Blue Fox fishing

hello again all,
so i tried fishing in a new spot i found for me along the clack way downstream but not where a whole lot of people go found a section of big calm water right after and right before some rapids and ripples.
the question i have is i tried some size 4 blue fox's and what i tried was casting upstream into the rapids and letting it flow down feeling it bounce rocks on the bottom and i tried retreiving across the current without letting it hit bottom.
i also tried fishing them like a bass lure in the big pool running it along differant chunks of the water column but couldnt get any love.
am i fishing them wrong? to be honest i really dont know how to fish them but i seen a lot of guys on here talking about them and the guys at the shops talk about them but havnt heard how to actually fish them.
please help i see that theyre being caught and running and i really really want to get one ive been putting in a lot of time.
thanks for any help you can throw me
-callaway

Sounds like you're fishing them right - a few things to check: Is the spinner's blade turning? You should be able to feel the thump-thump-thump of the blade if it is. If it's not, you either 1.) Aren't keeping the blade turning, which means you need to speed up the retrieve a bit or 2.) Need to get a more sensitive rod that lets you feel what the lure is doing. You can get a decent rod for $50 if it is a gear issue. Check out he Okuma Celilo or Berkley Buzz Ramsey rods for a budget rod. Or if you've got the scratch, upgrade to something like a Lamiglas, Loomis, or Okuma Guide Select rod.

Ideally when spinner fishing, you should retrieve them just fast enough for the blade to turn, while the lure drifts and swings down stream - just like you would for trout. If that isn't working, fish the hole by retrieving the lure faster, and work the water column like you said you were doing. And then again, you can be doing everything right and still not get bit. And sometimes you're presenting your lure perfectly, but there's just no fish in the hole.

thank you very much GungasUncle that helps a lot actually,
i have been feeling the blade on the lure spinning through my rod, ive had the thought that maybe it was spinning too much? dont know if that could be an issue?
my gear should be just about perfect i can feel everything and even feel the water burping my line.
just wanted to make sure i was using the right method at least.
the last colors i threw was an all brass size 4 and a blue bell with red blade size 4, am i using the right size at least and any colors i should focus more on?

ill most likely be going to that spot i found for myself tomorrow.
its just down stream from the high rocks and just up stream from the green bridge seperating mcloughlin and oregon city.
i see a few guys down there by the walgreens a lot but im up stream from them a good 1/4 mile so any colors or size suggestions tonight would be very very appreciated
thank you

Agree with Gungas.

Sometimes there just aren't fish. And definitely try to slow the blade down as that is usually better...especially when using the larger sizes.

Also, though a fish strike can be obvious, sometimes, even with a spinner, the bite can be subtle. I've learned that the more I toss something out, the more I get a feel for what the normal action and drift of the terminal feels like, the better I've gotten at sensing when something is amiss and that a quick set is warranted. It's hard to describe the sensation, but as I've gotten a better feel for it and more experience, I've hooked more fish than I was able to before and it's because I've gotten a better 'Jedi' type sense of when to strike back

the main thing is do you feel involved and exited by fishing spinners? I always feel like im being more proactive in the attempt to smear ink when Im fly or hardware fishing.. its just more fun for me. Keep up with it, and fish those spinners at first light!- Brad

Callaway said:

ill most likely be going to that spot i found for myself tomorrow.
its just down stream from the high rocks and just up stream from the green bridge seperating mcloughlin and oregon city.
i see a few guys down there by the walgreens a lot but im up stream from them a good 1/4 mile so any colors or size suggestions tonight would be very very appreciated
thank you

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Im not an expert on spinners but sounds like you are doing everything right!!! BTW it could be a problem of no fish on the spot!! Make sure you find any signs of fish on the spot!!! If you you see all that people on the other hole is for a reason!!!

You're fishing it right. If you want to check, try keeping it closer to the water surface so you can see the action and feel the difference between tumbling and spinning and spinning too much. You should be able to feel the spinner bump over rocks.

My experience with salmon (far too little) is that you'll feel like you snagged a modest branch, only there shouldn't be any branches in that spot, so you pull harder and up comes the salmon. Occasionally they'll do like a trout and hit & run the spinner, in which case you have no doubt about what's exploding at the end of the line!

If you're not getting bites after a dozen casts and you've covered the water, it's time to move (or change lures). Depending on the location, you might only need to move a few steps. If you stay in a spot for an hour and you suddenly get a bite, then the fish moved into place while you were casting the whole time. It's really frustrating when you know the fish are there, but they're just not biting... better to change location or lure than spend your time casting the same thing repeatedly.

I've tried a #3 Blue Fox in the lower Clackamas recently and found it was just a bit too lightweight for the current. A #4 Rivrfishr was perfect, so a #4 Blue Fox ought to be about right. Wouldn't hurt to try a #5.

