SPINNER CONSTRUCTION: A VISUAL GUIDE

Slide the various lure components down the wire in order (large spacer beads, bullet weight, squid skirt, small spacer beads, clevis with spinner, small spacer bead), and to the wire’s looped end attach the split ring and hook. Note the hook placement – bend even with the end of the squid’s tentacles, not in the middle of the body. (BRIAN KELLY)

To then form the eye of the spinner, bend the wire around the nose of the plier (lower left), then continue the bend to form the eye (lower middle).

(BRIAN KELLY)

With the spinner complete and ready to fish, remember to check for proper eye alignment, which allows the spinner to swim in a straight line when retrieved. (BRIAN KELLY) important part of the spinner equation comes in at the top of the body. No matter what style spinner you are building, put a small plastic bead on the top of the body with a hollow metal bead stacked on top; this combination provides a smooth bearing surface for the clevis to rotate on. Place the spinner blade on the clevis and slide this on the shaft.

The final portion to the build is forming the eye. While there are forming tools available for this step, a pair of small, round nose pliers work just fine for the job. Start by grabbing the wire with the pliers about ⅜ inch above the top of the clevis. Then make the first bend over the top of the plier nose; this will become the top of the spinner eye when complete.

Next, continue to bend the wire around the top of the plier nose until you close the loop. Adjust the plier to hold the loop on the inside of the bend and then wrap the wire around the base of the eye three

The author built a two-tone squid spinner that was the hot lure on a trip to Juneau. “There is a great sense of satisfaction when that first fish eats a lure of your own design,” Kelly says. (BRIAN KELLY) times and cut the excess wire snug to the eye loop.

The final step is to bend the eye loop if necessary to align the loop with the shaft (see accompanying pictures, page 48). When the eye lines up straight, the spinner will swim true!

There are times when coho just want a bigger-profile lure, especially if they have been keying on herring for their food source. A squid-bodied spinner can be just the ticket in these situations, especially if you are targeting coho in the salt with the feedbag firmly secured.

The build process is pretty much the same as the basic spinner, but be sure to add several plastic beads behind the bullet weight or body to compensate for the added length of the squid skirt. The goal is to have the hook hanging far enough down the skirt to nab any short- striking fish (see pictures for reference).

Try using a two-tone color scheme with the squid spinner, as this seems to be a consistent pattern for taking coho in the salt. While silver-plated blades are often recommended for most spinner builds, do not overlook painted blades, as these can often turn on a coho in low light conditions.

There is a great sense of satisfaction when that first fish eats a lure of your own design. Coho have a reputation for hitting anything that moves, but those who have spent enough time on the water to see the mood swings of Oncorhynchus kisutch know that it pays to have some custom lures and color schemes on hand for those tough bite days.

Spend a little time in the workshop this winter and build a spinner that a coho cannot resist! ASJ

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