What Are The Best Spinners For Trout Fishing?

A question that I often get asked is, "what are the best spinners for trout fishing" and my answer usually consists of some manifestation of "it depends", so in this post I will outline some of the best spinners that I personally have used to catch trout so that you can make sure that you have at least one of these choices available to you the next time that you head out in search of some trout. Are these the only spinners that should be used? Of course not, but they are the ones that work for me and I know that they will do the same for you.

The first thing to remember about spinner fishing for trout is that using the exact same spinner all the time is usually not a very good idea. You want to experiment with spinner size, color, blade color, and even hook color depending on the season and what the trout are doing on a particular day. The second thing to keep in mind is the size of the spinner that is being used. In almost all instances when I am spinner fishing for trout I like to use a spinner that is fairly small, like 1/32 or 1/16 of an ounce.

In the spring of the year, when water flows are usually high and/or muddy I prefer a spinner with a slow action. One of the best manufacturers of in line spinners with a slow action is Panther Martin . I prefer my spinners to be "dressed" because I have always found that "dressed" spinners are more effective for freshwater trout, and in the springtime gold or black spinners seem to be a great way to go. Dark or florescent color pattern seem to work quite well during the spring of the year.
 
As we move into the summer and especially the fall of the year, faster actions spinners such as Rooster Tails and Mepps spinners begin to become more effective. During these times of the year the best and most effective spinners also seem to have silver or spotted blades and color patterns such as pink, white, and green are the way to go in the clear water conditions that are often found during the summer and fall.

The bottom line is that the best spinner for trout fishing is the one that catches trout on the day that you are fishing, which means that you need to have at least 6-10 different choices available to you in your fishing vest so that you can experiment until you find the best for that particular day. My general rule of thumb is to try one configuration for 30 or so minutes and if I don't catch any trout, I switch spinners until I find the one that the trout are looking for on that particular day.

Casting Trout Spinners

For the spin fisherman who enjoys fishing for and catching trout, such as rainbow, brown, and brook trout, one of the most effective techniques that can be employed involves casting small spinners. Casting trout spinners effectively involves more than simply casting a spinner into the water and retrieving that spinner if you want to consistently catch trout and in this article I will reveal some tips and tricks that will help you take your spinner fishing to the next level.

The first tip is to always tie your spinner directly to the end of your fishing line. If you are worried about your line becoming twisted, a small barrel swivel can be tied onto the end of your line and then a twelve to twenty four inch leader should be added with the spinner being tied to the end of the leader. Try not to use a snap swivel as it can disrupt the natural action of the spinner.

Next, make sure that you are using very light fishing line (I prefer two or four pound test) anytime that you are casting trout spinners. Trout have very keen eyesight and will shy away from anything that appears "out of the ordinary" and visible fishing line would certainly qualify as something "out of the ordinary" and will cost you bites from inquisitive trout.

The depth at which you fish your spinner is of the utmost importance as well and there are two ways to add weight to your line anytime that you are casting trout spinners. One is by adding a little lead tape twelve or so inches above the spinner itself and the other is by adding a few split shot sinkers to your line the same distance from the spinner. Although it's sometimes more difficult to find, lead tape is the better choice as it gets "hung up" much less often than split shot sinkers.

Finally, make sure that you vary the speed and motion at which you retrieve your spinner. You never know what "action" the trout will prefer on a particular day, so experiment with your retrieve until you find the method that's working best for the day that you are casting spinners. As you are reeling your spinner in try "snapping" your rod tip from time to time. This action imitates a wounded bait fish and often triggers a bite from a hungry trout. Make sure that you add these simple tips and tricks to your trout fishing memory bank for the next time that you head out casting spinners for trout.

Trout Spinners & An Eight Year Old Trout Fisherman

If you've ever had the pleasure of taking an eight year old girl trout fishing you undoubtedly know that keeping her occupied when the trout aren't cooperating is a next to impossible task, especially if you want to get any fishing done yourself.

When this situation presented itself to me this morning I decided to give something a shot. What about tying a small spinner to the end of my daughters line and letting her "fish" it by casting it out and retrieving it, I thought to myself, and this is exactly what I did. And guess what happened? She had fun and even caught a few small stocked trout, in between becoming hopelessly snagged 3 or 4 times and losing all of Dad's trout spinners. But she caught a few trout and had some fun, which is what this whole ride called life is all about in my opinion, so all in all everything worked out fine.

When I returned from our fishing trip I immediately jumped online to replenish my trout spinners and stumbled upon a great deal and was able to replenish my fishing vest for a very small investment, which was a fitting end to a great morning on the water with my little eight year old trout fisherman.