BassBlaster

Do You Use Titanium Spinnerbaits?

Are you old enough to remember Jimmy Houston and Terry Bradshaw hawking Terminator titanium spinnerbaits in a TV infomercial? Believe it was in the late ’90s, unfortunately not YouTube.

Dang, some money was poured into that puppy.

If’n you recall, the “lure” (he he) of titanium was its flexibility: as in, no more time wasted bending (and thus weakening over time) regular-wire spinnerbaits, which would get bent by basses and obstructions.

BUT the suckers cost a lot more (9 bucks for a spinnerbait!), didn’t vibrate as much and because they had more flex the hooksets had to be harder.

Not sure the hookset thang was an issue because bassin’ heads usually have no problem with combat-like reaction times, but the lack of vibes – that’s one of the main attractions of a spinnerbait, so….

Fast forward to now (Terminator now owned by Rapala, I believe), and I guess the thing is titanium something else in the arsenal. Gives the fishies a different feel. But the be-all? Don’t think so, you?

Anyone still use ’em?

9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. Matt Vincent

    January 19, 2012 at 11:18 am

    Back in the day, I used to like them. They were durable; tough enough to take to Mexico and withstand the pounding. The biggest problem with the original Terminators? You couldn’t keep the willowleaf blades on ’em. The originals threw blades as fast as a cheap lawnmower.

  2. Avidbasser

    January 19, 2012 at 11:43 am

    The Terminator Tungsten is the best spinnerbait ever made, IMO. Throw them till the wire breaks, which takes a lot longer than SS wired baits and they run true every cast. My small arsenal purchased from eBay is dwindling though.

  3. Joe P

    January 19, 2012 at 12:29 pm

    Terminator 3/8oz in clown pattern was my go to for many many years. I pick up a spinnerbait once in a blue moon now.. with chatterbaits, swimjigs, and swimbaits taking over that area for me. I still would go as far to say that Terminators are the best spinnerbait out there.

  4. Ken Cook

    January 19, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    I agree with AvidBasser. The tungsten Titanium Terminators are the best available. Small profile and good deflection off stumps etc. If you want more vibration,just use a round(er)blade. I like the Oklahoma blade for several reasons, especially in stained to muddy water which I fish often. Darn, that makes me want to go fishin’.

  5. Chad Keogh

    January 19, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    I used Titanium spinnerbaits for a few years when they came out, but in 2009 I bought some KVD spinnerbaits because they came in a 3/4oz bluegill pattern. I used them in an April big fish derby, caught about 22 smallies between 4.5-6.2lbs and NEVER had to tune it. Now they are all I use.

  6. jim kelley

    January 19, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    I feel the same way as avidbasser & Ken Cook, the tungsten terminators were the best, I had the confidence they would eat that bait anywhere if they were on the blade especially the oklahoma/indiana bladed combos, but Matt Vincent pointed out a good thing too, they were notorious for throwing blades, I had about 5 packs of blades anywhere I went because if it got hung, or swiped at, I would often lose a blade, I did have some break, and as far as the vibration factor IMO the reason they worked so good was that the wider blade profile made up for the lack of wire vibration, and it was compact. mine have all been gone or broken since then, now I rely on the War eagle screamin eagle to do the trick, not as heavy of a bait, but nice & compact, and you can get different blade combos straight from the factory if you want something other than double willow (which is what most sporting good stores offer), and I might add that I haven’t broken one yet (knock on wood) color selection is wider than terminator ever offered, I know it sounds like I’m running a magazine add here, but I really am very impressed, haven’t seen anything that matches the quality of those baits anywhere else yet, the rest of my full size titanium’s & other brand have either gone in the trash or to the resale shop

  7. Randy S. Breth

    January 19, 2012 at 8:57 pm

    Yep – I liked some custom tungsten until I started tinkering around and built my own compact spinnerbaits.
    For stock they are still excellent.

  8. Alex Voog

    January 21, 2012 at 2:08 am

    Love ’em! The Custom Tungstens are really sweet, black is my favorite and with a black Zoom Swimming Chunk on it… GET THE NET! Yeah the C-rings on the swivels were the weak link and a blade would occaisionally disappear so I upgraded the rings on most of them.

  9. Mike R

    July 21, 2013 at 12:03 am

    love em. Big colorado, black skirts, dark twin tail 5 in. grub and trailor hook. Wait til near dark throw it up right on the bank and slow roll back and hang on. Fish all night. For this kind of fishing these are by far my favorite blades. Tuning in the dark is a pain.

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