Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[fishseeker]

I am pretty new to this but I have had some fun on the Stave fishing size five blades - those gold plated ones you can make yourself.  The interesting thing I learned trying that is I seemed to induce more strikes by getting the blade to spin (i.e. by maintaining tension between the rod tip and the float).  This is something someone told me and, though it worked great, I am not sure if this is always a better way or just for some conditions.

Then I went out to the Vedder last weekend and tried the same technique - I got nothing while everyone around me was into fish using pea sized wool on a small hook.  (It might have been something else I was doing wrong because switching to wool didn't help me either  )  Anyway, here's some questions about short floating blades because (a) I enjoy fishing this way and (b) I can see I have a lot to learn as always.

1) Is it better to use a natural drift or to get the blades spinning by maintaining some tension in the line? 

2) What size is optimal for what conditions?  Someone made a comment on one of my posts that I should use different sizes for different current strengths.

3) What colors? (I have gold and silver blades - all size 5).

Note: My setup is this - Float, weight, swivel, 12 to 18 inches of leader, spinner on the end.  (I make sure the weight is such that only the red portion of my float projects about the water)

I adjust the depth until the spinner appears to be hitting bottom and then I raise it up about a foot or so hoping I can clear the bottom by about 1 to 2 feet.

[Fish Assassin]

I prefer a natural drift but hold back on my float slightly when fishing the tailout.

[tooler91]

I took my Dad up to the Chilliwack for the 1st time on Monday. I had some success last week running blades behind a float with about 24 inches of 10 pound leader.
He hooked up 7 times and landed 4 fish. 3 chums and 1 ugly spring. They all hit it hard. Chums weighed 8, 11 & 12 pounds. Spring was 18 pounds.
He said it was the most fun he has ever had fishing, especially since the biggest fish he had ever caught before that was about 4 pounds.

I custom make my own blades using swivels and spring clips. Try to find the lightest blades possible as it allows the blade to flutter easier in a natural drift on the float.

When so many people throw roe and wool at fish, blades are a nice change and I have found that chums really like to hit them.

[c-pin]

Hey Fishseeker,

To answer your questions:

1) Yes and no. Sometimes just a flutter of the blade in a natural drift elicit strikes. Sometimes a little tension on the line to make the blade spin (like in a tailout) will elicit strikes.

2) It depends. Rule of Thumb: Sometimes in faster water, a french blade is better (less blade surface - it takes more hydro pressure to get the blade to spin) ... in slower water a colorado blade is better (more blade surface - it takes less hydro pressure to get the blade to spin). In coloured up water a bigger blade may be better.

In clear water a small blade may be better. However, I have caught fish using a size 1 blade in visibility less than 6 inches, and caught fish using a size 5 in gin clear water.

3) I am a sucker for all the new colours of lures when they first come out. Rule of Thumb: By the end of the season I am fishing 2 colours of blades; either a silver colour (silver plate or nickel - for clear sunny days) or a brass colour (with gold plate being a variant - for overcast days). For the last couple of seasons, I have been fishing a 50/50 silver & brass blade, and this seems to be my "go to" blade that I fish.

Silver plate has a much better flash that nickel. So you can use that it murkier water. Again there exceptions to the rule: I have caught fish on a clear sunny day on brass - and on overcast days on silver.

Confused yet? So .... if you are going out and getting more blades, here is my suggestion: Get size 3 & 4 in silver or nickel / size 3 & 4 in brass.

Your set-up sounds perfect .... keep the blade 1 - 2 feet off the bottom.

[younggun]

#3,4 in silver, #5 in brass.

[Eagleye]

If you would like to to some further research I recommend the book spinner fishing by Jed Davis. It is a good in depth read.

[tooler91]

I agree with c-pin. Amount of sunlight and river conditions dictate blade type, finish and size.

[fishseeker]

OK, these are great ideas to play around with.

One thing  I  hate is the cost of pre-made spinners or any lures for that matter.  5 bucks for some colorado spinners just seems completely out of line to me so I started out by making my own and found those just as effective. I do the same thing constucting them with wire, some beads and a swivel - the people at Pacific Angler were very helpful on this. They just didn't want to confuse me with all the options so they recommended size 5 blades as a starting point I think. (I really recommend them for newbs like me..very knowlegable and helpful)

Thanks c-pin and tooler for your replies - thanks all of you.  I will be looking to construct #3 and #4 in silver like you suggested.

PS: Any thoughts on spinner sizes for cutthroat's ? I am looking to go after them more when the Salmon season is over.