What Is The Best Size Spinner To Use For Walleye

How to Necktie A Spinner Harness

by Adam A. Dempsey Various Walleye Spinner Harnesses

Whether you call it a Walleye harness, a crawler harness, a spinner rig, a spinner harness or a variation of these, this uncomplicated allurement rig catches fish. The spinner harness has basically been around for over 120 years, and over time has been modified and adapted to suit our needs as they arose. Typically, a spinner harness is fished by trolling, often using a bottom bouncer or iii-style setup, but can also be used every bit a drifting, jigging or casting rig. At that place are plenty of bully spinner harnesses available commercially from both large tackle manufacturers and small-scale independent shops. The advantages of the independents is they frequently cater to fishermen of a local water body and offering baits that are known to produce. They too tend to use higher quality components and offering a larger variety of customized baits that yous may not come across from the big companies. On the other hand, harnesses from large tackle companies are often easier to find, offer better quality control and can exist less expensive. Regardless of where you purchase your spinner harness, there is no dubiety you will grab fish with it!

One major advantage of the spinner harness lies in its simplicity. They are inexpensive to make on your own and easy to customize to arrange your fishing way and target species. A spinner harness is comprised of five bones components: leader line, hook(southward), chaplet, a clevis and a spinner blade. Sounds uncomplicated, right?? Certain, until you start reading up on how to actually brand i! In that location may be only 5 "ingredients" just at that place are so many options bachelor to you inside those five ingredients it tin go overwhelming. So, I thought I would put together this article to offering some assistance with making spinner harnesses that will hopefully suit your needs.

Tabular array of Contents

1. Summary
2. Selecting Components – Line
3. Selecting Components – Hooks
4. Selecting Components – Knots
5. Selecting Components – Spacers
6. Selecting Components – Clevises
7. Selecting Components – Spinner Blades
8. Putting information technology All Together
9. Baiting the Hooks
10. Some Spinner Harness Modifications
11. A Few Specialized Spinner Rigs
12. Storing and Transporting your Spinner Harnesses
13. How to Use your Spinner Harness
14. Decision
15. Acknowledgements, References and Resources

Summary

Typical Walleye Harnesses. Top, a size 4 Colorado Blade with a 36″ snell for inland lakes. Bottom, a size v Colorado Blade with a 6′ snell for open up water.

For those of you who are merely interested in the what and how, and not the why, I idea I would just start with some recommendations. What type of spinner harness you necktie upwardly depends on how and where you fish. For the majority of anglers, spinner harnesses will be trolled nigh the bottom on inland lakes or in the water column on big h2o, similar Lake Erie.

For inland lakes, snell on one or 2 size 2 Octopus hooks, using the quick snell knot, to 3′ of 12/14 lb test Trilene XT monofilament or fourteen/15lb test of Seguar Premium or Blueish Label fluorocarbon line. Add five or 6 size 6 chaplet, utilize two different contrasting colors, followed past a size 4 Colorado blade in silver or gold/contumely of whatever texture; or a solid or blended colour of chartreuse, orange or green using a size 4 folded metal clevis or a big quick change clevis. You tin add an additional size 6 bead above the clevis if you wish. At the end of the line necktie on a butt swivel using a Palomar knot.

For trolling the water cavalcade on big water, snell on one or ii size 2 Octopus hooks, using the quick snell knot, to six′ of 17 or 20 lb exam Trilene XT monofilament or Seaguar Red Characterization fluorocarbon line. Add half-dozen or 7 size 6 beads, use two different contrasting colors, followed by a size 5 or 6 Colorado bract in silverish, gilded/brass or copper in any texture; or a blended colour of primarily regal or pink using a size six folded metal clevis or a large quick change clevis. You tin add an boosted size 6 bead above the clevis if you wish. At the end of the line necktie on a barrel swivel using a Palomar knot.

Selecting Components for your Custom DIY Spinner Harness

Line Option

Examples of Nylon Coated Stranded Wire used for Tying Spinner Harnesses

Let's begin with the leader line. There are a few factors to consider here. Showtime, what type of line? You take several options, including: solid stainless steel wire, nylon coated stranded stainless steel wire, monofilament, fluorocarbon, hybrid or superline. I have come across spinner harnesses fabricated from all of these types of "line". Next, what bore/lb test line is best? Spinner harnesses have been made with line anywhere from 6lb to 25lb+ test. What near the length of the line? That's anywhere from 12" to 9+ feet! I am already confused and this is but the starting time aspect of the spinner harness!! So, permit's look at each of these choices and get an idea of what to use and when.

The original spinner harnesses were made with solid steel wire 6" to 12" in length, one or two blades, maybe a bead and a long shank hook. People probably know these every bit Prescott and June Bug spinners. They worked in the past and y'all can however buy them today from several manufacturers. The advantage of using solid steel wire is obviously its resistance to harm from rocks, zebra mussels and toothy critters; as well every bit its stiffness. However, information technology is susceptible to kinks, non as easy to work with since it'due south not as piece of cake to necktie, limited to a single hook (for the most part) and the applied length of your leader is limited. Not to mention it lacks the more natural, organic motility of the less stiff lines.

Solid steel stainless wire and wire forms (6" to 12" wires that already have one stop twisted to class a loop) are bachelor from lure suppliers if you want to use this wire to make spinner harnesses. Hooks are attached past twisting the wire, such every bit using the Hayward twist, or using crimping sleeves to course a loop. Solid steel wire is still a practiced choice if you fish areas that are heavy with fish like Northern State highway or you lot want utilize it as a cast & retrieve rig. Of course, you lot could always add a leader line and rig it upward as you meet fit. Minnows are typically used when fishing this type of rig.

