Jed Davis--the Oregon Godfather of spinner fishing--stated that if you don't lose a few spinners, each outing, then you're fishing them incorrectly. So, in brief, you WERE getting them into the strike zone. What type of water, were you tossing them into? Was it slack / slow moving? Or was it, faster runs, tailouts, rapids etc? 'Bows like the faster, and more oxygenated, water. Cutthroat hang out, in the slow moving stuff.
You're not gonna be an expert, in one outing. The only thing that will make you better; is MORE time on the streams. So don't give up, so easily.
A bare worm--with maybe a BB sized split shot, or two--plopped into the water, just above a drop OFF, is deadly! The same goes, for Salmon eggs. A deadly rig, for cutties, is worm and bobber. Or hot pink and / or small brown Rooster Tails. 'Bows go nuts, over the Fire Tiger Roosters.