Ideas for salmon trolling spinners

[Aervax]

Not having had a lot of success salmon fishing on my own I'm looking for feedback from some of you serious salmon guys. I've been building some big flashy spinners for trolling for salmon on the Columbia, this fall. The big ones have size 6.5 spinner blades. The little ones are size 3. This is a work in progress for me. I hope to build a few more variations over the next week. What blade types, size and colors work for you on the Columbia for Chinook and Coho? Any feedback on my first attempts in the pic would be appreciated. Thanks. Eric

 

[305to503fishermen]

I am no expert on Salmons at all.

With that being said, if you are able to I would do these on a leader. Especially for the Coho, this should help avoid them popping off from the leverage they can create with that steel body.

Outside of that they look good to me.

 

[PhoFish]

where do you all get your spinner kits? I am wanting to build some Jed Davis spinners - but it seems the things in that book are outdated of course. Thanks for the help!

 

[Aervax]

I am no expert on Salmons at all.

With that being said, if you are able to I would do these on a leader. Especially for the Coho, this should help avoid them popping off from the leverage they can create with that steel body.

Outside of that they look good to me.

Thank you for that suggestion. Building them on leader would be lots simpler than bending and wrapping those wire loops, too. I'll build some of my other colors that way.

 

[Aervax]

where do you all get your spinner kits? I am wanting to build some Jed Davis spinners - but it seems the things in that book are outdated of course. Thanks for the help!

I acquired lots of spinner building components from some trading I did with one of the guys on OFF, some of my old low profile bass reels for cash and spinner parts. The blades and clevis on the ones in the pics I bought at Fisherman's Marine in Oregon City because I was already there for some other fishing gear. Some of the guys on OFF have posted about better sources for spinner building supplies, larger variety and lower prices than Fisherman's. Use the search function on this site to find some of those old threads. Good luck, tight lines, and post pics for us of the spinners you build. Eric

 

[Irishrover]

Just got back in town and saw you post. No internet up in the mountains.

For years at B-10 it was a size 7 to 7.5 blade, some beads and a hook. Sometimes we would down size. The best combinations of colors for me has always been orange and white. Favorite blade is a fire and ice. That's the blade with the diagonal design.

I tried building the spinners on mono leader. Found it was not as effective as wire. Needed to use a plastic clevis and sometimes they would break and you would lose the blade. A metal clevis after a while in a strong current would eat through the mono.

Most of the chinook were caught on the spinner like those in the picture. Easy to make. The wire I bought in bulk from Cabelas years ago. The blades I picked up in Clackamas at a little shop I believe is gone now.

 

[Irishrover]

This just came to mind. Boggs tackle maker http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Boggs-TackleMaker

It's the tool I use to make spinners.

 

[PhoFish]

Seems like the more I look around for parts that I will have to piece everything together and many of the shops are just sold out right now - suppose season is just around the corner! Thank you for all of the great information.

 

[Aervax]

Did you look at lurepartsonline.com suggested by Irishrover in his message above? I just placed an order there this morning for spinner blades, beads, clevis and spinner wires. They had 90% of what I was looking for in stock.

 

[Aervax]

@Irishrover
Thank you very much for the feedback and ideas. I just bought a bunch of new blades and parts from lurepartsonline.com

I am divided about putting clevis and blades on heavy mono versus stainless steel wire. The idea of damaging line with the turning clevis is clearly a problem. On the other hand when fishing on friend's boats I have also seen situations firsthand where several more than usual salmon in a day come unbuttoned from big semi-rigid wire spinners.

While looking at clevis used for wire spinners I came across a folded metal clevis that is designed specifically for attaching spinners directly onto fishing line - wire free. I bought a pack of 100 for a couple of bucks. I attached a pic of the traditional stamped clevis for wire and another of the folded one for fishing line.

Please let me know if you have experience with the folded one. I'm going to give it a try to see how the fishing line holds up unless one of you guys has already tried it with bad results.

 

[PhoFish]

Did you look at lurepartsonline.com suggested by Irishrover in his message above? I just placed an order there this morning for spinner blades, beads, clevis and spinner wires. They had 90% of what I was looking for in stock.

Hey Aervax, I did look at lureparts online, but unfortunately I will still have to source the spinner blades from elsewhere. Also, I have been shopping around for metal beads rather than the standard spinner bodies.

Of course, I have no idea what I am doing, I only have ever bought lures. All the information you have shared has been very helpful - along with some of the ideas of other users within the site database. Thanks!!!

 

[Irishrover]

I've used both style clevises, both worked fine. Oh yes I've had chinook come off on those big spinners too. It's not a good feeling. I did make some spinners on plastic coated cable they seemed to work ok. Used the same pattern I use on wire spinners. I'll post a picture later.

I found Michael's to be a good source of inexpensive beads. They are not "fishing" beads but they work great.

 

[PhoFish]

Nice, great info @Irishrover - I have found all but silver plated french blades... oh and the clevis bearings - i saw they have solid brass, but maybe ill just grab some at Michaels along with the beads for the bodies.. Have you tried black nickel blades? Are they vulnerable to chipping?

 

[Irishrover]

Never used black nickel blades. I use small nickel blades on my ocean hoochie rigs and they work very well.

The spinner in the picture is a chinook lure. Size 7 blade orange and white, on a plastic coated cable wire. It's very flexible and used crimps to hold it together. I added a 6 bead chain to to keep the line from twisting. Just a different way to build a spinner not necessarily better. The only place I use these is in the lower Columbia for fall chinook.

 

[Aervax]

@Irishrover
Nice post. Thanks for sharing the spinner pic and design description. Do you think the flexible coated cable shaft noticeably reduces the unbuttoning of fish?

 

[Irishrover]

No real difference regarding solid hookups. The main benefit is the spinners are easier and quicker to make. Just cut the cable and crimp instead of twisting the wire. The other benefit is the clevis will not damage the cable.

 

[freednog]

I often forget that there are places you can still use barbed & treble hooks. Even if those aren't effective, they're pretty to look at. I know I'd bite.

 

[jamisonace]

Not having had a lot of success salmon fishing on my own I'm looking for feedback from some of you serious salmon guys. I've been building some big flashy spinners for trolling for salmon on the Columbia, this fall. The big ones have size 6.5 spinner blades. The little ones are size 3. This is a work in progress for me. I hope to build a few more variations over the next week. What blade types, size and colors work for you on the Columbia for Chinook and Coho? Any feedback on my first attempts in the pic would be appreciated. Thanks. Eric

3.5 seem to be the ticket on the Coos, Umpqua and Siuslaw. I don't see anyone fishing spinners with decorated hooks.