Many anglers love and appreciate flies for fishing for trout and other fish, however for many anglers nothing beats inline spinners to entice fish to bite. Spinners are not a new technique for man anglers, they are great for pan fish and bass in the early to late fall in lakes and ponds, and many anglers in the north use inline spinners for steel-head and salmon as their go to lure of choice.
Why you should switch to spinners
Several anglers have learned that when the fishing gets slow with flies, changing to spinners can produce fish. Spinners can be used on fly rods, spinning tackle and from bait casters making them a great lure for every tackle box of the avid angler. The action of the rapid spinning blade on a wire shaft gives these lures an appeal that rainbow trout and other fish can’t pass up. The design of the inline spinner gives both vibration and flash as they displace water on the retrieve which completes the lures presence of irresistible forage to many species of fish.
How to use the spinner effectively
The weight of an inline spinner makes casting easy for beginners and children. On a bamboo fly rod or on a child’s “snoopy” rod and reel combo these baits can make a great day of fishing for beginners. The weight gets the bait into the strike zone in still water or current making them difficult to fish incorrectly. The effectiveness of a fast retrieve also makes these baits good for beginners to use. The retrieve not only helps with avoiding hang ups, it also creates a reaction strike from the fish. Using these baits are a win – win situation for new anglers, and a lot of fun for the veteran angler as well.
Allow the condition that you are fishing to determine your presentation.
Jack Bollinger
Different techniques produce different results
The retrieve should be based on current, depth and weather conditions. In deep water with heavy current cast upstream and across just ahead of your target to give the spinner time to get into the strike zone allowing it to flow with the current. Once the spinner has drifted with the current past you begin retrieving it back to you upstream with a steady retrieve. Fish often strike on the upstream retrieve as the spinner comes close to the rocks or other structure. The areas of calm water, called eddy’s, found behind rocks or logs are a great place to bring the spinner through on the way back to you. In still water such as ponds or small streams with low current, cast to the target and start a slow retrieve when the spinner lands in the water.
Using spinners from different spots
When fishing from the bank or a boat in a lake cover a lot of water by fan casting the spinner in a clockwise pattern. This is not only a good way to cover water, but you can also quickly eliminate unproductive water until you find fish. When fish are active a fast retrieve can make the inline spinner even more effective. The important thing for the angler to remember is to learn the habits and the forage of the fish they are perusing and then allow the fish to tell them what they want.
Where to get the best spinners for your buck
Many companies make inline spinners that are high-quality the ones I have used in this post are those made by lure craftsman Garagher and are available at Home of the Brave Outdoors his spinners are made with quality blades that give off just the right amount of flash and vibration when retrieved.
Happy Fishing!
