Questions for Spinner Experts?

[JiMinneye]

I was out yesterday on Leech Lake and trolled some spinners (mostly smile blades with crawlers) in 14-16 feet with 2 oz. bottom bouncers, waves were probably 2 feet or so. I caught 3 walleyes but marked more fish but couldn't get them to bite. Not sure if it was my presentation or just a tough bite.

Question #1. Is it better to troll spinners with the wind or against it to slow down presentation ?

Question # 2. It seemed like I needed to keep my speed at about .9 to 1mph in order to feel the bouncer. Should I have used a heavier bouncer, I have always been told to use about 1oz. for every ten feet of water.

Question #3 What is the most effective speed for fishing spinners. Should big blades be trolled faster than small ones?

Question #4. Do Leeches fished on spinners require a slower trolling speed than night crawlers.

Question #5. What is the right speed for fishing minnows on spinners.

Thanks for sharing any information with me. I haven't been a big spinner guy in the past. I know they work , especially for covering water fast. Thanks again. Jim

[fishnutbob]

Jim thats the speed I like to stay at smile blade spins at slower speeds. I just got off the lake trolling marked a ton of fish a few bites and misses on Lindys for my guests. I run a 2oz weight but Im going with a 3oz worked better the other day and the smaller smile blade in gold has been the best.

Wind switched again to the south the bite is tougher then I like. I wish it would stay the same for three days or more.

Originally Posted by JiMinneye

I was out yesterday on Leech Lake and trolled some spinners (mostly smile blades with crawlers) in 14-16 feet with 2 oz. bottom bouncers, waves were probably 2 feet or so. I caught 3 walleyes but marked more fish but couldn't get them to bite. Not sure if it was my presentation or just a tough bite.

Question #1. Is it better to troll spinners with the wind or against it to slow down presentation ?

Question # 2. It seemed like I needed to keep my speed at about .9 to 1mph in order to feel the bouncer. Should I have used a heavier bouncer, I have always been told to use about 1oz. for every ten feet of water.

Question #3 What is the most effective speed for fishing spinners. Should big blades be trolled faster than small ones?

Question #4. Do Leeches fished on spinners require a slower trolling speed than night crawlers.

Question #5. What is the right speed for fishing minnows on spinners.

Thanks for sharing any information with me. I haven't been a big spinner guy in the past. I know they work , especially for covering water fast. Thanks again. Jim

1-Depends on what the fish want. 90% of the time, I find trolling with the wind puts more fish in the boat. On days that doesn't work, trolling into the wind, or at different angels is the ticket.

2-Don't let the equipment dicate the speed. Find what the fish want by switching out the equipment to make the stars 'align', and trigger the bite. I actually like to use 2 oz for every ten feet of depth.

3-There's no set speed written in stone. It can be .9 mph one day, and 2.2 mph the next. It can even change by the hour.

I can't help with #4 and 5.

[doubleheader]

Somewhat relating to your question 5. During the summer months I often do better with a zig zag. This keeps the baits on one side falling and the opposite side rising, and is often the difference between a great day and an average day. Usually as I turn I'll look for the inside rods to start bouncing, when they do I'll start to turn away repeating the process. I typically run this presentation from 1.5-2.0 mph.

[btomlin]

If I'm running through fish and not getting bit, I typically speed up.....see if I can get a reaction bite. In my experience, you are better off going too fast than too slow. I typically run my spinners 1.2-1.7mph. I don't fish anything over about 16' and majority under 10' so I stay with a 1oz bouncer. In the deeper stuff, I get past the "magic 45 degree" of the line but really don't snag too often as I don't run my bouncers "ticking the bottom" like some. I run mine about a foot or so off bottom depending on location of fish I'm marking.

[louieD]

I use 2 or 2.5 oz BB, with #4 or #6 blades with night crawler, with winds at 5-10 mph and heavy waves i drift, but if trolling, I speed at about 1mph, I have a 12' jon boat so I pray for winds so I can do a sweet drift. Also my line is pretty much straight down, and sometimes I lindy rig and jig and catch them.

Lou.