The spinnerbait is among the most versatile of all bass lures and may be fished in virtually all fishing conditions by varying the lure weight/style and retrieve. Here are the retrieves most often used by BASS pros:
Twilight zone retrieve The object of this retrieve is to reel the lure just fast enough so that the blades, or the flash reflecting off the blades, is just barely visible. In clear water, you will have to fish the lure deeper to achieve this. In murky water, you will fish it shallower. Many pros use this as their bread-and-butter retrieve.
Slow rolling retrieve Here, keep the lure moving steadily and just fast enough so that the blades rotate. It's usually used in early spring, fall and winter when the water is cold and fish are deep, however it also works in warm water when bass are suspended deep over objects such as sunken trees or brushpiles.
Helicopter retrieve Using a short-arm spinnerbait with a Colorado or Indiana blade, cast to a steep bluff or 45-degree rock bank and let the lure drop or "helicopter" on a tight line. Excellent cold-water technique for smallmouth and spotted bass in clear highland lakes.
"Bulging" retrieve In highly stained to muddy water, cast past shallow logs or stumps and retrieve a Colorado-blade spinnerbait quickly so the lure runs just under the surface, "bulging" the water and throwing a wake. This is a tournament-winning strategy of some veteran BASS pros.