An unusual two-for-one deal today

[islandbass]

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

[keithdog]

Those inline spinners work very well at times. I will use them in mid winter fishing near the mouth of Trail Creek in Michigan City IN which feeds into Lake Michigan. I've caught several that way.

[bamabassman]

FANTASTIC sotry island. too bad the fish got away. one day i truly hope and pray i can come up that way. i would love to get one of thsoe salmon on my line.

[islandbass]

Thanks, guys.

@bama - To get an idea of how a salmon fights, imagine a smallie that size. In the words of Stan Lee, 'nuff said!

[bamabassman]

hahaha, well if i EVER get to cathc a smallie agian i will know alex. been so long since i caught a DINK, let alone fish here lately. was gonna go this afternoon but the wind got up too rough.

[WatterBoy]

@IB -- great story. Congrats on removing the personal doubt, but sorry about the regrettable lesson relearned.

@Bama -- Yeah, I wish I could catch a smallie too......oh wait a minute

[Bassboss]

Bummer, sorry about the lost fish.

Hope to do salmon/steelhead fishing before to long. Planing on going with my friend of mine and his dad and with my dad and brothers pretty soon. Can't wait!

[islandbass]

Originally Posted by WatterBoy

@IB -- great story. Congrats on removing the personal doubt, but sorry about the regrettable lesson relearned.

@Bama -- Yeah, I wish I could catch a smallie too......oh wait a minute

OUCH!!!! That hurts more than my relearned lesson.

BB, hang on! You're going to be hooked for life after you battle your first salmon. Personally, I'm still holding on myself on catching my first steelhead.

[islandbass]

Hey guys! This report is takes off where my first round of using inline spinners to catch salmon left off (Post - Personal Doubt Removed Today and Lesson Regrettably Relearned)

Rearmed for the Salmon in the Green River

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

I hope to encounter a salmon or two with these babies I made earlier this evening soon.

The pinks definitely lived up to their reputation in hitting pink things, hence two of them as shown, which is what the pinks hit. I have a brass, a nickel and copper blade inline spinners, for the, “better to have and not need than to need and not have,” contingent.

I’m going to stick with 8# test monofilament but will also have a reel with 10# on deck just in case.




Finally, I Caught A Salmon on an Inline Spinner!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011


This morning was another quick and short fishing stint on the way to work. The two previous short 15-minute outings were not productive with the pink, silver and brass blades used. They barely even showed flash in the silty water of the Green/Duwamish River.

I think that the short amount of time and the very slow current present on the river worked against me during those field tests. It seems that the weight of the spinner is definitely a factor! The first time I used them the flow was fast enough to make working the spinner effortlessly. Lesson learned!

I went with the copper blade and black-bodied inline spinner, the top one in the photo (black body hidden by blade) in the photo above:


The first thing I noticed for these water conditions was that it gave off more flash than any of the other blades I tested on the earlier outings.

On about the fifth cast, I placed the spinner right along where light and shadow met (where water could be seen through and not). I barely made five revolutions when all of a sudden wham! The salmon came from the shadows whacked the living dickens out of the spinner.




I still can’t get over how hard the fish hit the lure. My bass rod, Curado, and 8# line brought the little bugger in without issue and I even “tricked” it into running up the bank for the photo.

The fish was released.

So I’ve done it! I am certainly stoked. To field test a lure, hook into a fish, take a quick picture and release it in about 15 minutes’ time? That’s not too shabby a way to spend a little time on the way to work. Inline spinners are here to stay in my arsenal now.

[WatterBoy]

Way to go, IB! Nicely done, and thanks for sharing!