by Keith Hamburger

Created on: March 08, 2010

One of the most popular and time-tested class of fishing lures is the inline spinner.  Built with a hook attached to a piece of wire and a spinning blade on the wire that vibrates and flashes, spinners attract strikes by appealing to basic fish instincts.  Not really imitating anything that a fish will normally find in its environment, the action of spinners cause fish to react through curiosity and aggression.

Available in a wide variety of colors and styles which spinner to use will depend on a large number of factors.  Size, color, design and action are all important considerations.

Matching the size of the lure to the fish you wish to target is one key consideration.  Small spinners, as light as 1/16th of an ounce, can be used for panfish or small trout.  Spinner sizes up to two ounces, or larger, would be used for big muskie, steelhead or salmon.

Like any lure the color of the spinner you use can have an impact on the results you get.  Fish strike spinners mostly based on sight so you have to make sure that the lure is visible and appealing to the fish.  For trout in clear mountain lakes an all black spinner might work well but under other conditions it might not show up at all.  At some times a silver blade will get strikes but at others the fish will only strike on a brass or colored blade.  Once you have a general idea of what will work under particular conditions you will want to experiment with various colors until you find one that will consistently catch fish.

Some spinners have colored skirts while others have bare hooks.  Differing sizes and shapes of blades will affect a spinners action and attractiveness.  Bodies of spinners can be plain, shiny metal or include components that rattle or add other action to attract strikes.  Again the targeted species and conditions will affect what will work best.

Fishing spinners is usually fairly straightforward.  The basic action is to cast the lure and retrieve it; the action of the lure does most of the work.  However experimentation will get you the best results.  In colder water fish will be less responsive and active and a slower retrieve might be necessary.  At other times a fast retrieve might be what is required.  Sometimes a stop-start retrieve, varying the action and motion of the lure will get best results.

Depth where the fish are holding is also something to keep in mind.  Sometimes fish are feeding actively on the surface, in which case you would cast your lure and start to retrieve it immediately when it hits the water.  Other times the fish will be at a particular depth and you will want to let the lure sink for a few moments before you start reeling.

Spinner fishing can be an exciting and fun way to catch almost any fish.  You can usually catch fish on your first time out but to master the technique may take a lifetime.

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