Lost 3 spinners in a row!

[Iki Jime]

Fished a couple of hours tonight until sundown underneath the bridge near Armitage park. Lost 3 bluefox lures in a row to snagging on rocks... 2 were brand new, right out of the package (sizes 3,4 and a 6). I cut off the treble hooks that they come with and attached the big single siwash hook, since I'd read that this can reduce snagging. I STILL lost 3 within the first hour there.

The first two I lost while trying a spinner technique that I'd read on this forum... cast slightly upstream, let the current drift the spinner down stream (reeling only enough to keep slack out of the line) until it starts to swing back toward the bank. Let the current spin the blade in place for a few seconds, then retrieve.

Am I doing something wrong? Are there just places where you can't use this technique due to underwater structure causing snags? Are the spinner sizes too big/heavy for this type of fishing?

James

 

[Iki Jime]

Has anyone used "non-snagging" hooks like this?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AUV6K...lid=1CANMO0V77HG6&coliid=I1NTIEDTDF4MRG&psc=1

Or this?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0084EGZW6...lid=1CANMO0V77HG6&coliid=I196Z9SVRVL8IT&psc=1

I wonder if either of these products would work on a spinner?

James

 

[DirectDrive]

Fished a couple of hours tonight until sundown underneath the bridge near Armitage park. Lost 3 bluefox lures in a row to snagging on rocks... 2 were brand new, right out of the package (sizes 3,4 and a 6). I cut off the treble hooks that they come with and attached the big single siwash hook, since I'd read that this can reduce snagging. I STILL lost 3 within the first hour there.

The first two I lost while trying a spinner technique that I'd read on this forum... cast slightly upstream, let the current drift the spinner down stream (reeling only enough to keep slack out of the line) until it starts to swing back toward the bank. Let the current spin the blade in place for a few seconds, then retrieve.

Am I doing something wrong? Are there just places where you can't use this technique due to underwater structure causing snags? Are the spinner sizes too big/heavy for this type of fishing?

James

3, 4 and 6 is a wild assortment of weights.
I fish the Lower Deschutes with hardware where #4 and #5 Tacos are the most popular.
The Lower D is "big water" (4500 cfs average summer flow).

1) Probably #4 would be the typical go-to in the average steelhead river.
#3 for "small water".

2) Keeping your spinner "lit" (buoyant) is key to not donating.
You do want to clip the tops of rocks occasionally during your "swing" to be effective.

3) Do not cast upstream and let a French Bladed spinner (Blue Fox) tumble.

4) Do not stand in one spot and flog it with spinners.
Make your "swing" and move a step down because you have cleared that area of "players" (biters).
You move down constantly to swing through new water.

5) If you get snagged, don't stab it in deeper....just roll out about 20' and pop it out with a quick rod lift.
You can save a lot of brass once you learn this technique.

6) Don't use a conventional leader and weight with these spinners.
Mainline them and learn to cast/fish with them that way.

7) If you want to fish hardware, plan on losing some stuff....it's the cost of doing business.

 

[Iki Jime]

Great advice, DD! I'll practice all of those suggestions.

I think I'll look into making my own lures, also. Maybe I won't feel like I'm going to have a heart attack when I loose some.

 

[troutdude]

VERY good advice DD! Tossing a size 6, in low water, is simply too heavy. I use size 3's, in streams at this time of the year (pre-major water flows). And Jed Davis--in his pivotal book, "Spinner Fishing for Steelhead, Salmon, and Trout" said that if you don't lose spinners on every outing--you aren't fishing them, within the strike zone. In other words bouncing them, along the tops of rocks and structure (see #2 above).

 

[bubs]

Some good advice above from DirectDrive.

I just want to add that a lot of people more or less discount the idea of throwing spinners downstream, but I use this method often and catch fish (trout, salmon, and steelhead) so it definitely works in the right circumstance. And, I don't lose as many spinners. It works best when there is a particular area of water you're targeting, and when the current is relatively mild. I keep the right amount of slack/blade tumbling slowly by raising and lowering the rod tip and even letting out line sometimes. If there is a particular spot you think fish might be holding try floating it right through there by casting 45 degrees downstream and letting it swing in front of them. You can plan it so that you're lowering your rod tip (letting the spinner slow down and sink into the zone) right as it gets to that spot. You have full control of depth, speed, action, etc., and you can linger it a bit longer in the zone this way. French blades are good for this method.

