Best spinners for trout?

[DougShields.com]

Anything like one of these?

[crkohrin]

yea those are the ones, ive havent really found the fly at the end to help much but im sure it cant hurt, they've worked for me here and they worked great over in montana with a little piece of nighcrawler dragging off the back, caught a whole lot of nice browns, if you look close you can see the lure

[noclothes1]

Anything like one of these?

Those are WIN! Get a few with silver blade as well.

[fishcreekspinners]

This thread was pretty interesting to me, and I took the time to summarize the responses to this point in time.

First I love to fish with spinners, I have my whole life. I like to move around and cover a lot of territory, finding new coves, holes and beaverponds. No waders for me, I chose an electric motor or the featherweight hip boots.

Trout forum question was “Best Spinner for Trout?”

23 members responded with 43 posts. About half are follow-ups and comments and there’s no consensus. That wasn’t a surprise. The surprise to me was that spoons appear with the most responses on the ‘Best Spinner for Trout’ thread. Go figure.

One response stood out; listing the various blade shapes, types and profiles. Useful information.

Here’s the thread summary data (as best I could classify the responses). I’ll follow up with my opinions and commentary.

Terms

Pick/Favorite/Lucky were lists of several brands with no clear Best
Best – preference with supplied reason
Negative was stuff, like tried them didn’t work for me, etc.



My observations

I think we all learned from the thread and I want to share the summary. You may think I’m full of it, but humor me.

Most spinner brands sited are pretty dated, been around 60-70 years; WWII vintage with ideas brought back from Europe or imported into US. This heavy import created the need to pay 10% excise tax on fishing product manufacturing, in order for Uncle Sam to recover for this foreign production sold in US. Excise tax hurts US manufacturers, especially the startups like FCS. The tax is kind of created a foreign monopoly in my opinion that slows down expansion in this market to only us diehards with wire in our veins.




Favorites

As far as the favorites before FCS, I was in love with the same Panther Martin (Black with green spots) that’s a favorite on the thread. The aluminum white metal looking Bluefox Vibrax for its noise was probably my overall favorite. I haven't fished with the Wedding Ring but will pick a few up to try, seems like a winner.

The mentioned spinner choices are pretty limited and aged, we innovate making our own, adding colored hooks and other creative endeavors. That’s how FCS got here, along with a lot of other less familar localized brands.

Negatives
Ever notice the Proposition 65 warning on Spinner backs? That’s because paints used on spinners were lead based and stacking up on the bottoms of lakes. Guessing that Black Panther Martin favorite is using lead paint. I went to glass to get color without paint and reduce impact. Then Transparent Powder Coat, no lead and low VOC.

For Rooster tail negatives, they use a swing blade that is fast and sometimes decides to surf. I like that blade and use it on my favorite spinner. It spins fast and closer to body. I use metal discs to slow it down, using that speed as friction on the discs creating noise and vibration. Then I started using fluted blades to get even more noise off the discs.

Bottom Line, the Best Spinner for Trout still needs to be made! The world and fishing continue to change and sometimes things get used for lack of choice or habit. 5 of 8 have been around over 60 years, its time to change that. Anglers are doing more fly fishing. Waders suck, time passes and I hope they choose FCS when they consider alternatives.

I have all the WL Ids listed that responded to the thread to this point and would be happy to send a couple FCS spinners for you to try (at my expense) and let you try them if you haven't. The spoon guys may not want any free spinners , but the rest of you spinner anglers with responses might want to try something new.

Just send me a PM or email providing your address and I’ll try to be quick about getting them in the mail.

Noise on the Line!

John Delaney
fishcreekspinners@gmail.com

[Mike Carey]

Thanks John, interesting to read a tackle manufacturer's perspective.

Guys, I'm telling you John's FCS's have quality written all over them. You should jump at his offer!

[returnofthefish]

Thanks John from FishCreekSpinners for compiling the information in this thread. The charts really help make sense of the information. I have sent you a PM.

