# Rooster Tail or Mepps? Your choice and why ...



## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Here's the background: I've always just used Rooster Tails. Had a huge supply from when I was in college, and it was the best bait for bass in the shallow waters I was fishing. They were fairly cheap in price, and worked fairly well.
However, I've noticed lately that the new Rooster Tails tend to "stall" at slower speeds, where the spinner blade just hugs the body of the lure and doesn't spin. I had a large supply from the late 90's, and I don't ever remember any of my old ones doing this.
I also have been talking to some fellow anglers, and they swear by the Mepps inline spinners. I tried the Dick's brand generic spinners as an alternate. Worse than the Rooster Tails, IMO.

So now I'm looking for more feedback. Which inline spinner do you prefer to use and why?

Thanks -
Dan


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## jrsfish (May 21, 2004)

Use them all the time,can fish them as slow as you want to,spins real easy. I had the same trouble with rooster tails, seems after one caught fish they never spin the same, no matter how you bend them, went to Blue Fox for steelhead ,no matter how many big fish you catch they still spin.


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

I'm a Mepps fan... always run true right out of the package - and you can vary the speeds with them and the blades still spin. Casting against the current, sideways in the current, with the current... I can always find speeds to make the lure work.

As for rooster tails, problems like what you mentioned and I haven't thrown one in probably 8 years.

Blue Fox is a nice inline spinner too.


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## mck1975 (Jun 18, 2009)

Mepps and Blue Fox are my favorites, in any order.


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## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

Blue Fox hands down. I tried the Rooster tail back when i first started and they always did the same thing. I switch to Blue Fox and will never go to any other brand. They are a bit pricier but are well worth it IMO.


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## fshnfreak (Feb 24, 2007)

mepps hands down either back fury or an aglia in number 2.


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## BassariskY (Sep 8, 2006)

I still throw rooster tails if I want a faster retrieve. 

If the blade stops spinning, you can bend the tip of the blade at a 90 degree angle outwards, it'll start spinning again.


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

I started fishing in-line spinners about 35 years ago for trout in michigan and P.A.. I've used both RT's and Meps. I have no complaints about the performance of either one. Rooster tails always caught more fish for me.... By the way, Field & Stream surveyed over a thousand fisherman a couple of years back and meps was the favorite in-line spinner, Followed closely by Rooster tail.-Tim


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

1mecheng said:


> So now I'm looking for more feedback. Which inline spinner do you prefer to use and why?
> 
> Thanks -
> Dan


My vote is for Panther Martins . . . ! No real reason, used and have all the other brands but, I always end up with the Panther!

They work too!


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## fshnfreak (Feb 24, 2007)

panther martins are my back up plan something about that offset spinner blade that just plain out works especially in the smaller streams i like to fish.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

i like to throw the 1oz white roostertail for steelhead off the break walls in lake erie. cast it out a mile and start the retrieve, give the rod a sharp jerk to get the blade spinning if you dont feel it and burn it in. i do have trouble with the blade stopping at slower speeds, but its not a big deal because those steel like it fast, the white 1oz outfishes all other combined spoons/spinners i fished up there. i usually dont use anything else, sometimes a pink one, but 90% of the time white body, silver blade 1oz.

notice the white 1oz in the steelies mouth


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## CelticCross (Aug 18, 2010)

Roostertail. Better quality, dont look shitty after a few catches either. They do tend to lose the hair, but the hair at the end is MUCH better quality than the nappy crap mepps uses. 

Just MY opinion, i actually use both here and there. but mostly roostertail 

Forgive me, im drunk, and on about 120 mg of methadone from the clinic.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Roosters for WB...I can buy them cheap and close by. If they stop spinning at slow speeds after a few catches I just bend them and they start back up. WB just tear them up


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Can't beat the 1/16 oz silver/white rooster tail. Or the #3 gold dressed aglia in the rivers. But what I really like are the panther martins! (1/4 fly gold/yellow). They always spin! And they are sonic! They are now made in China and the quality has slipped (not as shiny, don't spin as well, dressed hooks sloppier/not as durable, etc). But that is fine bc I found a made in the USA alternative that works just as well as the Italian PM's. http://www.wyldedge.com/LURES.htm (inexpensive too!)

Also, here is one of my "secret" lesser known lures. The sonic rooster tail, 1/4 oz, in black mylar. Great at dusk in the river.

I know inlines tend to be dink attracters, but I still love em!!!


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2010)

mepps would be my choice, though i don't use either as much anymore. my favorite in-line spinner has to be the venerable c.p. swing.


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## Boss hog (Dec 12, 2009)

I have uses rt for years, In recent years they have become what i call JUNK for sure, Mepps are king, You can even throw 3s and 4s in shallow water, Never fail to spin and you can fish them as slow as you want, They are killer on smallies and large mouth,


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## eatwhatyoukeep (May 2, 2005)

Roostertail, I think the blade is made to spin more easily at slow speeds than a mepps especially when reeling it downstream. To fish deeper or faster I would go with mepps


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## norseangler (Jan 8, 2009)

Don't use in-lines much these days, but I always preferred the Mepps spinners for smallmouth, mostly because they worked better at slow speeds. Had to retrieve the Rooster Tails too fast. Favorite was a #2 gold either plain or with the squirrel tail.


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

I like terminator in-line spinners if you can find them.

panther martins for super slow retrieves and mepps extra deep for fast retrieve and longer casts


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

Caught everything that swims on a rooster tail


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## Exentrik (Aug 9, 2010)

I have always sworn by Rooster tails, but I really like the Blue Fox spinners as well, I have had some great success with them as well. Those flashy metallic Vibromax lures are great for just about anything..


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## Smead (Feb 26, 2010)

I like Mepp's...but have started using Joe's Flies products.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10213910_100006002_100000000_100006000_100-6-2

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10200706_100006002_100000000_100006000_100-6-2


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## Daddy830 (Aug 27, 2009)

[email protected]#$carp said:


> Caught everything that swims on a rooster tail


Me too.

I&#8217;ve always seemed to favor Roostertails over the other inlines. I&#8217;ve always done well with Mepps too though, I think years ago I started favoring Roostertails because they were cheaper than Mepps and old habits die hard. I haven&#8217;t had any MORE trouble with their blades not spinning at slow speeds than I do with the others. I have had on many occasions had fish completely pretzelize a roostertail. I think that would be less likely to happen to a Mepps or Panther Martin.


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