Tyable Titanium and Stainless Steel Leader Line

Similar to solid stainless steel is nylo northward coated stainless steel stranded wire. The main difference between the ii is that this wire is flexible and tin be tied, although often crimping sleeves a re nevertheless used to grade loops to attach the ho oks. Like to using solid wire, stranded wire has a practical limitation in length. However, stranded wire offers all the benefits of solid wire just is less susceptible to kinks and making a spinner harness with multiple hooks is more feasible. Spinner harnesses fabricated with stranded wire are typically smaller, about 6" to 8" long. Another option I stumbled across is using stainless steel stranded beading wire. This wire is unremarkably used to brand necklaces, but some fisherman accept used it to assemble spinner harnesses. I cannot comm ent on how practiced the wire is for harnesses, but information technology appears information technology should exist stiff enough and might be a less expensive option. You lot will discover that the aforementioned companies articles wire for bo th industries.

It'southward also worth mentioning tyable wire leader, which comes in both titanium and stainless steel. Now this is tough stuff! It is ordinarily used for fishing big game toothy critters from Musky to Sharks, but information technology can be used for tying upwardly your harnesses. Not just can you lot necktie this wire, but information technology's well-nigh kink resistant and h as the smallest bore. The biggest disadvantage is that it's quite ex pensive. Definitely a good choice if you're concered about the potential for serious line damage or bite-offs. Malin, AFW, Aquateko and Terminator all make versions of tyable titanium wire. TyGer Leader makes a stainless steel version.

Nylon monofilament line is an obvious pick for making spinner harnesses. Information technology's inexpensive, easy to tie, flexible [and as such, has a more natural motion], has reduced visibility and is widely available. Most people even have actress line laying around from spooling their reels. However, monofilament is susceptible to line twist, nicking, memory, potentially depression tensile strength, rocks and toothy critters. Fortunately, many of these issues ca n exist overcome using a larger bore line, at the minimal expense of increased visibility and a less "natural" presentation. Monofilament is the second most popular choice of line for making spinner harnesses.

Examples of Monofilament Lines used for Tying Spinner Harnesses Fluorocarbon line is also a great choice for making spinner harnesses. Similar to monofilament, it's piece of cake to tie and widely available. Information technology besides offers additional transparency, stiffness and lower stretch relative to monofilament of the same line diameter. However, it shares all the disadvantages of monofilament line in addition to being typically more expensive than monofilament (especially the "leader line" versions) and has potential knot w eakness [although, this is less of an outcome if you tie your knots carefully]. Again, well-nigh of the problems associated with fluorocarbon line can be offset by using a larger diameter line and using those specifically made as leader textile. The leader line versions offering higher chafe resistance, relative to similar master line versions, and are excellent for tying spinner harnesses. Fluorocarbon line is currently the most popular choice for making spinner harnesses.

Hybrid line is generally monofilament nylon line coated with a layer of fluorocarbon, but tin also exist a copolymer . W hether it's a true hybrid offering the advantages of both, I am non certain. Withal, my experience using information technology every bit a main line suggests it does offer lower stretch and increased stiffness over monofilament. Whether or not information technology offers reduced visibility remains to be seen. I am sure how "fluorocarbon-like" or "monof ilament-similar" a hybrid line actually is will vary widely amidst the different brands. Would this be a proficient choice for making spinner harnesses? It might be, but I can't really see any reason why it would exist better than monofilament or fluorocarbon line. Of course, hybrid lines are definitely cheaper than fluorocarbon leader line so perhaps that lonely makes it a viable selection if you're looking for some partial benefits of fluorocarbon without the added cost.

The last pick are the superlines. Both br aided and fused superlines are very thin bore, low stretch lines. Although they accept great tensile strength at low diameters, they are withal prone to nicking and don't actually offer much protection from being frayed or cut by rocks and toothy critters. The thin diameters as well make the line very flexible, which in my opinion, is a bad characteristic for a spinner harness as this can outcome in twisting, tangles and interfering with how the spinner spins. Although, this is elss of a problem with the fused superlines. The supe Examples of Fluorocarbon Lines used for Tying Spinner Harnesses rlines are also relatively expensive. So, the characteristics that brand this a great principal line also make it a poor choice for spinner harnesses. I would strongly advise using the other line types over any superline.

One time y'all've decided what type of line to use for your snells y'all at present take to decide what diameter (lb exam) and how long your snell should be. For wire line yous will likely desire something that is rated at xx to thirty lb test, which has a large plenty diameter for the spinner to spin properly and is strong enough to withstand the bulk of freshwater fish. The length of your wire should be vi" to 12", otherwise it only becomes far too impractical. If you make your spinner harness at lengths <12", y'all will near probable due north eed to add a 3′ mono or fluorocarbon leader line if you're trolling behind bottom bouncers or three-way rigs. These shorter spinner harnesses are just fine for casting out rigged up as a Carolina Rig (bullet weight on your main line ahead of the spinner harness) or trolled using some type of in-line weight.

Examples of Hybrid/Co-Polymer Lines used for Tying Spinner Harnesses

For monofilament, fluorocarbon and hybrid lines you will either use line in the 8 to 14lb test range or the 17 to 20lb test range. The nigh pop being 12 or 14 lb mono (line diameter 0.014" and 0.015", respectively) and xv or 20 lb fluorocarbon (line bore 0.015" and 0.016", respectively). Overall, smaller bore lines, such as 6 to 8lb examination, are preferable as they are flexible and offering a more than natural move or finesse approach to your bait. However, if you're fishing a water body that has a lot of inherent risks for line fray and being cut (east.m,. zebra mussels, net stakes, rocks, toothy critters, etc..) you will want to select a larger diameter line that's going to withstand them. Also, the smaller bore lines are more decumbent to retention issues, tangles and lack the resilience compared to higher diameter lines after they've been abused in the net a few times. The smaller bore lines won't work besides with the larger blades either, then in those cases yous may need to choose the larger diameter lines. So ultimately, it's a balancing act in which you have to decide what characteristics are more important to you and the water body y'all're fishing. If finesse is more than important than resilience, choose line in the eight to 12lb examination range, otherwise if you're running larger blades, angling water with a lot of Northern Thruway or simply want the balls of larger diameter line, select line in the fourteen to 20lb exam range. Popular line choices include Trilene XT and Trilene Large Game for monofilament lines; and Berkley Vanish, Berkeley 100% Fluorocarbon, P-Line Fluorocarbon and Seaguar Fluorocarbon (Bluish Label, Blood-red Label, AbrazX, InvisX) for fluorocarbon lines. Blood Run Tackle even markets a fluorocarbon line specifically for crawler harnesses.