[Blackmouth]

Big Wedding ring fan here. Looking to make an order from FCS spinners shortly!

[Toni]

FCS, I was wondering why you have "Luhr Jensen Finland" in part of your chart? Is it because in 2005 Rapala bought Luhr Jensen and Sons?

[Anglinarcher]

Excellent summary John, I really think you have summed up spinners completely.

Personally, I think the Panther Martin is so productive because of two features, one, it is heavy for it's size (lead) and two, the in line blade makes a bit more turbulence then the standard blade. You can cast the heavy spinner farther (spook less fish and cover more water) and it runs deeper on a retrieve then light spinners. I think the Blue Fox is productive because of the noise from the body, something FCS is doing even better.

I have not made an order yet, but I think your Angle Iron is every bit the Panther Martin, without the lead, with the weight and blade.

I make a lot of my own spinners, and John is right, you don't need lead for weight control. Brass works well, Stainless Steel is overkill, and there are other materials available.

I will say this much, I think FCS is on the right track, and they should have a very very very good future.

[TheMissBud]

Whether it be casting from shore or trolling, I've always had great success using Wedding Rings as well. I usually put a small dallop of PowerBait or worm on the hook too.

Have tried Panther Martins, Rooster Tails, Dick Knights, etc. with minimal success. Actually haven't caught a single trout using any of them to tell you the truth. I've tried casting and trolling them all with absolutely no luck. It must be the amateur fisherman in me doing something wrong

Ryan

[jens]

I have had success with the gold with brown tail Roostertail 1/8oz for many many years. I also use Kastmasters, Bluefox and the Panther Martin. But, for me, the RoosterTail is my lure of choice.

[racfish]

Now you asked for spinners.Spinners are not spoons.They are two different items altogether.I have fished mostly spoons and spinners.Allthough a wedding ring blade spins I dont consider it a spinner.Its a lure.Kastmaster is a spoon.Dick-nite is a spoon not a spinner also.Just to clarify.In Lake Wa nothing beats the Krocodile.Its a spoon not a spinner.Vibrex,Mepps ,Bolos,Panther martins are all spinners.

[swedefish4life1]

Pitch the trebles on all this gear match the colored gama to the body of the spinner

Single gama will drive much deeper then any treble hook and trebles add to snags , drag in the water , and show in clear waters very Bad!!!!

This one single colored Gama to match the hatch!:chef:

Spoons as well and the Krocks spoons rock Mutten chops man:colors: !!!

[racfish]

Thanks for the tip on the hooks Swede.Im gonna change a few out.Will it change the action of the spoon/spinner at all?

[swedefish4life1]

Yes it will add:-$ you MIGHT CATCH A FISH!!!:cheers: :chef: lol

[wolverine]

Old school Mepps in size 0 & 1, gold blade, and red tubing has sore mouthed far too many trout, summer steelhead, and the occasional salmon for me than any other spinner. Yes they are very light weight and require a long light rod and 4 to 6 lb test line to get any casting distance and performance. A split shot helps but takes away the feel of the spinner. Not a good choice lure for the one rod does it all guy as inevitably the rod, reel, and line are more geared for winter steelhead and salmon.

[Jake Dogfish]

I have to agree with the majority here. I would put the Panther Martin that Doug has pictured at the top of my list for trout. For Coho I would go with the red and white mepps or the silver blade green vibrax. Not a big fan of Roosters, and the Mepps although great is a little flimsy. Just try fishing those for Northern Pike and you will see what I mean. Your lure will return to you in unusable ball of twisted metal! One fish per lure.

[curado]

heres one i forgot to add bolo spinners the double spinners that you add a leader to

[UptheCreek]

My favorite lure right now has to be the blue fox vibrax. Especially the silver one with a white tail on it. I have caught a ton of rainbows, cuttys and my first steelhead this year on it!!! My next favortie is the 1/8 oz brown rooster tail. Many a cutthroat have been taken with one of those.