Beetlespin = Magic Lure

[beetlespin]

Small spinner type lures became the topic in another thread and it was so interesting I decided to bring the subject up front. I am about to give away a top secret fishing technique “developed” by my brother who lives in a million dollar house in a closed community on Lake Lanier, north of Atlanta. We try to exchange fishing trips every year and are still as competitive as two rut-maddened elk. On one trip out here he brought his magic lure and did quite well.

For anyone who hasn’t ever heard of a Beetlespin (the majority I’m sure), it is a cheap mini-spinner introduced 50 years ago, originally used for crappie and blue gill with occasional unexpected bass hookups. It has a single small blade, 1” to 2” Colorado type, connected with a small spinnerbait harness to a 1/32 to ¼ oz jig head. Attached to the jig head is a jig, usually chartreuse, about 1 1/2 inches long, with a tail so stiff it will not bend. That jig is probably the beetle even though I doubt crappie often get to eat a beetle?.

So little brother shows up with a modification to the basic configuration. He takes a green or purple small zoom lizard, bites it off between the front and rear legs and uses it in place of the stiff plastic. He has had so much sluck with it, it is the only lure he’ll give to a newbie to “ensure” a successful outing. He has personally caught so many bass he named it the “Magic Lure”.

Now my brother is a meat fisherman. Although he nearly always releases, he fishes like his family’s last meal depended on it. I’m sure he would dynamite fish if it were legal. Once when fishing Elephant Butte in NM in the ‘70s, I brought light tackle as suggested in a BassMaster’s magazine article. He (and most everyone else at the time) used a broomstick pole, 12-17# bright yellow line with no leader, and fished foot long plastics worms. On my first hook set the line broke and he squawked, “I hope you’re happy now!” When the day was done, he had two fish and two bites and I had two fish and 6 bites, not very convincing. So for him to get hooked on the finesse Magic Lure is quite a break from tradition.

The advantages of this setup include being very nearly weedless and the jig set up is flexible. The jig head easily comes off so you can up or down size. You, of course, can change out the plastic to whatever you want - lizard tails, small curly tail jigs, etc. And they are unbelievably cheap. The magic lure is usually fished in a up-down retrieve but technique is flexible.

Although I have caught many bass on this set up I have a tendency not to use it too much. After all, if little brother finds out he’ll take all the credit.

I’ll throw in another candidate in the jig spinner category - the Little George. I’ve used the bigger version when I needed to get deep. I recently purchased a kit of eight different colored 1/8 oz and the jury is still out.

What’s the technique and target structure for the roadrunner?

[flatlander]

Grate post and info. Mr Spin.
In Calif. we fished it heavily in farm ponds and small lakes(anything with grass, hydrailla etc). Seemed to fish better at first light or sunset. My favorite was the twin tail grub with white body, red eyes and black dot. We also removed the grub and added a sassy shad in black and pearl to fish clear water. Got some Big Bass. BTW I noticed that Wall-Mart hear in Newport just started stocking them, so I bought all the big ones they had. Now all I need to do is find a place to fish them. Man I miss Bass fishing.

[Bluknight]

Thanks for the reminder! With all that "stuff" I have in the multi trays of tackle I often forget. My Dad used to rig me up with one of these all the time and I'd always out fish him. Fishing from a kayak the past two years it was a go to lure. Now I'm fishing from a boat and aparrently I forgot how to use them. Bass beware next week - the beetle is back.

Thank you for the change in rigging tactics. I'll give that a try as well.

[adobe wall]

The beetlespin in a firetiger pattern is sure deadly. Never thought to swap in a lizard body but I'm sure it works.

It's just a tiny spinnerbait, and we all know those work. It's small for bass but sure works well on crappie. The first time I ever used one was out of a small inflatable raft with a buddy, and I was reeling them in fast enough to leave a wake on the surface. We were in a shallow lake full of stumps, and the crappie were pounding that lure. I got 6, my buddy got 3.

That was a green, chart, black beetlespin with the orange spot, chrome blade. Still my favorite if I can find it.

