Northwest Fishing Reports

What spinner bait for trout seems to work the best?

There are quite a few out there that will do the trick. Your best bet is to do some research at the lake that you plan on fishing. There is a lot of good info on this site in the fishing reports section, but the best thing to do is talk to other fisherman at the lake, or talk to the people that run the tackle shops on the lake. My favorite are probably blue foxes. I really like rooster tails but it is really easy to bend the the thing that the blade is on and then the blade wont spin right. There is a rooster tail like lure that is made by Gitzit and they are sold for $1. They work just as well as roostertails but dont come in as many colors and the feathers arnt tied as well. I use Kastmasters and Krocodiles more than spinners though. Its really just personal preference, but you have to real spinners a little faster to get the blade to spin and spoons a little slower so they wobble and not roll. So it all depends if the fish want a slower or faster presentation. I also like to use krill grease and that really makes difference. But with spinners you have to be careful where you put the grease because it will gum up the spinner and the blade wont spin.

Spoons over spinners for me.

Best spinners based upon personal results= wedding rings

Nothing beats flatfish/hotshots though...

Thanks.

If your using a spinner you have an advantage over spoons in the bait factor. Spinners you can put on a tip of a worm or corn or whatever without imparting any action, and it's tough to tip a spoon without ruining it's action. So you have to stick with artificial scents with spoons.

Panther Martins hands down number one spinner for trout!!! In moving water or troll, I like the Super Dupers, too.

traded almost all my roostertails for panther martins. cast for cast they have produced better results both rivers and lakes. for trout and panfish. <')//<

For rivers I've done great with panther martins...Really good. I had one Panther martin that cast after cast brought me a bow or a brown from this one stretch of river every night I went down there...

I definitely don't like Rooster Tails. They are cheaply made and the wire is so thin that I have actually bent them up just getting them out of the package.

Does anyone out here use Mepps Aglia?

A little Cavdad,

I got a few still sitting around the tacklebox....

the next spinner lure that i would have would be the pistol pete. its a spinner fly. i've landed 5lb bass, crappie, bluegill, and lots of trout, flyfisherman roll their eyes at this lure because its tech, not a true fly!? but it sure does catch fish. <')//<

Since my college days I have used the Mepp’s green Roostertail spinner and have caught more bass and trout on them than I ever expected. When the fish aren’t biting I toss the green Roostertail and I always seem to catch fish. Great spinner. I am also interested in the panther martin since reading this post. I know were talkin spinners here but we all know that some lures work better in certain lakes than others. Weird! In Heart Lake near Anacortes I troll the red Rebel mini craw and absolutely knock em dead the first 6 weeks after the opener. Yes it’s usually the plants that are biting this diving bait but it works like a champ. Good topic. Good to hear what everyone is using. Always room in the tackle box for another lure or spinner. Good luck fishin.

Hey Dave, toss a Super Duper at Heart Lake. It was always a killer for us in the early trout season. Just put a couple splitshot about 18" ahead of the lure for distance.

Just 18 inches cavdad? I try and keep my weights and swivels atleast 3 feet away from the lure...

I think Mepps are far more durable than Rooster Tails, but a black Rooster tail with silver blades is a must in my tackle box. The red and copper Super Duper is deadly as well. Don't be fooled by brass and red. I am with Sam though spoons rock. #1 red and white needlefish are my favorite. they used to never have spinners but now are all made with a little spinner at the end. My reeling arm is still sore from the last time I used one.

Sam Kafelafish wrote:Just 18 inches cavdad? I try and keep my weights and swivels atleast 3 feet away from the lure...

Easier to cast. Don't feel like a cowboy with a lariat.

Hahahaha. True. I think it's still pretty manageable with a bit more leader though?

JimLyons wrote:I think Mepps are far more durable than Rooster Tails, but a black Rooster tail with silver blades is a must in my tackle box. The red and copper Super Duper is deadly as well. Don't be fooled by brass and red. I am with Sam though spoons rock. #1 red and white needlefish are my favorite. they used to never have spinners but now are all made with a little spinner at the end. My reeling arm is still sore from the last time I used one.

You brought up a good point JimLyons, that I forgot to mention. When going for trout the blades on your spinner must be silver or brass. But I prefer silver.

A rule of thumb that some use for determining spinner colors is this:
Silver for clear water or sunny days with good water visibility.
Brass for darker or dirtier water (less visibility)

A lot of it is preference though. I don't find myself using this rule that much at all..

i always did good with green wedding ring with silver blade