Typical Diameters of Monofilament, Fluorcarbon, Hybrid, Steel and Titanium

The length of the snell is highly dependent on how and where you are going to be angling your spinner harness. If you're trolling backside a bottom bouncer, pencil weight, sideslip-weight or three-way rig you typically want a snell from iii′ to half-dozen′ in length – closer to 3′ if you're shut to the lake bottom [24" to 30" in really snaggy areas] and up to 6′ if yous're trolling higher in the h2o cavalcade. Of course, that doesn't mean your spinner harness has to exist that long, you could ever attach a split up leader line if you lot wanted to, simply most anglers mostly don't – more hardware to bargain with and boosted knots increment line weakness. Unless of course you lot're using steel wire, you'll want to employ a longer leader on these shorter 6" to 12" steel wire spinner harnesses. If you're using the spinner harness as a Carolina Rig [or "Walleye Killer" Rig], under a slip-bobber or trolling with an in-line weight, an 8" to 24" snell length should be fine. Ultimately, whatever length you choose your spinner harness needs to stay above the lake bottom and far enough away from your weight system to not "spook" the fish and to provide a more natural presentation.

Claw Option

When it comes to hooks, there are several options to consider – how many, style, size, gap length between hooks and what knots to utilise. The majority of harnesses are tied with a blazon of live bait beak hook , suc h as an Octopus hook. However, in that location are some unmarried hook harness styles that use either an Aberdeen, Allurement Holder, Extra Wide Gap (EWG) worm or Offset Shank worm hook. I also like to use Streamer and Steelhead fly hooks. For the most function, you want a skillful quality alive bait hook that has a outset center to conform the snell knot. Some hooks practise not have an offset eye, such as the Aberdeen, and then you will have to accept some pliers and bend the heart yourself. You may break a few hooks in the procedure, but yous will manage, and don't worry, the aptitude hooks will retain their strength. If you lot're line-fishing extra snaggy waters it might be better to switch to a hook that can straighten out easily, such as an Aberdeen hook, so yous don't lose your unabridged rig. Popular hooks include Gamakatsu Octopus and Walleye Wide Gap, Owner SSW, Mustad Octopus, Double Wide Alive Allurement and Live Bait, VMC Octopus and Matzuo Octopus.

Popular Octopus Hooks for Tying Spinner Harnesses

I have compiled a comprehensive listing of hooks suitable for tying spinner harness that yous may download here.

Nigh hooks come in three or four colors blood-red, blackness nickel or bronze, but there are some that come in an assortment of colors from light-green to fluorescent pinkish. Some anglers feel that the cerise hooks draw blood and human activity as a fish attractant. Other bright colors may besides exist a visible attractant to fish. Even so, use whatever color hooks yous like equally nearly of the hook is covered with bait anyhow. I'd stay away from any brass hooks though, they are too brittle and will snap when snagged.

A spinner harness for baiting nightcrawlers usually has one to 3 hooks, with the majority existence ane or two hooks. You will see many commercial spinner harnesses Styles of Hooks Used for Tying Spinner Harnesses with three bait hooks, but near anglers discovered all those hooks are unnecessary. Two hooks are often used when fishing with a whole nightcrawler and a single hook for half of a nightcrawler, a leech or a minnow. Of form, putting a whole nightcrawler on a single claw is also a perfectly viable option. Many anglers opt for a unmarried hook because it works well for them and is plainly less of an interference, just others like the assurance of that 2nd hook. It's as well worth noting that spinner harnesses used for "big water" trolling suspended fish sometimes use a bait claw followed by a treble claw. The idea is that information technology's supposed to increase your chance of hooking a fish. Information technology'due south non recommended to use treble hooks on inland lakes, primarily because y'all mostly fish closer to the bottom on these lakes and it will probable increase your chance of snagging.

Hook size manifestly depends on the way of the hook, target species and overall harness size. For live bait Octopus mode hooks, sizes 4 or two hooks are good for the majority of Walleye fishing. For two hook harnesses, information technology'due south not uncommon to see two #iv, 2 #2 or a combination of #4 and #2 Octopus alive bait hooks used. If you employ 2 dissimilar sized hooks on the same spinner harness, tie the smaller one on the bottom as the trailer claw. Most predator fish volition target the eyes or front of their prey. For single hook harnesses a size #2, #ane or one/0 Octopus live bait hook is often used. Sometimes a longer shanked hook is preferred for single hook harnesses, such as a #2 , #1, ane/0 or 2/0 Aberdeen or a size 1/0, 2/0 or three/0 EWG or Outset worm claw. The larger hook and longer shank provides more room to thread on your nightcrawler and is often a better choice when using minnows. You may desire to bend the hook eye a little on some of these long shanked hooks so the sit straight once tied, even so they can be brittle and you may pause a few while attempting this. When you lot need to downsize, such as during a Mayfly hatch or targeting Brook Trout, #six Octopus hooks or a unmarried #4 Aberdeen hook are a good choice . As well, don't be afraid to go a size smaller or larger if you need to. Sometimes y'all will need a very subtle presentation and other times y ou're catching some serious hook benders.

Wing Tying Vices and Helping Hands can Help Maintain a Consistent Hook Gap

To attach hooks to the sn ell line, a snell knot is most oft used. This keeps the hooks secure and the hook shank aligned parallel to the axes of the line. Some anglers similar to tie a Trilene, Palomar or Improved Clinch knot for the bottom hook. Those are all great knots and are probably just fine for not-trolling applications. However, those knots provide a pivot indicate for the hook and equally yous troll it will likely take more independent movement compared to a snelled hook. Y'all really want the claw shank parallel to the line so the harness functions equally one single unit. Also, keep in mind that if you want to utilise one of these non-snell knots, your hook should have a directly eye. Otherwise, the direction of force practical during the claw set will be directed away from the hooks bespeak and may outcome in lost fish. For any boosted hooks, a snell knot is about always used. When tying multiple hooks, keep a gap between the lesser of the hooks from 2" to 4", with 3" being a adept target. If y'all're using smaller worms or dead leeches, this gap should only be ane.5" to 2". It'southward helpful to utilize a marked template if you desire to exist consequent with your gap size. The template can be every bit elementary equally marks on your desk or paper; or a lath with 2 nails or screws in it. You can even utilize a "helping easily" or ii fly tying vices if you desire to be even more precise.