I only used little george's on white bass, but they work well.

regards, aw

[arkansasbasser]

How about a pic of that Beetle spin set up? BTW, thank you for the good info. I admire people like you who are willing to help others be more successful at this sport. I try to pass along what I can and take out some of the ones just starting whenever I can. It's more rewarding that way.

[Hunt'nFish]

He, he, he.....looky what I started.
But again I ask...is there any advantages to the beetlespin over say a roadrunner or a std compact mini spinnerbait?
Cost? snaggyness? weedlessness? versatility & adjustibility?

One thing I doo like about them is they are almost always bent in a complete circle at the eye.
Whish means you can use a small duo-lock snap for quick & easy changes of the spinner.
The std compact mini- SB is usually a U bend, which means the snap (if used) won't stay in place.
So we usually end up tying a palyomarknot or cinch knot of some type to keep the line located on the U.
Not needed with the beetlespin.
Hunt'nFish


Typical beetle spin:
Although you can use just about any plastic curly tail....or lizard/hog body as well.

[QH's Paw]

I have used beetlespins and roadrunners. The difference I noticed is the shortbite type scenario happened more often on beetlespins. It seems like sometimes the fish(I'm talking crappie and gills) are actually trying to hit the spoon but, with the roadrunner, the spoon is right above the body and with the beetlespin it is actually trailing and above similar to an actual spinnerbait.
In the case of the beetlespin, they can actually hit the spoon without getting the hook.

[tnj8222]

i really like road runners in the fall time for crappie. other than that its jigs only. never really tried a bettle spin

[adobe wall]

I haven't had nearly the success with roadrunners that I've had with beetle spins.

Like any lure, you'll find one that works better than others. The ones I've used that really seem to work better seem to have a more erratic action. The lure hangs under the blade and seems to wiggle side to side during the retrieve. Road runners don't have that same action. That swimming effect on the beetle spin gets better the more the lure is hammered by fish.

The black/orange/chartreuse is the best one I used

[Don Fischer]

Haven't seen a Bettle Spin in years. What I really would like to find though is the spinner's. Doesn't anyone make those things any more? I had a bunch not all that long ago and can't find a one anymore.

[Wild Chrome]

A long, long, long time ago, in a fishing galaxy far, far, far away (Kentucky, mid '80's) I caught a then-personal best largemouth bass on a Beetle Spin. I believe it was the yellow with black dots version. Your thread brought back excellent memories! I never fished it that much though. The reservoirs I fished most at the time had flooded timber and the Beetle Spins, without a rigid connection to the "beetle", seemed much more snag-prone than regular spinnerbaits.

[arkansasbasser]

Originally Posted by Wild Chrome

without a rigid connection to the "beetle", seemed much more snag-prone than regular spinnerbaits.

Exactley why I don't use trailor hooks unless absolutely necessary.

[wannasteelhead]

Roadrunners with a 1" twister tail are one of my favorite go to baits for anything warmwater. Especially crappie!

[RiverJohn]

For anyone who hasn’t ever heard of a Beetlespin (the majority I’m sure),

I used them alot - (years ago), they are very very deadly !!

All warm water species would nail it !

[Hunt'nFish]

So has anyone used any of these? Slip a curlytail on and should be killler.
Weights from 1/4oz upto 3/4oz.
Buckeye Lures Su-Spin Blades

[raptorschild]

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

So has anyone used any of these? Slip a curlytail on and should be killler.
Weights from 14/oz upto 3/4oz.
Buckeye Lures Su-Spin Blades

That thing looks vicious....you could even throw a colorado or two and slow the bait down.


Beetlespin: As for the roadrunner....I just fish it vairably until I find something they like. The last time I fished it, I would just crank as soon as it hit the water, then "Pop" it like a jerk bait and let it fall. Then real a couple more cranks, and pop it again....they usually would hit it right after the "pop".

[Crappie Chaser]

I have caught some of my biggest crappie on beetle spins. Not the split tail but the short grub body style. Back in the 70's before striped bass took over Lake Powell it had great crappie fishing. We caught some I remember measuring at 16". What I don't like about them or any safety pin spinner type is the line fouling around the spinner arm that happens pretty often. I like jig/spinner type heads better as they are more versatile but I will always have a few beetles on hand for old times sake.