Tying your own spinners

[lakevet]

Tis the time of year for spinners. I tie my own and am looking for new ideas. What type of line do you use and why? I have been using Trilene XT 10# or 12#. Anyone use braids/fireline? What are your favorite combos of colors/beads/blades? Anyone put beads ahead of the clevis? what color?

Thanks

lakevet

[PerchJerker]

Your options are unlimited. I've tried everything from small flicker blades to double and triple spinner rigs, offset the spinnerblades to make them "clack", used lot's of beads ahead of and/or behind the blade, pegged floaters or spinners well ahead of the blade, etc. It's fun to play around with but usually simpler is better. I can't tell you any favorites because certain colors and blades work best on some lakes but not on others ..... but if I had to pick one to start with on a new lake it would probably be green beads and a gold or copper hammered blade unless the water was dark.

I tie all my spinners on XT or flouro. Braid and Fireline are too limp and don't work well for spinners imo.

[lakevet]

PerchJerker,

What's the plus/minus on XT vs Fluorocarbon? Is one more abrasion resistant than the other? Any other characteristics important to spinners? Also any rule of thumbs for blade size?

lakevet

[crawler harness]

I would have to say the best setup that has put more eyes in the boat would have to be cabelas proline in Camo at 12lb test and then right before the red hooks a chartruese bead, 3 red beads,1 chartruese, 3 red beads, 1 chartruese, clevis and then 1 chartruese on top of that.bead size is 3, blades would be a #4 deep cup hammered silver or a copper hatchet blade. hook size being 4's.

[PerchJerker]

I basically use flouro if the water is very clear, other than that I usually use XT.

[Borch]

I have lots of combos with some tied with exchange style clevis' and some with standard folded clevis'. The standard folded clevis' perform better a slower speeds but the exchage style give you more flexibility. Something I will always remember is that bead combos stand out more than the blade color as the blade appears almost transluscent when spinning and the bead combos stand out.

Over the years I've upsized my hook size and have not noticed any decrease in getting bite but my hooking percentage has gone up. I rarely use a snell longer than 7 feet or shorter than 4 feet anymore.

[Shorelunch]

What color of beads do you generally use in clear and stained water?

[Murdock]

Also, how do you guys tie/connect your line to the snell? (clip on swivel,simple knot.) I have recently created a loop at the end of the lindy snell and then clip that loop into a swivel/clevis. But that has resulted in several broken lines exactly at that point. Any suggestions would be greately appreciated.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Everyone should tie their own spinners. You can do it cheaper and with your personal choice of hook. I tie the simplest spinners. Number 3 Indiana blade, 5 3mm beads, 2-3 VMC or Gamakatsu #4 octopus hooks. But I tie some for my buddy who wants #4 Colorado, 10 beads in 3 colors. He catches lots of fish on them. I like all gold, all silver, orange/chart with orange beads, lime/chart with chart beads. I have other colors along but those 4 always seem to work. Once I switched from Mustad hooks my hookup percentage went thru the roof. I use Stren 15#. The half mile spool was like $6. It has worked great for me. I would worry that if I used superlines my mainline would brak more and cost me bottom bouncers.

[PerchJerker]

I typically use brighter colors in darker water, chartruese and orange and green (think firetiger), even pink. At times plain red (red, not orange) by itself can be dynamite in dark water.

Murdock - if you're breaking line I would strongly suggest going to a new spool or even a different line altogether. 10 lb xt or 10 lb flouro is what I use, gamma copolymer is another great choice. Another option if your loop is breaking is to go with a swivel between your standing line and leader - attach your lines to the swivel with palomar or improved cinch knots.

[gregg52]

chatruse beads usally 3-4 hands down hammer gold colorado spinners i use a 3 way alot seems easier to fish more verticle with out gettin really heavy bottom bouncers tend to take a more line than the 3 way

[Borch]

What color of beads do you generally use in clear and stained water?

I use more of the opaque colored beds in dark water. Chartruese, lime green with red. In clear water I use more transluscent beads with oranges, reds as well as white or blue.

[lakevet]

Any tips for tying 2 hook spinners so the hooks line up? I like to put a minnow on each hook of the "crawler" rigs.

lakevet

[PerchJerker]

Any tips for tying 2 hook spinners so the hooks line up? I like to put a minnow on each hook of the "crawler" rigs.

lakevet

I don't think that's legal ---- I think 2 minnows on 2 hooks would be considered 2 lures and you're only allowed to use 1. Anyone know for sure?????????

[fishwater]

Anyone know for sure?????????

[lakevet]

My understanding is that that as long as it is a legal lure you can bait it however you want with legal bait. Example- putting a minnow or minnow head on each hook of the treble on your jigging spoon. Or packing a treble hooks with waxies/grubs. If there is something in the fine print I am missing, let me know.

I know it saves rebaiting the kids lines as often.

lakevet

[MN Shutterbug]

Has anyone tried glow - in - the - dark beads?

[lakevet]

Just called the local CO. It is legal, but you can get in trouble if the hooks are too far apart. Then the LURE becomes illegal with or without bait. Keep them close (couple inches). Then you can bait them with whatever legal bait however you want.

lakevet

p.s. the government forgot bait shops with the bailout so this idea will help them sell more bait

[Northlander]

I use multiple minnows or leeches all the time. Never had a CO question it. As long as its 1 spinner rig Im pretty sure its legal.

[Borch]

Any tips for tying 2 hook spinners so the hooks line up? I like to put a minnow on each hook of the "crawler" rigs.

lakevet

I just tied up about 20 2 hook crawler harness' yesterday. Tie the snell knot as normal but leave a longer,(4 inches or so)tag end. When you tighten the first hook you'll have enough line left to tie the second hook. With practice you can get them 2-3 inches apart.

By the way the spinner is considered a lure so the multiple hook set up is legal regardless of the bait you choose to use. I wonder how far the hooks would need to be apart before they would be considered separate lures or a mini trotline.

[SunneyeDay]

I use the glow beads alot on snell rigs-I like to pair it up with with those white iridescent gamakatsus that I have a hard time finding lately.

[Jim Hudson]

For 2 or 3 hook harnesses, here is the way I do it and makes it simple..

Cut the length of line you want your spinner to be.. Typically, longer for clear water (4 feet is about what I tie mine at for Great Lakes applications) and shorter for dingier water (2 feet for stained water is my norm). I strictly run 15lb fluorcarbon for my spinners (abrasion resistant and is rigid).

Take your back hook and snell it to the rear of your line.. Take your second hook and thread it on from the top down and snell this 3 to 4 inches above the rear hook. Add beads or what I use BPS Spacer Bodies then your clevis. Add a good small barrel swivel to complete and your on to the next spinner.

[Northlander]

Many ways to tie spinners. I snell my 1st hook then 2nd and then 3rd if needed. Backwards from what Jim and others do. Both ways work fine.

I run 3-6' leaders on Lake Superior and 12" to 30" or so in stained water.

Thousands of color schemes as far as different blades, hooks, beads and clevis colors.

Get some components and experiment. Its addicting.

[Borch]

Well I'm restocking my spinner/snell tieing box as it has really gotton depleted over the past 5+ years or so since I restocked last time. It's almost as bad as the the crankbait fetish I have.

With 300+ blades and 6000+ beads ordered of different sizes and colors.

[Covey]

I've noticed people posting that they use 10# test for tying thier spinners. Is this right? I thought you wanted to use lighter test line?