Selecting the Right Knot

There are at least four unlike snell knots used on harnesses – the Traditional Snell, the Uni-knot Snell, the Piece of cake Snell and the Uncomplicated or Quick Snell. Of these, the Uncomplicated Snell is nigh commonly used for obvious reasons – it's uncomplicated to tie. However, the Elementary Snell is non secured and is only maintained with applied tension. This really isn't a trouble, merely the snell tin come undone if the line is pushed back through the hook eye. As a result, some people apply glue on these snells. Regardless, it's a skillful knot and widely used for spinner harnesses. The Traditional, Uni-knot and Easy Snell knots all lock down once tied. They are slightly more challenging than tying the Elementary Snell, merely subsequently some practice they are quite like shooting fish in a barrel.

It'south of import to point out that there are some slight variations in how to tie the same knot and, in this example, the Traditional Snell in particular. Basically, you take the option whether or not to pass the line through the hook middle. The method I illustrate passes the line through twice to form a loop. However, you don't accept to practise that, yous can skip passing through the eye altogether or only pass through it one time as in STEP i [simply not in Step 2]. The knot will notwithstanding agree just fine and there are instances where this is how y'all must snell the hook because some hooks don't have eyes! Furthermore, for hooks that don't have start optics , such as Aberdeen hooks, or only slightly commencement optics, such as Drop-shot hooks, [and yous don't want to get in outset with pliers] I would recommend using a knot that simply passes through the hook eye in one case or not at all – the Uni-knot Snell, Easy Snell or modified Traditional Snell knot all qualify. This will help go on the hook parallel to the line, which is what you desire with a spinner harness.

Of course, if y'all don't actually feel like dealing with lines, hooks and knots, there are enough of commercially bachelor pre-tied snells from all the major claw manufacturers that would work great in most cases.

Spacer Selection

The chaplet on a harness function primarily as a spacer to go along the rotating blade higher up the hooks and from interfering with the hook set, but also act every bit attractors by adding color, flash, a contour and maybe some vibration. Chaplet are typically round and smooth or faceted, simply can as well exist oval or band shaped. In addition to beads there are spacer bodies and stacker beads specifically made for spinner harnesses that tin can be used in place of multiple single beads. For the most part, beads for spinner harness are made of plastic, merely glass and metal beads are sometimes used. I'd stay away from glass and metal beads due to their added weight and potentially abrupt edges though. Specially because there are expert quality plastic chaplet with metallic finishes available. You can use everyday craft beads from the discount "dollar" stores or art and craft shops, but tackle shops and online tackle suppliers have the all-time choice.

Spacers Used for Tying Spinner Harnesses. A) Round Smooth and Faceted Beads, B) Spacer Bodies, C) Stack Chaplet, D) Tee Beads, East) Wedding Ring Beads, F) Pill Floats

The number of single beads threaded onto your snells is dependent on the size of the bead and bract. You want to use a minimum number of beads so that the bottom of your bract at rest is above the centre of the elevation hook. I like to use 5 or six chaplet, and then I try to friction match the bead and blade size to accommodate that. Adding more than beads is fine, just add too few and you lot may have problems hooking fish. Many people, myself included, add an additional dewdrop or two on superlative of the spinner bract. This is supposed to help keep the blade spinning by shielding the clevis and blade from droppings in the h2o. It may also act as an "eye" for the harness, adding some attraction to your bait. There are those that debate the validity of these points, and I cannot contest them, but I am confident that information technology cannot injure to add that actress bead.

Clevis Size and Number of Spacer Beads Required for a Given Blade Style and Size

The size of beads virtually often used for spinner harnesses are 2mm (five/64"), 3mm (i/eight"), 4mm (5/32"), 5mm (3/xvi"), 6mm (1/4") and 8mm (5/16"). The metric system (millimeters) is standardly used to bespeak the bore of the bead which is oft just shortened to sizes two to 8. Although th ere is no right size bead to select, you typically want to match the size of your bead to the size of your bract. The smallest flikker blades, such equally Colorado 00, 0 and 1, you would employ size 2 and 3 beads. For small blades, such as Colorado ii and 3, you would apply size 3, iv or mayhap five beads. For medium sized blades, such every bit Colorado 4 and 5, you would use size five or half dozen chaplet. With the largest blades I'd probably still only use upwards to size 6 beads, mayhap some size viii, but ideally some larger spacers woul d be best. Whatever larger and your harness will be far to bulky and functioning will kickoff to become hindered. You can also mix and friction match dissimilar sizes and types of beads, such as round beads with stacker beads, sleeve beads and spacer bodies. Customize your spinner harness all the same you run across fit – more subtle finesse or loud and big. There isn't a right answer and yous volition want to adjust what size beads you use depending on what type of allurement you want to offering. Just exist certain to proceed that blade above the hook.

One of the most asked questions is what colour beads to use? Apparently at that place is no right answer and this will vary depending on where you are fishing, what your target species is and what fourth dimension of year. However, whatever your standard go to crankbait colors are, should work simply fine. Some of the more popular colors are red, chartreuse, yellowish, greenish, purple, pink, white and gold. What about patterns? Well, you lot can mix and friction match all the same y'all run across fit. Personally, I like to effort to brand contrasting patterns every bit I feel contrast is more than important than the actual color. Try brilliant centre catching colors and likewise attempt matching the local provender base. A good example of this is during a may fly hatch where y'all want to use more than earth tone colors, like browns and gold, to match the ascension nymphs. Figuring out and discovering new productive combinations is all part of the fun of making custom tackle!

