Trout - spinfishing techniques

Despite my passion for fly-fishing, I still find spin fishing versatile, fun and effective – even after 30 years of it.

Although many anglers’ believe that one must decide whether they are a fly-fisherman or spin-fisherman, this need not be the case. I find my fishing has been made so much richer, more versatile and rewarding by my ability to adopt whatever tackle and technique the conditions best suit at the time. Often it’s spinning, which suits me fine.

Part of spin-fishing’s appeal is that great skill is not always necessary to achieve success. This was certainly the case for me. On my very first day out spinning on Lake Waitaki, I caught a brown trout, a rainbow trout and a sockeye salmon within an hour! The spinner? The famed black and gold (‘Zebra’) Toby. I was well and truly hooked. Since then, and after a few hundred days on the water, I have come to the following conclusions…

Ideal conditions for spinning

Spin-fishing relies very much on deception and agitation (rather than fly fishing, which is often about imitation), so having discoloured water, some wave action and cloudy weather will help your chances – especially if you get all three factors occurring at the same time. As fly-fishing tends to be better in clearer waters, if the river is discoloured I will happily spin. However, in either clear water or calm, sunny conditions, spin-angling can be very challenging, especially if fishing in a lake. (I won’t say it’s hopeless though, as there are few absolutes in fishing.)

If fishing in such conditions, keep your lure as small as possible and use as light a line as is practical.  Also remember that in autumn and winter, as water temperatures start to cool down, triggering spawning urges, trout will often be bolder than usual. Consequently spin-fishing often works best in the cooler months of the year.

Always on hand

Spin-fishing involves only a small amount of gear in comparison to fly-fishing. For this reason spin-fishing is very portable; it is easy to keep a spinning rod in your car at all times in case a fishing opportunity should arise.

Portability is further enhanced by having a telescopic or four-piece rod; all the gear can be stored out of sight under the passenger’s seat in the car. All you need in addition is a small plastic box with a selection of spinners. Such minimal gear is easily transferred to a boat, pack or even a bike.

Dealing with didymo

A new factor to consider when spin-fishing is didymo. I recently caught a beautiful three-kilogram brown in the Waitaki, and while didymo did foul my gear, catching a decent trout was still possible.
 

Firstly, make short casts into prime lies (rather than spending too much time getting fouled up with longer casts through second-rate water).

Secondly, if you cast directly upstream on at just a slight angle to the current, you will have fewer problems than by casting across and down, which will likely result in didymo clumps on your gear.

Thirdly, replace the trebles with singles, and tie a swivel about forty centimetres up the trace from your spinner. The swivel (or you could use a Blood knot) will tend to be the point where the didymo accumulates, rather than on your spinner. Also be aware that didymo is seasonal, so there will be less of it drifting down the river at certain times.

Casting upstream

When fishing the rivers, cast upstream and retrieve just slightly faster than the current is flowing. This technique enables your spinner to sink down near the river’s bed, the prime zone where trout often lie.

Covering the water

Spin-fishing is a great way to cover large areas of water. It works well on large rivers, especially if fish are lying in deep pools, and in lakes where the trout are spread out. Once a cluster of trout is found, you can get out the fly-fishing gear after resting the water for a few minutes – at this stage you will have the confidence that the trout are there.

In fact, the duality of spinning and fly-fishing works well. Once a trout refuses a spinner, that’s usually it; they have wised up and are unlikely to hit it again. But if you rest the water for a while and then rework it with fly-fishing gear, this may do the trick.

On large rivers I like to fly-fish upstream through the shallower water and then, on the way down, spin through deep pools and swirling back waters that were difficult and time-consuming to fish with the fly on the way up.

Line weights

In addition to a reasonable but basic set of spin-fishing gear, a few other items will give yourself an advantage. For example, have two spools for your reel with different line weights. One should be loaded with 2kg line for clear conditions, where trout are easily disturbed, and the light line also allows your lure to sink deeper. The second spool is for fishing larger rivers, in areas with snags, or if fishing in conditions of low water clarity, so 3kg line is generally recommended for this.

You could go to a third outfit with 4 to 5kg line, which would cover rivermouth fishing for searun trout, when there is always a chance of hooking a trophy-sized searun, salmon or kahawai. This line weight is also favoured if fishing into deep pools upriver, where additional lead weights are used to get your gear down in the current. At such times, in deeper water, your line will run over stones on the bottom, and having heavier line is an advantage.

Long rods are an advantage

You can give yourself a further advantage by having a longer than average rod; spin rods up to 9’/2.75m (the same length as a fly rod) are now available from tackle shops in the larger centres. Long rods are great for fishing lakes, where making a cast just slightly longer than other anglers will often give you the edge. Long rods are also good when fishing from a drifting dinghy, when you want to cast as far away as possible from the disturbance created by the boat. They also allow improved detection of subtle takes.

Spinner selection

Knowing which spinner to use and when is important. Five types of spinners have worked well for me and stood the test of time, but overall keep your spinners small and your line as light as possible.

Bibbed lures (Rapalas):
The best, as they look like the real thing, rather than relying on just agitating the trout. Use loop connections or a split ring to allow extra action. At times on remote high country rivers (which often just see fly fisherman) you can have a lot of success with a small, lifelike lure such as a Rapala, even in clear and sunny conditions.
Blade spinners (Veltic): These are ideal for pools and deep water, while the smaller sizes work well in rivers. They can also be used to deadly effect when combined with weights in deepwater.
Plastic-winged lures (Tasmanian Devil/King Cobras): Great for lakes and for trolling in shallow water behind a dinghy.
Metal slices/spoons (Tobies): Work well, but are easily thrown out of the trout’s mouth when the fish jumps. Great for long casts and getting down deep quickly.
Soft-plastics and jig heads: Work well, especially in deep water for sea-run trout. Very versatile. Make sure you don’t use the scented varieties in waters where they are forbidden.

So take off the blinkers and give spinning a/another go; chances are, you’ll be impressed.