However, if you're trying to drift across a wide run (not sure if this is the case there on the McKenzie, I'd guess it is?) I'd say the standard method you mention above is better. Just thought I'd throw that out there, something to try!

 

[BamaDan]

I was in this same position around two years ago when I started hardware fishing. I can tell you from experience being armed with all this information and not having enough practical knowledge of what it means can get expensive! If this sounds redundant, I apologize. I'm hoping to convey a few principals of hardware fishing from the perspective of someone was not long ago in this same boat. I heard all this same guidance, but it had to be in the right words before it made sense. That said, here's some advice I wish I could have given myself a couple years ago:

First off, when you see Bud's spinners, buy a bunch of them in #3 and #4. They're affordable, 2-3 bucks, so when you do get snagged, and you will, you can learn without putting yourself in the poor house. They also catch fish if you do it right, which is an added benefit. Unless you're tying a ton of spinners, building your own isn't really a cost-saving tool at least initially since startup isn't cheap.

Second, and this is the hardest concept to grasp, you're brushing the bottom, not dredging it. People say cast upstream, let it sink until you feel the rocks and let it swing. This is true, but don't practice it in extremes. It's hard to explain so you'll have to get your own feel for it, but there's a huge difference between an engaged, spinning, controlled spinner tapping the tops of rocks and just casting out and letting it crash into the bottom. Don't just cast upstream and give it slack until it slams in the rocks, that's what hangs you up, reel, lift your rod tip, if you bump the bottom reel a little more until the current lifts it. Remember, fish don't live under the rocks and their eyes are on the top of their head. You want to be just off the bottom, not ON it.

Third, only cast a distance upstream sufficient to allow your spinner to sink into the strike zone of the spot you're fishing. I'm talking about a general, typical cast and not upstream fishing methods which is a whole other thing. You always have to keep river depth, current speed, and spinner weight in mind each cast to give yourself the best shot at hooking up and least amount of tackle lost. Depending on the conditions, you might cast upstream, 90 degrees out, or slightly downstream. Whatever gets your spinner at its proper depth at the right time. There are no absolutes.

Jed Davis' book is your friend.

And, last, everybody has an opinion and everybody does it a little different. There's a lot of great advice out there but it can get overwhelming if you try to employ it all right out of the gate. Just start simple until you get a feel for it and you'll get into fish eventually. Good Luck!

 

[sapo]

Good advice from everyone! Ya on the lower D, use #4 spinners in this water, #5 usually but it might be pushing it right now. Although I think the bulk of the steelhead are past the lower 10 miles or so.

 

[Iki Jime]

Great nuggets of wisdom, guys. It's a lot of info, but I'm not above printing this thread out and taking it with me. There's a lot more to using a spinner than I ever would have thought.

 

[Modest_Man]

What pound test are you using? I landed a car tire on Saturday...

Seem like every year I go heavier and heavier with my spinner setup, and the fish don't seem to care (only exception may be low water summer steelhead - but I did land a couple with a 25lb leader targeting spring chinook this year). I won't "mainline" the spinner but I run a higher lb braid with a short mono buffer, so I don't lose huge amounts of braid in the rivers.

 

[BamaDan]

I landed a car tire on Saturday...

Did you eat it? They're a little dark this time of year, but I bet it'll smoke up just fine.

 

[DirectDrive]

More good hardware info added !

Most of time, in my typical river condition, if straight out (90°) is 12 O'Clock and the river is flowing right to left, my spinner hits the water at 1:00, maybe 2:00 sometimes.
As stated above, there is a balance between spinner weight, current speed and depth of water which will dictate where you want your spinner to hit in order to get to proper depth for your swing.

 

[DrTheopolis]

In high, fast winter flows, don't discount the idea of casting it directly up the bank in front of you, and reeling like mad. Fish hug the edges in fast, cold water.


Geez, I'm giving up all my secrets on this site.

 

[troutdude]

Did you eat it? They're a little dark this time of year, but I bet it'll smoke up just fine.

One of funniest remarks, on here, ever! LOL

 

[troutdude]

In high, fast winter flows, don't discount the idea of casting it directly up the bank in front of you, and reeling like mad. Fish hug the edges in fast, cold water.


Geez, I'm giving up all my secrets on this site.

Negative; that secret went by the wayside w/ the advent of the net...as in INTERnet.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Yeah, well, don't believe everything you read on the internet... unless it's on this here website, in which case, it's irrefutable (like the dozens of 18 pound coho we've heard about recently).

 

[Iki Jime]

Great advice all around! I'm glad I found this forum.

James