In addition to chaplet there are some situations where you lot want to apply a foam float instead. These small pill shaped floats function as spacers simply more importantly they help enhance your harness up a footling more into the water cavalcade. This can be especially useful when yous're line-fishing very snaggy areas like timber piles and stump fields. For most spinners harnesses you'll probably desire to use two or maybe three pill floats instead of chaplet. You tin put some small-scale size ii or 3 beads at the ends of each pill bladder if you wish.

Click here for a table showing the number of beads required for a given blade type, blade size, bead size and clevis size for all blade types.

Clevises

The clevis is simply a fastener that attaches a bract to your line while still giving the blade the freedom to spin and limit any line chafe. In that location are two commonly used types of clevis, the unproblematic folded metallic clevis and the plastic quick change clevis. The folded metal clevis is a thin slice of bras due south that has been stamped into a donut shaped disc and folded in half. The "D-shaped" clevis is slipped through the hole of the spinner blade and and so the snell line is threaded through the clevis in the spaces where the folds in the metal were made. The metal clevises are cheap and effective. They come in four dissimilar sizes (ane, two, four and 6) to accommodate the broad range of blade sizes bachelor and in polished brass or nickel plate. The advantages of these clevises is that they are inexpensive an d spin easily at low speeds and with smaller blades As well, do not confuse these with stirrup clevises which are designed for steel wire spinnerbaits. The line thread holes in stirrup clevises are too sharp to be used on monofilament or fluorocarbon lines.

The virtually popular Various Styles of Clevises. Peak Row – Folded (X2) and Plastic Quick Change (X4). Middle Row – Clev-R-Clip, U-Clip It and Quick Change with Keepers (X4). Bottom Row – Dutch Fork No Loss (X2), BPS Keeper, Interchange and Prune-Northward-Spin (X2) clevis is the quick modify clevis, so named considering the spinner bract is attached using the open hook of the cle 5 is allowing it to exist removed and replaced at whatever time. This is a nice characteristic and allows you to change your presentation on the fly without retying or making dozens of sp in ner harnesses with various bract colors and styles ahead of fourth dimension. The most common quick change clevises are made of plastic and typically come in white, black, yellow or red; and are available in three sizes (small, medium and big) to accommodate all the various bract sizes. The downside of these clevises is they tin can occasionally thursday row the blade, but more current clevises include a "keeper" design that helps prevent this. The plastic quick change clevises are besides bulkier and the plastic offers a little more resistance confronting the line, so they don't spin also with smaller blades and at tiresome speeds relative to folded metallic clevises.

There are too a few other clever quick change clevis designs made of wound metal wire, or plastic and wire, that are almost guaranteed t o keep your spinner blade from coming off using clips or bound wraps. There is even a clip-on version of the folded metal clevis. These newer designs offering the benefits of both the folded metallic clevis and the plastic quick modify clevis. Interestingly, you tin can fifty-fifty brand your own "spring" type using some stainless steel wire forms and a wire former past wrapping the wire into seven coils and then forming a loop that overlaps the primary wire.

When deciding what clevis to use, if you're using small blades, plan on trolling or drifting slow, or but don't care about irresolute your blades, I would suggest the folded metallic clevises. Otherwise, any of the clevises volition work just fine, but be sure to match the correct size clevis to your spinner bract.

Blade Pick Examples of Colorado Spinner Blades sizes iii to 6. Click to open a new page showing all the styles of spinner blades.

The spinner blade is the heart of the spinner harness. There are at least a dozen different styles of spinner blade and an countless selection of textures, colors and patterns. The spinner blade draws fish to the spinner harness by creating flashes of color and light, vibration and movement. All the diverse blade types differ in how they movement and produce these effects. The three almost normally used blades are the Colorado, Indiana and Willowleaf. The Colorado and Indiana blades are teardropped shaped, with the Colorado bract having a wider base. The Willowleaf blade is long, narrow and shaped like a leaf.

The differences in the blade shapes result in a divergence in the angles the blades rotate, relative to the axis of the snell line, as well as the speed require to maintain motion. The Colorado blade rotates at an approximate 60 caste angle and at relatively tedious speeds, while the Indiana rotates at an approximate 45 degree angle requiring higher speeds while the Willowleaf bract rotates at a 30 degree angle requiring the fastest speed. In general, the smaller the angle of blade rotation, the less vibration, more flash and college minimum speed required for rotation a blade will accept. The majority of the less mutual bract types (Chopper, Dakota, French, Minnow, Oklahoma (i.e., Cascade, Olympic, Turtleback), Ripple, Royal Willowleaf, Swing, Tomahawk (i.e, Doc Sheldon, Hatchet), and Whiptail) have rotational angles and speeds that fall between the Colorado and Willowleaf blades. The exception beingness the deep cut Colorado, propeller and smile fashion blades. The deep cut Colorado blades are very similar to the standard Colorado blades, but the deeper cup increases h2o resistance, and equally a upshot, the minimum speed for rotation is lower for the same size blade. The propeller and smile blades rotate around the axis, at ninety degrees, because they slide directly onto the snell line without the need of a clevis, and require the least amount of movement for rotation.

Thus, the reason for the popularity of the Colorado bract should be obvious. It tin be fished at slow to moderate speeds and produces excellent vibration and flash. Perfect for the majority of Walleye fishing waters. However, Willowleaf blades are very popular for trolling big water suspended Walleye. Yous can troll quite fast, generating a lot of flash and covering a large corporeality of water searching for agile fish. Most of the other blade styles fall in between these 2 extremes and are good choices during the warmer months when fish are more active. Regardless, if yous only used Colorado blades for all your spinner harnesses, you lot would never feel handicapped and will ever catch fish.

