Panther Martin Spinners

[Arin]

In the spring I'm planning on fishing on the south branch of the Au Sable. My grandpa lives just before Chase Bridge and I was wondering what spinners would work there? I've heard that they work for just about anything in most rivers.. I want to target some pike, if they're in the river there.. How would you fish them and what types would you use?

[stinger63]

I always good luck with panther martin spinners.4 colors that always use are the black with yellow dots,yellow with red dots,chrome and silver.Mps spinners work well also so you should try them.

[trout]

You can also make your own with a kit.
Saves money too!

[Arin]

How would you all fish them?

[stinger63]

Depends on where your fishing at,In a stream if you can read the water and its holes you want to cast the spinner in a likely looking area without making a big splash.Good quiet presentation is always good.A slow steady retrieve always seem to work well with me.When fishing a lake,depending on depth you want to let the lure sink some before starting your retrieve.I will vary the speed of retrieve when fishing these areas,sometimes fast and sometimes slow when they wont hit a staedy retrieve.Sometimes if you let the spinner stop and then start realing it in,it grabs the fishes attention and they strike it.Good luck

[callie]

I never leave home without my panther martins. From candian waters to the UP, to me they are the most effective lure for walleye at least. The Canadian fishing adventures also so them bring in quite a few Northerns. Slow and steady retreives have worked best for me.

[stinger63]

I forgot to add this,You might want to add a splitshot or 2 when casting these.It helps get the spinner down to what ever depth you want to fish in.Slower moving water les weight and faster water a little more.Bigger rivers I use 1-2 1/4 ounce splitshots.Smaller river the 1/16th - 1/8th will work for ya.I cant till trout season.

[Garret]

When I was a teenager a good friend of mine taught me to river fish with spinners (as well as all other techniques) and one thing that he stated and I still live by is...have enough spinners (at least 3-4 of each color and style) with you so that if you lose one or two of a hot spinner you still have a few in the box to use. I also learned that if you’re not getting snagged up or bumping bottom in deep holes or log jams then your not fishing deep enough. This has caught me many a steel in my river fishing adventures.

Panther Martin is one of my favorites!

Just my 2 cents

Garret
:)

[Arin]

Do any of you use the different types of spinners? Like the ones with the fake minnows and such?

[tangleknot]

We use gold panther martins a lot in the rivers for trout. They are one of our favorite spinners.

[stinger63]

Another spinner to try is a rooster tail.It comes in variety of sizes and colors.I also was looking at some bluefox spinners yesterday at Gander.Im not sure of this because I cant remember all to well but I think theres a sonic rooster tail which the blade puts out more vibration than standard.Either way any variety of name brand spinners should work well.

[Kevin]

Do any of you use the different types of spinners? Like the ones with the fake minnows and such?
Yes. Worked pretty well on the local crik, but they get beat up very quickly. The little minnow rips where the treble attaches, and starts to wobble funny in the water.

[Garret]

Found a clearance bin in the back of Meijers (Lapeer) and there were many spinners (no name brand) on sale for 20-30 cents each. Not as good as brand names but for the price i couldn't pass. They were on an end unit toward the north wall of the store by the camping gear.

Had some other stuff (spoons...etc) as well.

Figured I’d let everyone know.

Garret

[ESOX]

I make my own spinners in various weights, colors and body lengths. I'll use quick change clevises to facilitate changing blades on the water. Then as conditions change from hole to hole, I can always easily assemble a body/ blade combination that will fish just right. I will also make spinners with a single hook with the "horseshoe" style spring weed guard. I can run them way under the timber with very few hang ups.

[ForestFisher]

Panther martins have caught me more fish than probably any other lure I have in my box over the years. But, I have found that in medium to fast moving streams or rivers, a Mepps works better. I think this must be due to the fact that casting up stream or quartering up stream is almost always the best, and the panthers just don't seem to spin quite as well as a mepps when you're reeling them with the current. But if the water is slow moving the panther martin is the way to go. Also, whoever said that about "if you're not bumping the bottom you're not going deep enough" is right on the money! Especially if the water is clear and not a lot of cover, the fish will be tight on the bottom and won't move unless you put it right over their nose. The panther martin is in my book one of the all time greatest lures. I think every kind of fish that I have caught in Michigan, I have gotten at at least one on a panther martin, even carp and suckers. Anyway just my two cents, good post guys, and good luck. -FF

[Arin]

Well, it's pretty slow with not much cover where I want to fish. So, I'll get some of those panthers.