# Spinners not spinning



## Treehog (Aug 18, 2010)

I just made my first batch of inline spinners. Problem is the ones that are #2 Colorado blades only spin about 10% of the time. No trouble with the #3's. Should I change clevice, add/remove weight? Perhaps I should be using French or Indiana blades instead too? Any help is appreciated. 
(On the plus side I had a hit on a wobbling, non-spinning spinner while testing them. Didn't land it though.)


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## Fish Scalper (Oct 31, 2009)

You either have to pull it much faster or use much smaller components around it to allow the water to move over the blade to start and spin it. If you have something fairly large or oddly shaped in front of the blade, it will throw the water past the blade and the blade will sit in a dead spot basically.


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## Treehog (Aug 18, 2010)

Fish Scalper said:


> You either have to pull it much faster or use much smaller components around it to allow the water to move over the blade to start and spin it. If you have something fairly large or oddly shaped in front of the blade, it will throw the water past the blade and the blade will sit in a dead spot basically.


Thanks for the fast reply. I'm going to start by taking components off. I currently have a small body and a couple of beads on, but can certainly get them smaller like the Mepps Agila. 
I tried various speeds and had the same trouble all the way around. The blade is also the first component on the wire.


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## mike003 (Sep 8, 2007)

I build mine with components from www.pen-tac.com, and www.rvrfshr.com. They are French blade, stirrup clevis, and a tiny bearing. The blades start to spin as soon as they hit the water, and will spin no matter how slow the retrieve. I believe it is the bearing that makes the difference. The bearings are MUCH smaller than they appear in this pic.


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## Treehog (Aug 18, 2010)

I've got a bearing behind the clevis, between it and the body. Do you also put one between the clevis and the wire loop?


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## mike003 (Sep 8, 2007)

Only between the body and clevis.


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## Treehog (Aug 18, 2010)

That's what I thought. 
I made a couple more with the smaller blade that are much smaller than the last bunch and still no change. Perhaps I bought come cheap blades. They may do better on a swivel on a spinnerbait, as opposed to the inline I have them on now. The #3's are still spinning perfectly. I'll probably just stick with them going forward. 
I also took one of the #2's and bent the scoop a little deeper. Haven't tried it out yet, but it's my next test. 
Thanks for the help.


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## mike003 (Sep 8, 2007)

Mepps, Vibrax, and Pen-Tac blades, especially size 3 and up, are thicker than blades you can buy from Cabela's, etc. Probably helps them spin better.


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## [email protected]#$carp (Aug 29, 2010)

Is the blade the same length as body? I did that once the blade wasnt and it didnt spin.


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## Treehog (Aug 18, 2010)

[email protected]#$carp said:


> Is the blade the same length as body? I did that once the blade wasnt and it didnt spin.


The first batch of #2's were about 1/2 the size of the lure. Made a couple more that were smaller bodied but ni change. I just couldn't get them started. 

I started dressing my own trebles with some stuff I got from Old Dutchman and have been really happy so far with the results. 

I put the dressed hooks (some black/red squirrel tail, some white bucktail, some a mix of the bucktail and black lambs wool) on some new spinners (a mixed batch of #3 french, #3 & #3.5 Colorado blades). Took them out to Alum this morning. Everything is spinning perfectly. I spent most of my time near the dock at Cheshire, and wasn't too concerned about catching much. I had a decent sized crappie hit, but lost it. Moved to another spot and had a couple of really good hits from eating-sized bass. I had one 10 ft from shore, but it came off. Wish I had more time today. As soon as the clouds came in they started getting active. Can't wait to get more made and in the water. 

I'll put some pics up when I can of the new toys.


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## Treehog (Aug 18, 2010)

Well, the spinners are proven fish catchers. I was showing them off to a friend of mine, who said he'd love to see how they are made. I said "No problem, they take all of 40 seconds to make". Made one with a #3 hammered Colorado blade, snowman body, and a red bead behind it with red tubing over the treble hook and gave it to him. We went out to the Olentangy later in the day, where we had a couple of small LM, a couple of small crappie, and right when it was about to get too dark to see my buddy thought he had a carp on his line... no carp, it was a 19.25 inch smallie. Biggest smallie I've ever seen. I was pretty proud to have it caught on one of my lures too


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## [email protected]#$carp (Aug 29, 2010)

Great its fun to catch fish better when you make the lure yourself.


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