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[golfnut23]

blades spinners crocs and spoons, is there a secret in using these items, or do you use them the same as wool, same weight and setup? or are they more productive on the return? any tips would be appreciated. also are they better in slow or fast waters

[Fish Assassin]

I find them work much better in slow water.

[Floater]

For sure deeper and slower water works better. I also found with jigs and spoons early morning fast retrieve works better and slower retrieve in mid afternoon to evening.

[Rodney]

FishFreak, do you fish it without a float? That has worked well for me a few times.

My experience with blades is minimal compared to others, but I have done quite a bit with spoons. The size of the spoon used is very related to the amount of flow there is. Faster flow = Heavier spoon. In faster flow, letting the spoon flutter down the run by drifting it without retrieving can be effective. Find the ideal weight so the spoon suspends just above the river bed as it flows downstream. In runs where slower current exists, I like to cast the spoon out, allow it to sink for a few seconds while keeping the rod tip up. I begin the retrieve once the spoon swings downstream. This usually triggers any holding fish to follow the spoon as it is being retrieved. I've seen large coho slowly following the spoon in.

In stillwater, weighted spinners can be magical. The method used for weighted spinners is simpler. Cast the spinner out, allow it to sink for a few seconds before the slow retrieve. When retrieving, the rod tip will vibrate due to the spin of the blade. When a fish bites the spinner, the blade will stop turning due to the sudden stop of the lure. This causes the vibration to stop and a brief slack of the line before a hard pull. The bite is slightly different to what you would feel on a spoon.

[Steelhawk]

Blades fished with float is deadly. The secret is not to hold on the line or the float to cause the blades to turn too fast.  Dead drifting will cause a fluttering action on blades which can distract a fish much more than a fast spinning blades and cause it to strike the blade.  Another way is to do a hold & release drift, which cause the blades to spin & come up, then drop down in a fluttering action.

Try to polish your brass or nickel blades right before your trip. I carry a small container with Brasso & Q-tips so I can repolish at the river. If you can afford it, pay premium for the 24K gold or genuine silver plated blades. Those I reserve for my steelies. Don't drift too low as the river bottom will  scratch the surface of your expensive blades in no time. Also, these blades don't need polishing with Brasso.  Just wipe it with clean cloth.  Tight line.

[BwiBwi]

But blade is VERY lite do you put on split shots?

[Fish Assassin]

If you are float fishing blades, you do need some weight.

[cohokid]

float fishing blades is exactly the same as you would with roe or wool, just put a blade on the end and cast away let it drift, then start the retrieve, thats when i usually get the hit when I'm reeling in not on the drift, i use about 1.5 inch of pencil lead

Listen to him hes great with blades

[golfnut23]

i was at the chehalis today and brought along a ton of tackle, just because i new there would be a ton of chums and just wanted to see what they would bite, threw in a couple blades and only got i hit, tried gooey bobs, jensen eggs, roe, wool, corkies, spinandglows and they all manedged at least 1 hit, at the end of the day i tried to be adventurous and put on a worm but didnt get any hits, just interesting to see what they would hit.

[Fish Assassin]

Chums will hit practically anything

[golfnut23]

so will steelhead 

[marmot]

If you are float fishing blades, you do need some weight.

Ive caught without weight on blades in shallower, slightly slower water.  Im no pro, but it HAS worked a few times when weighted blades were snagging up.  I did a little experimenting with adding a small egg bead just ahead of the blade, just for fun, and lo and behold, fish on! Didnt seem to impede the action too much when i tested it in front of me...

[Sterling C]

COHO WILL NOT HIT BLADES!!! ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE CAUGHT COHO ON BLADES SNAGGED THEM!!!

And now for no particular reason.....

[allwaysfishin]

I consider colorado and french blades, when properly presented under a float, to be some of the deadliest weapons in my arsenal of steelhead and coho enticing treats. Occasionally i will fish them without the float by casting downstream and making verry slow retreives through slow water or tailouts... deadly. There are one or two sizes and finishes i will not leave home without and there is one (totally top secret  ) particular size and finish of french blade, when rigged properly, that is rapidly beginning to take the lions share of the steelhead I've taken to hand in the past few years.

that's a nice hog in that pic, good one !

[blaydRnr]

COHO WILL NOT HIT BLADES!!! ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE CAUGHT COHO ON BLADES SNAGGED THEM!!!

must have been really slow on the river for you this year that you've reverted to TROLLING on the net.