These blades are sickle shaped and resemble an Indiana blade with a bite taken out of it. As a result, they run slightly faster than an Indiana blade of similar size.
Tomahawk (Hatchet, Doc Sheldon) Blades in sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6
Whiptail Blades
Whiptail blades come in sizes 1 to 5, 1″ to ~2 1/2″ in length. These blades resemble a Willowleaf blade with a curved point. The rotate at speeds similar to Willowleaf blades of a simlar size.
Whiptail Blades in sizes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Willowleaf Blades
Willowleaf blades come in sizes 00 to 8, ~0.5″ to ~3 3/4″ in length. Willowleaf blades have the narrowest rotation angle at 30 degrees and low water resistance. They rotate quickly but require higher speeds to do so compared to all other blades of similar size.
Willowleaf Blades in sizes 4, 5, 6 and 7
Serrated Willowleaf Blades
Serrated Willowleaf blades are simply variations of the Willowleaf blade with serrated edges.
Serrated Willowleaf Blades in sizes 4, 5, 6 and 7