Ask any serious bass fisherman and they’ll all tell you that spinner baits are one of the most effective and versatile lures to catch bass. In and around Lake Okeechobee, Hildebrandt’s Okeechobee Special has earned the reputation as a certified winner. Formed in the typical hairpin style, the Okeechobee Special features Sampo ball bearing swivels and Nature Scales silicone skirts. What’s unique about this spinner bait is the combination of both a Colorado blade and a Willow Leaf blade.
The Colorado blade produces the vibration while the Willow Leaf provides the flash representing a fleeing baitfish. Typically you’ll find the spinner bait with a #5 or # 6 Willow Leaf blade but blade sizes of #7 and #8 are available. The bigger the blade, the heavier the lure becomes, and the slower the retrieve will be. The Okeechobee Special is available in nickel and gold colored blades and a variety of skirt colors. The Willow Leaf blades are attached to the lure with the help of the Sampo ball bearing swivel which makes blade changing quick and easy. The lure is extremely versatile and can be fished in thick vegetation such as lily pads and bulrush, shallow weed beds, in and around submerged structure, and in both clear and muddy waters. For retrieving, you can use a variety of techniques from a fast retrieve, to a slow dragging retrieve, or a stop-and-go retrieve. By cranking the bait in for a short distance and then stopping the retrieve, the lure falls in the water column and the bait’s shirt will puff and flare resulting in that reactionary strike that bass are so noted for. Pair the Okeechobee Special with your favorite curly tail plastic grub and you’ll have a catching machine. You can find the Hildebrandt Okeechobee Special at just about any of the local bait & tackle dealers.