Spinner blades also come up in eight to twelve different sizes. The smallest sizes, such every bit the Colorado and Indiana #00, #0 and #ane (~1/ii" to iii/four"), are practiced equally flikker blades on many live bait rigs, such equally jigs, slip-weight rigs and slip-bobber rigs. Sizes #1 and #2 are nifty for smaller presentations, like "Go-Getters" for Rainbow and Beck Trout and Mayfly harnesses for Walleye. The midsize blades, such as the Colorado and Indiana #3 and #four (~ane" to 1 1/4"), are perfect for most Walleye spinner harnesses. Yet, many of the anglers fishing big water Walleye will use big blades, such equally Colorado #5 to #8(~i one/2" to ii"), Indiana #5 to #9 (~1 ane/2" to 2 i/2") and Willowleaf #5 to #viii (~two 1/2" to three 3/4"), for the added vibration and flash to attract fish from further away. It's also of import to consider that smaller blades will rotate at slower speeds relative to their larger counterparts, and then you may want to downsize if you are trolling slow. Some anglers likewise similar to "friction match the hatch" so to speak and choose smaller blades early on in the season and larger ones afterwards on, much like crank bait selection. Aforementioned goes with seasonal temperature changes, choosing "slower" blades during cooler periods and "faster" blades in warmer periods. These are but guidelines of course and there is null incorrect with using a larger or smaller blade wherever y'all fish. Just brand sure you pick the correct clevis size and snell line to match the blade you choose.

Actual Sizes of Colorado, Indiana and Willowleaf Spinner Blades Colorado, Indiana and Willowleaf Spinner Bract Dimensions

Mack's Lure Smiling Blades for Spinner Harnesses. These come up in five sizes and are nifty for slow presentations. I think it's also worth noting one of the more than specialized blade types, Mack's Lures Smiling blade. This is a propeller like blade made of Mylar plastic cut into a smile or crescent shape. It is threaded onto your snell line through a hole in it's center like a propeller. What'southward important nearly these blades is that they spin at very low speeds and provide a lot of wink with little vibration. This makes them excellent choices for backtrolling spinner harnesses or as an added attract pismire on drifting rigs and high action rigs, like the Wearisome Expiry rig.

I'd suggest the following guidelines when picking a blade size and manner. If you lot are trolling tedious ( <one.0 MPH), drifting or casting/retrieving, choose a smile, deep cutting Colorado or standard Colorado blade; or if you really must utilize a different style, choose a small blade. When you're trolling at moderate speeds (1.0 to 1.7 MPH) you tin pick whatever blade style you like. At faster trolling speeds (1.8+ MPH) you are improve off using a lower resistance blade, like the Willowleaf Regal Willow or French.

If one blade is good are two or more blades better? Perhaps, merely virtually anglers report that calculation a 2d blade didn't seem to increase take hold of rates. Regardless, double bladed spinner harnesses were very pop line-fishing for suspended Walleye on big h2o. These item spinner harnesses use two #4 Willowleaf blades and two or three #2 Octopus hooks [or a #8 or #six treble trailer] with size 3 or 4 beads. The profile was kept tight and trolled relatively speedily to cover a lot of h2o. Today, it seems like using a unmarried large blade harness has succeeded the double Willowleaf spinner harnesses. Another selection is to add a smaller flikker blade to a higher place your "main" blade for some additional attraction. Manifestly, y'all tin can practice this with whatever blade, but make certain y'all added plenty spacer beads between the 2 so the action isn't hindered and it's probably best to use the aforementioned blade styles due to the differences in minimum speeds for rotation.

What about blade colour, texture and pattern? There are every bit many unlike custom colors and patterns of spinner blades every bit you tin can discover spoons from Salmon spoon manufacturers – 100's if non 1000'south. The local shops that brand these custom painted blades exercise an incredible chore and offer some interesting colors and patterns. However, there are several "go to" standard colors and "textures" that will always produce fish. The metal finishes nickel, brass, gold, silverish, copper in both hammered or smoothen polished are always excellent choices equally are the color painted finishes white, chartreuse, xanthous, light-green, orange and v of diamonds. The hammered, hexed, diamond, scaled, ribbed, prism and rippled textured blades create a more erratic reflection blueprint, which is peachy when the fish are easily spooked, while the smoothen finishes produce a potent flash of lite from a single point. When picking a blade color, choose whatsoever system yous follow when selecting crank baits or spoons (e.grand., bright lures on vivid days or in murky water and dull blades on overcast days or in clear water). If you find that your showtime choice isn't producing as expected, either switch out the blade on your quick change clevis or simply change to a different harness altogether. Of course, if yous accept more than one person in the gunkhole it'due south a bully thought to each select a different color at kickoff and then become from there.

Putting it All Together

Now that you lot've selected your line, snell length, hooks, chaplet, blade and clevis, it's time to assemble the spinner harness. First snell your claw(southward) using the appropriate snell knot. Adjacent, add on enough spacers and then the your blade is above the height of the top claw. Spacers tin exist chaplet, springs, tubing, stack chaplet, special harness spacer bodies, floats or a combination of any of these. Based on the size of your bract, pick an appropriate clevis and thread that onto your snell above the beads. You don't need a clevis for a propeller or Mack'due south Smile Blade. You can thread on a dewdrop or two later the clevis if y'all wish. That's pretty much it, your spinner is basically washed you lot just demand to decide how yous're going to adhere it to your main line.

There are two ways to attach your spinner harness to your main line. You either tie your favorite loop knot, such every bit a Double Surgeons Loop, a Perfection Loop or a Figure 8 on a Bight knot; or use a barrel hinge, preferably one with a brawl-bearing tied with a Palomar knot. I highly recommend using a ball-bearing hinge to assistance prevent any line twisting that may occur. This is especially important when using big blades and/or low diameter line for your snells.

Follow These Steps to Assemble Your Spinner Harness

Baiting the Hook(due south)

Ii claw spinner harnesses are used primarily for nightcrawlers, but can also be used for leeches. To bait your double or triple hook harness, nose claw the worm or thread the head of the worth through the top hook, straighten the worm out and hook the 2nd hook under the worms collar. If you apply a 3rd hook, straighten the worm out over again and thread the terminal hook through. The goal is to accept a relative straight, only not stretched out, hooked nightcrawler. A leech is similar, just for a 2 claw harness the gap distance should exist smaller and for this type of rig a dead leech is used.

