What Kind Should You Use?
All 3.5 spinners are the same, right? Wrong! While there are many similarities, some 3.5 class spinner blade styles have different “spin profiles,” which can significantly change the presentation.
The most common “3.5 spinners” use a 3.5 size Colorado style blade, where the name “3.5” came from. Even so, most blade styles of similar size use unique sizing scales. The shape, contour, length, and width make the difference, rather than the number on the blade.
The term “3.5 Class” is used to identify spinners and spinner blades that are appropriately sized to fish well behind a 360° flasher.
Each of these 4 blades are considered 3.5 Class Spinners:
3.5 Class Trolling Spinners Guide
Blade
Shape & Size
Lift – Angle Between Blade & Shaft
Round
1-1/8” Long x 3/4” Wide
A deeply cupped lip provides an even higher lift than a Colorado.
Narrow ‘double-ended’ profile
1-5/8” Long x 3/4” Wide
Moderately dished contour and unique shape provide a lower lift for a tighter rotation around the shaft.
Ever notice that some spinners have different wire shaft lengths?
Here are a few reasons why …
Longer wire shafts:
- Allow for easier tuning
- Can aid in protecting your leader because the fish’s teeth will more often be scraping on the wire and not on your leader line
Short wire shafts:
- Don’t bend as easily, which may allow more time before you have to straighten or re-form the wire
Take the spinner shaft between your thumb and forefinger and twist it back and forth. Your treble hook should spin straight with the wire shaft without moving side to side.
If it is off-center, make minor adjustments until the hook aligns with the shaft. This is often best done by moving the hook within the hook tubing.