Spin N Glos for Winter Steelhead

I don't often use Spin N Glos for steelhead in recent years, prefering Birdies. As reported in another thread, Birdies are not being made anymore? Neither are Glo-gos. So for those of yo who haven't, we better dial in on the best Spin N Glos when it calls for winged bobber use on steelhead. For clear water I would likely only use a small (size 10?) silver mylar winged pearl one above shrimp or eggs, especially for Hot N Tot diver and bait backtrolling. Medium to murky water is the Spin N Glos forte' though. For medium range colored water I would use the hot pink with the silver mylar, in size 6 or 8, followed by the green/chartruse or green/white. For real murky water you aren't fishing your eggs with best effectiveness if you don't try a size 4 flame red/chartruse SnG. Don't overlook the black winged versions. As with corkies and plugs, there are so many new fancy colors. I'm not sure if they outfish the old favs. What say you fishers? - RT

[Centerpin]

RT,

Rocket red spin n glo with white wings is the best winter steelhead combo. It seems to be the big fish combination and it is effective in pretty much all water conditions. Match it up to a #1 hook and you are set.

What are your thoughts on big fish holding water? We find that big fish hold in the same spots year after year. A recent trip to the Kispiox has taught me a different meaning of big fish.

CP

[bait boy]

I do a good bit of plunking for winter steelies and have found my best luck on the red\silver\blue(metallic) with mylar wings fished on a double hook rig with sand shrimp. I have yet to catch one useing a diver.
Rick

[smilesforu]

Rt that little extra movement makes the difference some days. Gets expensive losing alot of those. I have my favorites for different colored waters to go along with the size of lure. Drives me nuts if they discontinue one of my favorites....hence fifth street tackle was born
CP I think that is true about Big fish holding water. I think alot of that can also be attributed to the best holding water in the particular stretch of water. I also find in the lower river that I catch fish in all kinds of different spots, so don't just focus on where I caught the last one.

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Marty M
Steelheader.net

I've been to Fifth Avenue Tackle in Port Angeles, and if I wanted something unusual that catches fish I would rather go there than a lot of big commercial stores! For those that aren't aware, this is Marty M.'s house. When I fished the Oly Pen with him this last summer I got to see his coolection (mispell intended) of so much tackle, rods/reels, and boating gear I was amazed! You should open for biz Marty . Or trade it all for a new Porche? ... CP, we don't have as many really big steelhead as up in B.C. but I've caught more big ones up in faster riffle water or picked them out from behind boulders in fast water areas. However, the biggest one I hooked, that I saw anyway, was toward the tailout of a long big river hole backtrolling a Wart. Lost that 25+ pounder just out from the net as I tried to pull it in before going down thru the rapids. Still hurts to think about it! It was hooked on only one of the treble points on the back hook and it bent out from the strong pull. AARRGGG!

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Catch Big Fish ... or little fish. - RT

[Jerry]

The White and Black has been outstanding for me...

[ryan fish]

I basicly plunk using spin-glos the best colors for me are green with white wings or milar,chrome green head,thats for early in the year then I switch to hot pink.

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Ron Wray

[Centerpin]

I didn't think about plunking. Our best plunking spin n glo for clear water is the silver with a green or orange cap with mylar wings. In dirty water we use a pink or orange rainbow with black wings. Pretty much anything with black wings.

[Hookset]

I'm a firm believer that your going to catch fish with what you use. In other words, if you fish orange colored okies 90% of the time, you'll catch 90% of your fish on that lure. Every year I experiment with various new color drift lures and if I don't catch anything early, I swicth back to my old favorites. It never fails that the old favorites still work. Confidence in your fishing tackle is a must for success.

With that said, my favorite spin-n-glo colors in order are, pearl pink white wings, rocket red white or mylar wings, chrome/red head white or mylar wings, red/white white wings and red/chartruse white wings. I've used a number of the new colors like rainbow black wings and recently purchased some fire pink with chartruse heads with mylar wings that caught my eye. Most of them look pretty fishy to me. Just shows the manufacturers are doing a great job catching us! You just have to have an assortment, but I still fish the old favorites 80% of the time.

Anyone using the winged cheaters? I just recently purchased some but have never used any yet. I still have a bunch of glo-glos, birdies and spin-n-glos to keep me fishing.

good post RT,

hook

[Roeboat]

I gott agree with Hookset's colors. I backtroll them and they are extremely effective at times. 2 colors I'd add are the multicolor rainbow one (Chart/pink/green) and the old reliable red head metallic green. Oh yeah..just reminded me of another oldie but goodie. The watermelon can be hot.

[newt]

Back in the mid 80's when I was going to school at OSU, I fished the Alsea religiously in the winter drifting none other than.....a size 6-8 spin-n-glo by itself on a 1/0 hook. Didn't have a boat then and I saved bait for summer steelhead.

THE 2 colors....red/chartreus white wing and orange scale white wing.

Did VERY well with this setup....often as good as th bait guys.

It's funny though, as effective as they were then I don't even fish them anymore, prefering bait instead.

Go figure?

[smilesforu]

I also believe spin glows have a effect on the lateral line sensitivity of fish similiar to a plug which at times can be the correct extra to get a fish to bite. Spin glow and plug combinations on plunking gear catch lots of fish.

[scooby]

Spin n Glos work great, Hooked two today on a clown size 8 with a dab of pink yarn. I use them alot and have had good success with them for winter run fish. I like to put them on when I am fishing second or third water seems to help get hits.

My best producers have been Pearl Pink ,Pale Pink (hard to find now) and Clown in lower clearer colder water. In perfect to slighly high water Brighter Pinks, Cerise, Pearl Pink, Glow Peach and Rocket have produced for me. All the above with white wings. I will add a dab of yarn for added color or contrast if needed. I have not used the Mylar wings that much, but it seems that would be good in water that is a little slower.

In extremely high and low vis water I have had decent luck with the Glow Clown and the Chartuese with Black wings.

The Spinning Cheaters, by Beau Mac work great also.

I have always thought that cerise is real similar to red in the stealheads color spectrum. Does anybody have any thoughts or know of any studies that compare these two colors?

scooby



[This message has been edited by scooby (edited 12-03-2000).]