Inline Spinners For Bass

[Smallie_Stalker]

A recent thread by Flats got me to thinking about lures I haven't thrown in a long time. One of the ones I forgot to mention in his thread was the venerable old inline spinner.

The first few I can remember having were given to me by my father when I was a kid. They were small panfish sized inlines because while my dad would fish for anything that bit, trout was his real obsession and he prefered the sport of light line and small artificials or flies.

For a good while I fished those small inlines and caught a variety of fish with them but never a bass. As I started to concentrate on fishing for bass they sort of just made their way to that great void in the bottom of my old metal tackle box where stuff goes never to be seen again.

Fast forward a few years and I saw an ad in a magazine (remember, this was long before the internet) for a musky size inline spinner. I thought to myself, "I can catch bass with that thing" and I knew I had to have it. I sent in a money order and a couple weeks later I had a big firetiger musky size inline.

Also in the package was a catalog of lures the company made and this turned out to be the real prize. I saw a variety of sizes and colors of this lure that I never knew existed. I spent the next few years experimenting with a variety of styles and sizes until I got to the point that, like the old American Express ad said I wouldn't leave home without them.

By the time I started tournament fishing their wasn't a single self-respecting smallmouth angler in New England who didn't have a box of inlines in their boat. Some guys made the mistake of limiting them to smallmouth or to only fishing them in slow moving rivers but it seemed like everyone had some.

I got away from them again for awhile because while they caught bass they also  caught a LOT of pickerel and northerns. Too many.  When you are fishing for 5 big bass and $$ those other fish become a waste of important time and energy.  But they stayed in my boat. Over time I started throwing them again during tourneys when the fish were getting pounded by the usual big bass lures. I decided it was worth culling out those other fish if it meant cashing a check.

Eventually I created what, many years later, Mike Ike would call a panic box.  A special selection of inlines was part of that box. I'm not sure why I've gotten away from them again. I need to throw a panic box with some inlines in my backpack for walking the bank.

As far as memories go, my son caught his first fish without my help at age 5 on an inline spinner. That particular inline has been retired to a special box of lures from special moments in my fishing memories.

They really are a versatile lure that take up little space and catch a WIDE variety of fish species. They are perfect for introducing new anglers to fishing artificials, especially kids who just want to catch "something" and don't care what it is.

If you've never tried them you really should. And if you're like me and used to throw them but haven't in a while maybe it's time to dust them off and give them another shot.

Who knows, they just might turn a dismal day of just fishing into a fun and successful day of catching!


Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[FlatsNBay]

Good topic! That's another lure that I've not used in probably over 25 years.

Back in the day, rooster tails and Mepps spinners were all the rage.

I remember that they worked good when the bass were schooling on glass minnows.

[Smallie_Stalker]

Good topic! That's another lure that I've not used in probably over 25 years.

Back in the day, rooster tails and Mepps spinners were all the rage.

I remember that they worked good when the bass were schooling on glass minnows.

I think they'd make a good candidate for BFS fishing for those anglers who don't want to use spinning gear.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[Hobious]

i credit that old school MEPPS catalog for getting me interested in fishing.  i would read the fishing stories until the pages were ragged.

i always thought the #3 Mepps Black Fury looked cool, and i still want to try to catch a bass on one.  that thing is like $8 now.  hahaah..i need to buy one and wait until the bass are especially hungry and stupid. 

[Donald Garner]

I've never bass fished with those In-Line Spinners.  While living in Alaska they were a staple of the baits I used for Pike fishing.  We used the smaller ones #0's, #1's and #2 for trout and grayling fishing  though.

[D.W. Verts]

The Mepp's Comet Minnow was my first-ever bass lure. It's was a bass STOMPIN' creek bait.

I've thrown other inline spinners in later years- some Musky stuff and the old Snagless Sally.

Dale

[Smallie_Stalker]

The Mepp's Comet Minnow was my first-ever bass lure. It's was a bass STOMPIN' creek bait.

I've thrown other inline spinners in later years- some Musky stuff and the old Snagless Sally.

Dale

I never managed to land anything that hit that lure whether it was crappie bass or whatever. I'm sure it was angler error on my part but I abandoned them out after awhile out of sheer frustration.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[PapaMike]

I have caught plenty of LMB on the Mepps Black Fury and Aglia. Both dressed.
Black Crappie seem to take it quite often.

I usually always fish the Mepps in low light conditions or sunset, medium speed just below the surface and above the vegetation.

My only dislike is the treble hooks. A 3 pounder can get out of hand and cause a few finger bleeds during hook removal.

[fishingram24]

In my part of the world the only spinner bait, in line or otherwise, that almost everyone used was the Hildabrant Snagless Sally which is an in line spinner. Caught literally thousands of bass on it through the years and while I don't throw it as much as I once did, there is always one tied on in my boat.   

[topdsm0138]

Jeeze, this takes me back to a kid when we used nothing but rooster tails and beetle spins. Still fun after all these years..

Sent from undisclosed location. -Tiller Mafia

[Smallie_Stalker]

In my part of the world the only spinner bait, in line or otherwise, that almost everyone used was the Hildabrant Snagless Sally which is an in line spinner. Caught literally thousands of bass on it through the years and while I don't throw it as much as I once did, there is always one tied on in my boat.   

Yep. The Snagless Sally was a staple in my box for a lot of years. Been a long time since I fished one but I think I still have a couple somewhere.

[Apoc81]

Good topic! That's another lure that I've not used in probably over 25 years.

Back in the day, rooster tails and Mepps spinners were all the rage.

I remember that they worked good when the bass were schooling on glass minnows.

