An Unusual Two-for-One Deal Today

Personal Doubt Removed Today and Lesson Regrettably Relearned


I had been doing pretty good catching pinks with jigs and buzz bombs where ever I targeted them whether in salt water or in the river so I wanted to give another lure type a go that I observed others using - the inline spinner.

I've had my doubts about thinking this wasn't a lure for me to use, as it couldn't possibly work very well. Unfounded belief for sure!

Sure, I've used them in lakes to catch bass and trout, and pan fish, but never "got" around to trying inline spinners for salmon. I had enough time the make a couple of inline spinners similar to the ones shown below:



The ones I used this morning used the same "pink iridescent" bead, a pink French blade about the same size, a brass cone ended cylindrical body, and of course, a single hook instead of treble.  (Green River rules – single point hook only on non-buoyant lures)

I started with a pink an purple jig and nothing. I got over my doubt and tied on an inline spinner. On the first cast, about 2/3 into the drift, I saw a silver/white colored, torpedo shaped body check it out but not take. The jig was fished in this area with no takers! Hmmm!!!!


I started with a ¼ oz jig that looked similar to these jigs that I made.

Then a guy with his son who were nearby said, "I see a few of them just hanging out here," as here pointed to a spot. It took a couple of casts to get the spinner to drift into the spot he pointed to and on the right cast, he shouted, "Oh four-letter-word that starts with "s"! He's dashing at it!" It was sight unseen for me, but I did feel a little bump. According to the guy, the fish smacked at it and turned away.

I threw it in the same spot and smash!!!! It was on like Donkey Kong!!!!! However, I made a critical mistake and I knew it was going to bite me in my sit down part. I had tied my line to lure knot poorly and even felt the section of line it where I screwed up. Nine times out of ten, I normally take the time to redo a poorly tied knot, but I was running out of time and decided to risk it. It was an absolutely a foolish decision.

Back to the story - It was a great hit and a nice but short-lived battle (with a medium powered 7' bass rod). This was a very feisty pink on the other end, probably in the six-pound range, that was strong enough to bust my knot. I just hope that my inline spinner found a way to fall out of its mouth. Sure enough, inspection of the line confirmed the result of a poorly tied knot.

Shortly afterward, I did hook into another one also on an inline spinner but it managed to spit it out. I didn't have any time left after the second fight and had to leave.  I know I am going to make a few more like the one that worked.

The neatest thing I noticed and had a blast observing was trying to find the spot to place the lure so that it drifted into the strike zone in front of them. I'm going to have to invest more time in using and learning more about this technique and make a few more spinners.

Lastly, whenever I go fishing I try to learn at least one new thing that was meaningful or helpful, no matter how small.  Unfortunately, this time around, what I took away was already learned and discounted.  It was akin to someone who went through a serious hangover, who vowed to never ever drink that much again… But you know they will….

Lesson relearned and revisited:  Re-tie a poorly made knot – DUH!!!!!!

-ib