Spinning for trout thread

[Andy Macfarlane]

4lb Diawa Sensor and a size 1 Mepps Aglia Decoree (gold with red spots) is all you need for most waters.

 

I think the larger sizes have the wrong 'hum' or vibration or what have you. They certainly work but a size 1 is right on the money. You can also add a little shot or a small drilled bullet, right at the knot. Get that extra bit of distance or running depth if you need it.

[Vagabond]

4lb Diawa Sensor and a size 1 Mepps Aglia Decoree (gold with red spots) is all you need for most waters.

 

I think the larger sizes have the wrong 'hum' or vibration or what have you. They certainly work but a size 1 is right on the money. You can also add a little shot or a small drilled bullet, right at the knot. Get that extra bit of distance or running depth if you need it.

 

As you say, Size 1 is right on the money - and the Decoree is fine for open streams. The only point I would add is that many streams I fish lack light penetration (the bushes meet overhead) and a stongly contrasted Mepps is good (eg Black Fury - black with bright yellow spots)

 

I am sure you are right about the frequency of the vibration being important - I haven't really thought too deeply about it before, just found that the Sizes 0 and 1 caught so many trout that I saw no point in experimenting.** I started spinning for trout as soon as I left school in 1950, started work, and could afford to buy a Mitchell. The spinners available then were "Vibro" from which I graduated to Mepps when they came on the market.

 

 

**When spinning for trout I very rarely, if ever, change my spinner and invariably catch plenty. By contrast, when spinning or lure fishing for salmon, pike, perch or chub, I am constantly changing my lure until I catch something - I suppose it shows the difference in my understanding of trout and my more limited understanding of other predatory fish.

[Phone]

Asking again,

 

Just wondering? Do you use a trout lure called a "Super Duper" in the UK.

 

Much like Vagabond, this is my only trout lure (in still water). I ask the question in post #12.

 

Phone

[Andy Macfarlane]

I am sure you are right about the frequency of the vibration being important - I haven't really thought too deeply about it before, just found that the Sizes 0 and 1 caught so many trout that I saw no point in experimenting.

 

I think the larger blades have more of a thump to them. I imagine they have a kind of 'whup, whup, whup' feel to them, if that makes any kind of sense. Fine for perch and pike in my book but the trout, to me anyway, is more of a visual predator and I always felt the larger spinner blades can actually deter trout. Too much noise if you will.

[Vagabond]

the trout, to me anyway, is more of a visual predator and I always felt the larger spinner blades can actually deter trout. Too much noise if you will.

 

There is something about a small Mepps that seems to infuriate trout, some sort of combination of vision and perception of vibration. The "motivation" (for want of a better term) for an attack is as likely to be territorial defence as predation. Trout of all sizes, from a few pounds down to a trout not much bigger than a small Mepps, will go for the spinners full tilt.

 

As you say, "more of a visual predator" because, other things being equal, I have found that the clearer the water the easier trout are to catch on small spinners. By contrast, larger spinners work better (for all species IMHO) if there is a slight colour in the water.

 

"Visual predator" brings to mind a story I have told on here a few years back. We were camping on the Upper Wye in the Welsh Borders, and I put on a spinner to catch some breakfast. I chose a Mepps Gold #1. Five minutes later a trout of about a pound was on the bank.

 

Cleaned it and in so doing found inside its stomach the remains of three cockchafers (aka Maybug, Junebug and Melolontha melolontha ). The wing cases were the size and colour of a gold Mepps #1 blade, the abdomen remains had the same bulk as a Mepps #1 body, even the long crooked legs resembled the treble hook. "Exact imitation" that should satisfy the most ardent purist !

 

To that we can now add the point of vibration - a Maybug trapped in the surface film would give off vibrations perhaps not too dis-similar to those of a small Mepps, although to be fair, a drowning cockchafer scarcely ever comes charging downstream at seven mph

 

You could call the story "Purist Maybug" or "Purest Humbug" depending upon your views on spinning for trout.(pun intended - sorry)

 

The doyen of upstream spinning was Alexander Wanless (I have recently acquired one of his books - full of trout-lore as true today as when it was written 80 years ago) and his standby was the Devon Minnow. I have got a few as part of a job-lot of old tackle - must try them out some day. I would expect to catch on them, but would also expect to find them less effective than Mepps.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Vagabond

[Andy Macfarlane]

I never found the Devon Minnow to be quite as effective as the Mepps. I have some antique Devons that are tiny buteven they didn't come up to scratch. Perhaps I didn't fancy flicking them under an overhanging bush or over a rock. I'm not sure but I didn't have that same level of confidence I would have with the Mepps.

 

Even as far as salmon go, the Devon was the mainstay for decades and even that was succeeded by the Flying 'C' in effectiveness and that is little more than an elongated, bodied, blade spinner of the Mepps ilk.

[Peter Waller]

Have been following this one with some interest. Finesse Fishing has long been an interest of mine and when I saw this one on e-bay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300674368928?ssP...9#ht_1980wt_891

it was inevitable that I should be £30.00 poorer! Turned up today, a real cracker but US rod & line rating never fails to puzzle me. Suited for lines to 1 lb b.s.? I doubt it! Personally I shall be using 6 or 8lb braid.

 

Much of what has been said about trout applies equally to other species, been a good thread.Suit

[Ken L]

That's a bit light for the sort of trout that I chase in small fast rivers Peter but I'm sure you have a specific aplication in mind. I use something similar for winter fishing on the canal or shallow park pools. i don't use it on rivers because it gives me no control in the current. The lightest I go in a river is rated to cast 10g.

 

Phone. I've never seen those U shaped spoons in the UK and while i might pick one up when i'm travelling, it's not the sort of thing that I'd go out of my way to track down.

 

Here's a couple of thoughts though:

 

What are peoples views on cleavisless spinners like the vibric roostertail or the Mepps XD ?

Personally, I like them for swinging across the current on bigger rivers like the Severn but find that they take a while to get going and aren't as good on small waters.

 

 

Do we have any fans of catapult casting in da house ?

Open the bail, trap the line, swing the spinner towards you and grab the treble with your fingers behind all the points, pull back to bend the rod, point the rod where you want the lure to go and fire....

Great for tight spots but takes a bit of practice.

[Peter Waller]

Ken, probably the potential for a whole new thread on the subject of rods!

 

Personally I enjoy fishing as sensitively or as lightly as I can.

 

Mind you, what brownies I meet down my way are hardly specimen sized!

 

Rightly or wrongly, as a born and bred pike angler, I tend to see trout fishing as light. Have to blame Mr Wanless for that!

[Andy Macfarlane]

Never actually used a Mepps XD but I do make the odd inline spinner without a clevice and I reckon they're quite good. I don't think they purr along quite as nicely as the traditional French/clevice type spinners but the profile and spped is quite nice and they certainly doesn't seem to put brownies off.