#4 or #5 size Blue Foxes are your best bet for a river. As far as coloring goes, I usually stick with a solid silver or brass color. Sometimes changing it up with a black with silver blade. I've never had much luck with other colors, although I'm sure some folks swear by certain colors that I have not mentioned.

Sounds like your presentation is perfect, just don't cast it downstream

thank you all that actually helps quite a bit with the confidence game, i was sure i was doing something wrong but i figured i couldnt screw up too bad if i fished like a corky and pencil lead (only real salmon experiance i have)
i didn't end up going out today because as i was going through my box making sure i had everything i needed i remembered, i lost the gear that i did have the last time i was out
so im gonna have to go to dicks eventually, im putting it off for some reason i usually can't wait to get in there or sportsmans, and get some more blue fox' but at least i have a better idea of what to actually buy instead of fall for the pretty colors lol
should i tie it to a leader since i am spooled up with pxx hi-vis?

I'd add a swivel and at least a couple feet of leader if you are using hi-vis line. Others my suggest just tying the line directly to your leader material with no swivel inline. I'm a swivel guy myself. It's really hard for me to get the leader to tie directly to the braided line I use.

GD

If you're worried about your line spooking the fish, I'd just tie on a short leader of fluorocarbon and call it good. Fluorocarbon is invisible in the water. Also remember to attach either the leader, or the spinner itself with a swivel. Line twist sucks.

alright cool thank you GDBrown and GungasUncle, so it sounds like either way i should prbly just use a swivel and a lil flouro to at least fight the line twist.
thanks again all and tight lines
-callaway

My buddy, here in Port Angeles, is one of the very best fishing for steelhead. He never uses any other Vibrax color but green. Might give that a try.

I just started fishing for steelhead and salmon this summer; complete novice I am. During August and September, I have been on the Clackamas three times with the same results as you have gotten. I too am using Blue Fox spinners. I have been reading Spinner Fishing for Steelhead, Salmon, and Trout by Jed Davis. Jed suggest color selection in contrast to the sky; if it is sunny then he suggest a duller color like black and overcast skies will require shinny silvers. He talks about smaller spinners for summer runs and sizes 3, 4, and 5 for winter runs. I have been using #2s and plan to go bigger next time I stop to buy some as winter is coming. I have been doing the same presentation that you describe.

However, what do I know; I have caught no steelhead or salmon, only a few bass. Therefore, all my information is academic at this point. I fished 3 times on the Clackamas so far this summer, skunked every time except for a 6 inch tiny fish I could not identify. I have been going up stream, stopping to fish some at Faraday Lake, and then continuing up stream to where I can gain access to the river. Should I be finding some spots lower on the river? Is my plan to go up in size a good one? Will I ever land a steelhead (OK, I know I will, it is only a matter of time and patients, but geesh)?


Any one know what type of fingerling this is? I caught it on the brass Blue Fox #2; the spinner was damn near as big as the fish.

as far as your lil fish goes, ive pulled a couple of them out, im no biologist but i didn't think mine were trout so i was calling them smolt but, im probably wrong haha.
as far as the colors go i just realized the whole color water sky spectrum a lil while ago so yea at least now im throwing semi close to the right colors I THINK lol
the only thing i will say about the blue fox spinners is everyone on here is telling me their hooks are crap so i changed the hooks on the two i have left and im thnking of using the si-wash that comes with the #4s as a mootch style i guess?
deffinantly go up to the number 4s and 5s in the winter what i was told about them is that you want them to be able to get down to the rocks while in the current.
thats about all i know about them besides what you posted up
ive made the switch to eggs more predominantly now, i got tired of losing my blue fox at 3 n a half to 4n a half bucks a piece but ill still try them.
especially now that were getting a lil rain the fish might start oving a lot more according to what the guys at the fish stores were telling me.
good luck and tight lines

Moose, I'd recommend a quality, reliable snap swivel attached to your spinner, it looks as though the line is attached straight to the spinner, this can twist your line especially if the spinner is just a slight bit off balance, it won't ruin the action of your lure, I prefer black swivels.

One method I use is to cast directly across the river or 45 degrees upstream from where I am standing (depending on depth), drift the spinner, then let it swing back to the bank I am standing on if the current is strong enough.

Drew9870 said:

Moose, I'd recommend a quality, reliable snap swivel attached to your spinner, it looks as though the line is attached straight to the spinner, this can twist your line especially if the spinner is just a slight bit off balance, it won't ruin the action of your lure, I prefer black swivels.

One method I use is to cast directly across the river or 45 degrees upstream from where I am standing (depending on depth), drift the spinner, then let it swing back to the bank I am standing on if the current is strong enough.

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X2

About all of that! Especially the good quality snap swivil in (black). The fish won't see the black swivil. Also, while your spinner is swinging accross the current, be ready for either little stikes or real agressive strikes.