I think they'd make a good candidate for BFS fishing for those anglers who don't want to use spinning gear.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

I specifically do this with trout when I'm back home in Eastern Canada, at least when I'm not fly fishing. Trout still love eating Mepps and I still love eating trout!

[Smallie_Stalker]

@Apoc81

I have caught many a delicious trout and other tasty fish on them. They're a very versatile lure.

Welcome aboard by the way. Looking forward to seeing you around the boards. If you need a hand with anything in the meantime don't hesitate to reach out to me or any other staff member and we will do our best to get you pointed in the right direction.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[bigjim5589]

Good topic! That's another lure that I've not used in probably over 25 years.

Back in the day, rooster tails and Mepps spinners were all the rage.

I remember that they worked good when the bass were schooling on glass minnows.

I think they'd make a good candidate for BFS fishing for those anglers who don't want to use spinning gear.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

I specifically do this with trout when I'm back home in Eastern Canada, at least when I'm not fly fishing. Trout still love eating Mepps and I still love eating trout!

Welcome to UB!  When I was a kid, the Mepps spinners got mentioned a lot for bass & other fish, in various magazine articles. I have several in different brands, Mepps, Roostertail, Caliber, Blue Fox, and Panther Martin, plus some no names,  but don't use them much.

The only inline spinners I will use now are tiny ultralight versions that are typically used in trout streams. Panfish respond well to them if they're not taking beetle spins or other panfish lures.

I've used inline spinners for Stripers and other saltwater fish, a modified version of something that was called a "Trout Bomb". The trout bomb is nothing but a painted inline sinker, usually with a dressed hook, and it's jigged. It looks very much like a larger inline spinner body, so I added spinner blades. I would imagine it would work as good as any lure for fish such as N. Pike or Muskies. I've never tried them for bass, as what I made was often 3/4 oz or heavier.

[Smallie_Stalker]

@bigjim5589

Thanks for those pics. I've never heard of the Caliber before but it looks very interesting. Being able to add extras to it right out of the package is a nice touch.

I'm a believer in fish attractants but soaking feathers or hair tails wrecks them. This design would solve that problem.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[bigjim5589]

@bigjim5589

Thanks for those pics. I've never heard of the Caliber before but it looks very interesting. Being able to add extras to it right out of the package is a nice touch.

I'm a believer in fish attractants but soaking feathers or hair tails wrecks them. This design would solve that problem.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Thanks!

I've had those for a long time, one of many past ebay purchases and don't believe they're even still made. The packaging said made in Italy but I don't know anything more about the brand. 

I've never added scents to them, just fished them like any other inline spinners that I've used, except I have dressed some of the trebles with feathers. I firmly believe a dressed hook improves an inline spinner compared to a bare hook. 

It might be something worth trying, with how that body chamber is designed, to try bits of Gulp, or some of the other synthetic baits on the market, like Fishbites. 

I don't think I would want to try anything that oozes out easily. 

And yes, scents on feathers or hair, since many have some type of oily base, often just makes a mess, and the material loses a lot of action. Scent questions sometimes come up from new fly fishers and I always recommend not trying it, because it does tend to mess up the fly. I tried it years ago targeting Carp, and never saw that it was worthwhile. Plus it made a mess of my fly boxes. 

[Oldfart9999]

Dad, consequently I, used Abus for trout and landlocked, been a good many of years since then.
Rodney

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

[Smallie_Stalker]

Dad, consequently I, used Abus for trout and landlocked, been a good many of years since then.
Rodney

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

Interesting. I wasn't aware that Abu ever made inline spinners.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[bigjim5589]

Dad, consequently I, used Abus for trout and landlocked, been a good many of years since then.
Rodney

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

Interesting. I wasn't aware that Abu ever made inline spinners.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

ABU has sold a variety of lure types over their history.

ABU Lures

[Smallie_Stalker]

Dad, consequently I, used Abus for trout and landlocked, been a good many of years since then.
Rodney

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

Interesting. I wasn't aware that Abu ever made inline spinners.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

ABU has sold a variety of lure types over their history.

ABU Lures

Thanks for the link Jim. I knew they sold lures just wasn't aware they had sold so many different types, and especially  inlines.

This is my learn something new moment for today.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[Apoc81]

I still use them for trout when I visit my home waters and the fly bite isn't on (fly fishing doesn't get real good until early July there, when Atlantic Salmon run up the miramichi river to spawn). Brookies absolutely love them. They've filled the family's bellies with trout countless times.

[bigjim5589]

Thanks for the link Jim. I knew they sold lures just wasn't aware they had sold so many different types, and especially  inlines.

This is my learn something new moment for today.

You're welcome! I enjoy learning about the history of fishing tackle. So, I sometimes find information such as what was in that link. There's several collectors that I've found that have websites about the old lures they collect.

What I find most interesting, is it often shows that many "new" ideas & lures have been done before to some extent. I see that a lot with older flies too.   

A few months ago, I bought a mold for pouring small lead bodies for making some jigging lures or inline spinners. It's only a single cavity mold and the weight is around 10 grams or .35 ounce, son not something I'll likely pour a lot.  My plan was to make some small inline spinners for panfish with it.

It's got a fish shape to it and the wire will be offset so it keels and limits the whole thing from spinning. That's very similar to some of the spinners that ABU GARCIA had made as far as the offset body. Again, an old idea, and I'll be reviving it with a newer body design. Something else to tinker with and provide a different lure type that most folks around here have not seen or used. 

As much as we think we have new ideas, folks in the past, have already thought of & done a lot of it, which IMO, it's really pretty cool! 

[BASSCATLILDAVE]

A Snagless Sally still catches em down here.