The Best Summer Steelhead Spinner is.......

[Fish Hawg]

I don't know. What is the best SS spinner for clear water on sunny days? I was told to use an all black, blue fox in a size 2 or 3. I have only caught one winter steelhead on a size 4 sliver and blue, blue fox .

I will mainly be fishing the kalama and lewis if that helps

Any help would be greatly appericated :smile:.....Ross

[KingFisher85]

NOT just any black....a black that you get when you use a lighter to turn it black :grin:
shhh

[Dave Kilhefner]

#3 Black. I'm with Kingfisher, not "shiny black" but the "dead black" you get from either a flame or dipping a brass blade in Brass Black by Bitchwood Casey (they make gun bluing products).

[Snakebite]

copper seemed to work in those conditions for me on the Deschutes in '87. But maybe it's out of fashion now

[Firedog]

My favorite is a #3 black blade and black body with a piece of purple tape on the back of the blade. Hard to beat black and purple for summer runs :smile:

[HOGTIDE]

CV-6 Gold Hammered Inside, 5 5mm chartruese beads.

*gauranteed steelhead/salmon damage

[Dakotan]

I was always most successful early in the summer season with a #4 blue fox with blue body and silver blade. It usually only lasted about the first two weeks that the summers enter the river and are still chrome bright. They are very aggressive during this time and I could witness them chase down spinners in the deep pools. That spinner works great in the faster water where the fish don't have much time to figure out what that flashy thing is zinging by their faces....they either absolutely NAIL it or let it go by. After a couple of weeks into June, the rest of the people got it right....smaller sizes like #3 and black and black...dark colors that aren't flashy. But if you don't have success with that color, I would try the classic standby of blue body with silver blade. Tight lines.

[Spinhead]

The spinners that I make and fish in the Deschutes in the summer, when the water is warm (56-65 degrees), and the sun is on the water, is made from parts from **************.net. I use the black brass beads to make spinners of different weights, and a black #3 blade with gold prism tape on the underside of the blade. Works OK :grin:

[Fish Hawg]

The spinners that I make and fish in the Deschutes in the summer, when the water is warm (56-65 degrees), and the sun is on the water, is made from parts from **************.net. I use the black brass beads to make spinners of different weights, and a black #3 blade with gold prism tape on the underside of the blade. Works OK :grin:

Is that the one you sent in the spinner swap? It did not have a name tag.....Ross

[spinner53]

On the coastal rivers I like to use a well tarnished # 2 brass blade. If the water is shallow and or the sun's on the water I use brass blades that i have run through my black oxide mix, they come out dull and I can vary the degree of shade by a) just rinsing and drying= this leaves the black oxide on the blade. or B) by rinsing and rubbing off the oxide= this leaves only the tarnish.
If anyone wants me to tarnish or black oxide some blades and beads, just semd me a PM. No Charge, just return postage. I can also try to send a dig photo of the dfferent shades.

[fisheromen]

IMO all depends on the water. Yesterday I went 3 for 4 on chrome summer steelhead using a #6, yes that's right, #6 blue fox with a big, bright shiny silver blade in a smallish river. I was fishing deeper runs and it was gin clear - I was actually hoping for springers but wasn't too disappointed. I never would have thought they would go for something that large but I've caught a lot of smolt on #5s so I guess it makes sense. I've made my own spinners but nothing beats a blue fox - heavy wire, heavy hooks, and always spins with the slowest retrieve.

[Ryan Pultz]

Flame orange body and copper blade that has been blackend by a lighter rp

[rob allen]

I have had my best luck on the lewis with a large Number 5 silver blue fox. also 2/5th oz chrome little cleos have worked well..

[Spinhead]

Fish Hawg, yep, that be the one. I sent them in almost as soon as the roster was finalized, and didn't slow down enough to print out the info on the 'puter . I may not have gotten them in on time if I'd have stopped to figure that one out :whazzup:It kinda sux to be on the computer age cusp, where it's pretty tough to take time out of your life (work, family, etc.) to go back and learn all the stuff that the younger kids learned about computers in school. I guess I could've used some fishing time to......wait, what am I saying?!?!

[B.J. Lilly Hunter]

In clear summer water, I like to use #3 and #4 homemade spinners in black oxide. I have tried a few different companies components, and I have found Pentac's, to be my favorite. I also like to mix in some dull brass here and there also.

[puffins crew]

The one hooked in a fish's mouth. :grin:

[walkersteelhead]

Are guys blackening the blade and body or just one or the other. Doesn't it wash off after time. What about just using like a flat black paint or primer. Are you guys using the Nickel blade or brass.

[SalmonJeff]

no it dosn't wash off.

and also have you guys tried any 24kt gold blades

[B-run]

I don't spinner fish, as I am a dyed in the wool drifter.
But I have noticed that it really depends on the universal question...
What do the fish want.
I have seen rocket red produce on gin clear sunny days, as well as chartruse. But black has been my go to color most of the time under these conditions.

[Ed Fast]

B-run,

you gotta try it!! The yank is downright addicting!

Ed