Make Your Own Saltwater Fishing Spinners

One special group of saltwater fishing spinners is the willow leaf type shown above in Fig. 1. To make this spinner you will have to cut out and shape your own blades since they can be bought finished only in the smaller sizes.

For saltwater fishing the willow leaf blade should be at least 2 in. long and 5/8 in. wide. This spinner also has an extension, either cut out from the blade itself or soldered to it, to keep it revolving at a fixed distance from the shaft.

And instead of using a clevis, the blade is bent in front and a hole is drilled. Another hole is drilled in the extension arm and the wire shaft is then slipped through both holes.

If you use stainless steel to make the blade you don't have to plate it, but merely polish it. When making this spinner or any other saltwater type, use heavy wire for the shaft.

When attaching the hook or swivel to the front and rear of the shaft, you form a permanent eye. However, if you want to change hooks or swivels you can form a locking snap or clasp-type loop as shown in Fig. 2.

Full instructions for forming such a snap can be found in Making Fishing Leaders , on making leaders and connections. The willow leaf spinner usually has a gang of two or three hooks attached behind it, baited with a whole baitfish, worms, a strip of pork rind, or squid.

Another saltwater fishing spinner often used is the so-called fluke spinner shown in Fig. 3. A pair of Colorado-shaped blades are used to make this spinner, mounting them on a heavy wire shaft with big glass or plastic beads.

A single long-shank Carlisle hook is attached behind the blades and this is baited with a live killifish or other saltwater minnow.

A somewhat similar saltwater spinner, which makes use of smaller Indiana type blades, is the snapper shown in Fig. 4. This also has a long-shanked hook, such as the Bridegport snapper pattern, attached at the rear.

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