What's your favorite steelhead spinner?

[Jordy]

Anybody ever have any luck casting downstream and sort of back-bouncing a spinner into or through a fishy looking spot, kind of like you might fish a weighted nymph? This technique is a good producer of trout for me, but I've never had any luck when I try it on steelhead.

Half of my fish are caught in a swing situation. Give the lure some slack so you can let it drop into the strike zone. As your spinner works downstream from you it will lift towards the surface.

 

[rippin fish lips]

A big issue is what size line -- thinner sinks much faster and casts much farther. Heavier brings more of your lures back home with you -- there's always a balance.

Any hardware fisherman should be using something along the lines of SUFFIX ELITE 10lb or 8lb. There is no need for 6lb line when hardware fishing for steelhead, TRUST ME on that note. Suffix is GREAT line for MAINLINE and AMAZING line for HARDWARE FISHING.

On that note: It is almost usually the same color as any river you plan on fishing.

OH and when hardware fishing, take this note in deep. GREEN WATER MEANS GO!

 

[rippin fish lips]

Couldn't be more true. There is a hole I fish up on the OP where I cast onto a rock and pull my spinner back. It drops into the pool and flutters dead until it hits the river bed and thats the drift.

The "drop" as the spinner flutters down is deadly.

The "kick" as the spinner starts to tighten up is also deadly.

Change in blade movement is key.

Casting onto rocks... GREAT EFFECTIVE WAY TO FISH FOR STEELHEAD IN SMALL SEEP POCKETS.

I have multiple spots from the bank and in the boat where i will cast my spoon or spinner onto the rock shelf or boulder then slowly real till i get my lure on the edge of the water or until it falls off the rock When if falls be ready to add a little bit of tention and hang on!

"touch every rock!!"

 

[Billamicasr]

I like fishing spinners when the water is right. I've used the gold blade #3 Bud's Steelhead Lure (spinner) for many years; I'm an old guy. I bought 50 or so probably 35 years ago when Payless (Rite-Aid) had them on sale at $.79. I noticed them at Sportsman's Warehouse the other day at $3.99. Didn't know it was going to be such a good investment or I'd have bought hundreds. I've had great success on Lake Creek, Rogue and others in reasonable clear waters retrieving with just a slight thump from the blade to feel it was turning over. Casting far enough upstream to allow the spinner to sink close to the bottom.
For lure, I have had success with the Little Cleo again in gold. Don't know the size except to say it is 1 13/16 inch long on the lure body. I learned to use them on the Gualala and Klamath in (norCal). Interestingly my father in law used a hot pink Rooster tail I believe in #3 and caught fish. We would try each others "hot" lure and neither of us did as well. Possibly a confidence factor was involved.
I've seen Steelhead caught on Mepps Anglia, Thomas Buoyant and Castmasters; even though I never have. Again, I believe it is a confidence factor for the fisherman.

 

[DirectDrive]

I like the ones I make (for the Lower 24).
#4 French.....the rest is classified.

I use Sufix Tritanium 10#....Hi-Vis Chartreuse.
By the time he sees it, he's ridin' it.

Book it.

 

[flocaster]

I like fishing spinners when the water is right. I've used the gold blade #3 Bud's Steelhead Lure (spinner) for many years; I'm an old guy. I bought 50 or so probably 35 years ago when Payless (Rite-Aid) had them on sale at $.79. I noticed them at Sportsman's Warehouse the other day at $3.99. Didn't know it was going to be such a good investment or I'd have bought hundreds. I've had great success on Lake Creek, Rogue and others in reasonable clear waters retrieving with just a slight thump from the blade to feel it was turning over. Casting far enough upstream to allow the spinner to sink close to the bottom.
For lure, I have had success with the Little Cleo again in gold. Don't know the size except to say it is 1 13/16 inch long on the lure body. I learned to use them on the Gualala and Klamath in (norCal). Interestingly my father in law used a hot pink Rooster tail I believe in #3 and caught fish. We would try each others "hot" lure and neither of us did as well. Possibly a confidence factor was involved.
I've seen Steelhead caught on Mepps Anglia, Thomas Buoyant and Castmasters; even though I never have. Again, I believe it is a confidence factor for the fisherman.

X2 on the Buds Steelhead spinners! I love how slow you can fish them and have the blade still rotate smooth and consistantly

 

[Casting Call]

Some good posts by DirectDrive, DrT and Jordy.

I would like to add, when it comes to spinner RPM, slower seems better for steelhead. Although a few fish will hit a rapidly spinning blade, most will not and when in doubt, slack to slow is nearly always a wise move; you cannot be spinning too slow. In fact, even if not spinning at all, but merely wobbling or fluttering, you will get hit more often than not. I fish mine similar to a spoon and when the hole gets deep, I'd rather slack line and sink with virtually no spin; it catches fish!

Chez is correct! Colorado blades spin slower because of the surface mass, flutter on the drop better and appear to move slower as not to be concerned about being chased with the apperance of being able to be caught too. GL Tony