Spinner-flies

[JSzymczyk 0]

When I was a kid, I used to make spinners for trout and smallies, before I got into fly tying. We caught trout like crazy on them. My Dad had a few ancient "spinner flies" he called them, which were just a woolly worm or wet fly with either a small colorado blade in front, or a propeller blade. He said they used to be popular in the early-mid fifties for trout, both on fly rods and the new light spinning tackle.

 

Recently I got some small colorado blades and other supplies, and made up some lures using them with clouser minnows... the lead eyes keep the lures tracking straight without twisting. This evening, in between keeping horses from knocking over my motorcycle, my son and I caught some LMB on them in a nearby pond.

 

Some folks might find this as repulsive as using soft plastics and bio-scents on the fly-rod, but I'll tell you what, these things kick butt. The turbulence created by the blade makes the bucktail wiggle like crazy. Little bit of a PIA to cast, but not much worse than some other big heavy "normal" flies.

 

It blurs the line a little bit between flies and not-flies.. but I know I'm going to keep some of these things on hand for special occasions.

[Steve P 0]

Hey if they are going to chastise you they are going to have to hang me at the same time, I have used them, though I has very little sucess I have given them a try and done well under the right conditions. But my biggest fly fishing sin is that I have used a fly rd with a piece of... worm under a pulsa. Yeah I said it I have cast a piece of worm with my fly rod and caught trout before and I have caught some really nice fosh too. Now I only do this in a bait only section of a popular river I fish and just like to catch fish on my fly rod, so get out the rope and round up a mob we're not scared.

 

Steve

[oatka 0]

The turbulence created by the blade makes the bucktail wiggle like crazy. Little bit of a PIA to cast, but not much worse than some other big heavy "normal" flies.

 

I think it was an article on www.hatchesmagazine.com that I read about a guy who did a few extra turns of hackle on his wooley buggers so that it would create turbulance too. the hackle is probably lighter than metal.

[Redwings1 0]

I am sure purists will say they are not true flies but there is no denying that blades are a very effective way to add to a fly and make it really move the water. The key is to be sure that you have the blade free to move and not impede the way the fly tracks. For a blade the easiest way is to drop a swivel off the shank just behind the eye and use a blade that way, like on a roadrunner. For props start your fly far enough back on the shank to allow for a small bead on either side of the propr so it is unencumbered in it's spin.

[flyline64 0]

Everyone should fish as they please.

 

But it is not only "purists" who don't consider a bugger with propeller to be a fly. Anyone caught fishing that in "fly only" water (in any state that has it) would end up with a ticket. In fact, some states don't even allow rubber legs.

[JSzymczyk 0]

I used a piece of spinner shaft wire, a blade, a clevis, and a bead for a bearing. I formed a loop in the aft end, put the fly on, and turned the loop closed. No tangles, no worries. I'll post a pic, maybe tonight.

 

No question, these are "spinners" like a mepps or rooster tail are spinners, but with a fly (streamer, WB) as a hook instead of a treble hook.

 

In the dingy water I have to fish, I think the vibe from the blade makes a difference at certain times. Either way, it's another method of wasting time and cluttering up fly boxes, which is what this is all about, right?

[Philly 0]

And I thought you'll were talking about mayfly spinners. I'm really disappointed but what's wrong with a fly with a prop or two on it.

 

 

 

I guess treble hooks are a no-no on FFO stretches.

[TigerTom 0]

My late Grandfather gave me his old tackle box that was filled with smallish spinner rigs. I've had great fun polishing the Indiana blades with my Dremel and painting the tiny beads mounted on the straight-wire shank. Then attaching a wolly-wormish fly on.

I believe these rigs were meant for the fly crowd in the '40s & '50s. They cast easily with my 'ol 7 wt. And I enjoy thinking I may be fishing the same way as my GrandDaddy 50+ years ago!

[JSzymczyk 0]

I agree- I've been making up a bunch of what were called "short striker" spinners. It's a french style spinner blade and a weighted brass body, with a size 6 wet fly, trailing a size 14 treble. They were the killer trout spinners which my Dad used forever in NY and Pa. I don't think the versions he used were from a big tackle company, but I know he didn't make them himself. The wet flies were just about any generic looking traditional wet fly, and of course woolly worms. It's half-fly, half hardware. Now if only there was a trout within 250 miles...

 

It's kind of a nice addition to the tying, my wife seems to like the beads and shiny blades and other bits more than animal tails and bags of synthetics too.

[Linesides 0]

Great looking take off on a deciever.

 

[conehead 0]

JScymczyk,

 

I would like to see how you put the blade on a clouser. How about posting some pictures. I have some old (about 20 yrs) trout spinners (small and light weight) that came with flies attached.

 

Hey, no one ever picks on the spin casting guys when they add flies.

 

Conehead