For single hook harnesses you can use nightcrawlers, leeches or minnows as allurement. To rig up a nightcrawler you can utilize a whole or one-half (or fifty-fifty less) of a worm and nose hook information technology, thread it onto the claw at the head, Texas rig it or hook it through the center wacky style. Most often yous will probably utilise some form of nose claw or threading if you lot're trolling. A Texas type of rigging works if you're using a single EWG worm claw and casting and retrieving. If yous are drifting, you can utilise any of the hooking methods, but try centre hooking the crawler for some added action. When using leeches you lot volition either nose hook them or thread them onto the claw at the head.

Minnows also need to be hooked so they stay direct. To accomplish this yous need to put the hook into the minnows mouth, out through ane of the gills [advisedly!] and then pierced merely under the pare before the dorsal fin. You can also hook the minnow through the head just behind the lips. A minnow that remains alive will normally be better than expressionless i.

Modifications

Hither are a few interesting tips and modifications y'all tin try that may offering yous that little bit extra to forestall snags and land more than fish.

• Try putting a plastic tube over the beads for a dissimilar contour.

• To add a gap between your hooks and the blade and chaplet you tin can use a bobber end, barrel or snap swivel or wrap your line twice through the last dewdrop on the harness. This allows you to thread your worm or leech further up the line.

• Instead of using a trailer claw, effort a floating jig head if you lot're experience hang-ups.

• You can create a simple two hook spinner harness by tying a trailer hook to whatsoever inline spinner.

• If you're short on clevises, try using a small crane swivel.

• Every bit an added attractor, tie a wobble type spoon inline using O-rings iv′ to 6′ ahead of your spinner harness; or attach the beads and hooks directly below the spoon to create a spoon harness.

• Endeavor using a pocket-size spoon instead of a spinner blade for unlike action.

• Use a rotating bent Aberdeen hook (#4, #two or #ane) like the Mustad Dull Expiry, VMC Spindrift, Matzuo Death Roll (at present called Rip'N'Roll), Trokar Re-volve, Eagle Claw Rotating Aberdeen or Tru-Plough as a trailer claw for added attraction of a spinning worm. Be certain to use a bearing swivel between the blade/beads and the hooks.

Specialized Rigs

There may be situations where y'all accept to adjust your spinner setup to address some specific needs, such equally a specialized blazon of forage or a particularly "hostile" surroundings. Hither are a few examples of some spinner harnesses that take been customized to address specific situations:

A) If y'all're angling a stump field or heavy timber endeavor a Timber Rig. This mode of harness has a 24" to 30" snell length of 12lb exam mono; a single 1, i/0 or 2/0 worm hook followed by a bobber stop about i" to one.5" above the hook, two or thre e pill floats and a #3 or #4 Colorado blade with a size 3 bead ahead and behind the clevis. Thread the hook through the worm over the line all the way to the bobber end.

B) Attempt a "Walleye Killer" Carolina rig for casting edges of rock piles, reefs and weed beds. This rig is 12" to xviii" of xv or 20 lb fluorocarbon or mono line, a single size four or vi Octopus live bait [or similar] hook followed past v size v or 6 beads and a size 3, 4 or 5 Colorado blade. Necktie an end loop at the end of the line using a Double Surgeons Knot or Perfection Loop. Thread a size 4 or 5 bead through the loop and so information technology sits on elevation of the knot followed past a i/8oz to 3/8oz egg or bullet sinker.

C) Try a "Mayfly Rig" during a mayfly hatch when nothing else seems to be working. This is a more finesse spinner rig using 12" to 18" of 8 to 12 lb fluorocarbon line, with a single #6 or #four live bait or long shank Aberdeen claw, four to six size iii aureate, or gilded and brown, chaplet, and a size 0, 1 or ii gold Colorado, Indiana or French Blade attached with a size one metal clevis. A small slice of worm is threaded onto the hook to try and mimic a mayfly nymph. You tin can besides rig this like a "Walleye Killer Rig".

D) For Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout and Splake nada beats line-fishing with a worm. A skillful spinner harness for drifting or trolling for trout is often called a "Go Getter". It'due south merely a downsized spinner harness that uses 12" to 18" of viii to 12lb fluorocarbon or mono line snelled with a single #6 or #4 bait holder claw. About 4 or 5 size iii or 4 ruddy, white or pinkish chaplet are added followed by a gold or silvery #one or #2 Colorado Blade using a size one metallic clevis. You tin can add another bead on superlative of the blade, I like to use red or black for the "eye" dewdrop. Bait with a modest worm or half a nightcrawler and you'll land a nice trout in no time!

E) The "Slow Death" Spinner Rig is an accommodation of the "Ho-hum Death" rig which consists of a special aptitude claw and a bead. As the rig is trolled the hook and worm spin. So, why non make it better past calculation a blade! Starting time by tying a "Tiresome Death" or similar hook (e.m., Mustad "Dull Expiry" or "Super Expiry", Trokar Re-volve, Northland Crawler Hauler and Tru-Turn worm hooks) to a size 1 or two hinge with a brusk 2″ piece of 8 to 10 lb examination mono or fluorocarbon line using a Palomar or like knot. The hinge is used as it dramatically reduces line twist. Using the same line, tie a 36″ to 72″ piece onto the other end of the hinge. Thread on three or 4 size 4 beads; or a float with a size 3 or four dewdrop on each cease of the float (the beads keep the float alee of the knot and allows the blade to spin more than freely, followed by an 0.viii″ or 1.ane″ Mack's Grin Blade, a size 2 or 4 Propeller blade or a size 2, 3 or iv Colorado blade. This is a ho-hum presentation, so but these three blade styles should be used. More than recent introductions of the "Slow Death" claw past Matzuo, the Rip'N Roll, and VMC, the Spindrift, come up with a barrel swivel attached or congenital into the hook so you lot patently can tie these directly to the line. Typically a one-half of a worm is threaded onto the hook, leaving about 1/4″ to 1/2″ hanging off the bottom.

