The Lure of Mepps Spinners Flash &Vibration
Most fishing lures are imitators. They look like a minnow, worm, crawfish, frog or other aquatic creature. Soft plastic fishing lures and crankbaits are molded in these shapes. Spoons imitate minnows. Feeding fish are quick to grab these lures.
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While the Mister Twister TwisterMite may be the best hellgrammite imitator you'll find anywhere, it won't do you a lot of good if the fish aren't feeding. When the bite gets tough you have entice the fish to strike. This is the time to tie on a Mepps spinner.
Mepps spinners are very different. They are not designed to imitate anything. They entice a fish into striking by appealing to its basic survival instinct. “I don’t know what that is, but it’s invading my territory and I’m going to kill it.” Or, “Look at that. I can have some fun with that.” How does a spinner do this? It really is simple. Spinners use flash and vibration to attract fish. This flash and vibration comes from their revolving blade. No other fishing lure has this unique feature.
For this very reason, Mepps spinners will catch fish when no other lure will. Have you ever played with a cat? Feed a cat all it wants and it stops eating. It may even go to sleep. But, tie a toy to a string, drag it across the floor and the cat comes to life. It pounces on the toy. It's not hungry, it’s been enticed it into striking. A Mepps spinner has the same effect on a fish. The fish sees the spinner and goes on the attack. The "key" word is "sees." The fish must "see" the spinner to attack it.
We are constantly being asked, "What is the best Mepps lure to use for..." To answer this, Mepps offers more than 4-thousand (that's right 4,000) different lures in a wide variety of sizes and colors.
Lure Size - Lure size is important. The general rule of thumb is use smaller lures to catch smaller fish and larger lures to catch larger fish. But, this a rule of thumb. It is not pure science, nor is it etched in stone.
Most Mepps spinners come in sizes #00 through #5. A #00 is a Mepps Ultra Lite and it weighs only 1/18 oz. A #5 lure, by contrast can weigh as much as 1-3/4 ounces, depending on its hook and blade configuration. The tandem Mepps Giant Killer with its weighted double treble-hook bucktail is just such a lure.
| Use #00 � Mepps spinners for Panfish &small Stream Trout Use #1  Mepps spinners for larger Panfish &Stream Trout |
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| Bluegill | Crappie | Stream Trout |
| Use #2 Mepps spinners for Smallmouth Bass &Walleye | |
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| Smallmouth Bass | Walleye |
Mepps lures in size #00 or #0 are perfect for panfish (bluegills or sunfish) and small stream trout. They are very light, however, and require a nimble rod, equipped with a light action reel spooled with light line; nothing heavier than six-pound-test. Two-pound-test to four-pound-test is better. Mepps spinners in size #1 and #2 are perfect for larger stream trout and large bluegills, sunfish and crappies. Size #2 Mepps are also excellent for smallmouth bass and walleye. These sizes are ideal for teaching youngsters the basics of spinner fishing, as they are heavy enough to cast well with light tackle, yet they are small enough to catch a wide variety of fish.
| Use #3  Mepps spinners for Largemouth Bass &larger Walleye | |
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| Largemouth Bass - #3  | Walleye - #3 |
Mepps spinners in sizes #3 and #4 are preferred by largemouth bass fishermen. In fact, the #3 dressed Mepps Aglia was rated the best all around lure for largemouth bass by the readers of Sports Afield magazine. Size #3 Mepps spinners are also ideal for walleyes three pounds and over.
| Use #4  Mepps spinners for the following fish | |
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| Large Trout | Steelhead & Salmon |
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| Northern Pike | Musky |
Size #4 and #5 Mepps are ideal for large rainbow trout and steelhead, as well as coho (silver) and chinook (king) salmon. Northern pike and giant tackle busting musky will inhale a dressed #5 Mepps spinner. Or, if you are after trophy northern pike or musky, try a Mepps Musky Killer, Magnum Musky Killer, Giant Killer, Mepps Marabou or Musky Marabou.
Water Temperature - Does water temperature influence lure selection? You bet is does. Fish are cold blooded creatures. This means their body temperature rises in warm water and falls in cold water. Fish are most active when the water they live in is cool. Think about it. Even though you are not a cold blooded creature, you are most active when the atmosphere you live in is comfortable... not too hot and not too cold. Cool is, "just right."
When you are too hot or too cold, you alter your activities to adapt to your environment. If it's too cold, you warp yourself in a warm blanket and hunker down with a favorite magazine or book. If you're watching television, the remote had better be near-by because you are not getting up to change channels. If it's sweltering, you'll slip into a pair of comfortable shorts and stretch out in front of the air conditioner. You're not about to get up to make yourself a sandwich, as just the thought of moving around can make you queasy.
Fish react the same way, only their reactions are stronger. They cannot warm or cool their blood as we do to control our body temperature. Instead, when the water is cold a fish will move to shallow warm water, especially if the sun is out and it is warming that water. Here it will rest until its body temperature warms up. On the other hand, when the water is warm, a fish will move into a deep pocket in a lake, or into a fast run in a stream. Here it will "rest" until its body temperature cools down.
Just like you, under these less than ideal conditions, a fish isn't about to leave the comfort of his pocket or run. In other words, it's not about to go chasing around after a lure. It's also not about to eat, so it doesn't matter if that crankbait is the perfect crawfish imitator, it will be ignored.
However, let a small Mepps spinner slowly "swim" by and that same fish will grab it, and why not? Here is a small unrecognized creature, bug or "thing" invading the sanctity of its comfort zone, its "easy chair" so to speak. BANG! After all, you might not get up to make that sandwich, but what if someone were kind enough to drop a piece of your favorite candy in your lap? BANG!
Now let's take a look at what you do when the temperature is ideal. You wade your favorite trout stream, You jog, you go biking. You play 18 holes of golf and you carry your clubs. You may even paint the house or build a deck. In other words, you exercise and, as you do, you work up an appetite. So, you stoke up the grill.
When the water temperature is cool, a fish reacts the same way. This is the time to toss spoons and other imitators. Fish them fast or slow. Vary your retrieve to see what works best. Keep in mind, however, you will only catch fish as long as they are feeding. When they stop biting its time to tie on that spinner.
