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[Tex]

Hi Everyone,

I've spent a good chunk of time in my life float fishing wool, roe, or flyfishing, but I have never really been able to pick up how to float fish blades.  I'm heading to the Vedder tomorrow (Saturday 13) and again mid-next week (taking a day off work, tuesday or wednesday).

I've got a bunch of spinners (blue fox and the like), and I think they would be a great addition to my arsenal. 

I'm assuming it's very similar to fishing wool/roe? 

Can you fish both fast and slow flows?

Do you want the blade to flutter or spin?

Do you want to hold back on the float a bit?

Thanks for your thoughts!
Tex

[Geff_t]

This is one of my favorite ways to fish spinners. You short float spinners as their weight will keep them down. You do hold back a bit on the float to make the spinner spin. You can also have it flutter but I do this by sometimes ticking the blade on the odd rock. This just changes the action on the blade just enough to drive the fish nuts. I have even has fish attack the blade just as it was fluttering down after casting. You can fish fast and slow water but for slow you may need to reel a bit just to give it some action. Just remember not to hold back to much in the faster water as this will create the blade to come up out of the zone.

[Rybar]

This is one of my favorite ways to fish spinners. You short float spinners as their weight will keep them down. You do hold back a bit on the float to make the spinner spin. You can also have it flutter but I do this by sometimes ticking the blade on the odd rock. This just changes the action on the blade just enough to drive the fish nuts. I have even has fish attack the blade just as it was fluttering down after casting. You can fish fast and slow water but for slow you may need to reel a bit just to give it some action. Just remember not to hold back to much in the faster water as this will create the blade to come up out of the zone.

Yes this is the same technique that I use. It's tough to fish the faster water with a blade. Slower moving water like pools or the canal are perfect areas for blades. They usually bite on the tail of the drift where the spinner has some good action to it. I've also hit alot of fish as soon as it hits the water and is fluttering down. The nice thing about spinners is that the Coho really hammer them and usually are hooked well in the mouth.

Fishing can sometimes be slow with them as you see other guys around hitting springs with roe and wool, but when you find where the coho are holding they usually hit them.

BTW water clarity can affect the fishing alot with blades, you want the water to be slightly coloured. If the water is too clear the fish spook easily.

[Tex]

Ah, ok, I was using pencil lead last time with it, and I think that was prob a mistake (ie. float, lead, swivel, spinner).  I'll try it next time without the lead.

Great tips btw.  I wouldn't mind catching a spring or too as well, I can see myself mixing it up between roe/wool and spinners from run to run.

Anyone else want to share any tips?  What's worked best for you?  Stories?

Tex

[Fish Assassin]

I use pencil lead to get the spinner down and did well.

[bbronswyk2000]

I also use weight to get the blades down. If you dont they will be just slightly below the top of the water. I am not a pencil lead guy as I use split shot. I like using split shot as I can use as many or as little as needed depending on the water I am fishing.

[allwaysfishin]

I fish mainly colorado and french blades.... and follow most of the techniques listed above. I use nothing but splitshot as i feel it gives better control and allows for better action on the spinner blade because the weight is not in one spot. I simply love fishing short pocket water with this method and this type of water can be fast, drifts are short and snags are common... but when you get this technique down.... it becomes VERY effective on moving fish, both coho and steelhead.

the trick with any float/blade set up is to have the blade leading the way down river... the float should ALWAYS be upriver from the blade. this will ensure that the hookend is where the fish is gonna bite and it also puts the blade right in thier face before the weights come floating by.

[Spoonman]

Weighted- body spinners(like blue fox) can be fished under a float,but are probably best for cast and retrieve.The simple blade/swivel/hook spinners are best for float fishing.I prefer pencil lead with a 18"-24" leader.The steelhead in my avatar was caught with a blade under float rigged this way.

[TheBaiter]

great article so far guys keep it up

[younggun]

I like dead drifting them, back eddies, runs, pools just a little current spins them, so no need to hold back, they get hammered. I get alot of my takes when its just at the beginning of the drift and just normal drift, but the aggresive fish will take it on the swing

[Fish Assassin]

I prefer a natural drift. The only time I hold back is when it's on the swing in the tailout.

[Steelhawk]

I second FA. Dead drifting a blade under a float is more deadly due to fluttering which can really bug a fish into striking. You can watch & compare the blade action by testing it in the water, first by fluttering and then reel in fast to create spinning. Fluttering blades in bright condition will even bug your eyes, not to say a fish. During the drift, you can do short hold and release to create lively action. During the hold, the blade spins and rises, and then starts falling and fluttering. Use bigger blade for coloured water and smaller size for clearer water. Once I dead drift a size 1 blade in a small slow pool in a side channel in clear water and was rewarded with 2 massive hos (each around 10lb), go figure. If I had used a #5, it probably would have spooked the fish. I used a clear float to minimize spooking the fish. I am using silver colorado blade for coho, but switch to brass/gold Indiana blades during steelhead season. It has been said that silver is better for clearer water, and brass/gold for more coloured water. Has any one compared the effectiveness of brass/gold blades to silver/nikel blades for coho & steelhead?

Another point is that I always carry some polishing agent and a polishing cloth in my jacket pocket. You want your blades in top shine before using it. Some blades (except gold plated ones) will fade and become tarnished by oxidation. I use an empty film or pill container with some 'Never Dull' or a small piece of tissue soaked with Brasso as polishing agent. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed if you don't want to smell the stuff all day. 

[younggun]

Copper blades on cloudy days for steelies

[Spoonman]

I haven't done a side by side test but I have come to rely on gold as my first choice fo coho and steelhead.I will change to silver if I know there are fish but get no hits.I wiil also change to silver as the water gets dirty and/or cold.Slow spin/flutter is the best action,maybe quicker as water temps drop.

[Rybar]

Have used the same techniques you guys all describe. I use pencil lead just above my swivel and about 24"-30" leader. And have had success with gold and brass but mostly silver.