Storing and Transporting Your Spinner Harnesses Commercial Storage Options for Spinner Harnesses

Storing your blades, chaplet, hooks and clevises is like shooting fish in a barrel with a Plano, or similar, utility box. Alternatively in that location are all sorts of modest plastic containers suitable for storage at your local craft or discount "dollar" stores.

There are several options for storing and transporting your harnesses. There are many commercially available options fabricated specifically for storing spinner harnesses. There are foam coated plastic tubes that allow y'all secure your hooks and then wrap your harnesses around, such equally the Northland Tackle Tamer, the Lindy Rigger Ten-Treme Holder, the Tackle Buddy Snell Holder and the Snell Tender. If you like things more meaty, you can utilise a Plano box that contains peculiarly designed plastic snell holders that stores from 36 to sixty spinner harnesses.

DIY Storage Options for Your Spinner Harnesses

Of course, there are enough of inexpensive DIY storage options. The most popular being a foam pool noodle cut into ~12" lengths (short enough to fit inside a deep Plano 3731 StowAway box) in which slits are added. The harnesses are hooked into the cream and wrapped around the float inside the cut slits to go on them in place. These tin be kept in a standard plastic box or one gallon resealable bags. You can also use pipe insulation or some othe r foam toys in a similar fashion.

Another pick is a apartment piece of insulation foam or other blazon of board in which you can attach your hook on one border, wrap your snell around the board and secure the end with a small nail or pin. This can be a little bulkier, but the lath can be cutting to fit inside of a plastic storage box.

Using small-scale resealable plastic baggies is some other option. These are inexpensive, easy to become and store very compactly. Y'all tin even pack them abroad neatly into a tackle binder or large resealable pocketbook. The downside to this is potential tangling of your line when y'all are removing your spinner harnesses as well as coiling of the line due to retentiveness. It'south easy to avert tangling by only pulling out the unabridged spinner harness before unwrapping it; and memory can be remove by simply securing the hook at ane end and pulling the other end to "stretch" out the line. You can also use small cardboard squares, or purchase the Tangle Tamer Cards, or slices of pool noodle to wrap your line around and then store them in plastic baggies or a binder with plastic storage sleeves.

Using Your Spinner Harnesses

The nigh common utilize of a spinner harness is trolling. Spinner harnesses are trolled using inline weights, clip on weights, behind bottom bouncers or three-way rigs at 0.eight to 1.7 miles per hour. You can likewise practice some back trolling at 0.5 to 1.0 miles per hr, just make certain to use a Colorado or Smiling blade if you're going actually slow. Alternatively, y'all tin can troll big bract or Willowleaf harnesses on large h2o at 1.8 to 2.4 miles per hr. Trolling a spinner harness will be virtually effective once the water temperature is above 45F. At the lower temperatures you lot want to troll boring and as the water warms up, increase your speed 0.1 to 0.2 MPH for every 10F rising.

You can too drift fish spinner harnesses using split shot weights or a skid-weight rig. Typically, these slower presentations utilise spinner harnesses with smaller Colorado or Indiana blades. Y'all tin can apply a similar rig nether a sideslip float, jigging to add some boosted flash to your bait.

With a "Walleye Killer" type of rig (explained in a higher place) you tin can bandage and recall your spinner harness. This works great angling structure, similar timber, stumps, weed beds and rock ledges. You could utilize this rig similar to where and how you would cast and recollect a jig and grub.

Conclusions

I hope this article has helped with not only how to make a spinner harness, simply also why specific components were selected and recommended. Of course, as with many things, there isn't actually a wrong manner to get together a custom spinner harness. Let the local and current weather ever guide you for optimum results. And then, relax, catch a potable and start assembling! Don't get too carried away though, it'southward not difficult to end up with 100's of spinner harnesses!

Acknowledgements, References and Resources

I'd like to admit and thank the following websites for providing information and images that helped me put this article together. Please visit them!

Forums and Blogs

Fishing Michigan

Michigan-Sportsman

My Fish Finder

Ontario Fishing Community

Outdoors First

Walleye Primal

Walleyes Inc.

Custom Spinner Blades

Big Eye Custom Lures

Downwardly River Tackle

Fish Lander

Fishers Advantage

Jasper Lures

JT Custom Tackle

Mack'due south Lures

Michigan Stinger

Poulsen Cascade Tackle

VIP Outdoors

Viper Custom Tackle

Wolverine Tackle

Yakima Allurement

Spinner Harness Component Retailers and Manufacturers

Barlows Tackle

Bass Pro Shops

Berkley Fishing

Big Eye Custom Lures

Large Eye Spinnerbaits

Big Papa Sportfishing

Cabelas

Creme Lure

DB Angling

Ebait

Erie Outfitters

Franks Dandy Outdoors

Gale Strength Tackle

Grapentin

Hagens Fishing

Janns Netcraft

JB Lures

Jiggernaut Tackle

Lakeland Inc.

Lindy Line-fishing Tackle

Lucky Strike Baitworks

Luremaking

Lureparts Online

Macks Lure

Meter Fishing

Mudhole

Northland Tackle

Poulsen Cascade Tackle

Prolures Online

Root River Lures

Stopper Lures

Walleyes Choice

Walleye Supply

Worth Co.

Hook Manufacturers

Bass Pro Shops

Cabelas

Daiichi

Eagle Hook

Gamakatsu

Lazer Trokar

Matzuo

Mustad

Owner

Partridge

Raven Tackle

Umpqua

VMC

Angling Line and Wire Manufacturers

AFW Hi-Seas

Ande

Aquateko

Bass Pro Shops

Berkley Fishing

Blood Run Tackle

Cabelas

Cablestrand

Gamma Angling

Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits

Malin Co.

Maxima Fishing Line

McCoy Fishing Line

P-Line

Seaguar

Stren

Sufix

Sunline

Terminator

TyGer Leader

Brutal

Yo-Zuri

Angling Knots

Blithe Knots

Net Knots

Pro Knot

Youtube Snell Knot Video Playlist

What Is The Best Size Spinner To Use For Walleye,

Source: https://fishingoutposts.com/how-to-tie-a-walleye-spinner-harness/

Posted by: hamlinsubal1945.blogspot.com

Share this post